Standing Engagement: COBA Dance and Drumming Studio

Popping & locking will seem tame
Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, Oct. 11, 2008]

Every August, Caribana rolls into town giving the city an undeniable island feel. However, the Collective of Black Artists (COBA) dance trouple is dedicated to spreading that feeling into the winter. As Charmaine Headley, its co-founder notes, "Caribana is the season, but we want to spread it past the season."

Founded in 1993 by Headley, Junia Mason, Bakari E. Lindsay and Mosa Neshama, COBA is an acclaimed dance company dedicated to preserving African and Caribbean arts. It began as "four dancers looking to perform," Headley explains, but the collective soon discovered it would have to take on an educational role in order to get dance opportunities.

"We found that, for us to get more work, we need to educate people about what Caribbean dance is all about," she says, "because it's not perceived in the same way as ballet or modern."

Now at 14 members and one apprentice, COBA continues to put on award-winning perfromances while running a dance and drumming school. While its children's program is its mainstay, COBA offers adult and teen drop-in classes, such as beginner Caribbean dance, West African drumming and Raga funk.

At the first Raga funk class of the season, COBA member and instructor Teisha Smith leads students through dance moves including the Willie Bounce and the butterfly (plant your feet outward, bend your knees in to each other and then out in a semi-circle). With soca and dancehall-tinged reggae providing the soundtrack, Smith breaks down each move into its isolated parts, stretching students' hips and abs.

Although Smith courteously slows down and works with students individually during this 1 1/2-class, she explains that it's a different story by the end of the 12-week program. "By the end, students are able to remember the terminology," she says. "So if I call them out, they can just do it. They're also putting these dance moves together by then."

For 10- to 15-minute stretches, students dance continously learning new dance moves while giving their bodies an intense workout. It's all part of the A-feeree training mechanism developed by COBA co-founder Lindsay, which Smith says is "in everything we do."

"[Lindsay] developed it because he found there was a training method lacking that was suitable for traditional African and Caribbean dance," Headley explains. "Before, dancers used to train in ballet or modern dance before moving into Africanist dance, but for someone with no training, you're asking them to be physically schizophrenic."

Despite her dance background in ballet, tap and jazz, first time participant Leslie Stahl admits, "There were certain things I had to shake that I've never had to shake before." While she cops to feeling un-coordinated for stretches, Stahl got some new dance moves out of the class and notes, "It's a completely different type of skilled dance and a good way to jump into a different culture."

COBA offers evening dance and drumming classes Mondays through Thursdays until Dec. 15. Cost is $20 for one-class drop-in or $110 for a 10 class pass. Call 416-658-3111 for more details or visit cobainc.com.

Link to story in National Post here.

News story: Brazilfest

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine: Sep. 13, 2008]

They're sambaing in the rain
Brazil defeats Chile, bad weather on same day

The early rain couldn't damper the spirit of the thousands of attendees at Brazilfest last Sunday. Performers showcased the fifth-largest country in the world's rich cultural heritage by performing samba, maracatu and axe rhythms on Brazilian Independence Day hours before the national soccer team kicked up the celebratory mood by defeating Chile 3-0 in a World Cup qualifying game.

"It's nice to bring our culture together," said Aline Morales, minutes before taking the stage to sing and play the xequere with Maracatu Nunca Antes, her Afro-Brazilian percussion group.

Although last year's event drew 8,000 people to Toronto Island, this year's festivities were marred by the constant inclement weather. An original July date on the island was cancelled due to heavy rain, and the early Sunday showers didn't help.

"We did lose because of the rain," admitted festival director Arilda De Oliveria. "But it's much harder to have this many people here today than having [a festival] in July."

In addition to music performances, the fest featured a capoeira showcase, Brazilian food vendors and a workshop showcasing Brazilian-Canadian art by artists such as Sandra Liberato.

"It's a great cultural exchange to show Canada what Brazilians do best," Liberato said. "Because, at the same time, Brazilians feel that Canada is great in that there are so many cultures that people are interested in learning about.

Although everybody agreed that the event was a success, dancer Chris Balthasar hopes there is more Brazilian culture imported to the city.

"The community needs more sponsors to get bigger stars from Brazil to play here like [they have done] in New York," he said before noting that this is starting to happen - bossa nova icon Milton Nascimento performs at Massey Hall next month. Good tickets for the Oct. 24 concert are still available.

Link to story in National Post here.

