To tantalize and inspire audiences attending performances of Tango Buenos Aires last week (January 14 - 16), Segerstrom Center offered free tango lessons on the arts plaza prior to the Friday and Saturday evening performances. Carolina and Felipe Telona of CNF Dance in Playa Del Rey gathered several hundred audience members and passersby on a special dance floor conducive to the sleek and stylized tango moves. And from there, it was Tango Costa Mesa until curtain.
Staff members from the Center’s education and development departments visited Sonora Elementary School in Costa Mesa and McFadden Intermediate School in Santa Ana to thank students in-person for providing musical entertainment during the 37th annual Candlelight Concert fundraiser, which raised more than $1 million for the Center. During Candlelight Concert, Sonora’s Hand Bell Choir and McFadden’s Vocal Ensemble performed at the reception, reminding guests the funds raised from the evening positively impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of students who take part in the Center’s education programs each year.
Photo above: McFadden’s Vocal Ensemble during class
Photo above: Sonora Principal Christine Anderson, Mesa-Newport Unified School District Board of Education VP Walt Davenport, Mesa-Newport Unified School Disctrict Board of Education Member Katrina Foley, Center VP of Education Talena Mara, Sonora Music Director Nick St. Royal, Stephanie Jernigan and Aimee Cherie from the Center
This past weekend, Felicity Huffman, William H. Macy and their children took a trip to Peter Pan’s Neverland at the Center. The photo above shows the two Oscar®-nominated actors (center) backstage with cast members. There are only a few more weeks left to catch threesixtyº entertainment’s Peter Pan in Southern California before it travels to its next stop, Atlanta. The show ends January 2, 2011. 
Nominations for the 53rd Grammy® Awards were announced last night and a couple of artists popular with the Center’s Jazz Series were selected: Esperanza Spalding and Freddy Cole. Esperanza, who sold-out her engagement here last year, is competing in the Best New Artist category and Freddy is up for Best Jazz Vocal Album with Freddy Cole Sings Mr.B. Freddy returns to the Center May 13 and 14 with the Bill Charlap Trio. Congratulations and the best of luck to Esperanza and Freddy! The Grammys will air on February 13 on CBS. 
Nate Fallows (Peter Pan), Shannon Warrick (Mrs. Darling and Neverbird), Beth Tiffon (Jane and a mermaid) and Lee Turnbull (Slightly, a Lost Boy) took a bit of time away from Neverland and the production of Peter Pan at the Center to visit with youngsters at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC). Some of the youthful patients painted their faces while Elliott Towfigh of Corona challenged them to air hockey. They also went from room to room visiting a number of the children who are being cared for with great skill and attention at CHOC.
