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“So A Dyslexic Walks Into A Bra…”

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…and Other Tales From the Fringe of Dayton’s Comedy Scene.

The only sound cutting through the sea of silence is a slight feedback whine as the flop sweat pours from your forehead, reflecting chromatic prisms from the glaring, white-hot spotlight. You clench the microphone with sweat-slicked hands, as your mind becomes an echoing chamber of panic. You can’t even make out the faces in the crowd, the piercing light obliterates their features, changing the warmth of humanity into an amorphous blob of judgment. How could this have happened? Your mom told you that you were funny. The clerk at UDF always laughed at your jokes. Your shadow, nailed against the faux brick wall by the merciless spotlight, seems to shrink as your confidence bids you a fond adieu, leaving you for climes that are more hospitable. You either recover quickly, raining down a torrent of bon mots to cover your previous gaffe, or you walk the longest walk ever made under the glaring reproach of the unamused.
Stand up comedy is one of the least understood and surely one of the most minimally regarded of the performing arts, yet it is one of the most difficult crafts to hone, execute and endure. The constant pressure to produce and perform is unrelenting. Development of a single joke’s precision, synthesis and rhythm is always evolving. The eternal search for material, the sharpening of lines, the shaping of words and the final development of delivery is exhaustive. Ironically, just as perfection is almost within reach, the material is usually scrapped because it is no longer topical or has become tired and mawkish and now, all new material must be captured and crafted.
In an attempt to check out the local comedy scene with an eye for how they all got started, I interviewed several local comics. Some of them are fairly new to the landscape, appearing at open mic nights for very little or no compensation, while others are national road veterans, having amassed quite an impressive resume’. The first question that arises would have to be why anyone would want to pursue a career in comedy in the first place.
A seasoned comedian, Mark Fradl, started his career in 1992 and ran hard until 1999, before abruptly leaving the stage completely for various reasons, including being burnt out on the road and its day to day hustle. He returned to stand up several years ago because the desire for performing live was re-ignited within him. When I asked him recently why anyone would get into comedy, he said, “I think you’ll find most comics have the same story: people told them they were funny. They somehow got up the courage to go up that first time at an open mic night (still the hardest thing I’ve ever done) and they just kept doing it. The dream starts huge – Tonight Show, Letterman, sitcom – but quickly narrows down to more immediate goals – get a strong five minutes, get a strong fifteen minutes, get ANY work, get good work, and then the Holy Grail of goals: quit the day job. I think that’s what keeps people in it, there’s always another little rung to climb. Step-by-step you’re deeper into the life.”
Ryan Singer, who used to be a schoolteacher for Dayton Public Schools and is now on national tours stated candidly, “I just had to. It is that simple. As a kid I remember seeing standup comedians on television and thinking to myself, ‘that is the best job ever!'”
A recent college graduate as well as a fairly current addition to the local comedy scene, Mat Thornburg took a slightly different route to the stage. “I was really involved in theater in high school” he wrote me, “and I always ended up getting cast as the comic relief. People kept telling me that I should try standup comedy, but I had no idea how to get started. Then when I was in college they had a comedy contest to win tickets to see Dane Cook. So I guess you could say the reason I got on stage the first time was because I wanted to see Dane Cook, but really it was something that I was going to do sooner or later and the contest was just an easy way to make that first step.”
Jeff Bang, nicknamed, quite unimaginatively ‘Banger’, is a butcher by day and does stand up locally as well as working at Wiley’s comedy club as a…well…I’m not really sure what Banger does, keeping me company while I stand outside and smoke, I guess. Anyway, when I asked him why he kept doing stand up, he answered my question with a question.
“Why do I keep doing it? Do you know what it’s like to get a good high? A big rush?” To which I replied that not only had I never imbibed in any illicit drugs in the past, I would eschew all illegal substances in the future if in fact any illegal substances were presented to me. He did not believe me, informing me that I was full of bovine fecal matter and continued onto his point. “There is no bigger rush than standing on a stage and making people laugh. There is no bigger rush. You get up there and do it and you have however many people are there, a hundred, a thousand, however many, and they’re in the palm of your hand and they are just hanging on every word. There is no bigger rush than that.”
Mark Fradl echoed Banger’s reasoning with, “…the good shows are great enough to get you through the bad ones. There’s still the insane rush of coming up with an idea and doing it on stage that night and honing it show after show. And there’s still a thrill in seeing how you’re bringing some pure laughter into someone’s life.”
“You’ve got to have that burning desire like 24/7 that makes you want to go out… just want to go out. You’re scared and nervous, but you want to go out there.” remarks James Earl Tompkins from Springfield. Originally from the East Side of Chicago, he landed at Wilberforce and Central State in his mid-twenties. His inspiration actually came from a speech class where he learned how to debate and discuss topics. He saw that he could apply those concepts to comedy and began trying to hone the mechanics at open mic events. His first forays did not always go as planned. “I felt so small on a lot of those days. I just wanted to hide. Hide out for weeks.” He sought solace in books that showed him the pitfalls of failure and how to strike back and overcome over adversity.
Egyptian born Sherif Hedeyat, who lives in a three-bedroom sleeper cell in Centerville and is one of the members of the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, started in much the same way. While attending Wright State University, he tried out an open mic night at the now defunct Joker’s Comedy Café.
“I remember I was in the lounge at Wright State,” Sherif recalls, “and I remember somebody saying, ‘Hey, you’re pretty funny. You should try doing comedy at Joker’s.’ I went in there one night and just ate it bad. Literally it was like a year between my first and second time on stage because I was sitting there going, ‘Man! That was a painful experience!’ Then the second time on stage…well, it’s kind of like a drug. You start once, then you go back a while later and then you start to want it and you get better and you want it more, and it progressed.”
With ego crushing moments, little or no pay and the constant reworking of material, why would some partially sane person keep subjecting themselves to this potentially abusive mistress? The rush and the possibility of fame and fortune are motivating forces, but definitely not one that ranks the highest in most of the comedians’ minds that I interviewed.
“I keep doing it because there’s nothing else that provides the same thrill or satisfaction.” says Mat Thornburg. “Standup is great because you know instantly how you’re doing. That can be bad when you’re not doing well, but when you are doing well it’s great to hear it in the audience’s laughter. I think another reason I keep doing it is that there’s always room for improvement. There’s always something I can get better at or something I can make funnier and every performance is an opportunity to learn something new about standup and what works for you as a performer.”
I wondered if the national headliners looked down upon the aspiring comedian with disdain. Having already slogged up the mountain, did they view the local comics as untalented plebes or would they remember the arduous journey that they themselves had made and offer some assistance. I asked Banger this question, because he has a unique perspective, hanging out at Wiley’s, doing whatever it is he does there.
“A good headliner will look at an open mic guy that’s ‘got it’, especially the ones who’ve ‘got it’, and encourage them and they’ll give them little tips here and there.” Jeff said, “The ones (headliners) who are stuck on themselves, and they’re not usually the best headliner in the world, those are the ones that look down on the open mic guys.”
Ryan Singer had a slightly differing view, stating, “I think headliners don’t spend much time thinking about the local comedians one way or the other. I think headliners have their own careers to worry about and especially in the business nowadays, it can be brutal because there are so many comedians out there trying to work the same rooms. It is a tough business and when you do find a headliner that wants to help you, it is truly a random act of kindness. There are those that enjoy seeing the local comedians and offer good advice about building a career. Most young comedians don’t want to hear the advice because is all about patience and hard work. It takes a long time to become an overnight success in comedy.”
The Dayton and surrounding area has nurtured many nationally known humorists and comedians. Jonathan Winters, Erma Bombeck, Dave Chappelle, Drew Hastings, Dave Zage, Kenny Smith, Jesse Joyce, Gary Owen, Rob Haney…the list goes on and on. Is the Dayton comedy scene still a vibrant and living player on the national stage?
“Actually, I see a lot of good, up and coming comedians.” said Sherif. “There was a time for several years when we (local comedians) weren’t working ‘together’. I mean, when I came up, Cincinnati had Josh Sneed, Greg Warren and those guys, they were all hanging out together, they were writing together, they were in the clubs hanging out, they were creating that scene. In Dayton, it was almost like everyone was just doing their own thing or they were going to Cincinnati or Columbus to hang out. It seems like ever since the Funnybone opened (in Beavercreek) we got a whole new clientele and audience and we’ve got a whole new crop of comedians.”
To stand at a microphone alone, captured by the spotlight in front of a group of strangers with the intent of making them laugh is a daunting task unto itself. A classically trained actor performing a one man show does not have to carefully gauge the spectators and change up lines in midstream or alter the dialogue to please his audience. If an audience came to see Hamlet, then Hamlet they shall see. Yet how do you please a group that just shows up with the expectation of being made to laugh? Everyone’s sensibilities and sense of humor are truly not the same. The ability to have a rural farmer sitting next to a office worker who is seated near a college student and having them all succumbing to the least understood of all human reactions, that of laughter…well, one is truly encountering art at its most refined.
You can check out some of the best that the area has to offer almost any given Sunday at Wiley’s Comedy Niteclub (check website for details). This coming month, from July 1st through the 4th, Wiley’s will be holding a comedy contest, which I would like to think of as a Comedic Thunderdome-esque Cage Match of Epic Proportions, but Rob Haney just tells me to shut up when I say things like that. Anyway, you can come down and watch the best of the best compete for comedic glory or, since there is enough time, stand in front of a mirror, your dog and your family for a month, spitting the best anecdotes and one liners you can think of, honing your skills for the Big Time! The winner will receive $1,000 in American currency and forever secure their place in the Dayton’s Hall of Humor…well, if we had one of those here in Dayton, I’m sure that you would be secured there. Check out the open mic nights, and especially come out and support the local talent for the Wiley’s Comedy Contest on Thursday, July 1st at 8:30 pm, Friday, July 2nd at 9:00 pm, Saturday July 3rd at 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm and Sunday, July 4th at 8:30 pm. Tickets are a mere $2. To enter the contest yourself, contact via e-mail Jack Wilson [email protected].