News Story: Writing Outside the Margins Literary Festival

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, Sep. 6, 2008]

Now featuring girls in glasses!
Queer writing festival about more than just words

The early Sunday drizzle on Aug. 24 couldn't keep hundreds of attendees off Church Street and acclaimed writer/director John Cameron Mitchell rewarded those at the Writing Outside the Margins festival with his take on the slippery nature of attraction.

"The kiss is the gateway drug," the Hedwig and the Angry Inch star told the crowd. "It usually tells you what's going to follow."

Hosted by Xtra magazine, the second annual literary fest took over Church Street from Alexander to Gloucester. Authors ranging from San Francisco-based memoirist Michelle Tea to musician/first-time author Kinnie Starr graced the two stages and answered questions from the crowd after their readings.

"It's great to see the city shut down city blocks for gay people," Starr said.

With a mandate that organizer Brandon Sawh described as "celebrating and supporting the local queer artists and the arts community," the event featured the Pink Ink Open Mic stage, which provided amateur writers 15 minutes of stage time to read their works. Da Kink In My Hair scribe trey anthony participated in a roundtable discussion that explored the challenges of being a queer writer of colour.

"When you reach a certain level of success, it's always great to give back to people who are just starting up," anthony said. "It's also great to be a part of community events because, a lot of times, you're divided from what's actually happening on the ground level."

Amy Clarke was one of those people on the ground level seizing the spotlight. Performing for the first time at last year's inaugural fest, Clarke wowed the open mic stage and won the slam poetry contest.

"There are three things that I love about this festival," Clarke said between events. "Writers, queer people and all the girls in glasses who are so cute."

Link to story in National Post here.

News Story: Fake Prom VI

Published in National Post [Toronto magazine, Aug. 23, 2008]

A do-over for wallflowers
Thwarted valedictorians vindicated by Fake Prom

Palais Royale was transformed into a futuristic high school dance for the sixth edition of Fake Prom on Aug. 15. The theme of the night was "Out of This World," and most of the 800 attendees came adorned in their best formal wear with futuristic touches. Others, particularly the person dressed as Astro Boy, fully embraced the theme.

"To research for Fake Prom themes, I actually researched real proms and I stumbled on a prom with a similar theme," explained Dylan Reibling, Fake Prom's superintendant. "It's the perfect mix of nerdiness and costume dress-up."

With flashy getups, numerous slow jams and a glowing full moon (which was real), Fake Prom provided people such as Katie Sawatsky, an opportunity to experience prom night the way that they wanted to be.

"My original prom sucked," said Sawatsky, who has attended three Fake Proms. "I was a valedictorian and I felt like a loser. This event is more sociable, especially since everyone is more comfortable with their lives compared to when they were 18."

Attracting attendees predominantly in their twenties and thirties, the night didn't bring back bad high school memories for everybody. "Most people had a bad prom experience but I actually had a good experience," said Val Heimpel, "so I'm trying to relive it."

Like a traditional prom, Fake Prom held an election for Fake Prom King and Queen, which was won by Adam Jackson and Naomi Yasui. The couple had their big dance as the night ended with a shortened version of G'N'R's "November Rain."

"We had no idea that we would," said Jackson. "But we're both super hot and we have a lot of friends that know we are super hot."

Although there can only be one Fake Prom King and Queen, Reibling sees the event as being free of the angst that often comes with real proms. "We always seem to get people with good vibes," he said.

Link to story in National Post here.

News story: The Doug Wright Awards

Published in National Post [Toronto magazine, Aug. 16, 2008]

Cartooning world tips its hat
Lynn Johnston inducted into Hall of Fame

Canadian cartooning was feted last week at the fourth annual Doug Wright Awards. Held at the Metro Toronto Reference Library, the ceremony included the induction of For Better or For Worse cartoonist Lynn Johnston into the Canadian Cartooning Hall of Fame and a new award celebrating unorthodox work with an unorthodox prize - a bowler hat.

"In a way, I ripped it off," admitted awards co-founder, cartoonist Seth. "Years ago, I was at an awards ceremony in Finland and they had a very funny hat they gave to someone."

In this case, the hat has a direct connection with Canadian cartooning history - it was the staple accessory of Jim Frise's unflappable Pigskin Peters. That type of attention to detail impressed Anne-Marie Fleming, who won the best book award for The Amazing Life of Long Tack Sam, a biography of her grandfather.

