The Must List: PNB’s American Stories, Choc Walk & More

Must Plie
PNB Presents American Stories
(6/3 to 6/12, times vary) Pacific Northwest Ballet presents three works that showcase American themes and traditions: Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free, George Balanchine’s Square Dance, and Twyla Tharp’s unwieldy Waiting at the Station, which was set to music by the recently deceased jazz legend Allen Toussaint.

Must See
Cherdonna Shinatra Performs at Velocity Dance Center
(6/2 to 6/5 and 6/10 to 6/12, 7:30 p.m.) Cherdonna Shinatra, the “drag/dance bio-fem” creation of Seattle-based dancer, choreographer and performance artist Jody Kuehner, will perform Clock that Mug or Dusted, a new work commissioned and produced by Velocity Dance Center’s new Made in Seattle dance development program. It’s the second part of her three-part suite titled one great, bright, brittle alltogetherness.

Must Go East for Sweets
Stroll the Choc Walk in Bellevue
Saturday (6/4, 1 to 6 p.m.) The second annual Main Street Choc Walk is a sugary-sweet block party brimming with chocolate and wine. Twenty-five participating businesses lining Main Street in Old Bellevue will bring some of the Northwest’s most decadent chocolates and desserts together, paired with locally made wine and spirits.

Must Hear
A Symphonic Twist on Pop and Rock Hits
Friday (6/3, 7 p.m.) Who says the orchestra is stuffy? Seattle Rock Orchestra Social Club returns to Town Hall for another stereotype-quashing performance, where the community ensemble will put its twist on rock and pop hits. Think lively symphonic riffs on Blondie, Bowie, Madonna and others.

Must Get Real
Experience Film in a New Way at SIFFX
(6/2 to 6/5, times vary) Produced by Mad Eye Media in collaboration with SIFF, the new four-day SIFFX festival will give viewers the opportunity to learn about “immersive storytelling,” which allows them to essentially become part of the story through new virtual reality (VR) techniques and tools, including 360-degree filming and VR headsets.