A scene from Sweet Spot Production’s first performance. They’ll be sharing the Millenium Stage with Street Light Circus at the Kennedy Center on Monday night. (Photo by Arielle Milkman)
The theme of this week is circus, and you can find yourself all kinds of three-ring affairs, including the start of this year’s Folklife Festival, which boasts a big top theme for its 50th anniversary. But if you’re looking to wind down instead, we’ve got some ideas for you as well—including yoga classes with animals or with experimental jams.
MONDAY, JUNE 26
CIRCUS ARTS: Two of the companies behind D.C.’s evolving circus scene, Street Light Circus and Sweet Spot Aerial Productions, are taking to the Kennedy Center’s Millenium Stage for a “cabaret of modern circus arts.” As with the entire Millenium Stage series, you can livestream the performance if making it in person isn’t possible. (Kennedy Center; 6 p.m.; FREE).
NORDIC JAZZ: Here’s a chance not only to sample a niche musical genre, but also to see the interior and roof (!) of the gorgeous House of Sweden. For the 11th year in a row, the Danish, Finish, Norwegian, and Swedish embassies are teaming up to bring Nordic jazz to the D.C. shores, with the appropriately named Nordic Jazz Festival. After cocktails on the roof, the performances will take place inside the Swedish Embassy’s Alfred Nobel Hall. The three groups will present “a unique sound that emphasizes the natural elements of the Nordic countries with a modern interpretation. The contemporary Nordic Jazz scene is characterized by improvisation and the music tends to be experimental but melodically strong with a spacious sound and open song structures.” (House of Sweden; 6:30 – 11 p.m., $35). The festival will include a total of seven performances, also taking place at the Finish and Danish embassies.
HAPPY HARRY DAY: Harry Potter is just shy of legal drinking age in the U.S. Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the boy wizard’s appearance in the world with, how else, a party at a bookstore. Feel free to come in costume, duh. (Hooray For Books; 6-7 p.m.; FREE).
COOKING: Not to be confused with spirit cooking, the spirit of cooking is a new series of classes pairing, well, spirits and cooking. District Distilling’s executive chef and head distiller are teaming up for the interactive demonstrations. The first one focuses on the company’s Wildjune Western-Style Gin and techniques for preparing fish. (District Distilling; 7-9 p.m.; $60)
More: Dance party outside Mitch McConnell’s House, Underwater Spin Class, Life Drawing, Retirement Savings Class, Shakespeare in the Pub presents “Two Gentlemen of Verona”, Profiles in Creativity: Bernadette Peters
Lionel Richie is playing Wolf Trap on Tuesday night. (Courtesy of the artist)
TUESDAY, JUNE 27
YOGA: Watch kittens do kitten things from the vantage point of downward facing dog. Arlington’s animal shelter plays host to this “mellow” yoga class, which will also be attended by a variety of adoptable, four-legged friends (Animal Welfare League of Arlington, 7-8 p.m., $20). If sweating in the presence of pets isn’t your thing, maybe sweating with a promise of beer is? abellaYoga presents a weekly class suitable for beginners and up at Alexandria’s Port City brewery. The registration fee includes a post-workout pint in the tasting room. (Port City Brewing Company, 7-9 p.m., $20) Still not doing it for you? How about yoga in the presence of bikes (The Bike Rack, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.; $5 donation)? Or free, outdoor yoga? CorePower Yoga is hosting a class in the heart of downtown D.C. (Farragut Square, 5-6:30 p.m.FREE)
ROAST: DC Improv is stretching its historical imagination in the confines of the streetcar tunnels underneath Dupont Circle, where they’ll be roasting famous people of yesteryear. Here’s how they describe the show, Time Machine Roast: “What happens when historical figures share a stage? They burn each other with hilarious jokes, just like the roasts you’ve seen on TV. Watch some of DC’s favorite local comics get into character (and costume) to play the roles of history’s most famous figures—from musicians and scientists to emperors and warlords—and roast each other right in front of you. The jokes might be mean, but they’re never too soon.” (Dupont Underground, 8-10 p.m., $9)
MUSIC: Lionel Richie will be singing all night long (ok, ok, more like 8-10 p.m.) out in Virginia on his “All The Hits” tour. (Wolf Trap, 8 p.m., $45-$150)