"So much thought, love and care went into the show, which is exactly like comics," Fleming said. "So much love and care goes into every frame."

Named after Doug Wright whose Doug Wright's Family was syndicated in newspapers throughout the world from the 1940s to the 1980s, the ceremony included an appearance from Wright's widow and two of his sons. "We're very grateful [that] Dad's name [is being kept] alive," said Jim Wright. "We tend to forget talented people when they're not in the limelight."

Although Johnston remains in the limelight, during a 30-minute question-and-answer period, she gamely answered questions that touched on her 35-year career.

"This is the beginning of something that's going to grow," she said as she signed books following the ceremony. "The Reuben Awards [the premier American cartooning awards] started with this group of guys in New York who wanted to get together, socialize - and then they said, 'Let's give ourselves a few awards.' Now it's really international."

Link to story in National Post here.

News Story: One Inch Punch button art/swap show

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, Aug. 16, 2008],

Pushing their buttons
The art world was all about getting pinned

The art world met the trading world at Lennox Contemporary Gallery on Aug. 8 at the third annual One Inch Punch show. With 50 original one-inch button designs, ranging from a portrait of Abraham Lincoln to Stephen Harper shooting lasers from his eyes, the show provided attendees with the opportunity to buy a random set of five original buttons and then trade their favourite buttons with each other.

"It makes art accessible for everyone because you can spend $5 for art on a button," said Christine Mullen, one of the 50 artists in the show. "And with these buttons you have an excuse to talk. You get to meet people in the art world, which is really hard to do otherwise."

Curated by the four-person Les Robots collective, the show was inspired by a similar event that happens annually in Vancouver. Initially skeptical about the show's potential for success in Toronto, this year, Les Robots received between 175 and 200 original button design submissions from places as far away as Australia and Dubai. Having whittle down the submission to 50, the group made 4o copies of each button available for sale.

"Last year, we sold out by 11," said Stephanie Dacosta of Les Robots. "So we bumped it up a little bit this year."

With DJ Coco Bryce supplying the tunes, attendees and artists were unable to resist trading fever. For Daniela Syrovy, who had her Sesame Street-inspired button design accepted, the show provided instant gratification for her work.

"Every artist starts with five, but my button happens to be really hot," she said. "Everyone wants the Bert and Ernie, so I traded it up instantly. People were offering me two or three buttons for one; it was fierce."

Although there were more than a few attendees who were unable to make a trade for their favourite buttons, it was impossible to escape the jocular atmosphere of the show. As Syrovy said, "It's so much fun. It brings you back to being a kid trading stickers or marbles. It's a great icebreaker."

Link to story in National Post here.

Standing Engagement: Casa Loma Archery

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, July 19, 2008.]

A different kind of point & shoot

Throughout its existence, Casa Loma has been one of the city's stranger sights. A majestic castle built in 1914, its stables alone have been home to everything from regal horses to Second World War-era sonar research. That the stables are now currently home to an archery program seems normal.

Casa Loma's resident archer is Sir Shawn Adams, a self-appointed knight and an aspiring stuntman, who offsets his regal title with a relaxed attitude and beach shorts. A former medieval dinner theatre actor, Adams fell into archery after sustaining a competitive jousting injury in Alberta. Forsaking horse and lance for bow and arrows, Adams first brought his archery skills to Casa Loma four years ago during its Renaissance fair. Last year, he struck a deal to operate a drop-in archery range for interested visitors.

"I take pride in what I do here because the customer really leaves getting some knowledge out of it," he says.

On the days that he's around the stables, Adams offers what he describes as "a five minute introductory lesson to archery." For $7, a participant receives a lesson and 10 arrows. Within minutes, participants learn proper archery form and how to load a bow.

"It doesn't take very long to show someone the basics and get them shooting relatively effectively," Adams says. "It's a good introductory lesson and for people visiting out of town that are interested, I always refer them to a club in their area."

Although lessons are short, Adams doesn't skim over details. Participants shoot at 60 cm targets from a distance of approximately 10 metres using lightweight arrows with reverse curve bows, the same type used in the Olympics. While he admits that he intentionally uses larger than necessary targets, Adams feels that it adds to the workshop's appeal.

"It's that feeling of learning something and succeeding," he says. "When people start, they're really not that good but by the end of those 10 shots, they've really achieved something."