A Photographic Journey of Woodland Cemetary

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The 200-acre Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum in Dayton is one of the nation’s oldest “garden” cemeteries. Founded in 1840 by John Van Cleve (the Van Cleve family is one of Dayton’s “founding families”), this spacious, rolling area is the final resting place of many notable Daytonians including aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright, novelist and poet Paul L. Dunbar, columnist Erma Bombeck, inventor Charles Kettering, and John Patterson, the founder of National Cash Register.

Words don’t do this historic landmark justice.  So here are some pics:

Woodland Cemetary, located at 118 Woodland Avenue, Dayton, Ohio.

The Liberty Bell -- in Dayton?

Woodland has over 100,000 monuments.

James Ritty, inventor of the cash register, which he sold to John Patterson for $6,500.

Historic tours can be scheduled for visitors. Be prepared to walk uphill!

Living the good life...even in death.

I know Stroop Rd is in Kettering, but who was Stroop?

More striking memorials.

The Wright family plot.

Headstones of Orville, Wilbur and Katharine Wright.

The grave of Johnny Morehouse, a five-year-old boy who fell in the waters of the Miami & Erie Canal. Morehouse's dog jumped in the water, attempting to save him, but was too late.

Visitors to the Morehouse site leave toys and dolls.

Many of the trees at Woodland are more than 100 years old.

A beautiful angel.

A majestic monument watches over the resting souls.

The roads are suitable for walking or cycling

Grave site of Paul Laurence Dunbar. The tiny headstone is that of his sister Elizabeth, who died at age 2.

A 29,000 pound boulder marks the grave site of Erma Bombeck.

Southern Comfort Food

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Huffie’s Serves Up The Best In Q

Mural by Dayton artist Ronnie Williams

Food. All you have to do is look at my expanding midsection and you will instantly know that, although I may not know the fanciest places to eat, I know the places that serve the down home cookin’ that you can only get from a family owned restaurant. Huffie’s Bar-B-Que, located at 925 McArthur Avenue, is one of those places. Now, I fully realize that describing any type of bar-b-que is tantamount to getting into a political argument with all sides taking up the cause of their own particular favorite, so I will avoid making any sweeping statement about it being the best bar-b-que in the city…even though it is.

Anyway, the secret is the method of preparing the ribs and the way that the bar-b-que sauce is created. Of course they did not tell me what went into the sauce, as they would have had to have killed me immediately afterward. Suffice it to say that the sauce is not too vinegary nor is it too overpowering. Some sauces strive too hard, covering up the taste of the meat with either a spicy heat or an overabundance of spices in general. Huffie’s is a perfect blend, allowing you to taste the preparation of the pork along with the rich tang of the sauce itself.

Huffie’s menu covers a broad range, taking in the Southern style favorites like fried okra, fried green tomatoes, greens and cornbread. Put that on as a side to your slab of ribs, pulled bar-b-que pork sandwich or whole fried catfish and you have yourself an incredibly satisfying meal. In recent years, they’ve added a lot of vegetarian items and heart friendly foods to the menu, such as salads, baked fish and vegetarian soups and beans. You can cap off that meal with a wide selection of pies and cheesecakes, especially their famous sweet potato pie with the crust still made with lard. Perhaps Dr. Oz might disapprove of the cholesterol count, but your palate will kick his Oprah lovin’ ass for saying such disparaging comments about something so wonderful.

I was able to sit down with the owner of Huffie’s, Howard “Huffie” Huffman, to talk about the history of the restaurant, the processes of running it and cooking for it as well as some of the memorable events that have happened there over the years.

J.T.: You guys have been here, what? Forty-three years?
Huffie: Forty-five years.

J.T.: I thought it was opened in ’65?
Huffie: Actually, it was ’63. My sisters started working here in ’65. I’ve worked here since I was thirteen and I was born in 1950, so about ’63 or ’64.

J.T.: Did it start out as a family business?
Huffie: Yeah, my father started it up. It all started out when we were in Joy Apartments on Millicent and they built a pit outside. Down South, everybody barbecues all the time and they share, so the neighbors would start coming over and we used to have as many as fifty or sixty people in the neighborhood coming over and eating our barbecue. That was at the Joy Apartments in the early sixties…sixty-one, sixty-two I’d say.

J.T.: Is most of your food still based on family recipes?
Huffie: Oh yeah, almost all of it.

J.T.: Have the recipes changed over the years?
Huffie: Not too much. It’s Memphis, Tennessee style barbecue. My father’s from Mississippi and my grandfather is also from Mississippi, so it’s basically Southern type food. It’s changed for like the extended menu, like cheese steaks and things like that, but the barbecue sauce is still the same, the ribs are still the same, the pork shoulder’s still the same. We smoke them outside. One time we got a commercial unit, but we found out that it just didn’t give you the same taste, the same authentic taste, so we went back to the hickory wood and charcoal. You know, we marinate the meat like two days ahead of time then we smoke them. We do things the old fashioned way.

J.T.: Do you buy your ingredients local?
Huffie: Oh yeah, we buy from meat companies and produce companies like, but things like the ribs and the pork shoulders, we buy from companies like GFS.

J.T.: Are there any plans for expansion, as in opening other restaurants?
Huffie: We had four or five restaurants before. I had my own restaurant one time and I’d do catering. I was over by the golf course for about two years and over by Kettering Field for like six years and that was enough. We found out it was best to just run your own single business than to try and have four or five others and trying to have someone else running them for you. You lose that family atmosphere and you kind of lose touch with things. You run into problems with people rushing the ribs or too much of a portion on a platter trying to get big tips. I mean, I’d do a franchise where someone could pay me a set amount of money and you could buy a franchise, because that gives you more control where you supply them with everything.

J.T.: Do you do a lot of catering?
Huffie: Like, I do hog roasts and Hawaiian luaus. I’ve catered for places like NCR, Mead and General Motors. I used to cater folks like the Temptations. I still have pictures. They used to know me by name. I fed the O’Jays and one time, a big named star was here at UD…I think he was about sixteen years old at the time…and he bought a couple of slabs of ribs and I took them to him and he gave me a hundred dollar tip! The best tip I’ve ever had to this day!

Huffie’s Bar-B-Que is located at 925 McArthur Avenue on the West side of Dayton, right off of Germantown St. You can call ahead to make a take out order or to make reservations for special occasions at (937) 263-2289. Their dining room is clean and spacious and, on many occasions, there are local jazz artists and other talented musicians playing while you dine. My only problem is after I eat my favorite meal there (pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries), I have to stave off the urge to curl up in the booth and take a nap. The “itis” is a force to be reckoned with.

Playing Possum In The Forest Of Argonne

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Possum Creek MetroPark’s Hidden History

This man is exerting far too much energy for this to be considered a "relaxing" activity.

As Spring hurtles uncontrollably into Summer, my mind reaches out to find the activities I can do outside. My own definition of “outdoor activities,” however, has little or nothing to do with being active at all. More to the point, I like to try and find places where it can appear that I’m doing some sort of activity, while remaining completely inactive. Fishing usually fits this bill. I will confess here that I have rarely ever caught a fish (which would go against my goal of being inert) and sometimes, to insure that some fish with either a death wish or a very slow mental acuity won’t inadvertently leap onto my baited hook, I usually fish with no bait. This serves a twofold purpose: one, a fish will generally avoid my barren hook in search of a more agreeable dinner, thereby allowing me to remain in a seated position and two, it makes it so that I don’t have to put my hands near any icky worms which, on especially humid days, feel much like a semi-solidified string of undulating snot. I guess that while I’m confessing things here, I might as well add that, even if I had the misfortune of catching a fish, I would throw it back as I can’t stand to eat fish and I can assure you that a mounted fish on my wall would definitely clash with my rather eclectic form of interior design. Moving on…

The reason that I bring this up is that it reminds me of one of the places that I love not to fish: Possum Creek MetroPark. The first time I was there was sometime in the late eighties/early nineties… you will forgive me as time has been somewhat of an elusive creature my entire life, so remembering dates isn’t one of my strong points. I do remember that a group of us were supposed to be driving to Indianapolis for Pink Floyd’s Division Bell Tour, if that gives anyone a frame of reference. One of the group thought that the park would be a bitchin’ place to party before the concert. It wasn’t. Some of the group got lost and we damn near missed the concert. Fast forward to around ten years ago. I was scouting all the parks surrounding Dayton, exploring all of the wonderful points and playgrounds with my two youngest sons. We meandered over to Possum Creek one day and found that it not only had several fishable lakes, it also boasted some really interesting hiking trails, a community garden and a farm area with many types of animals on display.

On one of my excursions, I was trying not to fish on the shore of one of the lakes, but my wife insisted that I bait my hook so that I could catch her a catfish to fry up that evening. Not wanting to exert that much energy trying to reel in a catfish, let alone the potential injuries I may sustain from the stinging barbels, I convinced her that all the good catfish were in the middle of the lake. I got out my trusty inflatable raft and, utilizing the convenient foot pump, filled it with air and pushed off from the shore. Now I could actually lie down in public without seeming as if I were a lazy ne’er-do-well. This was pure genius. Well, while I was floating about on the water, I noticed some splashing and activity nearby. I didn’t even dare to have a hook on for fear that a catfish might be attracted to the shiny metal and hook it’s stupid self, so I just kept casting sinker in the general vicinity of the splashing, which seemed to create more splashing. From the shore, I’m sure that it must have looked impressive. Well, the splashing began to come closer to where I was floating and, after a few more casts, seemed to make a beeline directly for me. Now, I’ve seen Jaws I and II, so a tremor of fear trickled down my back until I remembered that the Great Whites were destined for deeper waters than those found at Possum Creek. I was rather shocked, however, when the splashing got really, really close and I found it to be caused by a very pissed off beaver that I had apparently conked in the head several times with my sinker. Apparently there are a literal ton of these flat tailed rodents gnawing about Possum Creek and, thankfully, I was able to extricate myself from the situation unscathed.

