African Music

Friday night Greenbelt International Folk Dancing has gone "virtual". As we all practice good social distancing, many in our folk dance community are feeling the absence of our usually scheduled local dances. In response, please join us for the Greenbelt Virtual Folk Dance Session. Let’s keep dancing! • Connect and dance in our own homes • Watch hosts leading familiar dances • See each other; listen and dance to our favorites How: We will be using the ZOOM video conferencing app to share music and live videos of the leaders and each other. This can be used on a desktop, laptop, or smartphone. What to Expect: Your hosts are Linda Mansdorf, Vita Hollander, Ben Hole, and John Robinson. Collectively they will play 25-30 dances, which should approximate the number of dances normally done on a Friday night in-person event. The hosts will do a quick teaching or demonstration of the steps to some of the dances that may be less familiar to you or just as a refresher, but the session is not designed as a workshop, so the majority of the evening will be spent playing dances that many of us already know and love to do. How To Join Us: Each week we will send an email with the Zoom Meeting link ID. Make sure John Robinson knows you would like to receive this email with the link. John's email address for Info: j_srobinson@verizon.net. https://www.facebook.com/GreenbeltInternationalFolkDancing/ Co-sponsored by the Folklore Society of Greater Washington

Greetings, **BlackGovTech** will be hosting another one of their monthly networking mixer's in DC (inclusive to those of different backgrounds and industries). This mixer will focus on celebrating **Juneteenth** and black culture. The event includes an open mic contest, music, dinner, and drinks. Great opportunity to meet individuals dedicated to community progression, building trusted relationships, and collaborating with other change makers. For those interested, let's meet again to participate in another one of their monthly communty networking mixers. Feel free to RSVP (see link below) and share with others. If there are any questions regarding the event or partnerships with **BlackGovTech** feel free to reach out to them on their event page or at info@blackgovtech.com. Additional comments may also be added to the event chat/comment section at anytime, thank you. **Link to RSVP for BlackGovTech's Juneteenth Mixer:** [Black Gov Tech | Juneteenth Kickback at Busboys and Poets, 14&V!! Tickets, Friday, June 19 • 6 PM - 9 PM | Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-gov-tech-juneteenth-kickback-at-busboys-and-poets-14v-tickets-1989903176969) \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- Alicia (202) 627-0361 Sunday May 24th, 2026 2:00pm.

**Rhythmic Dance Fitness** Enjoy a vibrant and engaging dance experience that blends global rhythms and diverse styles. This class combines elements of Bollywood, Latin, and other dance forms into a smooth, easy-to-follow flow designed to get you moving and grooving at a comfortable pace. Perfect for all levels, this class focuses on fun, relaxation, and connection with the music while giving you a gentle workout. Join us at the Meditation Museum for a refreshing and enjoyable dance session! (Please wear socks & bring your water bottle). Fri., June 19th, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. Held at Meditation Museum, 9525 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20910. Free Event.

\*\*\* REMEMBER QUINCY PARK SOJOs start at NOON \*\*\* Be sure to check the website to confirm time and location for each session. Very important that you RSVP so we can contact you if weather forces us to cancel or revert to our indoor location. Bring your folding chairs and join us at Quincy Park at 12:00 Noon. Quincy Park is easy to find, only .3 miles from the chapel. There is plenty of street parking available on weekends on N. Nelson and Washington Blvd. There is also a parking lot on the northwest corner of the park with an entrance on N. Quincy. Check out the map posted on this page. You'll find us near the picnic tables or playground area. See you at SOJO! Seasoned SOJO'ers already know the program, but below are all the details which may be helpful to our new members. MOST IMPORTANT POINTS: 1. If you have copies of Rise Up Singing and Rise Again, please bring them. If you don't, we may have some extras available for you to borrow (one time only, please). Both books are easy to find and order online. 2. Feel free to bring lyrics and chords to hand out for songs not in the book. If you'd like to bring a song that most people don't know well, see if you can find a YouTube link and post it in the comments when you RSVP. We'd like to listen a few times before the SOJO to get the hang of it. 3. Bring something to drink, as singing is likely to make you thirsty. 4. We appreciate but do not require, any contributions ($5, or whatever) to help pay for the rent at the chapel. 5. Please do RSVP. It allows us to contact you if we have to cancel. *** * Our regular gatherings take place on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. You can come for the whole time or just part of it. Occasionally we take pictures of our events. If you would rather not be photographed, just politely let the person with the camera know and step out of view. We'll be very respectful of your wishes. Whether you're new to SOJO or not so new, we look forward to singing and playing with you!

