School of Madison Ballet reopens for in-person classes as of April 5

Over a year after COVID-19 closed their studios, the School of Madison Ballet is open for in-person classes as of April 5th, 2021. The phased reopening begins with the school’s most advanced Trainee level students, followed by School Division levels, with new groups being added each week through the end of the academic year. Children’s Division and adult Drop-In classes will begin in-person instruction in Summer 2021.

“We are deeply committed to keeping our students, families, and staff as healthy as possible,” says Rachelle Fochs, Director of the School of Madison Ballet, “so our team has created a reopening plan that allows students who want in-person instruction to return to our studios with policies that minimize the risks. Because every family has unique needs, we’ll continue to offer both in-person and virtual instruction throughout the summer.”

As part of the reopening, class sizes are strictly limited to ensure adequate physical distancing. Additional COVID-19 protocols are based on recommendations from the CDC, state and local agencies, and best-practices specific to the field of dance.

Registration Information

To register, visit the School of Madison Ballet enrollment portal or madisonballet.org/enroll.

For nearly 40 years, Madison Ballet has been an integral part of the vibrant Dane County arts community. Full scale productions of inspiring traditional ballets, innovative contemporary performances, and the timeless holiday tradition of “The Nutcracker” reach more than 13,000 people each year. The School of Madison Ballet empowers students of all ages and skill levels with the poise, confidence, discipline, and fundamental life skills intrinsic to the study of dance. Outreach programming, presented in partnership with dozens of local school and community groups, enriches thousands of young people’s lives by introducing them to the joy of dance.

Contact: Gretchen Bourg, Managing Director
Phone: (608) 571-7670
Email: gretchen@madisonballet.org

Wisconsin Union: Student-Led Organizations Will Host Free, Virtual Discussion With Critically Acclaimed Rapper and Poet Noname

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 26, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

STUDENT-LED ORGANIZATIONS WILL HOST FREE, VIRTUAL DISCUSSION WITH CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED RAPPER AND POET NONAME

Noname to discuss artistic expression in music and poetry, BIPOC and female empowerment during free event open to University of Wisconsin–Madison students, staff and faculty

MADISON – Rapper and poet Noname will discuss art and poetry, music, and the empowerment of BIPOC communities and women during a free, virtual, live event called “Music, Art & Poetry: A Conversation with Noname” on April 7 at 7 p.m. CDT.

All interested UW–Madison students, staff, and faculty are invited to register for this free event. Those interested in attending can register online here to receive the event livestream link in an email the day of the event.

Noname’s lyrical stylings have earned her wide acclaim as a rapper. A Chicago native, she got her start in poetry and music through frequenting open mic nights and slam poetry events, which allowed her to meet and learn from other artists, like Chance the Rapper and Mick Jenkins.

After collaborating with numerous music artists, Noname released her mixtape “Telefone” in 2016 to critical acclaim by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and more. Two years later, she released her debut album “Room 25,” which National Public Radio said offers “sharp commentary on race, identity, sex and politics.”

This event is organized and hosted by the Wisconsin Union Directorate (WUD) Publications Committee, the WUD Distinguished Lecture Series (DLS) Committee, the WUD Music Committee, the WUD Performing Arts Committee, The Black Voice, and the UW–Madison Division of the Arts.

Noname’s lecture is a part of a series of events making up the WUD Publications Committee’s Lit Fest, an annual week-long event. The event celebrates culture in literary work and storytelling. This week will include a compilation of workshops put together by the Committee’s five magazines and other speakers.

These workshops will invite the campus community to experience what happens behind the scenes and will invite attendees to explore the relationship between storytelling and creating content. This year’s theme is activism in the literary arts. Those interested in learning more about Lit Fest can find more information on those events here.

Those interested in attending this upcoming lecture can register here.

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[Note: Click here to download a photo of Noname. Photo by Mark Peaced. Photo provided by Creative Artists Agency.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/news/noname.

Wisconsin Union Theater: ‘Primer for an Impossible Conversation’ Performances Will Explore the Topic of Race Through Dialogue, Dance on April 8, 9

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

‘PRIMER FOR AN IMPOSSIBLE CONVERSATION’ PERFORMANCES WILL EXPLORE THE TOPIC OF RACE THROUGH DIALOGUE, DANCE ON APRIL 8, 9

Wisconsin Union Theater hosts streaming of new piece from artists David Neumann, Marcella Murray and Tei Blow

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union Theater will host two virtual streaming performances of “Primer for an Impossible Conversation,” an interdisciplinary arts work centering on dialogue about race, followed by a moderated conversation with theater artists and co-creators Marcella Murray, David Neumann and Tei Blow on April 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. CDT.

The idea for the piece began when Murray, a Black woman, and Neumann, a white man, began talking about racism after an incident on their campus. This sparked an ongoing conversation that ultimately led to the creation of “Primer for an Impossible Conversation.” Continuing to unpack their years-long conversation around race, in this piece, Murray, Neumann and Blow interweave imagery, short bursts of dance, and the digitized distance.

The creators aimed for the piece to serve as a step-by-step non-instruction manual that reveals the efforts needed for two people to actually be in the same place at the same time. It emerged from the creators’ feeling the need to continue their conversation about race as a creative act, adapting and responding to Obie Award-winning “Distances Smaller Than This Are Not Confirmed,” a piece made for the stage by Murray and Neumann, which premiered in January 2020.