The walking trails are incredibly intriguing as well. You can explore areas that range from lakeside trails to wildflower fields to farmland and then into a beech tree forest, full of loamy trails and deep ravines. This is where I found some things that struck me as odd and made me explore the history of the park further. I came across a massive trestle, a large square expanse of concrete and several rusted out trolley car frames sitting inexplicably in the middle of the woods. The name of the woods also intrigued me: Argonne Forest. While it may sound like something out of Lord of the Rings, history’s most famous forest of the same name was a deadly battle site during World War I. Why would someone name a forest in Dayton after the site of such an epic battle?

In the late eighteen-hundreds, a boy was born named Null M. Hodapp. His boyhood friend was a boy named Ralph Clemons with whom he shared many adventures. They grew into adulthood together and enlisted in the Army to fight the Germans in World War I. In a sadly ironic twist of fate, Ralph was killed mere hours before the Armistice Treaty was signed. Ralph’s death was devastating to Hodapp as he returned to Dayton to resume his life. He eventually married LoRean D. Hodapp and became a widely regarded judge in the Dayton area. In the 1930s, Hodapp purchased 400 acres around Germantown Pike and dubbed the land Argonne Forest Park, in memory of his friend and the place in which he had died. The first building that was constructed was a clubhouse for veterans. Eventually, the park consisted of a dance pavilion, a horse track, a car racetrack, a shooting range and a swimming hole with a diving platform. “Swimming hole” is more than a slight misnomer as the “hole” was actually constructed by building a huge wall to block the Possum Creek, which created a massive swimming area replete with diving platforms, the remnants of which can still be seen today. Hodapp also bought several streetcars from the Oakwood-Dayton lines to be used as impromptu cabins and for the children to play in. Hodapp would also perform the Battle of Argonne Forest every Fourth of July, in memory of 322nd Field Artillery Unit who had fought there during World War I.

As the world moved into the next War, rationing and depletion of money contributed to the eventual demise of the park. Some sections were sold off, but the bulk of the park remained and was made into what is now known as Possum Creek MetroPark. Walking amongst the paths and seeing the relics of a bygone era, one can almost squint and see the shrieking children cannonballing off the diving platform or hear the music and the shuffling feet scrape over the dance hall floor. The grandeur is gone, but the memory remains indelibly etched into the sodden trails and the swaying branches of the forest.

This Zumba Queen Will Get You Lean: This ain’t sweatin’ to the oldies!

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Yvette Williams, aka "The Diva"

The old school method of getting a bikini ready bod for the summer used to involve breaking out a dusty old VHS tape, popping it in the VCR and listening to a poofy-haired, tiny shorts-wearing man scream positive affirmations at you through the television set.

But that was then.  If performing awkward, antiquated dance moves in your living room wearing day-glow leg warmers isn’t cutting it any more, then it might be time to switch your style up.

The “new” way, ladies and gentlemen, to sculpt a hot bod is zumba.

And zumba ain’t no joke.

To characterize zumba – a fitness regimen that blends Latin grooves and dance moves – as simply a health craze would be a transgression and an inadequate description of the art form.

Zumba is a lifestyle for enthusiasts who shake their hips to the slick sounds of salsa, merengue and other afro-cuban inspired international rhythms.  The popularity of zumba dance has exploded in recent years as many are discovering the numerous benefits of this fun, yet challenging, activity.

No one knows this better than Yvette “The Diva” Williams, a certified fitness instructor and sports nutritionist who has been leading high energy zumba sessions throughout the Dayton area for the last two years.

Williams, originally from Queens, New York, leads zumba workouts at DK & J Pump in Trotwood, Premiere Ladies Fitness in Kettering and Therapy Cafe in downtown Dayton.

Dayton MostMetro recently sat down with this mother of two for an honest discussion about zumba, music and machismo:

Dayton MostMetro:  When did you develop your interest in fitness?

Yvette Williams: I began bodybuilding late…at thirty!  I grew up always being unhappy with the way that I looked.  I’ve always been a very self conscious person, never really liking the way that I looked.  So, at thirty, I decided to do something about it.  I was watching the Olympics…and was looking at some videos of track and field.  [I was] looking at the bodies and how muscular [the women] were.  I saw how beautiful they were.  They were attractive and sexy.  They didn’t look like men – they looked like shredded, beautiful women.  I wanted to look like that.

DMM:  How were you introduced to zumba?

Williams:  I’ve always had a love for Latin music – especially from being in New York City for as long as I was.  I grew up with the authentic Latin music…Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Mongo Santamaria, um…Ray Barretto, Willie Bobo.  All of them.  I grew up with this music!  It was a very strong influence in my family – in my household.

I was at a gym, and I heard the music and it was catchy.  I thought, “What are they in there doing?’  I ended up taking classes from an instructor named Christi Siler…and we had a ball!  I loved the music!  I loved how she moved!  I found that I already knew the moves because I grew up with this music.  I thought, “Oh my gosh. I can do this!”  I really did it for the love of the music.

"The Diva" in her element

DMM: When did you began teaching your own classes here in Dayton?

Williams:  I became certified and started teaching about a year later…The classes have just sort of taken off. I’m just appreciative – and very grateful – that people like what I do!

My style is very authentic.  Zumba is a Latin word.  It was developed by Alberto Perez, who is Colombian. So, in that spirit – it’s Latin.  It’s what I identify with.  It’s very authentic.  [It’s] heavy salsa!  Heavy meringue and reggae-ton!  I stick with the authentic Latin moves, rather than incorporating too many other things.  I’ve learned that the Latina population really appreciates that, because I’m not watering down anything…It is what it’s supposed to be.

DMM:  So, what’s so cool about the zumba dance routines?

Williams:  You’re working out without even feeling that you’re working out!  You just let the music takes you wherever it wants to take you…The music is very motivating.  It’s captivating and fun music.  It takes you somewhere else!

It allows you a chance to escape.  There’s whooping and hollering…clapping and cheering!  The zumba logo says  “Join the party!”  So, we treat it like a party!  It’s fun, and exciting.  Every class is different…I’m trying to get some more men in the class…

DMM: …Which brings me to my next question.  What was the inspiration behind your Zumba Men’s Challenges?

Williams: Diva is trying to gain more testosterone in her classes! [Laughs.] I’m not going to get the men in here by saying, “Would you guys please come to my zumba class?”  Because they’re going to say that zumba is for girls!  So I said, okay…How about if I challenge them?  And I find that if I challenge them it’s like, “Hold on, wait a minute! You’re not gonna challenge me…” [Laughs]

When I challenged them, they came.

DMM: So you had a favorable response?

Williams: We had a huge one the first time.  The entire dance floor was covered, and there were people going all the way to the back wall.  That was in February. At the second men’s challenge, the men outnumbered the women.

Everybody can Zumba!

DMM: What is the age range for zumba?  And are there any restrictions?

Williams: Before you start any fitness regimen, you should always check with your doctor.  There are different levels.  There’s even Zumba Gold, for the elderly or for people who have had injuries.  But it’s all ages [for zumba.]

My classes are very diverse — from ages 13 to 60.

DMM: Lastly, what would you say to anyone who may be on the fence about trying your classes?

Williams: For the ladies, it’s just an amazing way to get fit and toned for the summer.  I tell everybody, “Before you strut, you gotta sweat!”

For my men, I tell them, “Zumba ain’t sissy, it’s sexy!”

Williams is also a gifted vocalist who has performed on stage during Urban Nights

Mondays
DK&J Pump 1790 Shiloh Springs Rd Trotwood, OH
7:00pm $5 for non-gym members

Fridays
Therapy Cafe 452 E. 3rd St Dayton, OH
6:30pm $6

Saturdays
Premier Ladies Fitness, Kettering OH
1:00pm members only

Ms. Williams would like to give a special shout out to DJ Danny D for providing her with fabulous Latin music and remixes!

Jonathan Larson’s RENT @ C{Space in Downtown Dayton

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Jonathan Larson's RENT at C{Space June 3-5 www.RENTdayton.org

Jonathan Larson's RENT at C{Space June 3-5 www.RENTdayton.org ~ Win Tickets Below!

On June 3rd Encore Theater Company will open it’s summer season of musicals with a show which has become a cornerstone for the musical theater world of the past decade and a half.  ETC will present Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway musical RENT in C{space on three evenings next week, and if you don’t plan ahead, you just might miss out this highly provocative production in a truly unique downtown venue (Saturday is nearly sold out & tickets are selling fast for the other performances).

The musical, which is based loosely on Puccini’s opera La Boheme, follows a year in the lives of seven friends living the disappearing Bohemian lifestyle in New York’s East Village.  AIDS and both it’s physical and emotional complications pervade these characters as they struggle to find their place in a quickly changing world.

Maureen & Joanne in RENT www.RENTdayton.org

We think of RENT as this iconic “rock opera” legend but what RENT was saying and how it was saying it was revolutionary in 1996 and the theater world has never been the same.  The number of doors RENT opened for new musical theatre writers was unprecedented.  Shows that have followed – like SPRING AWAKENING & 2010’s AMERICAN IDIOT (Yes, the GreenDay one) –  are indebted to Larson & his show for their success.  RENT’s influence is still profound in shows opening today, fourteen years after it quietly opened it’s Off-Broadway run the night after Larson died of an aortic aneurysm.

