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Jann Arden featured speaker on Monday at The Lending Cupboard’s first annual “Winter Luncheon”

Published

6 years ago

8 minute read

Jann Arden will be the featured speaker when The Lending Cupboard hosts its first annual Winter Luncheon on Monday at Red Deer’s Sheraton Hotel.

The Lending Cupboard serves more than 10,000 clients each year, many of whom are aging.  The “Winter Luncheon” is a new initiative designed to bring education and awareness to the many issues members of community face, in this case, Alzheimer’s.

“The Lending Cupboard is introducing this new event to continue to bring awareness to our organization and the services that we provide to central Albertans.” said Dawna Morey, Executive Director of The Lending Cupboard. “This includes our clients that are dealing with long term illnesses such as Alzheimer’s”.   

“We chose Jann Arden because she speaks so passionately about her painful journey dealing with her Mom’s Alzheimers”, says Morey.  “As one of our country’s most-enduring and endearing artists, we really hope that she can help us create new connections to our community, raise our profile and raise some money.  We are a non-profit organization and rely heavily on fundraising and volunteers to operate.”

This short video gets right to the heart of why this organization is so vital to our community.

Jann Arden knows all about Alzheimer’s. Here’s a link to a blogpost Arden penned earlier this year called Being With Mom, about her journey dealing with her mom’s disease.  It sets the tone for what she’ll speak to when she’s here in January. Being with Mom is a deeply personal and heartfelt story written in a voice that’s clearly Arden’s.

“The Lending Cupboard has played an important role in the communities of central Alberta since 2006, ensuring individuals and their families have the support of medical equipment and daily living aids regardless of their income, status, or ability.  We are extremely grateful for the support that our community partners and individuals have entrusted to us to ensure we are “Paying It Forward – Enhancing Mobility, Independence & Dignity.”

Dawna Morey, Executive Director, The Lending Cupboard

As a renowned musician and bestselling author, Jann Arden can bring a hall full of people to tears through song, only to have them, moments later, rolling in the aisles from her off-the-cuff comedy. Whether she’s performing her music, hosting an event, or telling her deeply personal and affecting stories, Arden’s wisdom and wit shine in everything she does.

Arden catapulted onto the Canadian music scene in 1993, with the release of her debut album, Time For Mercy. She boasts 19 top-10 singles, and has received eight Juno Awards, including “Female Artist of the Year” and “Songwriter of the Year.” She has also been recognized with 10 SOCAN Awards; four Western Canadian Music Awards; a Much Music Video Award; three Prairie Music Awards; and an Alberta Recording Industry Association Award. She has also been honoured with a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame, and inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Of course, never one to settle on a single discipline, Arden was the host of Being Jann on CBC Radio; she has been a judge on television’s Canada Sings; and has appeared on the Rick Mercer Report and in several sitcoms. She is also a returning co-host of CTV’s The Social.

On stage, Arden was part of the cast for the Canadian tour of The Vagina Monologues. Her most recent album of original material is These Are The Days, released in early 2018.

Arden is the author of several books, including, If I Knew, Don’t You Think I’d Tell You?; I’ll Tell You One Damn Thing and That’s All I Know; Falling Backwards; and her memoir, Feeding My Mother — a piercingly honest account of her experience with her mother, who is in the grip of Alzheimer’s.

Listen to Arden’s hit song “Good Mother”.

What is The Lending Cupboard?

TLC is a unique non-profit organization operating in Red Deer and serving a growing number of communities in Central Alberta.  We loan more than 1400 pieces of medical equipment and aids to daily living each month.  We are supported by volunteers who contribute more than 11,000 hours each year.  In 2018 we served in excess of 10 thousand clients.

What is Alzheimers?

Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia that affects 564,000 Canadians, with the number is expected to reach 937,000 in 15 years, according to Alzheimer’s Society Canada.

It’s not yet known what causes Alzheimer’s. Risk factors include smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, alcohol, low levels of formal education, depression, head injuries, family history and being female.

Alzheimer’s Society Canada says that warning signs include the following:

  • Memory loss affecting day-to-day abilities–forgetting things often or struggling to retain new information.
  • Difficulty performing familiar tasks–forgetting how to do something you’ve been doing your whole life, such as preparing a meal or getting dressed.
  • Problems with language–forgetting words or substituting words that don’t fit the context.
  • Disorientation in time and space–not knowing what day of the week it is or getting lost in a familiar place.
  • Impaired judgment–not recognizing a medical problem that needs attention or wearing light clothing on a cold day.
  • Problems with abstract thinking–not understanding what numbers signify on a calculator, for example, or how they’re used.
  • Misplacing things–putting things in strange places, like an iron in the freezer or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl.
  • Changes in mood and behaviour–exhibiting severe mood swings from being easy-going to quick-tempered.
  • Changes in personality–behaving out of character such as feeling paranoid or threatened.
  • Loss of initiative–losing interest in friends, family and favourite activities.