In “Primer for an Impossible Conversation,” Murray and Neumann hurtle through space as they face not only the challenge of having a conversation from their experiences but also with the difficulties inherent in connecting over online platforms while quarantined from in-person exchanges during COVID-19.

“‘Primer for an Impossible Conversation’ depicts the undeniable complexity and importance of having conversations about race. David and Marcella are sincere in their desire to understand each other through the lenses of their racial identities, and their mutual respect for each other keeps the conversation going rather than shutting it down,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “The piece is also an incredible marker of this historic time, not just around conversations on race but also our warped sense of time, like we’re floating through space, and us working so hard to stay connected to each other.”    

The Wisconsin Union Theater team invites patrons to pay what they can when they register for tickets here.

This presentation is part of the Wisconsin Union Theater team’s commitment to taking action against racial inequities, which includes making space in its budget and programming schedule to support and present events that highlight BIPOC’s stories. Click here for a full statement on the Theater’s stance.

“Primer for an Impossible Conversation” is co-commissioned by the Wisconsin Union Theater and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

“So much of what the Wisconsin Union Theater has presented this year was taking what was planned to be in-person and modifying it for the virtual season,” Snodgrass said. “I wanted to present something that was designed specifically for the virtual space and shows the life we’re living right here, right now.”

The Wisconsin Union Theater presents these events, in part, with the help of financial support from the Marcia Légère Distinguished Playwright Residency Fund, Wisconsin Arts Board funding from the State of Wisconsin, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Wisconsin Union Theater team strives for all of its spaces to be accessible. The Theater will offer live captioning at both performances. Those that need accommodations can reach out to the Theater team at wisconsinuniontheater@union.wisc.edu. 

Click here for more information about the Theater’s presentation of “Primer for an Impossible Conversation.”  

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an expansive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

[Click here for access to a folder of downloadable photos of the performance and its creators.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/impossible-conversation

Suttle-Straus Connected Mail Clients Qualify for 2021 Postage Discounts – Two Ways to Cash In

As direct mail companies like Suttle-Straus are embracing the integration of technology and direct mail, United States Postal Service (USPS) is doing its part and running a postage discount program for 2021.

What does this mean for Suttle-Straus clients? From March 1^st to August 31^st the USPS lets all US-based direct mail companies qualify for 2% off eligible postage costs when coupling their clients’ campaigns with emerging and advanced technology.

The use of technology is a proven force in the marketing landscape for today’s savvy marketing professionals. This promotion will build upon previous promotions and continue the USPS strategy of encouraging mailers to integrate direct mail with technology to improve effectiveness and maintain relevancy.

The Suttle-Straus Connected Mail solution combines direct mail with digital technologies like call tracking, Facebook and Instagram social media advertising, Google display ads, mail tracking and website retargeting.

“We are excited to offer our customers this USPS promotion discount on their Connected Mail campaigns,” said Rob Hanks, Salesperson and Certified Mailpiece Design Expert at Suttle-Straus. “Omnichannel campaigns that integrate direct mail and digital channels deliver better results and return on investment – and now they can get discounts too!”

Last year, Suttle-Straus introduced its Connected Mail service that includes the USPS Informed Delivery program. In an effort to build recognition and usage of this product, the USPS has added it to its 2021 postage discount program. Any mailing to go out with Informed Delivery from September 1^st to November 30^th 2021, will also qualify for 2% off of postage costs.

“Informed Delivery is the best thing to ever happen to direct mail, providing the business owners a way into the consumer’s email inbox on the same day they receive a direct mail promotion,” said Maeghan Nicholson, Marketing Director at Suttle-Straus. “We at Suttle-Straus strive to keep direct mail relevant and aim to make it the most effective marketing channel by integrating other technologies that track and enhance the overall campaign. We see Informed Delivery as an essential piece to this puzzle.”

For more information on Connected Mail, visit www.suttle-straus.com/connected-mail.

About Suttle-Straus
Suttle-Straus provides comprehensive marketing solutions including creative design, print, mailing, fulfillment, distribution, displays, signage, and promotional products. We create customized brand portals to allow corporate teams to print-on-demand and manage their marketing fulfillment across a network of users. Through long-term, collaborative client partnerships, Suttle-Straus delivers marketing solutions that help our customers win.

Overture Forums Panel Discussion: The COVID-19 Vaccine and the Black Community

For the next Overture Forum on MON, MAR 29, 7:30 PM, we are excited to have a distinguished panel of doctors and public health experts provide perspectives about the coronavirus vaccine as it relates to the Black community and beyond.

Panel Members:

· Aaron Perry, president & CEO of Rebalanced-Life and Wellness Association of Madison

· Dr. Sheryl L. Henderson, MD, PhD, pediatric infectious disease specialist – UW School of Medicine and Public Health

· Dr. Jasmine Zapata, MD, MPH assistant professor, researcher and educator in the UW Dept. of Pediatrics with an affiliation with the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research

· Dr. William Hartman, MD, PhD, principal investigator for the UW COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Program (Adult and Pediatric Programs), principal investigator for the UW-Regeneron Monoclonal Antibody (Antispike) Clinical Trials, assistant professor of anesthesiology, School of Medicine and Public Health and medical director of UW Health Pre-Op Clinic – School of Medicine and Public Health

Moderator: Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, professor emerita, University of Wisconsin-Madison and former Kellner Family Distinguished Chair in Urban Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction

Please join us for this free forum, open to the public.

WATCH THE FORUM