When talking with cast members of the show, it’s interesting, almost comical actually, to realize that for many of them, their first knowledge of this show was the 2005 film version.  As depressing as that is to this almost-40-year-old, who could’ve been in the original Broadway cast (if he could act & sing that is), it’s also refreshing.  This cast is approaching this material with such an infectious energy!  They are exploring the souls of these characters, but through a new point of view, in a very different world.

Drew Bown as "Roger" in RENT www.RENTdayton.org
“To be able to experience something so beyond myself in sharing with my fellow castmates and it’s viewers, the very real struggle that these characters live through has been life-changing.  This chance to live in love, to spread the message to carry on and be thankful every single day has been a gift.”

Drew Bowen, “Roger”

JJ Parkey as "Mark" in RENT www.RENTdayton.org
“Being a part of RENT is something deeply profound that I’ve strived for in my art and I finally have the chance to play my dream role.  I’ll carry with me the artistic lessons that I’ve learned from this production as I pursue my stage career.”

JJ Parkey, “Mark”

Since ETC carries as its mission the development and preservation of new musical theatre, it seemed only fitting that we honor Jonathon Larson – the pioneer who made our work and our mission possible.  Along with a unique group of collaborators including C}Space, Sinclair Community College Theatre Department, AIDS Resource Center of Ohio, and Project Runway Finalist Althea Harper, ETC invites you to rediscover why you fell in love with RENT all over again and see this generation-defining musical in a fresh innovative production against the backdrop of one of Downtown’s Dayton’s most unique spaces.

Maureen & Joanne in RENT www.RENTdayton.org

Jonathan Larson’s RENT will play June 3, 4 & 5 in downtown Dayton’s C{space at 7:30pm each evening. An additional 11:30pm performance will take place on Friday, June 4th. Tickets for the event are $15 in advance and $18 at the door.  You can order tickets by visiting www.RENTdayton.org

WIN TICKETS to RENT!

It’s easy!  Just COMMENT to this post before midnight Saturday, May 29th to be entered into a drawing to win a set of tickets to the Encore Theater Company production of RENT.  We will be giving away one set of tickets for each 7:30 performance (Thursday, Friday & Saturday, 1 winner per performance)…but you can help DOUBLE the number of tickets we will be giving away!  If 50 readers “SHARE” this post, by clicking the FACEBOOK SHARE BUTTON before midnight Saturday…we’ll give away two sets of tickets for each evening’s performance! Start Sharing!

Your “Traditional” YP Groups: Contemporary and Fun

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When people think of YP groups, I think it’s organizations like DULYP, GenD, and HYPE that come to mind.  Groups of young people – whatever jobs or interests – in a certain region working together to advance professional development, volunteerism, and fun.  There are many YP groups that specialize in serving specific professions or interests, but the Dayton region is the proud home to a few of these comprehensive and more traditional YP organizations as well.  I spoke to Demarus Crawford-White (chair of the Dayton Urban League Young Professionals) and Shanon Potts (chair of Generation Dayton) to get their take on the YP situation in the region – and they had a lot to share.

Crawford-White is Dayton born and bred, and will tell you that she was “tricked” into becoming the chair of the DULYPs.  A friend invited her to a couple of events, asked for help with some event coordination, and before she knew it –  she was the marketing chair andthings have grown from there.  Although she didn’t know what she was getting into, Crawford-White will tell you that the “trick” was one of the best things her friend ever did for her.  Potts moved to Dayton for work from a small Ohio town after a stay in Columbus for college and law school.  She was referred to the Dayton Young Professionals Association (a group founded in 2004 when many YPs determined there weren’t enough networking opportunities) right before a merge with Generation Dayton created the current program affiliated with the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.  Potts has been an active member of GenD since May 2006.

Both women tout the value that a YP org provides anyone who wants to get involved – professional networking, meeting new people,

A group of YPs enjoys YP@Play sponsored by the DULYPs.

and the value of being connected to something larger than the self.  Potts shared that her involvement with Generation Dayton opened the door for her to serve as the young professional representative on the Executive Committee for the successful Five Rivers MetroParks levy campaign in 2009.  Also, the chair of GenD holds a seat on the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees.  Those external leadership opportunities have proved invaluable to Potts as she continues to expand her network and meet new people.  Crawford-White also spoke about the value the YP organizations provide for people looking to grow professionally; being a member provides an opportunity to showcase skills in leadership, management, relationship-building, andso many more traits that employers look for.  Beyond that, membership demonstrates a commitment to community, and that drive based on passion and not the paycheck is important to employers.  Crawford-White has seen many DULYP members receive promotions due in part to the skills they’ve demonstrated through community involvement.

And it’s so easy to get involved – many events for GenD, the DULYPs, and HYPE are open to both members and non-members.  And if you’re not really a “joiner,” the ladies have some advice for you as well.  Potts explains that the benefits received by membership in GenD far outweigh the individual investment.  But if you don’t want to lose that valuable “friend time,” bring your friends along, too!  Crawford-White knows that time is an issue for all of us, but she refers back to the old adage: “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”  The DULYPs provide an easy way to stand with other YPs in the region and bring voices together to make a difference in the community.

Although their missions differ, members of both these organizations are working toward a better Dayton region for young professionals.  I asked both women why Dayton has such a negative stigma in the view of YPs.  Crawford-White knows there are valuable events happening in the region, but says it can be tough for YPs to filter- even though she has been here her whole life, she still is amazed by the great opportunities she learns about every few months.  Crawford-White believes it only takes visiting a couple YP groups and getting on some email lists until you find a group that you “click” with.  Potts agrees with the wide selection of YP opportunities in the region.  A downtown resident and frequent visitor around all parts of the region, Potts explains that Dayton is a very easy community to navigate once you are willing to become actively involved and engaged in an organization like Generation Dayton.  She expresses a specific gratitude to the many businesses and community leaders who are working to open doors to better involve and engage YPs.

A group from GenD enjoys networking and fun at a Dragon's game.

Although the passion these ladies demonstrate for their YP organizations are clear, they both demonstrate a similar passion for the region.  Potts picks Downtown Dayton as her favorite place to hang out, explore and experience.  She most enjoys walking to and from restaurants, Dragons games, the theater, art galleries as well as being at epicenter of the region’s growing system of bike paths with easy access to Yellow Springs, Xenia and Miamisburg.  Crawford-White highlights the MetroParks as her favorite Dayton spot(s) – from Riverscape to the 2nd Street Market, Cox Arboretum and Wegerzyn Gardens – she appreciates that the “the whole system is really a neat and wallet-friendly place to spend the day.”

Hopefully, this expanded highlight of a couple of the region’s most comprehensive YP organizations – and the women who are currently at the helm –  has demonstrated the ease and important value of getting engaged in the opportunities our region offers.  Whatever you’re looking for – social activities, new friends, professional development, volunteering, education or more – could be found with the programs sponsored by Generation Dayton and the Dayton Urban League Young Professionals.  For a final thought – Crawford-White reminds us that Dayton was made famous by individuals who thought outside of the box.  The Wright Brothers, Charles Kettering, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Erma Bombeck all started their fantastic careers here in Dayton while they were “young professionals.”  She asks, “What potential does yet another Dayton YP have to make and impact?”

NOTE: Schedules didn’t work out and I was unable to speak with a representative to HYPE, but if you’re a YP in the Northern Miami Valley area and want to stay a little closer to home – check out this org that provides great opportunities. HYPE will be featured in the future.

Generation Dayton (YPs ages 21-40) is dedicated to connecting young professionals with one another and to the community so that together YPs can become integral components in the future of the success of the region.  GenD offers many unique opportunities  – popular ones include Generation Dayton Day (a community-wide volunteering opportunity), volunteer speed matching, an annual holiday party, and regular “Thirsty Thursdays” for business and social networking.

The Dayton Urban League Young Professionals (YPs ages 21-44) are the auxiliary association of the Dayton Urban League; the DULYPs work to further the five empowerment points of the League.   The DULYPs are affiliated with the National Urban League, and that partnerhsip provides great national experiences for members.  Popular local activities include the professional development series, the Next Level Entrepreneurship Conference, the monthly YP @ Play evenings, and opportunities to volunteer in the community.

Greater Downtown Dayton Plan Update

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The organizers of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan unveiled “the plan” earlier today, and we’ll have more info to share soon – but for now check out the video that Dayton’s Kenny Mosher put together that sums up just how important Downtown Dayton is, and why the entire region should believe in its future.

The Downtown Dayton Plan from Kenny Mosher on Vimeo.

The Connection of the Collective

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The Fifth Annual Sideshow To Be Presented At The Armory

By Kidtee Hello

Walking up the three flights of unfinished wooden stairs, one would not expect to find much more than possibly a storage room filled with forgotten industrial supplies and broken machinery, but upon opening the heavy door to the third floor of the Armory’s loft, you will find nothing but wonder. Dispersed under the exposed and age darkened wooden beams of the loft is a olio of objets d’art. Cascading down from one of these beams is a latticework of vibrantly colored worry dolls, connected, as we all are, by the most tenuous of threads. Your eye will fall upon molten sculptures, hyper-realistic photographs, abstract painting that cry out to the viewer in a silent scream. Stages dot the area, awaiting the humming strum of musicians who will take to them during the Fifth Annual Sideshow to be held on May 14th and 15th at the Armory as a part of Dayton’s Urban Nights.

Across the length of the room, crosswise from the main door, a stark black and white photograph hangs, drawing you across the creaking floorboards. The photograph depicts a woman, head thrown back with her eyes closed in a frozen moment of ecstasy. The large picture is adorned with brightly colored flowers which frame and then flow under and in front of it, creating a descriptive display. The photographer is Kidtee Hello and she is the lead organizer of this, the fifth installment of the Sideshow. In speaking with her, I was able to get some of the back history of how the Sideshow was first developed.