Finally - after a six month break the Music Cave is back in operation. Please join June 20. Friendly get-togethers to play music, sing, drum, and learn. Musicians, singers, professionals, amateurs, beginners, all musical levels and all kinds of instruments welcome. We have informal/casual gatherings where you can enjoy playing music and singing with other members, can meet friendly people, and get inspired by others. Every meeting is adifferent combination! All musical levels, including beginners, are welcome, so long as you enjoy it! Bring extra instruments if you have them. Please come with 2 or 3 songs in mind that you would like to learn or play. Do not use the front door. Enter through the gate to the left rear of the house and the basement.

**Info below: Download Songbook, Safety, Seating, Check Weather** **RSVP**: There are 2 ways to RSVP - through Meetup (preferred) or through our website [thedcjam.com](www.thedcjam.com) *When you RSVP, you encourage current and new members to join when they see the number of participants.* *** **ALL Jammers! All Instruments! All Skill Levels Welcome!** JOIN US FOR A JAM - IT IS A GREAT WAY TO: * Get in some practice time * Learn new songs * Socialize with other musicians * Build your confidence Come join us make music together! Anyone who can play any instrument at any skill level is welcome to stay and play for some or all of the Jam. We all play and sing songs from our song books of lyrics and chords. Everyone gets a chance to pick a song or pass. No pressure! *** **a. BRING SONGBOOKS: Please DOWNLOAD our TWO song books.** Download our TWO song books: at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mhpjam/files/ b. IMPORTANT **SAFETY** INFORMATION Safety is our number one priority! We want to be sure everybody attending the jam understands personal responsibilities to keep themselves and others safe. By attending this event you agree to the terms of the HEALTH AND SAFETY WAIVER which can be found in any one of the following: 1. At this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mhpjam/permalink/2276132525918969 2. At this link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gzfqo4fnw0a2268zr95nx/MITCHELL-PARK-JAM-HEALTH-AND-SAFETY-WAIVER-RELEASE.pdf?rlkey=gztmv5k1shtxunjkc40hj5ij6&st=rek95rkg&dl=0 Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Only people who are fully vaccinated can attend. Local laws allow for some exceptions to this rule. Please contact me if you fall under these exceptions so we can make the appropriate arrangements. All members should follow CDC and Washington, D.C. guidelines. In addition, please respect other members needs for space. *** c. **FACEBOOK**: Join the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/mhpjam/ *** d. **SEATING**: You may want to bring a chair as seating may be limited. *** e. **LOCATION**: The jam will be held at Mitchell Park in Washington, DC. You can find our exact location on this map: https://bit.ly/mhpjamloc1 f. **WEATHER**: Please check your email before you head to the jam in case there is a change due to the weather, *** g. **DONATIONS**: Suggested donations: $2 per jam -OR- $5 per month -OR- $20 per 6 months. You can Venmo @Eric-Cohen-114 Meetup costs money. Eric pays for most of the costs out of his own pocket, but he asks you to help defray some of the costs with a small donation. Thank you. Image by rahu\ (https://pixabay.com/users/rahu-4725201/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2912447) from Pixabay\

