From the moment blonde ballerina Erica Felsch, who had luxurious, long, wavy hair and wore a red leotard accented with a large rhinestone necklace and earrings, crossed the stage carrying a red chair to accompany her dance, to Peggy Lee's unforgettable interpretation of "Fever," her performance raised the temperature in the room. The chair became her partner for a sensuous exploration of movement. All the men exhibited some signs of fever. Bay Area celebrities participated in the celebration including Honorary Chairmen Hall of Famer Tony La Russa and his wife Elaine, who sponsored a live auction prize of dinner with Smuin's Artistic and Executive Director Celia Fushille.
2, 7:15 p.m, This should be eclectic and electric: the Philadelphia Experiment, featuring Roots drummer Questlove (Ahmir Thompson), bassist Christian McBride, sandylion vintage rare shiny ballet shoe stickers keyboardist Uri Caine, They're all from Philadelphia, though the ringer isn't: B-3 organist Booker T, Jones, from Memphis, Expect some wild virtuosity and heavy grooves, 3, 9 p.m, Saxophonist Charles Lloyd performs duets with pianist Gerald Clayton, This show might just quietly spin you into orbit, It's the second of Lloyd's three appearances at the festival, He's this year's "Showcase Artist."..
Palau's most unusual swimming hole is one shared with millions of jellyfish. A unique, stingless variety inhabits several of the country's saltwater lakes that connect to the sea via narrow passages. At aptly named Jellyfish Lake, I don mask, snorkel and fins to swim through the warm, clear waters. First I encounter pairs, then dozens, then literally thousands of jellyfish, from thumbnail-size creatures to two-foot-wide behemoths. It sounds like a sci-fi movie, but actually the experience is breathtakingly beautiful. After I overcome the initial, completely irrational fear of accidentally swallowing a jellyfish through my snorkel, I become enthralled by the gentle ballet of pulsating crowns.
There are discoveries everywhere you look, You'll learn just how zippers work ("like a stack of soup bowls"), what writing instrument Marcel Bich gave his name to in the 1950s, and that the Sealed Air Corporation in New Jersey first manufactured Bubble Wrap, (You'll hear it popping, too.) And guess what German housewife Melitta Bentz created in 1908 sandylion vintage rare shiny ballet shoe stickers with a metal beaker, blotting paper, ground coffee and hot water?, Details: Through Feb, 2; 110 S, Market St., San Jose; 11 a.m.-5 p.m, Tuesday through Sunday; $5-$8; 408-271-6840, www.sanjosemuseumofart.org..
Sanders, who graduated with a grade point average of 3.8, will advance to the University of Cincinnati in Ohio to study ballet in a conservatory setting. She was awarded the Jason Park Scholarship, started by the parents of a former COIL student who died in a tragic car accident, and received $1,000 for herself and $1,000 for the organization of her choice. She donated the money to Jordan, much to the teacher's surprise. Jordan plans to use her funds to purchase a book binding machine and supplies to support her literature circles.