By Deloris Bucanan

“When they first started these events, there wasn’t much going on for your average person or artist. Unless you were a graduate of a really good school and had something to show in a really fancy gallery, there wasn’t really anything available except for small art shows like the ones at the Pearl…which actually kind of sparked the Sideshow.” Kidtee went on to describe how the event began. “Laurana Wong wanted to have an event with a little bit of everything and now you see more DYI type art shows…”

Jeff Opt, through an online correspondence, was able to expound on the early days of the Sideshow, having been involved since the beginning and being a part of all the subsequent Sideshows in one form or another since then.

“The original Sideshow idea started with Laurana Wong…it was her idea to throw an art show where the artists worked together to define the show and one that didn’t cost money to throw. It was a community building exercise. There was no theme to the show other than what the participants worked together to create.” Opt went on to say that, “The first show was so successful that it gave birth to the Dayton Circus Creative Collective, a group of like-minded people who wanted to see the spirit of art and community continue year around in Dayton. Since then, the Sideshow has become the premier event for the Dayton Circus.”

This is a perfect depiction of what the Dayton Circus Creative Collective is: a circular energy that feeds and creates itself. The Sideshow begat the Circus and the Circus now gives rise to the Sideshow. It has become a self-sustaining entity of energy and art whose members both feed off of and feed others with a perpetually positive synergy.

With the help of Kate Ervin and Emanuel Cavallaro, I requested Circus members and Sideshow participants to share there thoughts as

By Sean Baumgardener

to what the essence and purpose of the Sideshow was and is. Within an hour, I had at least ten responses, all eloquently espousing the positive contributions that the Sideshow has made not only to the artists and the patrons, but to the community of Dayton as a whole.

“I think what those of us who have been involved with The Sideshow from it’s very first year probably want The Sideshow to become is a cultural institution in Dayton, an event that people can rely on occurring year after year. This is our fifth year, and I’m extremely proud to be involved.” Cavallaro then answered my query directly by saying, “As for what it means to me, personally? Honestly, all my friends are artists or performers of some sort, and from all different backgrounds. Art is what we do and who we are. The Sideshow is a chance for us to share that with the city. And it’s a chance to celebrate and express ourselves. We’re a motley group, and this is a big undertaking that requires weeks and weeks of preparation and hours and hours of hard work, but we somehow find the time to have fun doing it.”

The responses kept coming, all eloquently passionate about what the Sideshow specifically and the Circus in general meant to each individual artist.

“To me, the Sideshow is a multimedia arts event that recognizes local artists of all ages, races, and social classes. It’s an art event for the community. It may be a grass roots production, or seen as an urban underground show, but it’s also a collection of Dayton’s most progressive and Avant-garde artists.” wrote Christine Gaffney, and aspiring film director said. She then added, “The sideshow is more than just an art show, it’s an experience you can’t have anywhere else in Dayton, and it’s only once a year. Dayton is full of Talent. Much of this talent hasn’t made it’s way into the traditional art gallery yet.”

The belief that the Sideshow provided artists a non-traditional venue I which to express and display their non-conforming works was echoed in many of the messages received and conversations I had with the artists, participants and organizers.

Matthew James wrote, “The Sideshow is an opportunity to get outside of the normal space of commercial artwork, a chance for people whose creative works don’t flourish in the ‘normal’ art world to share their contributions with the community. It’s also an opportunity for artists, performers, musicians, and community organizers to get to know one another and come together around a common cause – two nights of outrageous entertainment!”

The very act of trying to draw together all of these divergent artists, secure a location and coordinate the activities of the Sideshow must be a logistics nightmare. While speaking with Kidtee Hello, I asked if this was her first year dealing with all of this as a lead organizer.

“Yeah. Last year I helped Maggie Ottoson with the Sideshow she put together and then this year, I’m organizing it.”

Margaret “Maggie” Ottoson was very direct and emphatic with her description of what the essence of the Sideshow is:

“Empowerment! Freedom to express in any way you like. A collection of the best music art creativity and activism in Dayton.” Ottoson went on to describe what the overall intentions of the Sideshow are, “What is the purpose of the Sideshow? To bring together like minded people who would otherwise have never met and teach that you can do anything if you simply dare to act.”

Tom Watson III wrote that he used his art as a self imposed art therapy regime to help him rehabilitate from a brain stem stroke he

"Worry Dolls"

had suffered. His artwork has turned something that he has feared to reflects a fascinatingly organic view of the brain and the power that it holds.

“It’s one of the artistic highlights of my year!” Tom wrote. “This is my second year as a participating artist and this year is going to be even better than last year’s event. It is a nice way to show my work in an environment that is conducive to free expression and not as restrictive as many venues tend to be. It’s also an opportunity to meet and interact with a lot of other local artists and musicians. It’s also a reunion of sorts for those of us who’ve done it before.

Another factor, almost more important (if not more important) than getting exposure for the artists is the interaction of the artists themselves. The sheer ability to be exposed to each others forms of expression and be influenced to take their own art into areas that they may have never considered possible. Lisa Alexander wrote to express this very aspect of the Sideshow by saying:

“It gives opportunities to local artists to not only showcase their work but to also be involved in a community-building activity.” Alexander succinctly said. “It gives artists a chance to exchange ideas, make contacts, and make friends. It gives the artists a sense of pride in the work they do to help the entire show go off, not just from creating art. It also gives artists a sense of being involved in something bigger than themselves.”

By way of example, Cathy Jeffers described her own experiences as to how the Sideshow influenced her own artwork.

“It really got me to break away too. I usually do art quilts. Last year I did and installation called Fire and Ice.” Jeffers went on to describe the display. “It was a combination of fabric, streamers (representing fire) and white paper mache, (frozen like) figures. I spent hours on it at home and on sight. I really enjoyed the final look…and I could really see the three dimensional impact of the installation in the space.”

Emanuel Cavallaro brought all the elements of the Sideshow and the influence that it has on the artists, the organization and the patrons alike.  “The essence of The Sideshow is its malleability. It changes every year. New organizers each year, new artists, new performers, new venue. It’s chaotic as well, because there is never a specific theme. So the artwork, installations and performances are remarkably varied.” Cavallaro “Something very intense can be followed by something very subdued, something appalling by something beautiful. So it can be aesthetically jarring at times, but in a good way, the way in which a roller coaster ride is jarring. In that way, there is something for everyone.”

What: The Dayton Circus Creative Collective’s Fifth Annual Sideshow

When: May 14th and 15th from 6:00 pm until 1:00 am.

Where: The Armory –  201 E. Sixth Street (Entrance in rear of building – parking is off of Patterson Blvd.)

Why: See story above

For more information or to see other events that the Circus is involved in, check out their website at  www.daytoncircus.org.

Gem City Circle Walking Tours: Sharing the legacy of Downtown Dayton

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Historians Leon Bey and Nancy Roach of Gem City Circle Walking Tours

Some local historians are offering a unique look into the vibrancy of a city’s past, and the possibilities of an exciting, expansive future.

Leon Bey and Nancy Roach, of Gem City Circle Walking Tours, have recently begun their fifth season of walking tours for downtown Dayton, highlighting the famous and not-so-famous aspects of Dayton history.

Bey and Roach met five years ago in a manner that Roach characterized as “fate.”

“It was meant to be,” said Roach. “I was doing research in the local history room at the [Dayton Metro] library. I asked the librarian down there if he could help me with some of the information. It was Leon, who just happened to be working as a substitute that day.

“We starting talking about our interest in the community. So I asked him, ‘Would you like to research with me and do a walking tour of downtown?’  He looked at me and said, ‘I have a walk and I’m looking for someone to do it with me!'”

The walks were born on that day.

The duo’s excitement and enthusiasm for Dayton’s rich heritage is evident to anyone who goes “walkin’ and talkin'” with them on one of their leisurely downtown walking tours, which are given on the first and last weekends of the month.

Bey and Roach weave together historical accounts, personal recollections and photographic images to create a vivid experience.  That experience is often reciprocated when local residents share recollections of their own visits to downtown theaters, department stores and businesses long gone. “Some of the people on the tours, the older people, they have great memories,” said Bey.

The old Journal Herald building at 111 E. Fourth Street. Look familiar? It's currently occupied by the night club Hammerjax.

The tours, however, do more than simply highlight the city’s past – they also offer glimpses into possible strategic re-uses of some of downtown’s historic structures like the Dayton Arcade, which was purchased last year by two developers who are intent on restoring the beautiful, five-building complex to its former glory. (Leon Bey founded “Friends of the Dayton Arcade”, a non-profit group dedicated to raising awareness and money for the future development of the Dayton Arcade.)

Far from just revisiting the glories of days gone by, the walks also examine the cultural, social and economic contributions of various ethnic groups and nationalities in the area.  The tours provide a very street-level perspective of Dayton history. Many topics are discussed: The 1913 Dayton Flood, Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Dayton and the history of department stores founded in Dayton are explored.

Gem City Circle Walking Tours offers these programs (partial listing):

  • Oregon Arts District
  • Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders
  • Miami & Erie Canal Walk of Downtown Dayton
  • Historic Downtown Dayton’s Main Street
  • Ludlow Street

The fee for each walk is $10. Tours are approximately 3 hours long, with scheduled breaks, including an hour for lunch.  Advance reservations are required. Groups are welcome.

For walk reservations or additional information, contact Leon Bey at 937-274-4749 or [email protected].

FilmDayton Festival goes international, doubles in size, is movie buff’s dream weekend

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Building on the success of the first FilmDayton Festival, the second 2010 edition will present a lively mix of screenings, filmmaking workshiops, parties and special events unlike anything else in town.

It starts Friday, May 14, on Urban Nights, but continues the downtown vibe throughout the weekend at several venues — the Neon, Gilly’s and at a brand new spot: The former Greyhound bus station, now cleaned up and turned into a special lounge area for filmgoers, filmmakers and guests.