Please join us for a moving and memorable luncheon on January 28th.

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Alberta

Francesco Ventriglia Praises Alberta Ballet and Konstantin Ishkhanov as A Thousand Tales is Set for Dubai Launch

Published on February 6, 2025

By

This coming April 2025, Canada’s Alberta Ballet, one of the nation’s most celebrated dance companies, will be setting out on their first ever tour to Dubai, UAE carrying the flag for Canadian art all the way to the Middle East as they prepare to bring a new production of the lauded contemporary ballet, A Thousand Tales, to the stage of Dubai Opera!

Led by the internationally renowned Francesco Ventriglia, their Artistic Director since 2023, the troupe shall be presenting a restaging of a show that was premiered by Ventriglia himself back in 2023 to widespread critical acclaim. A visually stunning and spellbinding production, A Thousand Tales combines the magic of beloved childhood fairy tales with the grandeur of classical ballet, presenting an original narrative inspired by iconic stories such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Aladdin, Puss in Boots, and The Three Musketeers, amongst others.

Francesco Ventriglia, the Director of Alberta Ballet

Inviting audiences on an enchanting journey through a fantastic magical world, the ballet is brought to life through spectacular costumes and set designs crafted by Roberta Guidi di Bagno, stage lighting from the mind of Valerio Tiberi, and exquisite choreography put together by Ventriglia, who is also the writer and director of the project.

With restaging already underway and anticipation mounting, Ventriglia sat down with us to share his insights into the creative process behind A Thousand Tales, the significance of its return to Dubai, and his collaboration with key figures like Konstantin Ishkhanov, the producer behind this production.

Konstantin Ishkhanov, the Producer of “A Thousand Tales”

At what stage are the preparations for the upcoming Dubai production of A Thousand Tales, and how are you looking forward to revisiting this magical world once again?

“Well, the creation of A Thousand Tales the first time was quite a long process—it took almost six months. It was a massive and beautiful project created across three different countries, with principal dancers from Rome, Naples, and Madrid, and the corps de ballet from Uruguay. This time is different. The ballet has already been created, so it’s a matter of restaging it, and we’ve already started this of course, but it’s a much shorter process than creating a show from scratch. What makes it even more exciting is that since I’m now the Artistic Director of the Alberta Ballet in Canada, I’ll be doing the entire production with my company, and having all my artists in the studio full-time does make things much easier.”

Are you planning any significant changes to the original production?

“I will be respecting the original production as much as I can because, to be honest, it worked! The audience loved it, and it was a success. Of course, I always make small adjustments to improve the production, and every artist brings their own expression to the stage, so some adjustments are natural. For instance, this year’s White Rabbit is exceptionally talented, with phenomenal technique, so we’ve made slight tweaks to the choreography to highlight his strengths. But overall, there won’t be any major changes.”

Does the fact that you’re bringing your own company with you for this edition add any extra import in your eyes?

“Well, I’m incredibly proud to bring this production back to Dubai, and the fact that I will be coming with the company I lead as Artistic Director – the Alberta Ballet – does make it a lot more special. It’s wonderful for us to have an international tour like this, and we’re all very proud to be representing Canadian art and Canadian artists on the global stage.”

Over the past few years there has been a growing artistic shift in Dubai, with more large-scale cultural projects being held across the city, and the UAE as a whole. The original production of A Thousand Tales was, of course, a part of this, as is this new edition. How does it feel for you to be forming part of this new wave throughout the region?

“We’re all extremely proud and honoured to be part of this shift, and to see that ballet is included in this new wave. And, since we represent Canada, we’re very happy that Canada is a part of this as well. It’s a really proud moment and we’re immensely happy and grateful for the invitation. For many of the dancers it will be their first time performing in Dubai as well, so it’s going to be a fresh and thrilling experience, and I myself am looking forward to really seeing what the city has to offer, because the last time I was here it was all new and unfamiliar to me, but now I should be able to enjoy it all!”

Alberta Ballet Artists

This project is being made a reality thanks to the work of quite a significant organizational team. How has your collaboration been with them so far?

“Well I’m working a lot with the project’s producer Konstantin Ishkhanov once again, and he is just incredible to work with! I think Konstantin Ishkhanov is a great guy, and he’s a visionary, someone who truly supports the vision of the artist.

