Do It. Silverlake Contemporary Ballet.

Thanks to Kanye West and Black Swan, we've got more than our usual share of ballet these past few months. But if you're still itching for some more (hopefully not in the growing black feathers in your back kind of way), it's time to get out there and check out some live, contemporary ballet in Silverlake.

Ballet smack dab in the middle of the Eastside? It's true. The Silverlake Contemporary Ballet is an non-profit organization set to premiere this weekend with a huge production combining all the elegance of contemporary ballet, with a Silverlake twist. The night will feature live dance performances paired with music from indie/alternative artists like Jeff Buckley, Bjork and Explosions in the Sky. Local band the Jenks will be playing live too. And there'll be art, photography, video projections and more. So even if you don't consider yourself a hardcore ballet fan, this would be a great way to work your way into the world. And at $6 a ticket (currently standing room only; seated tickets have sold out), what have you got to lose?

The Silverlake Contemporary Ballet debut is taking place this Saturday at 8pm at Studio A, located at 2306 Hyperion Ave. in Silverlake. Click here for more info.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. Cirque du Soleil at the Grove.

It's amazing to think that Cirque du Soleil has been around for years now, and they're still captivating us with every new show they open. Haven't been to Vegas to catch a show yet? Luckily for you, they're bringing the crazy acrobatics out of the desert and into our neighborhood.

Get a sneak peek at the amazingness of Cirque as six of the famous circus shows will be heading to the Grove for a special live performance this Sunday. For Summer of Cirque, performers from Mystère, “O”, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE and Viva Elvis will be on hand for fun activities and performances that are free and open to the public. And for some reason, Criss Angel's Believe show is also scheduled to appear?

Either way, it sounds like a fun excuse to get outside and see some great performances, without wasting your gambling money.

Summer of Cirque will take place this Sunday with activities at 11am and performances at 1pm. The Grove is located 189 The Grove Dr. in Mid-City.

**ALSO THIS WEEKEND:
- Sunset Junction in Silver Lake
- Bryan Lee O'Malley signing at Giant Robot
- Test Kitchen with Red Medicine's Jordan Kahn
- Down and Derby Roller Disco at the Echo (Michael Jackson night)
- Disposable Film Festival Bike-In in Santa Monica

-- Chau Tu

Do It. FLAVORS at The Echoplex.

I love the 90s. My little kid brain was just a sponge for pop-culture during those ten years. Ask me to describe the plot line of any En Vogue video or list every song on the Clueless soundtrack. I can do it. Easily. Any music that had even moderate mainstream success (I developed my love for 90s indie rock way after the fact) was on my radar and was/is pretty much my favorite thing.

However, there is a special place in my heart for mid-to-late 90s r&b and hip hop. Convincing my mom to buy me The Score even though it had a parental advisory sticker on it, learning all of Left Eye’s raps on the playground, dancing to Wu-Tang at the 6th grade dance—those are my best childhood memories. So it always excites me when a club boasts a 90s night. There was a great one in Boston (some bar that I forget the name of in JP), but most of them are kind of whack.

Tonight at the Echoplex is going to be different though, because DJ Spinna, J. ROCC, and DJ Scratch are spinning at an event dubbed FLAVORS. It’s going to be a Best of 1990s Hip Hop (The Golden Years) party and a you-were-only-10-when-these-were-hits-in-the-club-so-get-out-there-and-shake-it-now kind of night for me.

Starts at 9 p.m., $10 in advance and $15 at the door. As that kid Kevin in my 6th grade class would say, it’s going to be Ill, Dope, Phat.

The Echoplex is located at 1154 Glendale Blvd.

--Heather Robertson

Photo Credit: atheecho.com