As part of the lesson, Adams uses his training from South Nation Archery, an archery school outside of Ottawa, to provide hands-on tips on proper form. "Your form comes first," he explains. "I do a lot of exercises with t archer having his or her eyes closed. It sounds crazy, but in the beginning you're not worried about aiming. And when te form tightens up, we start working a lot more on the aiming."

Due to the popularity of the drop-in lessons, Adams offers specialized three-hour archery workshops throughout the summer for $30. Groups of up to 18 students shoot at balloons that cover the range. The workshop includes extensive instruction on form, but as Adams says, "I try to have a little more fun and incorporate games."

As Lou Seiler, Casa Loma's director of marketing, knows, the fun seems to be contagious. "The program has been so popular we had requests to expand it," he says. "We introduced an adult class that just sold out, so we may look at adding another adult program."

Shawn Adams' archery program runs throughout the summer. Visit casaloma.org/seasonal for dates he's available, or call 416-923-1171 ext. 215 or 205 for details.

News story: Streets Are For Picnics

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, July 19, 2008.]

A function for construction
Take the space over for a street party!

For the past three weeks, residents along Bathurst Street south of Dupont have been dealing with road construction. Last Sunday, the three lanes of construction were taken over by Street are for People, a public space advocacy group that provided a gigantic Scrabble board, bands and a croquet course in the middle of a dug-out street car track as part of its fifth annual Streets are for Picnics event.

Neighbourhood resident Anne Birnie-Lefcovitch, who's "frustrated" with the construction, appreciated the event. "I think this is great," she said. "Usually Bathurst is an eyesore."

Shamez Amlani, co-founder of Streets are for People, also responsible for the popular Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market, said the event began as "a small, little fun afternoon goof-off," but it has become an annual tradition.

Among the attractions during the party was Adrian Rockman, a budding rapper named Mayo, who joined the New Kings for a spontaneous performance.

"That's the best way to do a concert because everyone's driving by and can see you," he said. "You just have the sky above and it's just dope."

The day brought Scott Macdougall back to his childhood. Playing a game of gigantic Scrabble, Macdougall got some help from an unexpected source. "People were driving by, reading my letters and giving suggestions," he said.

While local residents had a brief respite from construction that will continue until the end of August, Amlani hopes events such as this will inspire Toronto to follow the leads of other international cities.

"Bogota, Colombia, is a shining example," he said. "They invented this thing called Ciclovia, where on Sundays they make huge swaths of the downtown core car-free. The mayor's philosophy is, 'We're a poor country, but we can do things that will raise people's quality of life.' It's a mentality shift. It didn't cost them anything."

News Story: Million Dollar Round Table

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, July 5, 2008.]

Power suits and ties that bind
Why financial planners were spotted on a playground

For four days last week, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre was full of members of the top 1% of financial service providers from around the world. The Million Dollar Round Table's (MDRT) annual meeting brought out an eclectic crowd. In addition to thousands of life insurance providers from around the world, the meeting imported an Olympic gold medalist, a former child soldier from Sierra Leone, a survivor of the 1972 Andes plane crash that was turned into the movie Alive and Stephen Lewis.

"This is our annual crown jewel event," said James Rogers, MDRT president and Vancouver native.

Although professionally themed workshops such as Redefining Wealth Transfer: Planning That Goes Beyond the Estate Tax and the Role of Life INsurance in Business Succession Planning were well-received, it was the inspirational talks given by gold medalist gymnast Mary Lou Retton and ex-child soldier turned human-rights activist Ishmael Beath that inspired member Mukeshkumar Ratilal Sharma to give a thumbs up.

For Jerry Setton, another MDRT member, the meeting is about relaxing. Musically inclined MDRT members performed sets as part of the meeting's entertainment, and some, like Sletton acted as roadies.

"It's like one of the speakers said today: MDRT is an oasis," Sletton said. "It's a place in the desert where you can refuel."

This was the first MDRT meeting held in Toronto since 2001 (that event was rated the No. 1 meeting in the organization's 81-year history). While members spent the evenings riding on rickshaws and exploring the city, the organization had already left its mark in Regent Park.

"We spent a week building a playground at Lower Dufferin Public School and had financial service professionals building structures and using power tools," explained Nick Falco, MDRT Foundation executive director. "It's a sight to see."

Link to National Post story here.

