And the special musical guest will be ‘The Approximations,’ the band which includes Normandy Park’s own Dan Satterberg, the King County Prosecutor.

This is the newest service organization in the area, so we encourage all our Readers to attend and help their causes.

There are 1.35 millions Lions members in more than 45,000 clubs worldwide. Founded in 1917, Lions are best known for fighting blindness. Locally Lions make a difference with many community projects, including caring for the environment, feeding the hungry, aiding seniors and the disabled.

Here are the event details:

WHAT: Normandy Park Lions Club Spaghetti Dinner & Dance

WHEN: Friday, Oct. 21st, from 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

WHERE: Normandy Park Cove, located at 1500 SW Shorebook Drive in Normandy Park.

INFO: From their website:

Lions meet the needs of local communities and the world. The 1.35 million members of our volunteer organization in 206 countries and geographic areas are different in many ways, but share a core belief – community is what we make it.

For tickets, or more information, contact call Kelly Fox at Dunn Lumber: (206) 242-1010 or visit their new website here: http://normandyparklions.org.

REMINDER: The City of Burien’s FREE annual Music and Movies in the Park (we’re Sponsors) is back, with the 85th Street Big Band and dancing by Swing-amajig TONIGHT (Thursday, July 21st) starting at 6:30 p.m. at Lake Burien School Park.

Swing-amajig will be offering FREE swing dance lessons from 6-6:30 p.m., so bring yer dancin’ shoes and get there early!

Lake Burien School Park is located at SW 148th & 16th Ave SW.

For more information: www.BurienParks.net or 206-988-3700.

UPDATE 7/14/11 2 p.m.: We just received word from Gina Kallman, the City of Burien’s Cultural Arts Supervisor, that tonight’s FREE Music and Movies in the Park ‘Family Fiesta’ concert has been MOVED to the Burien Community Center, located at 14700 6th Ave SW.

The show, featuring Sambatuque will still start at 6:30 p.m.; here’s a video of them in action:

Click here to view the embedded video.

BTB Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer will serve as MC, so we’ll see ya there!

For more information: www.BurienParks.net or 206-988-3700.

NOTE: In the event of rain, check back to The B-Town Blog after 2:30 p.m. for an update on where the concert will take place!

Here’s the full lineup, including videos of upcoming bands

Thursday Night Concerts: 6:30-8:00 PM, Lake Burien School Park (directions)

July 14: Family Fiesta featuring Sambatuque (Free Samba dance lessons from 6-6:30, food, games & more!):

July 21: 85th Street Big Band with dancing by Swing-amajig (Free swing dance lessons from 6-6:30!):

July 28: The Seatles (Come and sing along to your Beatles favorites!):

Click here to view the embedded video.

August 4: The Diamond Experience (The look, the sound, is it Neil Diamond? Come and sing along!):

Click here to view the embedded video.

August 11: Boomerang Summer (A revival of rock and soul!):

New Wednesday Night Concerts
6:30-8:00 PM, Hilltop Elementary School, 12250 24th Ave South (directions)

Thursday, July 13: Banda Vagos:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thursday, July 20: Global Heat:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thursday, July 27: Camano Cadillac Band:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Friday Night Movies: Movies start at dusk (around 8:30 PM) Lake Burien School Park (directions)

Friday, August 19: Toy Story 3:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Friday, August 26: Despicable Me:

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Come together with your friends and neighbors and celebrate the rich cultures of this community,” they said. “Join us for dinner, dancing, crafts, and bingo. This is a free event and open to the community.”

The Matt Griffin YMCA is located at 3595 South 188th Street in SeaTac, and their phone number is 206.244.5880.

More information at their website here.

Did you know that the Burien Elks Lodge holds Afternoon Dances the second Wednesday of every month, from 1pm – 3:30pm?

If you didn’t before, now you do. No need to thank us.

The next dance will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 10th from 1pm – 3:30pm, with music provided by Evan and Charlie Brown. According to an email:

It is not necessary for folks to be a member of the Elks to attend, and the music is a variety of 50′s and 60′s songs, including the 2-step, Foxtrot, waltz, swing, Latin etc.

It isn’t necessary to have a partner.

Here are more details:

WHAT: Afternoon Dances on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, from 1:00 to 3:30pm

WHERE: Burien Elks Lodge, located at 14006 1st Ave. South (across from Kennedy High School)

COST: No Elks Membership required Donation $4.00

INFO: Partner Not Necessary; Ballroom Variety For Your Dancing Pleasure Waltz, Fox trot, 2 Step, Latin etc. Hardwood Floor For Your Comfort. Stay Young! Keep Dancing!

Questions? Ask: Darlene Lang 206-243-7044. More info available at the Burien Elks website here.

by Rachel M. Lusby

Burien brothers Donovan and Calvin Smolich began break dancing in their early teens.

This year at a break dance battle called “The King of the Hill Graduation Jam” in Marysville, Donovan won top honor out of eight final contestants. He says he was surprised because he is somewhat of an “underground” b-boy while the others were fairly well known in the northwest region.

“He doesn’t even have a crazy b-boy name,” says Calvin.

Donovan says he practiced for a month straight, several days a week, to prepare for the battle in Marysville.

