Arts & Culture

MarioCo.Dance, founded a few years back by Tracy Marion, is a supremely athletic jazz-dance troupe, but its principals can’t keep their hands (and feet) out of other folks’ genres, frequently collaborating with fellow Valley artists and dipping into the forms of contemporary ballet, modern, and even burlesque.Their new spring show,…

With an eye toward what’s cool and a boatload of excitement over the contributions creative folks make to Phoenix, New Times hosts its third annual Artopia.It’s an evening that celebrates this year’s Big Brains nominees, 18 Valley residents emerging in their specialties of craft, design, visual art, culinary arts, performing…

If you’ve ever found yourself channel surfing on a routine Thursday night, weary of the nightly news, you’ve likely stumbled upon a little PBS gem called Check, Please! Arizona. It’s hosted by acclaimed chef Robert McGrath, whose idyllic talk show host appearance — picture a bearded blend of James Lipton…

It’s hard to be terrible in the Arena Football League. Salaries are essentially the same for every team and player, the league is small enough to allow for a decent sized talent base, and the rules of the game are slanted heavily in favor of underdogs. Still, the Orlando Predators…

What could be more freeing than celebrating the last day of class by stripping down to the bare essentials and doing so for a good cause? The sixth annual ASU Undie Run keeps the streak alive Tuesday, April 30.Curmudgeons might write off the ASU Undie Run as college-kid silliness, but…

Let’s get real for a moment, Arizona Diamondbacks fans.Yes, your hometown heroes are off to a reasonably good start this year and are definitely in the swing of things in the National League West. The hitting’s been pretty decent over the first month of the 2013 season, thanks to numerous…

The first thing that springs to mind when someone references Flashdance (okay, after the dancing, obviously) is the 1983 rom-dram’s soundtrack. With two mega-hits in “Maniac” and “Flashdance… What A Feeling” the tale of Alex Owens, a hottie welder by day and exotic dancer by night, seems super-primed for the…

It’s kind of like a game of Clue, a whodunit full of unexpected twists and turns, and ultimately some very surprising results. Except the audience “playing” Accomplice doesn’t have to pick cards and move board pieces. With subtle innuendo, sly manipulations, and a few dangerous weapons (words included), the Rupert…

Brian Brooks lives in a psychedelic world — one filled with optimism. That’s evident in the artist’s first solo show “Now That Looks Like Fun: The Colorful Claw, Woof & Feathers of Brian Brooks & His Spectral Friends,” in which his artwork reveals a place full of anthropomorphic animals where…

Just about the favoritest 20th-century children’s book (meaning it’s really for the most savvy of adults, as well), Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time is held fiercely in the hearts of its fans. Since those devotees approve of John Glore’s recent stage version, you can safely truck on over to…

Whenever Dave Quan comes back to town, we know he’s up to something creative. The artist (who goes by Luster Kaboom) moved to New York last year, but he comes back to his hometown every once in a while to paint a new mural or collaborate with old friends. But…

News flash: You probably eat bugs a few times a week without realizing it. It sounds kinda gross, we know, but the cochineal bug has been used as a red dye for centuries. The Spanish conquistadors were so impressed with the bug’s crimson hue that the insects were one of…

As we roll into May, the competitive spirit begins to drift from our legs similar to the perfect midday temps across the Valley. A new state road racing champion has been crowned, and close to every knobbie-tired gnar wrangler pushed their endurance limits at the Whiskey Off Road. It’s time…