Every weekend, usually at around sunset, groups of people gather on Venice Beach to play and dance their hearts out. Yesterday's crowd was smaller than usual (around 100 people), but was still a fun and joyous time for everyone.......

Cirque Berzerk, the LA-based, all-volunteer, DIY fire-dancing, contortionist, aerial daredevil, burlesque cabaret, clown troupe debuted its new show "Beneath" at Los Angeles State Historic Park last weekend. Complete with two acts, an original score, and a ten-member live band, "Beneath" practically set the big top on fire (under supervision of the Fire Marshall, of course). Cirque Berzerk was so hot that the Thursday - Sunday run sold out by Friday night's intermission. Lucky for those......

Saturday night was hopping in Chinatown, from Hop Louie's to the Lindy Hop on the dance floor as the iconic neighborhood celebrated their 70th anniversary. A big band was on hand to provide the tunes, folks in 30s and 40s garb milled about, the shops were open, and the Central Plaza was abuzz with young and old alike celebrating Chinatown's history. To learn more about the area's features and stories (like why it's called "New"......

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo. If you're having a case of the Mondays, take a few minutes, relax and enjoy this video from the most recent adventures of Matt Harding in his Where The Hell Is Matt video series. Does he visit Los Angeles and/or Southern California? Well, you'll have to see. Harding's original video, which launched him to internet fame two years ago, is below:......

What happens when you put on a party at an Eagle Rock bowling alley with a famous UK band? Huge success. Fans at last Thursday night's Ladytron party at the All Star Lanes brought out the bowling balls and dance shoes for fans, who thought the event was a blast. And Ladytron didn't even go on until 1:20 a.m, reports LAist photographer Tom Andrews. Earlier in the evening, LAist contributors Jimmy Bramlett and Wathana Lim......

Photo by ~db~ via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr SALSA & MERENGUE DANCING Dance Downtown kicks up its heels tonight for the first installment of the summer-long Friday night series. Free admission to anyone who feels like trying a little salsa out on the Music Center Plaza. Beginner lessons are at 6:30, and a live DJ provides the tunes from 7:15-10. 6:30-10 p.m. // Music Center Plaza // 135 North Grand Avenue,......

The LA Times Festival of Books offered something for everyone this weekend. The many panels, author interviews and signing booths were exciting for bookish nerds like us. If you weren't into the bookish side of the book festival, however, there was plenty to whet your appetite. Literally. The food court was full of smoked meats and organic treats and live music could be enjoyed from many open plazas on the UCLA campus. There was even......

From Curbed LA via Fox News, those dancing girls in the windows at the 101/110 freeway junction get explained. It's a tough housing market, but sex(iness) apparently still sells... or at least they still try.......

Sometimes one is in the mood for a gathering of people with great music, but instead of being happy and energetically dancing around, there is Give Up's "A Sad, Slow Dance Party" presented by dublab and Part Time Punks tonight at La Cita. Taking cue from the successfully subdued Give Up shows where DJs played gloomy music and devotees painted tears on their faces, this next installation takes on the lonely theme in time for......

Last year's revelers packed the house for Carnaval in Long Beach | Photo courtesy Aries Productions FESTIVAL Okay, so Long Beach doesn't pack the same exotic pull as, oh, say, Rio, but they're going to put on a Carnaval and pull out all the stops. Get out your Carnaval costumes and get ready to samba the night away! This year’s theme is “Preservation of the Planet” featuring green and recycled decorations. At the heart......

Just read that one of Sid Caesar's writers, Mel Tolkin, just passed away at age 94, godlove'im. Instead of running vintage Leno re-runs they should be running some of this classic comedy that actually had great writing from way back in the day. The kids might learn something. 8:00pm A Charlie Brown Christmas ABC - If only this didn't have commercials, hmm, but if it didn't have commercials the show would be about 11 minutes......

Every once and a while, a group of cinephile friends and I sit around and get into a heated discussion about all of the great artists we wish someone would make a movie about. Today that discussion centered on the fabulous Nicholas Brothers, maybe the two most dynamic tap dancers who ever lived. I was never a very starstruck person, even as a younger man, but Harold (d. 2000) and Fayard (d. 2006) Nicholas were......

Last night we headed over to the Getty Center to check out Fridays Off the 405, a monthly offering of evening hours in the museum galleries, with live music and a cash bar to boot. We got a late start, but stuck to our routine of taking Sepulveda, even though a quick glance told us that the 405 was moving free and clear. As the sun began to fade from the sky we pulled......

A Word or 49: Iggy Pop redeems Jimmy Kimmel tonight. For petessake when is the stupid 'house' gimmick ever gonna end on House? (new one tonight) I'm rockin' the slot with the Shield tonight though - now that Vic seems to be in the clear perhaps we're just back to some stellar violence. Today - Tuesday - April 24th, 2007 Rita Hayworth Marathon (TCM, 5- p.m.) Starting with Pal Joey, then Salome, etc. Check......

Unpack your gold leather dancing boots and pick out your fro. This is everything that makes Bollywood great!......

The 15th Annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture at Pt. Fermin Park in San Pedro concludes today. And Tony, we know how much you love chicken on a stick at street fairs, so after the jump we lead the photo essay with a picture of people lining up for the great food that's there.......

Only when caught first waking up in an airport will you gain a whimsical insight into the vibrant mind of a musician. Aside from the slight grogginess and a hilarious fascination with a deformed Siamese cat with two faces, Jeremy Sole is a really cool person with a great passion for exploring people’s reactions to music. The entire conversation was amusing, but, most importantly, it shined light into the soul of Jeremy’s music. Speaking......