The festival will blend Dayton-centric films by local filmmakers, or artists who were trained here in the craft, many from the Wright State Motion Picture program; student films from WSU seniors and talented
high-schoolers who are being trained by FilmDayton and the Muse Machine; international films and documentaries, along with top festival picks from around the nation, that can only be seen at the FilmDayton Festival; and unusual events such as the “Screenless Screening,” an audio-only
presentation by WYSO-FM.  This rare combination of films and events has been stirred together by
combining the talents and connections of the Dayton filmmaking community and pushing it outward.

The festival, of course, is just part of the work of FilmDayton. In the year since the first FilmDayton Festival, the two-year-old organization has worked with Wright State University’s Motion Picture program and the Muse Machine to teach student workshops and film classes; partnered with the Sundog Film Festival to boost young local filmmakers; brought local filmmakers together to network and share ideas at monthly “Film Connections” meetings; revamped filmdayton.com to better promote the area as a filmmaking
location; set up offices at the Dayton Convention Center and brought on a director, Eva Buttacavoli,.

The group’s goal is to establish the Dayton area as fertile ground for making movies, both by helping the filmmaking community that’s already here to flourish and by luring more film activity to town. The FilmDayton Festival showcases and pushes all that forward.


FILM DAYTON FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

As of May 10, 2010. Schedule and screening times are subject to change. Check www.FilmDayton.com for the most up-to-date schedule, as well as for a complete listing of workshops and special events.

FRIDAY, MAY 14

DAYTON ROCKS! (free event)
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. // FilmDayton Power Up Lounge
Shelly “GladGirl” Hulce, longtime Dayton music insider, digs into local attics, basements and cyber archives to showcase some of Dayton’s best past and present rock videos, skater films and more.

WSU BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL ($5, free with WSU student ID)
7 to 9:30 p.m. // The Neon
Students from Wright State University’s award-winning motion pictures program screen their most recent productions in this event filled with compelling, contemporary work.

AFTER PARTY WITH THE LAB PARTNERS ($5 or free with Big Lens Film Festival stub)
9 p.m. to midnight // Gilly’s
Dayton spacerockers the Lab Partners always put on a unique, engaging listening and viewing experience ― which will be seriously amped when the band is joined by Springfield native Rod Hatfield’s ensemble, The Now Device, and their light and film performance.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI ($5)
10:15 p.m. // The Neon
Catch this comedy classic, starring Jeff Bridges as The Dude, on the big screen.

SATURDAY, MAY 15

ROPEWALK ($5)
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. // The Neon
What ties together prehistoric tools, Ben Franklin, trust busting, railroads, drug laws, plastics, nanotubes and space travel? Rope, of course. Learn about ropemaking’s forgotten effects on agriculture and industry in Xenia, Ohio, from the Civil War to the present ― and beyond. This award-winning historical documentary film was produced by The Engineers Club of Dayton.

CONVENTION ($5)
10:30 to 11:30 a.m. // Gilly’s
The story behind the mounting of one of the biggest events of the decade: the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Photography and sound by Daytonians Steve Bognar and Julia Reichert, who were nominated for a 2010 Academy Award for their documentary The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant.

WORKSHOP // KARRI O’REILLY DESTROYS YOUR RESUME ―
AND THEN HELPS YOU FIX IT SO YOU CAN GET A JOB ON A MOVIE (free event)
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  // FilmDayton Power Up Lounge
Karri O’Reilly has seen literally thousands of production resumes and most of them stink. Find out how to make your resume stand out ― in a good way ― and learn tips that will help you land a job on a feature film. Sign up for 15-minute appointments beginning at 10:30 a.m.

MUSE MACHINE & FILMDAYTON PRESENT STUDENT SHORTS ($5)
noon to 1 p.m. // The Neon
Students who participated in the 2010 48-hour Film Boot Camp and the Muse Machine Film Club at Centerville High School will show off their films.

MADRINA FILMS PRESENTS THE BEST OF INTERNATIONAL SHORTS ($5)
12:30 p.m.  to 2:30 p.m. // Gilly’s
Springfield filmmaker Marisha Mukerjee selects the best short films the world has to offer, including the documentary Last Supper for Malthus, winner of the European Independent Film Festival 2010’s audience award. With a billion of the world’s population going to be hungry at night, Last Supper for Malthus sheds light on our permanent food crisis.

RECORDING OF “FILMICALLY PERFECT” (free event)
1 to 3 p.m. // ThinkTV
J. Todd Anderson ― filmmaker and storyboard artists for such directors at the Coen brothers ― and George Willeman ― film archivist, writer and producer ― will record their WYSO 91.3-FM radio show “Filmically Perfect” in front of a live audience.  “Filmically Perfect,” hosted by Niki Dakota, WYSO music director, airs at 12:30 p.m. Fridays on the station, when Anderson and Willeman dissect classic films.

GIRL POWER SHORTS: SUNDAY SPIN / THE ACT / RITE ($5)
1 to 2:30 p.m. // The Neon
Girls with secrets is the theme in these short films. Sunday Spin, written and directed by former Daytonian Nichol Simmons, features a 100 percent Dayton cast and crew. First love, BFFs, lip gloss, barbecued carrots and that boy from eighth grade take Eloise on an unforgettable Sunday spin in this sassy take on the after-school special. The Act was written and directed by Pi Ware and Susan Kraker and filmed by former Daytonian Marco Fargnoli. Rounding out this trio of shorts is Rite, written and directed by Kettering native Alicia Conway.

THE 1ST ANNUAL WYSO SCREENless SCREENING ($5)
3 to 4:30 p.m. // The Neon
WYSO 91.3-FM Director Neenah Ellis and program director Juliet Fromholt present a celebration of Dayton stories, sounds and the art of listening. Hear radio magazine feature stories, such as those on NPR’s StoryCorps and Ira Glass’ This American Life, as you never have before ― in a dark movie theater.

THE LAST TRUCK: THE CLOSING OF A GM PLANT ($5)
3 to 4:30 p.m. // Gilly’s
Directed and written by Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar of Yellow Springs, The Last Truck was nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary, short subject. It tells the story of the workers of the General Motors Assembly Plant in Moraine, which opened in 1981 and closed on Dec. 23, 2008. While the workers are shocked they’ll be losing their jobs, the film shows they’re also losing much more: the pride they share in their work, the camaraderie built through the years and the shared concerns about what their collective futures will hold. The Last Truck offers a snapshot of a moment in America where we may be seeing the end of the blue-collar middle class.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SUNDAY SPIN (free event)
3:30 to 5 p.m. // FilmDayton Power Up Lounge
Nichol Simmons, writer and director of Sunday Spin, talks about how the film came to be.

MASTER CLASS // ACTING ($15)
4 to 5:30 p.m. // ThinkTV
This class will be taught by a trio of experts: Dave Gewertz, founder of MidwestExtrasDB.com, designed to be the go-to site in the Midwest for people who are interested in being extras in films, television and commercials; Marianne Porter, Wright State University graduate and one of the stars of feature film True Nature; and Stuart McDowell, chair and artistic director of Wright State University’s department of theatre, dance and motion pictures.

BURMA VJ ($5)
5 to 7 p.m. // The Neon
This 2010 Academy Award Nominee for best documentary feature is the true story of an anonymous collective of underground video journalists (VJs) who risked their lives to capture the dramatic 2007 Myanmar uprising, when 100,000 people (including thousands of Buddhist monks) took to the streets in protest. The producer, Lise Lense-Møller, will be in Dayton all the way from Denmark for a Q&A after the film.

FILMDAYTON’S SECOND ANNUAL PITCH-IT! ($5)
6 to 8 p.m. // Gilly’s
Think you’ve got a golden idea for a film? This is your opportunity to prove it. Drop $5 in the hat and pitch your movie in two minutes to a panel of industry experts. The winner takes home the cash and the championship belt, although this lively event is fun for audience and aspiring filmmakers alike. Hosted by Niki Dakota, WYSO 91.3-FM music director, with judges including Stuart McDowell, chair and artistic director of Wright State University’s department of theatre, dance and motion pictures; Nichol Simmons, writer and director of Sunday Spin; and Jennifer Sharp, director of I’m Through with White Girls.

TRUE NATURE MEMBERS ONLY SCREENING**
8 to 10 p.m. // The Neon
Part drama and part supernatural thriller, True Nature is the story of a family reunited when their college-age daughter is found after a year-long disappearance. Written, directed, produced and filmed in Dayton by Dayton’s own Pat Steele and Ann Rotolante. **This screening is for FilmDayton members and Reel Deal and All-Access pass holders only.

RED CARPET, REV. COOL, DJs AND DANCE PARTY DOUBLE FEATURE
8 p.m. to midnight // Gilly’s
Dance around the fringe with The Rev. Cool’s Arkestra & Dance Ensemble, joined by popular local spinmasters Ruckus Roboticus and DJ Scorpius Max.
• FilmDayton Fundraiser: From 8-10 p.m., enjoy themed martinis and catered bites while helping support Dayton’s nonprofit organization dedicated to local film and filmmakers. $15
• General admission: $5 after 10 p.m. or free with True Nature stub

INK & FLESH / FUN IN THE OLD TOWN TONIGHT ($5)
midnight // The Neon
Dayton favorite Andy Copp presents a world and local premiere double feature with classic ’70s era grindhouse trailers in between and a Q&A.

SUNDAY, MAY 16
BOOKSIGNING WITH JAMES GREER (free event)
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. // FilmDayton Power Up Lounge
James Greer will discuss and sign his most recent book, The Failure, and host a Q&A session about his current movie project, Cleo, a rock musical of sorts, about Cleopatra. Greer wrote the script for this film starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and directed by Steven Soderbergh, who describes the film asTommy meets Viva Las Vegas, with music by Robert Pollard of Guided by Voices. Greer has been a bassist for Guided By Voices, editor of Spin magazine, and is the author of Guided by Voices: A Brief History: Twenty-One Years of Hunting Accidents in the Forests of Rock and Roll and the novel Artificial Light.

