Video: Impromptu Michael Jackson Memorial Dance Party

Following up on Charity's blog post "Not the Wrong Star..." post about being out in Hollywood on the night of Michael Jackson's passing, here's a clip of the dance party that ensued that evening in celebration of Michael Jackson's music.

Anime Expo 2009 coming soon!

One of the first big events for me this summer is going to be the upcoming Anime Expo convention, July 2nd through 5th, held for its second consecutive year at the Los Angeles convention center. This will be my fifth convention and, having traveled to Anaheim and Long Beach for previous festivities, I am happy to report that the LA has done the expo proud.

Yes, there was much huff and puff in 2007 when it was announced that it would be changing locations once again (because we were all still pining for the loss of the Anaheim Convention Center) but after the success of the 2008 convention there is no doubt of our joy at its return to LA. Personally I fell in love with the large exposition hall and conference rooms allowing more people to enjoy panels. Most of all I enjoyed Artist Alley being given its own exposition hall, allowing fans to actually shop and admire the artists' work rather then trying to avoid the over crowded halls that held Artist Alley in previous conventions. Finally, with the creation of LA Live and the abundance of activity and food in the area I have no doubt this year will be even better then the last!

This year at expo you can expect all of the classic events including AX Idol and the Masquerade. As well as concerts featuring Moi dix Mois on the 2nd at three pm (seating starts at one but remember to get there early if you want good seats!) and Morning Muse July 3rd at 2:30 (seating starts at 12:30). There will also be a wide variety of industry panels where you receive the first look at new shows being released in the United States or what is happening next on some of your favorites, different workshops to help improve your own skills, and video rooms (this year's big show will be Funamation's premiere of "EVANGELION:1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE"). And finally the 2009 guests of honor and industry guests include Seth Green, Hiroyuki Imaishi, Daisuke Ishiwatari, Kevin Shinnich, Mike McFarland and many more.

For more information on this year's events and programs please go the Anime Expo website. It is well worth exploring because you don't want to miss a thing! So for all you anime fans out there I highly encourage you to come to Anime Expo at the Los Angeles Convention center this weekend! It is a lot of fun and worth it! Even if you are not a huge anime fan and only know a few titles it is still exiting being able to explore the exhibit hall merchandise and visit panels to learn about new shows. Moreover, it is a great place to make friends and become more knowledgeable about the world of anime. You can come for a day, the weekend, or the entire convention and tickets are still available online or at the convention that day. So come and enjoy the abundance of manga, anime, merchandise and cosplayers and I really hope to see you there!

-Aly

Hey! So just to quickly introduce myself I'm Aly and over the next 6 weeks I am going to be exploring Los Angeles as an Experience LA intern and reporting my museum visits, shopping trips, park adventures and other city encounters and events back to you. I was born and raised in the Valley but for college I decided to head east to New York City. So now that I am back in LA for the summer I plan to soak in all the California sun, fun and culture as possible!

Not the Wrong Star: Impromptu Memorial Dance Party and Parade for Michael Jackson

Yesterday as people reported fans at the wrong Michael Jackson star (that of the LA radio personality), I am happy to report that while it may not have been the King of Pop's actual Hollywood star, it wasn't really the wrong star.

I headed out on the Metro Red Line toward Hollywood around 10 after receiving a text from my friend who told me they were waiting for the boundaries to clear from the very unfortunately placed "Bruno" premiere - hopefully to clear around 11 or 12. As reports today indicated, it didn't happen at 11 or 12, but rather the next morning.

I'm not sure all that unfolded would have happened if we knew that timeline, maybe we wouldn't have even been there. Truth be told, there were less people than I would have imagined waiting to see the real Michael Jackson Hollywood star (and I'm not sure how many of those out-and-about were tourists), but there were enough - enough people who loved his musical legacy - to create the kind of synergy that makes things happen.

It began with a dance party on the corner of Hollywood/Highland. With an mp3 player and a speaker system, people slowly got out of their wallflower shells and began dancing to Michael Jackson's famous dance beats, singing along to "Billie Jean is not my lover...", and imitating the famous moves of Thriller. Things started really heating up when a fan, decked out in one of Michael Jackson's famous looks (as pictured), came out to strut his best MJ moves.

There's something about impromptu dance parties that kind of resonate a bit of magic. To make them happen, it takes more than just the people who set up the music and who have already planned to dance. There has to be something motivating others to join in. Since this was an impromptu memorial dance party, that motivation was definitely the memory of Michael Jackson. Sure, there were plenty of people standing by watching all of us letting loose, but I know I hadn't arrived planning to dance and others dancing probably hadn't either. But we did. For some, myself included, we probably couldn't help it.

At one point a man walked right through the dance circle with a "get out of the way" attitude. But we saw that even he, when crossing the street, danced to the beat like the rest of us.

Eventually, however, the crowd grew restless of waiting without any news and, in the hope that the real Hollywood star had been unveiled, my friend Nate rallied that we all have a dance parade down to the star. We all danced down Hollywood Boulevard toward the Grauman's Chinese Theatre, but were stopped short by barricades still up. We weren't stopped for long as the suggestion to parade down the Boulevard to the makeshift memorial was accepted by us all. While it wasn't exactly a coordinated replication of the "Thriller" music video (I saw those zombie hand movements, folks! I know people were hoping for it!), it was an impromptu dance party parade. Those passing us by cheered and we cheered right along with our dance moves and hand claps. Cars honked their horns in approval - at least, we hope that's why they were honking - and even the lights seemed to be in our favor as it was practically all green for those leading the charge.