Personality: Davy Love

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, June 28, 2008]

He's spun his last record

Brit pop impresario, College Street icon and polarizing indie scenester Davy Love (born Dave Lovell) is a lot of things to a lot of people. Sober isn't usually one of those things, but that's what he was as he sat upstairs at Sneaky Dee's preparing for his last DJ set at his retirement party on June 21.

"This is the first time I'm going to DJ sober," he says with a laugh. "I figure it's going to be my last time, so I want to remember everything."

Most retirement parties are sombre affairs but the gregarious Lovell doesn't do somber. The owner of the 45 rpm record label Magnificent Sevens is best known as the force behind Blow Up, the weekly Brit pop party that ran from 1995 to 2005. It was the biggest accomplishment in his DJing career, which began in his teenage years.

"When I was 13, I worked at a biker bar and one day the DJ didn't show up," Lovell said. "The bar owner asked if anyone was a DJ and I said I could do it. The bikers thought I played great music. The owners fired the DJ and I worked there for the whole summer."

After doing the Orillia teen club circuit, Lovell moved to Toronto where he tired launching a number of nights to little success. Faced with a club scene that was still under the sway of grunge, he saw the possibilities of a niche Brit pop night.

"You'd go to the Dance Cave back in '94 and throughout the night, they would play a three-song set of all this good stuff like Ride and Happy Mondays in the middle of all this crap," he said. "This whole crowd of people would come out from the woodwork and fill the dancefloor and then you wouldn't see them the whole night. That's when I knew that if you did a club night that played that type of music all night, you would get all those people."

A trip to England that year gave Lovell a glimpse of what could be. When he returned to Toronto, he and some friends handed out flyers to the first Blowup party at The Red Raven (now The Pour House) at St. George and Dupont. "Lo and behold, it was packed - 150 the first night," he said. "It never did less than 150 people ever."

Initially a monthly event that moved to different clubs, popular demand caused Lovell to change Blowup to a weekly party; a decision he described as "liver killing." The party eventually found a home at the El Mocambo and led to a few excessive moments.

"We were standing in the DJ booth at the El Mo and we brought a blender in," he recounted. "We were smoking Cuban cigars and we started making margaritas in the DJ booth. We were looking out at this sea of people and realized that this is huge. It was a really great feeling."

Things changed for Lovell and Blow Up when the El Mocambo temporarily closed in 2001. Scrambling for a new home, the party would spend two years at Lee's Palace before winding down at Swallow Lounge. While he's cut down on his DJing duties in the past few years, a major life change forced him to give up DJing at 40.

"The lifestyle of a DJ will just wear you out," he admitted. "Most DJs I know don't even last until 40. They've had enough booze, drugs or whatever. And whether you do them or not when you start DJing, you end up becoming a part of that lifestyle. I had a baby and the lifestyle that goes along with DJing isn't conducive with being a father."

While Blow Up regulars have been increasingly telling how much they miss the night, Lovell has given up that fight. "It's like, 'Start your own club,'" he said with a shrug. "It was basically what we did with Blow Up at the beginning. I think it's definitely up for an uprising."

In addition to leaving DJing behind him, Lovell is leaving Toronto and moving "to a village of like 300 people" south of North Bay. Whether the country life will suit him or not, Lovell got surprisingly modest about he and DJ skills will be missed.

"It's flattering," he said. "I'm just happy to be part of it."

Link to story in National Post here.

News Story: World Nude Bike Ride

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, June 21, 2008.]

The naked and the tread
Nude cyclists say you too can do without pants

Over 50 used their bare bodies to protest petroleum dependency, body consciousness and the tyranny of pants last Saturday, as part of Toronto's sixth edition of the World Naked Bike Ride.

"The goal is to make awareness of the use of petroleum and try to convince people to go on a bicycle to save petroleum," said long-time rider Bob (who withheld his last name along with his clothing).

Riding a bike adorned with a sign stating, "This naked body burns calories not oil," Bob acted as a surrogate leader for a ride whose organizer was absent due to his daughter's wedding. The four bike cops that accompanied the official protest had no problems with the group. It was an eclectic crowd that included a cycle adorned with a surfboard instead of a set, an oddly large Ohio contingent and a rider dressed as a nude Ferengi, a Star Trek species.

"We came here on vacation, heard about it and thought, 'Let's live it up,'" explained Lauryn Campanell. "Trust me, this kind of thing would never happen in Dayton, Ohio."

The group departed from Coronation Park and as riders zipped past the Harbourfront Centre more than a few jaws dropped.