SUNDOG FILM FESTIVAL ($5)
1 to 2:30 p.m. // The Neon
Originated in Yellow Springs in 2003, this juried competition is open to young filmmakers in grades 8-12.

PANEL DISCUSSION // FILMING UNDER DURESS (free event)
1 to 2:30 p.m. // FilmDayton Power Up Lounge
What happens when your cameras aren’t welcome or in danger zones? Lise Lense-Møller will discuss the perils of filming under less than ideal conditions. Lense-Møller is the producer of Burma VJ, a 2010 Academy Award Nominee for best documentary feature. It tells the true story of an anonymous collective of underground video journalists (VJs) who risked their lives to capture the dramatic 2007 Myanmar uprising, when 100,000 people (including thousands of Buddhist monks) took to the streets in protest.

FILM CONNECTIONS PRESENTS WORKS IN PROGRESS ($5)
1 to 2:30 p.m. // Gilly’s
Loose, informal and interactive, FilmDayton’s monthly networking program, Film Connections, moves to Gilly’s one time only for this special edition of local works in progress. Hosted by recent Wright State University grad and local filmmaker Rocky Smith.

WORKSHOP // INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING ($15)
1 to 2:30 p.m. // Dayton Convention Center
True Nature director Pat Steele and Ann Rotolante present “Beginning to End: A How-to of Local Independent Filmmaking.” From the big idea to opening night, learn how to create an independent film.

DIRECTING PANEL ($15)
3:30 to 5 p.m. // Dayton Convention Center
Jennifer Sharp, director of I’m Through with White Girls and Mike Webber, director of The Elephant in the Living Room, discuss the ins-and-outs of directing and give workshop attendees a director’s behind the lens view.

WINTER’S BONE ($5)
3:30 to 5 p.m. // The Neon
Get an exclusive first look at this winner of the 2010 Sundance Grand Jury Prize, which doesn’t open to general audiences until June. The film tells the story of a young woman who must fight her way through the Ozark wilderness and local criminal underworld to find her father and save her family.

WSU BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL, TAKE TWO ($5, free with WSU student ID)
3:30 to 5 p.m. // Gilly’s
Missed this festival on Friday? No worries. This is your second chance to catch students from Wright State University’s award-winning motion pictures program screening their most recent productions in this event filled with compelling, contemporary work. The festival will be followed by a meet-and-greet from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

EXPLODING GIRL ($5)
5:30 to 7 p.m. // The Neon
This drama is the exquisite portrait of a young girl coming of age and finding a deeper kind of love in New York City. Kettering native Bradley Rust Grey directed this independent feature, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. At Tribeca, its lead, rising indie star Zoe Kazan (Revolutionary Road, It’s Complicated, Me and Orson Welles), won the award for best actress.

I’M THROUGH WITH WHITE GIRLS ($5)
7:30 p.m. // The Neon
In this film, winner of the 2007 Block Buster Audience Award at the American Black Film Festival, Jay Brooks is on a quest to find the perfect woman ― but first he must deal with his commitment issues to win his love. Director and Yellow Springs native Jennifer Sharp will be on hand for a Q&A and discussion after the screening.

The FilmDayton Festival thanks its sponsors, without whom this festival would not be possible: DP&L, Cox Ohio Media/Dayton Daily News,activedayton.com, ThinkTV, WYSO 91.3-FM, The Now Device, Dayton City Paper, Wright State University, the Southern Ohio Council for Higher Education and The Ohio Coffee Co.

Dayton, Ohio – An Official Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community!!!

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That is right – after months of hard work by many community players and organizations, it has just been announced that Dayton is joining Columbus as Ohio’s only other official Bicycle Friendly Community (both bronze level) – awarded by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB)!  This is a huge achievement, as LAB has over the years developed a comprehensive framework of guidelines and processes that application cities must follow and implement in order to be recognized.  Other bronze cities in the Midwest include Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Louisville, Lexington and of course Columbus (among several others).  Only Chicago and Ann Arbor have silver status – and only Madison, WI has been awarded gold status in the Midwest.  (click here for a complete national list)

Thirty years in the making…

While much of the recent work leading up to now has had the spotlight, it should be noted that this effort is decades in the making – starting with River Corridor Committee and Horace Huffman Jr. leading the charge in the early 70’s (with the Miami Conservancy District, Five Rivers MetroParks and Greene & Miami Counties following soon after) to begin building what is now over 230 miles of connected bike trail in the Dayton Region over the past 30 years.  During that time, several advocacy groups emerged including the Ohio Bike Federation, Bike Miami Valley, Dayton Cycling Club and the Miami Valley Mountain Bike Association – as well as sixteen area bike retail businesses.  A few short years ago, MVRPC led a group of regional partners to come together and develop a Comprehensive Local-Regional Bikeways Plan for Montgomery, Greene & Miami Counties that included on-road infrastructure (bike lanes), recreation trail extension priorities (such as the SE Corridor) and education, enforcement and encouragement needs for the region.  Safe Routes to School was incorporated and in the last couple years received federal funds for implementation.

In the past five years, the mountain biking community has grown significantly with trail mileage almost tripled – including the MetroParks MoMBA facility that opened in 2007.  During this time, MetroParks has taken the lead in developing an outdoor recreation initiative and advocating for cycling to be considered for alternative transportation in addition to recreational use.  Programs like the Bike to Work Day Pancake Breakfast at 2nd Street Market, Drive Less Live More campaign, Miami Valley Cycling Summit and this year’s Bike to Dragons Games campaigns have been successful in getting more and more people outside and pedaling.  Five Rivers MetroParks is about to open (this June) the brand new RiverScape commuter bike hub & pavillion – only the third such facility east of the Mississippi and the first in a mid-sized city.  And MetroParks, MCD and University of Dayton have teamed up with the City of Dayton to develop a cycling initiative for the city that became part of the Cycling, Rivers and Active Lifestyle portion of the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan (which will be unveiled on May 18).  The bicycle portion of that plan initiative was written by Greg Brumitt & Hans Landefeld and included a path for the City of Dayton to reach bronze level BFC this year, silver by 2012, gold by 2015 and platinum by 2020 (based on Madison, WI’s platinum plan).

Earlier this year, the City of Dayton adopted a Complete Streets policy and city commissioner Nan Whaley continued the push to organize the City of Dayton Walk/Bike task force.  This group (including city staffer Bobbi Dillon, Kate Ervin, MetroPark’s Andy Williamson, MVRPC’s Matt Lindsey, MCD’s Hans Landefeld and others) developed the application that was submitted to the League of American Bicyclists a few months ago, and we are now officially a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly City!

Whew – we’ve done a lot!  …what’s next?

With all that has been done leading up to this designation, it would be reasonable for people to say its time to relax and enjoy our community’s achievement – but we can only rest for about five minutes because there is MUCH to be done.  Adding bike parking facilities and MANY more bike lanes (not just downtown but connecting our city’s many neighborhoods and suburbs), continued advocacy and education programs, and ultimately building a culture and critical mass of bicyclists that ride for both recreation AND transportation alike are the next steps.  It will all take more investment, political will and cooperation/collaboration between organizations and municipalities to make these things happen.  But as this community has proven, it CAN happen.  In the end, this isn’t at all about bronze, silver, gold or platinum – it is about the fact that our community is coming together and accomplishing the necessary things in order to provide a superior quality of life here in Dayton.  Kudos to everybody involved with these efforts thus far!

UPDATE:  We must mention that Troy, OH received an honorable mention this year (as Riverside did in a past round).  Kudos to Troy and ALL of the individual communities surrounding Dayton that are working toward building a bike-friendly region!

Dayton Innovation Legacy reveals the stories and strategies of Dayton Innovators through multimedia.

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An inventor fails 999 times, and if he succeeds once, he's in. He treats his failures simply as practice shots. – Charles F. Kettering

Too many stories of unsung Dayton innovators are forgotten. Let’s bring to light our city’s technical heritage for the next generation—just when Dayton most needs to reinvent itself!

Dayton Innovation Legacy.org is a new website that uses oral history, video and other media to tell the stories of Dayton innovators, especially those less well known. This educational resource will feature local engineers, scientists, educators, aviators, mathematicians and medical professionals.

By bringing Dayton’s Innovation Legacy to light, the web site will help educate, recruit new members, and assist Dayton development. The website is sponsored by the Engineers Club of Dayton Foundation.

Dayton Innovation Legacy features separate multimedia web pages for each chosen innovator. Living subjects will be interviewed on video following best practices in Oral History. Original materials will also be archived for future researchers.

The first profiles are now online. Other features include historical films of the Wright brothers, Charles Kettering and Edward Deeds, archived biographies from the Engineers Club of Dayton and much more.  If you’d like to help fund future biographies, consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the “Engineers Club of Dayton Foundation – Legacy”.

Donations may be sent to:

Engineers Club of Dayton Foundation – Legacy

110 East Monument Avenue

Dayton, OH  45402

Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Pop Icon, Cult Comic Performer

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thumb_heywoodHeywood Banks has been making annual visits to Dayton area comedy clubs for over 20 years.  I have to admit the first time I saw him, I was not amused.  But I will tell you, the more I saw him the more he grew on me.  You can’t watch 7 shows a week and not end up with one of his goofy songs stuck in your head. Over time I realized that he’s an amazing musician, a clever writer and a real independent spirit.  When in you stand in the back of the showroom and watch him lead a couple hundred beer drinkers singing a verse of 18 Wheels on a Big Rig and counting in roman numerals, you know you’ve seen an unusual talent.

images-127In the early days Stuart would  appear on stage in character as Heywood Banks, nerdy glasses taped together, a hideous plaid jacket and often mismatched socks and 2 different shoes.  It didn’t matter- the audience adored him.  Just about every show there would be an audience member or two dressed up like him.  And the crowd would clamor to hear their favorite songs. Later with the syndication of the Bob & Tom morning show on local radio, his popularity grew.

heywoodbanksHis songs often inspired by simple every day things, like the  Garden Weasel, Toast and Wiper Blades, became the mainstay of his shows and eventually the shows were less clever wordplay and more like live concerts.  Heywood’s character evolved and the nerd disappeared and the more eclectic Stuart Mitchell came center stage.  Now with hundreds of songs, he has maintained the squeaky clean format, proving that clever can outsell dick jokes, even on the comedy club circuit.  And just like any live concert, the crowds line up after the show to buy his cd’s, books and t-shirts, in what has lovingly been nicknamed Hey- Mart.