All the while Michael Jackson's music poured through the speakers.

And when we landed at the other star, the volume lowered. The music slowed. With candles already lit, notes already made, people sat in contemplation - some wrote their own notes, said their own prayers.

So it wasn't the "right" star, and I'm pretty sure some might opine that most of us didn't know Michael Jackson as a person, so we shouldn't need to grieve. But the night wasn't about being in the right place or having a direct, personal connection to someone who has passed away. The night was completely about creating a space - to celebrate, to mourn - and making connections, finding others who needed to have that space too. And why? Because we do have a personal connection to this man, this icon, this King of Pop: his music is infused in us all.

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.

-Charity Tran

Also make sure to check out The GRAMMY Museum's "In Celebration of Michael Jackson", the museum's exhibition featuring some of Jackson's most iconic wardrobe pieces.

Welcome Summer!

Griffith Observatory,
West Terrace










Greetings! As the latest addition to the ExperienceLA staff, I'm delighted to contribute my first official post to our blog.

Since joining ExperienceLA, my husband and I have been knocking off a bunch of things from our "LA must-do" list. We've experienced our first trip on the Metro (which is quite nice, I must admit), attended an event at the Ford Theatre, and more recently, spent an evening at the Griffith Observatory to celebrate the summer solstice (pardon the photos, as they were taken with my Flip Camera - not the best quality).

We've been meaning to get up to the Observatory since its re-opening in 2006, and like many, have put it off because we were "too busy". When I received an invitation to join the Observatory in celebrating the first day of summer last Saturday, I immediately told my husband, "Honey, we've got plans for Saturday night." After all, I was tired of this June gloom and wanted to let the Sun know how much I miss and appreciate it :)


Waiting for the Summer Solstice Sunset. The word "solstice" is derived from the Latin "sol," (sun) and "sistere," (to stand still).





Unfortunately, the clouds weren't cooperative, and we weren't able to see the Sun set on its designated line marking the longest day of sunlight for the year. But that didn't stop the crowd from coming. Families, tourists, young couples, and young adults gathered for the event (certainly not the crowd I was expecting, but nice to see such a turnout!). We stood outside, hopeful to see a little bit of sun, while one of the astronomers explained to us why it is the longest day of the year.

As 8:06 PM passed without any sun, I somewhat expected most of the crowd to head toward their cars. Both my husband and I were pleasantly surprised as people continued back inside the facility to do some learning. Up to this point, we'd spent most of our time outside enjoying the views of the city, so we ventured in as well. We appreciate learning, and were amazed at the quality of some of the exhibits and displays inside the Observatory. I mostly got excited because the kids around me were excited!

We spent the next hour touring through the main exhibits, and checking out the Zeiss Telescope. Since the clouds were out, we weren't able to see anything. The telescope was pointed at Saturn, which bummed me a bit because seeing the rings would have been neat. But, it's an excuse to return. We're looking forward to coming back during the day as well to see the Solar telescopes. It never occurred to me to visit an observatory during the day, or on a cloudy day for that matter.

This is one destination that's going into our regular rotation and on our list of things for guests to do. If anybody has any recommendations on when to go, what else we have to see at Griffith Observatory, staff members to meet, or how else we can make the best of our next visit, please share some ideas! And if you've never been, I highly recommend. Happy summer!


-Julie

Family Summer Fun

Summer is here and the Los Angeles area is filled with fun, family-friendly events and festivals to enjoy. Here are a few highlights.

Click Here for a full listing of all Kid/Family Friendly events on experienceLA.

Family Events:

• Cinderella: The Musical at the Santa Monica Playhouse Main Stage


• The Pied Piper at Theatre West


• Dreaming of India: A Cultural Block Party at CAFAM


• Schoolhouse Rock Live Too! a the Greenway Court Theatre

Summer Camps/Classes:

• Culture, Craft & Cars Summer Camp at CAFAM and the Petersen Automotive Museum


• KidsMuse Summer Camp at the Fowler Museum


• Musical Theatre Classes with Bound for Broadway


• Classical Spanish & Flamenco Dance Classes for Kids

Free Events:

• J.U.i.C.E. Hip Hop Jam Sessions


• Summer Movie Nights at the Paraiso Town Center


• Summer Neighborhood Arts Project from Inside Out Community Arts


• Cymbeline the Puppet King by The Actor's Gang

Festivals:

• Bridge USA Samurai Summer Festival 2009


• Zenshuji 51st Obon Festival


• Long Beach Taco Festival


• Long Beach Crawfish Festival


• 24th Annual Children's Festival of the Arts


• 48th Annual Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival


• The Original Long Beach Lobster Festival

Museums:
Many museums and theaters have recurring family events.

• The GRAMMY Museum introduces different genres of music through Hammer Museum has Getty Center has Family Art Stops, a 30-minute hands-on gallery experience, and Family Art Labs, a free workshop.


• The Getty Villa has Art Odyssey for Families and Art Quest, both hands-on art learning experiences.


• Kids can experience the Gold Rush days at the Autry National Center.


• Enjoy family concerts with the Ford Theatres.


• We Tell Stories have free shows throughout the LA area.


• The Southwest Museum of the American Indian has Let's Make History, with a gallery tour and a take-home project.


• Have a Peek at Family History at the Pasadena Museum of History.