Culture Fix
What to Do in Seattle This Week
Tributes to global sensations—and local ones—take over Seattle stages this week, along with a yoga class and a virtual reading from the most recent issue of a literary journal.
Whim W'him's winter showcase will feature the work of choreographers Ethan Colangelo and Jakevis Thomason.
Image: Whim W'him
This Week Only
Jan 21
A Dance Party (Taylor’s Version)
At some point in our lives, most of us have jammed to Swift’s 22nd birthday anthem or left a scarf with an old boyfriend. Honoring the recent releases of her Taylor’s Version albums, Seattle-based DJs, Drag Queens, and Swifties converge on Neumos. Warning: You may end up crying in public to the 10-minute version of "All Too Well." Neumos, $5
Jan 21–23
Aretha: A Tribute
Conducted by Lucas Waldin, the Seattle Symphony brings together East Coast voices, like Capathia Jenkins and Darryl Williams, in tribute to the Queen of Soul, preforming classic hits like “Respect” and “A Natural Woman.” Benaroya Hall, $35–100
Jan 21
Conjections: 77, States of Play
For a third year, literary journal editor Bradford Morrow hosts a reading of Conjection’s newest edition, which focuses on the games that rule our lives—from the activities we engage in to their end results. A panelist of featured artists like Anelise Chen and Arthur Sze join Morrow. Virtual, free to attend
Jan 23
New Year, New You Yoga
January means new beginnings, and the chance to establish habits that improve our lives. Yoga instructor Morgan Zion leads a one-hour class that focuses on fueling that lifestyle change in the new year, followed by a cleansing juice tasting. W Seattle, $30
Jan 23
Seattle Unplugged
Local indie rock artists take the stage, delivering acoustic solo jam sessions and showcasing the voices of Craig Suede (Happy Heartbreak), Steven Denler (Dearheart), Ezekiel Rudick (Young Elk), and Beasley (Beasleydotcom). Central Saloon, $10
Ongoing Events
Through Jan 20
2021 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour
Seven short films straight from the 2021 Sundance lineup are condensed into a 95-minute premier that celebrates the unique capacities of short-form film. Northwest Film Forum, $13
Through Jan 23
MLK Day Winter Walk at Lake Sammamish State Park
Honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., doesn’t begin and end with the federal holiday. Intended to capture the energy of the 1963 Walk to Freedom, the walk begins at Tibbetts Beach and concludes at Sunset Beach bathhouse, with quotes staggered along the pathway designed to provoke reflection. Lake Sammamish State Park, free to attend
Through Jan 29
Whim W'Him: New Creations by Ethan Colangelo and Jakevis Thomason
Founded in 2019, the small Seattle dance company strives to create community through dance and allow artists to explore the human condition. Back on stage for their winter showcase, dancers will perform two original productions by young choreographers Ethan Colangelo and Jakevis Thomason. Various, $5–60
Through Jan 30
Seattle Chamber Music Society 2022 Winter Festival
Twenty-three chamber musicians come together for a six-song set that includes a blend of quintets and the premiere of Aaron Jay Kernis’s Earth, along with works by Beethoven, Brahms, and French composer Lili Boulanger. Benaroya Hall, $20
Through Jan 30
Amanda Triplett: Connective Resonance
Portland-based artist Amanda Triplett uses the medium of fabric, yarn, and other natural and synthetic fibers to portray the tangled connections linking different biological organisms, from human cellular anatomy to coral reefs, underscoring the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world. Shift Gallery, free to attend by appointment
E. Faye Butler in Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer, by Cheryl L. West, directed by Henry Godinez.
Image: Liz Lauren
Through Feb 6
Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer
One of the great things that came out of 2021 was a return to live, in-person theater. This month, Seattle Rep, the PNW’s largest nonprofit resident theater, in co-commission with Goodman Theater, showcases the one-woman show telling the story of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer. Directed by Henry Godinez, the performance pays tribute to Hamer’s dedication to uplifting Black people in the Jim Crow–era South. Bagley Wright Theater, $17–67
Portland-based fiber artist Amanda Triplett's work reflects on themes of interconnectivity.
Image: Dan Kvitka
Through Feb 26
Saltstone Ceramics: Chroma
The showcase curated by Juan Barroso consists of 24 different artists whose ceramic works have taken a colorful turn in recent years. For these artists, this shift in aesthetics represents their efforts to cope with and navigate the pandemic, and the color running through their pieces symbolizes hope and human resilience. Saltstone Ceramics, free to attend
Through March 17
Pained Vistas
Curated by Jon Feinstein and Roula Seikaly, the exhibit displays photos and videos that attempt to capture the conflict and tension contained within landscapes. The showcase features art from Marc Wilson, Selena Kearney, and Dionne Lee, all striving to depict the beauty and catastrophe that constantly coexist in the natural world. Photographic Center Northwest, free to attend
Through April 9
Solstice Series at Queer/Bar
The seven-part drag series kicks off this Saturday, beginning with a performance by Yara Sofia alongside the MX cast. The series features performances from past Ru Paul contestants like Trinity Taylor, Kimora Blac, and Ra’jah O’Hara. Queer/Bar, $18
Through May 1
Packaged Black: Derrick Adams and Barbara Earl Thomas
Barbara Earl Thomas and Derrick Adams’s artistic collaboration focuses on the navigation of Black identity, representation, and practices of cultural resistance. Thomas’s work centers on how media, particularly fairy-tales, contribute to the formation of self, while Adams explores the ways in which Black culture, commerce, and fashion work in tandem to create identity. Henry Art Gallery, free to attend