Ultimate 80's Rock band and post-event karaoke at Mark's Pub. Get dressed up in 80's attire. Here's ticket link: The Legwarmers: The Ultimate 80's Retro Dance Party Tickets - The State Theatre - Falls Church, VA - Saturday, June 20, 2026 — 9:00 pm https://share.google/HwAQpSAzJA7JcpqUG

[Book Your Classes by Clicking This Link! ](https://crowndancestudio.com/group-classes/) Take a deep dive into the world of Latin rhythm with our **Level 2 Bachata workshop from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM**. This 90-minute intensive is crafted for dancers who have moved past the basics and are ready to refine their body mechanics, intricate footwork, and partner connection. **For $25,** you’ll receive focused, high-value instruction that bridges the gap between foundational steps and social dance mastery, ensuring you leave the studio feeling confident and inspired

Happy Hour on the Green ⛳ Join Black Love & Friends for a laid-back evening at Topgolf as we celebrate the fathers, father figures, brothers, uncles, mentors, friends, and positive male role models who enrich our lives and communities. This isn't a golf tournament—it's a social gathering designed to bring great people together for conversation, connection, laughter, food, drinks, and a little friendly competition. Whether you're a father, celebrating a father, bringing your brother, cousin, friend, or simply looking for a fun Saturday evening, you're welcome to join us. No golf experience is necessary. Come for the happy hour, stay for the company. Expect: • Topgolf games for all skill levels • Food and drinks available for purchase • Networking and socializing • Great music and positive vibes • A welcoming atmosphere for singles, couples, and friends Bring someone special or come solo and meet new people. Let's raise a glass to the men who lead, support, inspire, and show up for the people they love.

Now in its 26th year, [The Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival](https://www.creeksidebluesandjazz.com/), in Gahanna, gathers world famous groups and performers at a single place for you to enjoy the best Blues & Jazz in Ohio. *SATURDAY NIGHT features: The Urban Jazz Coalition with Special Guest Brian Simpson, North Mississippi Allstars, The Deal Breakers & More.* The three-day cultural celebration features musicians on 3 stages, local food trucks and beverage stations, treats, artisans, and more. **Tickets are $15 for adults online.** Link to purchase tickets: [Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival Tickets](https://tickets.creeksidebluesandjazz.com/e/2026-creekside-blues-jazz-festival). $20 at the door. Military are free. WHAT: Here's the festival [EVENT MAP](https://www.creeksidebluesandjazz.com/Event-Map/). Also, here's the [SCHEDULE](https://www.creeksidebluesandjazz.com/Schedule/) map to help you determine who to see. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* **Parking -** The Creekside Parking Garage will be open throughout the festival weekend. Entrance is located near the intersection of Mill and North Streets; accessible only by traveling south on Mill Street. **Event parking rate is $5 and collected at entrance to garage. Cash ONLY is accepted at garage entrance for parking.** Although off street parking in the Creekside District is permitted, it is very limited and not recommended. **Shuttle Service** pickup will be at the following location: [AEP Ohio 700 Morrison Rd., Gahanna, OH](https://goo.gl/maps/K9GgvgEdxCHaXsKDA) **Shuttle Service Hours:** Saturday: 1 PM - 12 AM **BRING**: *Be sure to bring a **chair** since there is limited available seating. Also $ or paycard for food and drink.*

The ultimate Thursday night out is back. Join us for BAM Thursdays (Bar, Art, and Music) at the Columbus Museum of Art. Live music, great art, delicious bites, vendors and fresh cocktails in the garden space. Limited seating is also available inside Schokko Café (yummy sharable plates). **FEE:** BAM Thursday evenings offer **FREE general admission** from 5:00–9:00 PM. See what’s on view [here](https://www.columbusmuseum.org/art-exhibitions/on-view-now/) (special exhibits are $5.00 fee). **TOUR**: I'll lead a tour of the main museum from 6:30pm til 7pm. FREE **PARKING** behind the museum is $7.00. Nearby parking a little cheaper. **SEATING**: *Tables are available on a first come first serve basis for dining. In the event of inclement weather, BAM Thursdays will move inside to the atrium.* **DRESS**: Summer dressy casual