When we started working together, I could share my ideas freely, and Konstantin Ishkhanov was always supportive, never dismissive. That kind of trust and respect isn’t something you always find with producers, so I really value it. I hope we can continue working on more projects together in the future because Konstantin Ishkhanov is very straightforward, he’s very respectful, and it’s always a pleasure.”

What are you hoping that audiences will take away from this production?

“I hope audiences can fully enjoy the journey. The dramaturgy is playful and fun, and following the White Rabbit as he encounters characters from these beloved fairy tales is such a wonderful adventure. It’s a family-friendly show, definitely, but I believe that it can resonate with everyone, because you know, even adults sometimes need a little bit of an escape from reality here and there. Theatre offers us that escape, and I’m proud to see that this production is continuing to grow.”

Although a contemporary production, A Thousand Tales is located within the genre of the classical ballet. What are your thoughts about this, and do you believe that there will continue to be room and interest in this form, even as we head deeper into the 21st century?

“Yes, absolutely! Classical ballet will never die, I truly believe this. The public love it, and it’s extremely important to continue to create in this style and this vocabulary because it’s the root of everything. Without classical ballet, we will not have contemporary new creations. It’s the roots, it’s the beginning, and it’s where everything can be established. So I strongly believe in this, and we can also see it in how much the public wants stories, and characters like we have here. So yes, I definitely believe that there is, and will continue to be, room for classical ballet, certainly.”

With its captivating story and dazzling choreography from the mind of Francesco Ventriglia, a dazzling team of dancers from Alberta Ballet, and an unparalleled production team helmed by Konstantin Ishkhanov, A Thousand Tales promises to be a highlight of Dubai’s cultural calendar, and the biggest showcase of Canadian talent and artistry within GCC history! Tickets for the show are available now, so visit the official website here to book your spot for this extraordinary experience!

Article contributed by “A Thousand Tales” Press Office

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Arts

Trump’s Hollywood envoys take on Tinseltown’s liberal monopoly

Published on February 5, 2025

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MXM logo MxM News

Quick Hit:

President Trump has appointed Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone, and Mel Gibson as “special envoys” to Hollywood, aiming to restore a “Golden Age” and challenge the industry’s entrenched liberal bias. According to RealClearPolitics’ Ethan Watson, the move highlights the necessity of reclaiming cultural institutions from leftist control.

Key Details:

  • Trump’s Truth Social post described the trio as his “eyes and ears” in Hollywood, advising on business and social policy.

  • Hollywood’s leftist dominance, as seen in Disney’s political agenda and the cancellation of Gina Carano, has alienated conservatives.

  • Watson argues that Trump understands “politics is downstream from culture” and that influencing Hollywood is vital to shaping American values.

Diving Deeper:

President Trump’s latest move to reshape Hollywood has the entertainment industry buzzing. By appointing Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone, and Mel Gibson as his “special envoys” to Tinseltown, Trump is signaling that conservatives no longer need to cede cultural institutions to the left. As RealClearPolitics’ Ethan Watson writes, “Donald Trump understands something many right-wingers haven’t for a long time: It’s time to take back institutions.”

Trump, who has long criticized Hollywood’s liberal slant, sees the entertainment industry as a battleground for shaping public opinion. “Although studies have shown that many Americans, particularly younger people, are unaware of the biggest news story of the day, nearly all of them consume media produced by Hollywood,” Watson notes. This cultural dominance, Watson argues, has been exploited to push a left-wing agenda, alienating conservative voices.

The case of Gina Carano exemplifies Hollywood’s intolerance toward dissent, Watson writes. The former “Mandalorian” star was fired by Disney in 2021 after posting a historical comparison on social media. “In truth, her cancellation was most likely due to her mocking pronoun virtue signaling and COVID-19 precautions that were essentially an entrance fee into the upper echelons of Hollywood,” Watson states. The politicization of entertainment didn’t stop there—Disney executive Latoya Raveneau openly admitted to inserting a “not-at-all-secret gay agenda” into children’s programming.

Watson pushes back against the idea that conservatives should simply “build their own” Hollywood, arguing that the industry is too integral to American culture to be abandoned. “Casting it aside would be like trying to create an alternative to Mount Rushmore or baseball – it’s irreplaceable,” he writes. Trump’s decision to highlight conservative-friendly stars like Stallone, Voight, and Gibson sends a powerful message: conservatives in Hollywood no longer have to stay silent.

Trump’s envoys are a step toward restoring balance in an industry that has become a one-party echo chamber. “Hollywood, along with social media, has become the ‘town square,’ the medium by which Americans share ideas,” Watson explains. With leftist cancel culture stifling dissent, Trump’s initiative is not just about entertainment—it’s about ensuring freedom of expression in America’s most influential industry.

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