"This is a very strange thing," said David Umerah from the Harbourfront Community Centre's outdoor basketball courts. "But it's also a nice thing because it's good weather."

Although there were some yells of opposition, the riders were mainly greeted by cheers, honks and flashes from camera phones. Zipping up Yonge with detours through Church and Wellesley and Yorkville, the group caused a stir riding past the Four Seasons Hotel.

The near 10 kilometre bike ride ended as the riders rode down Spadina before stopping at Java House on Queen Street. For Campanell, who lost one of her friends from Ohio early in the bike ride when his rented bicycle fell apart on Bay Street, the experience was excellent.

"I turned around and it was a sea of nude," she reflected. "It was awesome."

Link to the National Post here.

Standing Engagement: Teach at the Beach flair bartending class

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, June 7, 2008.]

Serving up flair, on the rocks

It's not unusual for objects to be flying around at Woodbine Beach Park on a weekend afternoon. Stray Frisbees, volleyballs and footballs were just a few of the objects whizzing through the air last Saturday. However, once a month, you can add weighted bottles to that list of items.

The popular Teach at the Beach flair bartending course kicked off its summer session last Saturday. Now in its fourth year, the free program is run by Bartender One, a private bartending school co-founded by Gavin MacMillan.

"I'm not under the any illusion that if you stop giving back to the community that the community will continue to give to you," says MacMillan, who was anointed Top Canadian bartender in 2005 at the Legends of Bartending championships. "If we really want to grow the sport of flair, we have to give people an easy way to get started."

Displaying moves that Tom Cruise could only dream of in Cocktail, Teach at the Beach provides participants with an opportunity to learn nifty bar tricks, such as tossing a bottle behind your back, over your shoulder and into a mixer, or tossing a bottle, catching it on the top of your hand and then flipping the bottle to your arm.

Typically, between 20 and 50 participants attend each session. "We have about four or five instructors that go around," instructor David Jennings says. "We can't do much one-on-one but we do a little bit with everybody. You learn something new and the next time you come, we'll build on what you learned the first time."

The class is unstructured with participants learning a new trick from an instructor and then taking to practise the moves individually. It leads to a lot of dropped bottles, laughs and shouts of encouragement among participants.

"Basically you start off one trick at a time and then combine them," explains instructor Dimitri Kobrin. "Anybody can pick up one of these tricks if they put in a little bit of effort and like 15 minutes. The reward does come rather quickly and a lot of bartenders are missing that 15 minutes of patience."

Participant Ming Lee was happy for the chance to "enjoy the sun and learn how to flair-tend." Lee passed by the class two summers ago, and has returned for every session. He sagely warns: "Don't go bare feet because when you throw those bottles and they drop, it's not a good thing."

Watching MacMillan, Jennings and the other teachers, it's hard to imagine that they have dropped many bottles in their training. The instructors often freestyle a variety of movies in five-minute bursts that display a grace more related to Tai Chi than bartending. However, MacMillan says, "The biggest thrill I get is seeing how fast people pick up on the stuff we teach them. We went through way more frustration learning the stuff ourselves than we ever do teaching somebody new."

Teach at the Beach runs on the first Saturday afternoon of each month at Woodbine Beach Park. E-mail info@bartenderone.com to sign up for a session.

News story: Toronto Criterium

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, June 7, 2008.]

We'll call it the Tour de Front!
For a day, competitive bike racing returns to T.O.

After a 17-year absence, competitive bike racing returned to Toronto last Friday. The Toronto Criterium was a short circuit race that attracted thousands of spectators to the Esplanade and St. Lawrence Market on a rainy day.

"I think this shows that Toronto can put on global events and it doesn't detract from what we do as a city," said Scarborough Southwest councillor Adrian Heaps, who also chairs the Toronto Cycling Committee. "It adds value to us."

In the works for more than six months, the Criterium is an attempt to reconnect with the city's long bike racing heritage. (The Dunlop Trophy Race, which attracted North America's top cyclists, was held here from 1894 to 1927.)

Heaps admitted that it was designed to encourage cycling as transportation. "You need a spectacle to sometimes raise the profile of an activity just at a moderate level."

While the racers who participated in the three events (a kids' race, an adult amateur race and a pro race) worked up a sweat, they weren't alone. Patios along Front Street East and the Esplanade were packed and one of the servers at Flat Iron and Firkin's patio, located near the finish line, conveniently remarked that while "it's usually busy here because it's patio season, this is crazy."

One person watching from that patio was Ian Howes, who sporadically rang a bell he brought from home whenever the racers past.

"I think it's awesome," Howes said. "I'd be very happy to trade the Indy for this race. If we lost the Indy, a bike race in the middle of the city is a wicked pick up."

The participants would agree. The 100 spots available for the pro and adult races filled quickly.

Prior to winning pro race, North Vancouver's Andrew Pinfold remarked, "It's amazing the turnout that you get with downtown races.

"In B.C. we have the Tour de Gastown and this looks on par with that kind of race. For us, you're racing in front of people and that's what we live to do."

News Story: TO Jam 3

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, May 17, 2008.]

<>Cheeseblaster Extreme?
It's not Grand Theft Auto and that's the point

Last weekend, in the secluded corner of Eastern Avenue and St. Lawrence, an eclectic mix of programmers, sound technicians and graphic artists attempted to break the world record for most participants at a video game jam.

Although it fell shy of its goal, TO Jam attracted more than 125 people, who took part in a unique challenge: to create a video game in three days. TO Jam began three years ago and attracts what organizer Rob Segal described as, "a mixture of industry people, students and people who are professionals but make video games on the side."

People filled the second-floor space of Innovation Toronto early Friday afternoon and by Sunday night had created 37 games, including Cheeseblaster Extreme 2500, Here Be Dragons and Lactose Intoler-ants! Although, it wasn't recommended, some participants, such as Shawn McGrath, pulled consecutive all-nighters to create their game.

"I had 17 energy drinks and three cups of coffee over the last two days and I'm surprisingly fine," he said.

For professionals like McGrath and Firetoad Software co-owner Nathan d'Obrenan, the event provided a welcome respite from their day jobs. According to d'Obrenan, the event also sends a welcome message to aspiring professionals.

"It challenges anyone that's thinking about making a video game in Toronto to make it now," d'Obrenan said.

Microsoft developer advisor and first-time participant Jean-Luc David was impressed by the proceedings. "The games are really amazing for the span of time that people spent on them," he said. "The variety out there and the creativity that people put into the games are impressive."

Volunteer Charlene Balldacchino was also enamoured. "Nerds are hot," she said. "It's the perfect balance of geekiness with innovation."

All TO Jam games will be available at tojam.ca. A public arcade, where all the games will be available, will take place at the Blue Moon Pub on Queen Street East on June 2.

News story: Parkdale Street Writers

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, April 26, 2008]

'Just write it down and it's good'
Parkdale presented with the power of the pen

"I grew up in Parkdale and the first place I was allowed to walk to on my own was this library," Emily-Pohl Weary said. "I would've loved to have the opportunity when I was younger to feel like writing about the place where I lived was valid."

That's what her Parkdale Street Writers program aims to do every Tuesday afternoon at the library. With just a month to publicize the program, sponsored by the Ontario Arts Council and the Parkdale Community Health Centre, Pohl-Weary was surprised she had to turn away participants in what she calls, "a bootcamp for young dreamers."

The class is an eclectic mix of high school students and out of school locals hoping to reconnect with writing. Over the course of the 10-week program, local artists including author Mariko Tamaki, rapper Mindbender and comic artist Willow Dawosn will lead workshops.

The teachers are all native Torontonians who feel a connection with the neighbourhood. For youth coordinator Kashfia Rahman, that's a plus.

"We're introducing a lot of these kids to other people who have lived here and are successful because of where they came from," she said.

For other participants the act of writing with similarly interested people is enough.

"You get the opportunity to say whatever you want," says Jennifer Fraser, 18. "Things that you will never say to other people - you just write it down and it's good."

Call 416-779-1448 for details.

Standing Engagment: Regent Park Focus

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, Feb. 9, 2008.]

Neighbourhood must-see TV

For most Torontonians, day-to-day life in Regent Park is a mystery. It was designed that way. Walking by, on a trip to Cabbagetown or Riverdale, one only sees the brown blocky exteriors of its buildings. But plans for a Regent Park TV station, RPTV, may give Torontonians a realistic glimpse of daily life in the area.

The station is part of Regent Park Focus, a drug-awareness program that provides media training to youth in the area. Participants produce a quartery magazine and broadcast a 30-minute radio show on Tuesday evenings on CKLN. The group offers free youth programs on video production, photography, music production and Web design.