Welcome to Drunken Philosophy, a casual, curious, social discussion club. Come grab a drink and a seat at The Oracle. **Optional topic for this meetup: Where is everybody?** In 1950 the physicist Enrico Fermi was talking about aliens over lunch and asked a question that still has not gone away: if the universe is so vast and so old, and even a fraction of those billions of stars have planets, where is everyone? By the numbers the galaxy should be crowded with civilizations. Instead we look up and hear silence. That gap between "they should be everywhere" and "we see no one" is the Fermi Paradox. One of the most unsettling answers is the idea of a **Great Filter**: somewhere on the road from dead chemistry to a galaxy-spanning civilization, there is at least one step that is almost impossible to get past. Maybe the filter is behind us. Maybe life starting at all, or simple cells becoming complex, or intelligence ever evolving, is the freak accident, and we already cleared the hard part. Or maybe the filter is ahead of us, and advanced civilizations reliably wipe themselves out before they spread. Here is the part that messes with people. If we ever found life somewhere else, even pond scum on Mars, most people would call it the greatest discovery in history. But it might be the worst possible news. It would mean life is common, the early steps are easy, and the hard step is still in front of us. So the eerie silence overhead might actually be the best sign we could ask for. **Questions to wrestle with:** * Is it better to be alone? Would you rather we find alien life and learn we are not special, or find nothing and quietly improve our odds of surviving? * Where do you bet the filter sits, behind us or ahead of us, and why? * If it is ahead of us, what is it? Nuclear war, climate collapse, AI, something we cannot even picture yet? And can we do anything about a filter we cannot see coming? * Two principles pull opposite ways here. The principle of mediocrity (the Copernican principle, Sagan's "no privileged place in the universe") says we are ordinary, so what happened on Earth probably happened everywhere, which makes the silence scream louder. The anthropic principle says of course we find ourselves somewhere life was possible, since we could not observe anything else, so our being here may say almost nothing about how common life is. Which lens do you trust, and does the silence still demand an answer once you account for observer selection? * And if we did confirm life out there and had to accept we are not special, what would that do to belief in a higher power, and would shedding (or keeping) that belief help or hurt our odds of pulling together as one species? * Does any of this change how you live, or how humanity should be spending its time and money right now? As always the prompt is optional. Come for the conversation, stay for the drinks, and bring your own questions.

# **Saturday, June 20, 2026** **Beginners’ Session 1:30 to 2:00 PM** **Dancing 2:00 to 4:30 PM** **Band: Gem City Revelers** **Caller: David Mould** **You are invited to join us for dinner at Olive and Lime (in the church’s back parking lot) after the dance.** **Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road, Columbus, OH 43214.** **Cost is $10 for adults, $5 ages 12-25.** **New to dancing? A beginners’ session, from 1:30 to 2:00 PM, will get you started. You will learn some basic figures that will be repeated in the afternoon’s dances. All dances will be taught and no partner is needed. Dancing is from 2:00 to 4:30 PM.** **Please bring your own refillable water bottle.** **All Soles Dance upcoming dance dates are, as follows:** **July 25, 2026–Summer Potluck and Dance** **No August Dance** **September 26, 2026** **October 17, 2026** **November 21, 2026** **December 19, 2026** **Visit our website at: https://firstuucolumbus.org/connection/all-soles/**

Click Here For More Videos: https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17bwkttXhV/ *********************************** Salsamante Dance Academy will be at Swerve Every Tuesday Night to share the Rhythm & Energy of Bachata & Salsa. These are Beginner Level lessons to get you comfortable and understand the two dances. Spread the Good News to all. Swerve Dance & Fitness Complex 640 Lakeview Plaza Blvd A, Worthington, OH 43085 Bachata 7pm-8pm Salsa 8pm-9pm $15 - One Lesson $20 - Both Lessons