More: United States Navy Band free concert, Speed Mentoring, All The President’s Men, Pizza Sauce Making
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28
(Ai Weiwei Studios)
AI WEIWEI FIX: It seems like the only D.C. institution that draws a line more reliably than the 7th Street pop-up is the Hirshhorn. Chinese artist Ai Weiwei returns to the Smithsonian’s modern art museum with an exhibit called Trace, which includes a bevy of his recent works that “foregrounds his own experiences of incarceration, interrogation, and surveillance,” including a large-scale piece made of Legos. The artist couldn’t make it to D.C. the last time the Hirshhorn ran a survey of his works, because the Chinese government confiscated his passport, but he’ll be in town for a lecture at the museum on the 27th—which is already sold out. Trace will be on view starting today, and does not require the same timed tickets that the Kusama exhibit did. Our reviewer writes: ” Under the real guise of political oppression, Ai, the great political satirist, is gracing the Hirshhorn with toys, wallpaper, and branded design. It’s provocative, and hilarious.” (The Hirshhorn, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., FREE)
BLOOMINGTALES The neighborhood of Bloomingdale already looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, so why not close the loop with some storytelling? Big Bear Cafe is hosting this semi-regular storytelling event. You can sit back and listen to the yarns woven by others, but the hosts would rather you come ready to tell your own, ranging in length from about 3 to 5 minutes. Canned bears, house wines, and a specialty cocktail will be $5 all night. (Big Bear Cafe, 7:15 p.m., FREE)
SONIC YOGA: You’ve heard of trap yoga, but now Rhizome is launching its own series that will combine yoga practice with music. Called “EVOL: Sonic Wellness,” the program offers an hour of yoga with a curated soundtrack. For the kickoff, folks will salute to the sun to the ambient sounds of Benjamin Schurr, of Br’er fame. (Rhizome, doors at 6 p.m., yoga instruction from 7-8 p.m., $10)
More: Lincoln screening outdoors, U Don’t Kno Jack W/ Jack, LGBTQ Advocacy Roundtable, Femme Night: A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
THURSDAY, JUNE 29
A St. Louis circus performs. (Photo by Jessica Hentoff, courtesy of the Folklife Festival)
SAY HELLO TO THE FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL: The Smithsonian Folklife Festival kicks off today, and to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the annual event is headed to the circus. In past years, the National Mall has been transformed into an exploration of other countries and regions, but this time around, the focus will be on domestic traditions: “Circus Arts” and “On The Move: Migration Across Generations.” The festival will take place between Seventh and Twelfth streets on the Mall from June 29 through July 4, and July 6 through 9. The opening ceremony starts at 10 a.m. on the 29th, with a series of free performances to follow in offerings like acrobatics, human beatbox, and dance. (National Mall between Seventh and Twelfth streets, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., FREE)
CAPPUCCINO CITY TALK American University Professor Derek Hyra’s book about gentrification, Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City is as buzzy as it gets. Have questions about how neighborhoods change and develop, and what that means for residents? Hyra will lead an open conversation about these topics at The Philips Collection, which’ll also be livestreamed on Facebook. (The Phillips Collection, 6:30 p.m., FREE)
RETAIL EXPERIENCE: It’s called “Please Do Not Enter,” but we’re pretty sure that this shopping pop-up wants you to come inside. The “retail lab” at the W Hotel debuts today with designs from D.C., courtesy of Mimi Miller, LA, San Francisco, and Europe, and it will be open through the 4th of July. But coming on opening night means that DJs Junkyard Dog and Prince Terrence will be spinning, and you can purchase cocktails for $12. (W Washington DC, 6-9 p.m., FREE to enter/browse)
More: Izakaya Pub Quiz, Secret Life of Pets Screening, Glover Park Social: A Variety Open Mic, DeRay Davis, Hitch Screening, Women Uncorked, Oops! Sorry We Were Wrong, Let’s Grow Out, Being Fine As F*ck: A Practice of Resilience