"Our hope with RPTV is that it becomes a fully engaged community process," says Adonis Huggins, program director for Regent Park Focus. "It would have a significant impact on the community."

Throughout its 17-year history, Regent Park Focus has already made an impact. Its facilities are accessible to interested youth even if they aren't enrolled in a program.

Three afternoons a week, participants from the O'Connor Focus group in Victoria Park travel to Regent Park. To them, the experience has been nothing but positive.

"Instead of [getting into trouble]," says Jessica Simpson, 18, "we can learn something."

In a recent three-hour session, participants were introduced to storyboarding and script writing and then asked to storyboard, shoot and edit a public service announcement on a topic of their choice.

"It's really about the youth who come in," says Huggins. "[For the O'Connor participants] it's really trying to encourage them to produce videos about their community. For the youth that come after school, it tends to be about reporting and covering different events."

For some of the participants, the program is providing them with the training and access to contacts that will assist in their pursuit of a media job. "I used to come here all the time two years ago," says Web site technician and Regent Park resident Fahim Mohammed, 19. Originally a participant, Mohammed will slip into an instructor role when Regent Park Focus's new Web design program launches.

The program's success is being replicated in other parts of Toronto. The Rexdale Protech Media Arts Centre opened last July and Regent Park Focus works in partnership with many community groups within the province.

With promising negotiations underway with Toronto Community Housing to move into a new 5,000-square-foot space that's above ground, Regent Park Focus's future looks bright. However, that doesn't mean Huggins can't see other avenues for growth.

"One of the things we haven't been able to do is attract the corporate support that a program like this needs," he admits.

RPTV videos can be viewed online at regentpark.tv. For more information, call 416-863-1074.

Standing Engagement: Team Ryouko's XSD Program

Published in National Post. [Toronto magazine, Nov. 24, 2007]

Just like they do it in the movies!

From Shinobi to Kato to Leonardo and his crew, ninjas have long captured our imagination. They are notoriously shadowy figures, though. Uma Thurman had to travel to a remote Chinese village to learn her skills in Kill Bill. Fortunately, Torontonians only have to travel to Scarborough.

Nestled near Kennedy Road and the 401 is Sunny Tang Martial Arts School. Here, members of the Team Ryouko, a unique extreme entertainment company, put willing participants through their Xtreme Skills Development (XSD) program.

Chris and James Mark, brothers and co-founding Team Ryouko members, created XSD martial arts in 2001. "We developed our program because people came up to us after our shows, asking where they could learn this martial art," explains Chris.

Team Ryouko's style fuses traditional martial arts with capoeira, breakdancing and acrobatics. Individually, members have done stunt work on 300, Shoot 'em Up and Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Collectively, the group has wowed local audiences at Massey Hall and international audiences via YouTube.

While traditional martial arts classes teach fighting and self-defence moves, XSD is all about performing movie stunt-like moves.

The program has four levels, including one on weapons training. Each class lasts an hour and its unique mixture of styles is perfect for a generation that embraces cultural fusion.

"We advertise XSD like a traditional martial arts program," says James. "The difference is that it's not combat, but fitness and performance."

"It's probably one of the most visually exciting martial arts you'll see," says Eric Daniel, an XSD instructor at Sunny Tang. "It's performance-based, so a lot of the moves that we do are flashier and more eye-catching, especially with the mix of acrobatics into it."

The emphasis on creativity and performing makes the class a big hit with students, who are encouraged to create heir own combinations of moves and aren't shy about their enthusiasm.

"I love it," says Sandra Ngo, a student at the school. "The reason I'm here is because any other martial arts class is boring. I'm a hyperactive person and I don't want to spend six months just doing basic drills."

XSD is helping Paul Karda, 49, get back in shape. "I knew that being on a treadmill would be too boring for me," he says. "This allows me to do something interesting while challenging myself."

Performing effortless flips may be enough for most students, but for some, there is another reward that keeps them working hard - a chance to be invited into Team Ryouko.

"Six of my students are now part of the Junior Ryouko team," says Chris Mark. "We train them once a week on stage performance and they have a big part in our live shows."

XSD is offered at Sunny Tang Martial Arts School (Unit B22-25, 2370 Midland Ave.), as well as at schools in Newmarket, Georgetown, Mississauga and Port Union. For details, call 416-321-5913 or vist sunnytang.com.