Donovan, 19, was the first brother to take the steps toward becoming a “b-boy,” a term coined in the early 1970s when DJs would play parts of songs that only included a beat.

Young people who would dance during these “breaks” became known as “b-boys” and “b-girls.” The dance style itself originated with James Brown’s dance moves to “Get on the Good Foot.”

Donovan says he started to learn to break dance because a girl he was friends with danced and he wanted to, as well. He chose break dancing over other styles.

As for Calvin, at first he was more like the roadie for his brother.

“I was the guy who carried the boom box,” says Calvin, 18. And one day, he says, he decided he was bored and wanted to give breaking a try.

Places to actually practice are hard to come by, according to Donovan and Calvin. They try to break outside, often on the concrete, and Donovan taught a course at the YMCA in Burien for a little while.

Schools, Calvin and Donovan agree, are not usually willing to allow kids to break on campus for fear a student will be injured.

Donovan says if you do not attempt anything above your skill level you are not likely to get hurt, however he did not follow that lead himself.

When he started to learn Donovan ended up spraining his back from attempting moves far too advanced for him at that point.

“He had to go to the chiropractor regularly for two weeks!” says Calvin.

Laughing at his own expense, Donovan says “basic moves are okay, you won’t get hurt. You shouldn’t start out with hard stuff.”

“Every time I hear music,” says Donovan, “is when I practice.”

Music selection is a key element to break dancing.

“Anything that has a funky beat,” says Calvin. The rhythm is the most important piece to the music breakers use.

Donovan and Calvin say they break to a lot of “old skool” hip hop, old funk, Latin and any other music styles that have a solid beat.

“New music has too much going on in its rhythm” says Donovan.

Today, Donovan and Calvin are both skillful breakers. They even have a protégé.

Sebrae “Saber Tooth” McCoy, 18, has been taught by the brothers. Late nights at Sylvester Middle School made for a good practice grounds for the teens.
The three teens agree break dancing, if done often enough, is also good exercise. Sebrae lost 50lbs when he started training.

“Break dancing is a culture,” Donovan says. “You meet so many people doing it.”

According to the three teens, breakers from the region, (the Washington, Oregon and the near by region of Canada,) get to know each other.

Break dance battles can break out at any time be it at a competition such as the one Donovan participated in, in Marysville, or just out on the street. The teens say breakers seem to recognize other breakers.

Donovan and Calvin say there is not a big break dance scene in Burien, so even though they live in Des Moines, they are “reppin’ for Burien.”

Here’s a video of B-Town’s “B-Boy” Brothers in action at the Highline High School Variety Show in 2009:

Click here to view the embedded video.

There will be live “dancin’ in the street” at 2pm at Sunday’s El

El Tianguis market runs from 10am – 4pm at Burien Town Square Park, and products include Latino food and beverages, arts and crafts, home and garden, clothing, electronics, and many other items that are traditionally available in markets in Latino countries.

More info available at their website here: www.elmercado.org.

Last Saturday (Aug. 21),

It was a lively, energetic night full of competitive dancing, and we found eight nine ten videos showcasing some of the best:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The fourth annual “4 the Luv of It” B-Boy/B-Girl Hip Hop dance competition will be this Saturday, Aug. 21st at Burien Town Square Park from 6pm – 10pm.

Sponsored by the Good Foot Arts Collective and Burien Parks, this dance-off should be very lovely and entertaining.

Here are the details:

WHAT: 4th annual “4 the Luv of It” Hip Hop Dance Competition.

WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 21st from 6pm – 10pm.

WHERE: Burien Town Square Park, located at 400 SW 152nd.

INFO: Here’s a poster:

According to their website, here’s some info about the Good Foot Arts Collective:

History
Louie and May Praseuth founded The Good Foot Arts Collective (formerly ‘Performing Arts’) Organization in the summer of 2005. They saw the need for a performing arts organization that would target the urban community and at-risk youth to share a positive message through the culture of Hip Hop and its performing arts arenas. Young people in the urban community need to find a way to relate their lives and experiences to tell their stories and be heard; the sub culture of Hip Hop is the most prevalent outlet in this community.

The desire is for The Good Foot to create a place through different activities (classes, gatherings, events, etc.) where young people can have the freedom to share their talent and experiences through various forms of art, but also be given the opportunity to hear positive life messages and mentorship that will benefit their lives.

In June of 2008, The Good Foot Arts Collective officially became Non-Profit 501(c)3 under Fiscal Sponsorship through The Allied Arts Foundation of Seattle Washington.

Mission
The Good Foot Arts Collective engages the community and youth with positive life messages through the arts.

Vision
Transforming lives through healing, hope and love in the community, the city and the world.

There will be a live Mexican dance presentation by the “Grupo Folklorico Danza Regional Guelaguetza” dance troupe this Sunday, Aug. 15th, from 2:30pm – 3:30pm at the El Tianguis open-air Latino market, located at Burien Town Square.

According to market Director Mateo Monda, this group performed at last year’s Folk Life festival in Seattle.

El Tianguis market runs from 10am – 4pm, and products include Latino food and beverages, arts and crafts, home and garden, clothing, electronics, and many other items that are traditionally available in markets in Latino countries.

More info available at their website here: www.elmercado.org.