If you still aren’t familiar with the singer/songwriter/comic/cult icon I’m describing, then check out this Youtube clip of one of his fastest spreading songs, paying homage to the religious statue on I75:

Heywood’s Big Butter Jesus on YouTube

Heywood’s next local live appearance will be at Wiley’s Comedy Club May 5-7.  For more info call the club at 224-JOKE.

10?’s with KT of Bombshell Bakeshop

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KT dreamt of long hours baking instead of long hours in a cubicle. Luckily, with help from her husband Sam’s business-savvy brain and her own uncanny sweet tooth, they established KT’s Kitchen in June 2008. She and Sam were met with open arms at local events where they began selling yummy sweets. Soon after, KT heard Ana Pascal in Stranger than Fiction say, “I figured if I was going to make the world a better place I would do it with cookies.” This phrase stuck with her and was ultimately the catalyst for a change she needed. She decided to take a huge risk. In June of 2009 she quit her job in social services to bake full time. One year later, they created Bombshell Bake Shop as a new identity to better achieve their future plans for world cookie domination! In the meantime, they are busy providing delicious treats to local cafés and health food stores.  She only uses quality ingredients, such as organic flours and sugars. All sweets are vegan, which means they are free of egg, dairy, or any animal derived ingredient; including honey. Since they use no animal products or hydrogenated oils the sweets are always naturally cholesterol free!

What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
thumbs_img_1042Oh, this is easy…SUGAR!  I love sugar in all forms- cane sugar, sucanat, muscovado brown sugar, turbinado, molasses, brown sugar and the list goes on!  In my world there is nothing better than sugar.  I know a lot of people think sugar is “bad” but I think anything in moderation is alright.
As far as baking/cooking there are a million things you can do with sugar.  You can turn sugar into just about any consistency and make things edible you would not necessarily think are edible!  When the purple violets started to bloom in the spring my mom and I would go pick a bunch to candy.  We used to make them using egg whites but it is just as good to use water/sugar.  They are super pretty as decoration but I used to like to just eat them!

What ingredient do you dread?
I don’t necessarily dread anything in particular just for being an ingredient, but there are some ingredients I dread cleaning up after using!  When there is even the slightest bit of static while I carve up a big block of chocolate you better believe those little chocolate shaving go ALL over the place like the iron shards in a Wooly Willy magnetic face.  I also despise washing bowls after making frosting.  I try to pawn that job off on my husband Sam as much as possible!

What’s your favorite dish to make?
I love to make and decorate cupcakes.  After a lot of decorating practice and ugly mishaps, I put a significant amount of time into making each one look and taste like a little piece of delicious art.  I get bored easily, but there are so many possibilities and new ways to challenge myself with cupcakes.

As far as cooking is concerned I love this dish my Aunt Nancy taught me how to make when I was a teenager.  We call it goddess tofu because it is made with Annie’s Goddess Dressing.  This recipe has made many a tofu-haters change their tune.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Cut the tofu into thin slices and squeeze as much water out of each piece as possible with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.  (The key to good tofu texture is squeezing all the water out.)

Dip each slice in tamari or lite soy sauce.

Dredge the slice through nutritional yeast.

Do that with every piece and place on a non-stick foil lined, baking sheet.

Smear about 1-2 Tablespoons of Annie’s Goddess Dressing or Trader Joe’s Goddess Dressing (they are basically the same) onto each slice.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until the slices start to look browned.

Flip over each slice and smear with more Goddess Dressing.

Bake for another 15 or so minutes or until the slices are browned and almost crispy.

Serve with basmati rice or I really like Trader Joe’s brown jasmine rice.
What’s your favorite pig out food?
Salty, crispy french fries and chocolate ice cream.  Yes, I like them together.  Don’t judge me.  J
What restaurant, other than your own do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
SamAndKatieThis is a tough question, Sam and I love to eat out and we love to pretend we are food critics!  We started an “eating out” budget when we were married almost 7 years ago and every month without fail we go over budget.  Currently, we have been pretty obsessed with Siam Pad Thai on Wilmington- we have yet to be disappointed by anything there and we have ordered pretty much everything!  Pasha at the Greene has some amazing hummus and I love Tank’s for a good “My Way” grilled cheese.
What’s your best advice for home bakers?
Play music while you bake.  Crank it up, maybe even dance a little.
Preheat your oven then wait at least 10 minutes before putting anything in it.
Don’t be afraid to mess up, you will.  You will also get over it.

Get an oven thermometer and pay attention to it.

Use fresh ingredients.  Don’t ever bake with baking powder that belonged to your grandmother.  My dad has a tin can of McCormick nutmeg from the 1970’s.  Unless you are saving it for nostalgic reasons it is time to throw that bad boy away.


If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
I think most people would take this opportunity to choose guests who may dazzle a reader with their desire for stimulating, intellectual conversation.  Or choose pertinent historical figures that changed the world as we know it.  I, on the other hand, am not going to do this.

Tina Fey– she cracks me up.

Zooey Deschanel– Not only is she a vegan foodie but I have a major girl crush on her.  I would ask her to serenade us after dinner.

Isa Moskowitz of the post punk kitchen- To have the chance to cook/bake for her would make my heart a flutter.

Burt Reynolds– there is no other reason than my love for Burt Reynolds is true and as deep as the ocean.

Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
I worked with youth in various social services settings for about 8 years before I quit my job to finish my master’s degree and bake full time.  Awhile back I mentioned to my husband that I wanted to figure out a way to start a bakery where I could implement the “counselor” part of me.  Low and behold Elin Ross from my hometown of Frederick, MD starts this non-profit bakery called Cakes for Cause www.cakesforcause.org. She has a ton of experience in social services and she is a pastry chef.  I have been following her and her business closely.  I think she is a pretty cool lady, baker, youth-advocate and business woman.  I admire her on many levels.  I would love to start something like this in Dayton, but only time will tell.

I also adore and admire Natalie Slater of Bake and Destroy.  She describes her blog as a “food blog equivalent to a punch in the throat” and I concur.  She encourages me to be more creative, take risks, challenge myself and bake on my own terms.
What do you do in the Dayton region on a day off?
On a nice day off, I love to play outside!  There are so many awesome outdoor activities to get into in Dayton.   I LOVE going to the metro parks.  Sam and I try our best to find dog friendly activities so our dog, Lola, can join us.  Sam plays volleyball at Setters and Kettering Rec.  I just watch him play because I am awful at competitive sports.  If I feel like being pampered I get my hair done at Cherry Lee’s and get a massage from Stephanie Suriano at Touch of Gratitude.  When the weather outside is frightful we go out to eat!

Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:
I am a klutz to say the least.  I drop and spill things constantly.  I have dropped an entire bowl of frosting on the floor, knocked over a table full of cookies, spilled a bag of powdered sugar and most recently I broke a fluorescent light bulb over a bowl of cookie dough.  Don’t worry I did not try to salvage any of these major blunders!

An interesting story: In June 2008 we did our first event at the Yellow Springs Street Fair.  We had no clue what we were doing.  It was a well orchestrated disaster to say the least.  Our main goal was to use this venue to see what people thought about our treats.  Friends and family told me my baked goods were great but I needed strangers to give me an idea of whether I should pursue this further.  We were there for 2 hours before anyone bought anything.  I decided to put out a few samples of energy bars.  A lady grabbed one and said “it needs more sugar.”  For a moment I was heartbroken.  Then I realized she thought it was a cookie and in that case, of course it needed to be sweeter!  The main lesson I learned from that was everyone has different tastes when it comes to baked goods and food in general.  I cannot please everybody.  There will be plenty of people who try our treats and won’t like them.  That is ok with me.  It is not because they are crap.  It is because everybody has their own idea of what is good.  I will admit some of the stuff we made for that first street fair was awful.  I have grown as a baker since then and I never want to stop growing.  The day you stop challenging yourself, trying new things, and taking risks in the kitchen is the day you should just stop.

Bonus Question:  Tell us about Bombshell’s commitment to the community:

Every month we donate 10% of our sales to a cause we support.  When we decided to do this, we made a list of local causes and this month its AIDS Resource Center Ohio.   For almost 6 years I did groups on STD/STI and HIV/AIDS prevention.  The first couple years I had people from ARC as guest speakers.  The youth and I always enjoyed their presentations.  I believe ARC does amazing work in the community.  This is just a small way of saying thank you.

Where to find Bombshell Baked Goods:

Where to Buy Locally

Healthy Alternative
8258 North Main Street
Dayton, Ohio 45415

Healthy Alternative-Beavercreek
2235 N Fairfield Rd
Dayton, OH 45431

The Ohio Coffee Company
46 W. Fifth Street at Ludlow
Dayton, OH 45406

The Sidebar (formerly Pacchia)
410 E. 5th Street
Dayton, OH 45402

Meet the faces of Generation Dayton

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A program of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Generation Dayton encourages talented young professionals who live and work in the Dayton region to meet, network, learn, grow and establish themselves as integral components in the future success of the region.  Each month we’ll introduce you to one of their members with a spotlight interview.  So meet our second: