【推荐2】Later this month, Tate Britain will host its first Van Gogh exhibition since 1947. Here we've rounded up 4 of his best paintings before the show.

Potato Eaters

Potato Eaters was Van Gogh's first major work and, despite a distinct lack of colour, it was one that he was most proud of. His aim was to represent the difficulties of country life, so the farmers are painted in earthy tones with rough faces and bony hands. He was more concerned with conveying his message than achieving technical perfection in this painting.

Irises

Van Gogh finished almost 142 pieces during his stay in the Saint Remy de Provence asylum (精神病院), where he was a voluntary patient from 1889 to 1890. This piece was started shortly after he arrived there. The hospital garden provided much inspiration for the artist during his stay there. Originally, the flowers in this work were painted purple but the red pigment (色素) faded over time and has now turned blue.

Cafe Terrace at Night

Despite being painted more than 130 years ago, this cafe still exists in France and has since been renamed the Cafe Van Gogh. This artwork marks the first time Van Gogh's famous post-impressionistic star-filled sky was seen in a piece, and it was painted on the ground, in person, rather than from memory. While the artwork doesn't bear his signature, it's widely known to be Van Gogh's, as he mentioned Cafe Terrace at Night in a number of his letters.

Wheat Field With Cypresses

This piece was inspired by the view from Van Gogh's asylum window and was finished on the spot. The work was the title of three paintings that offer an insight into his stay at the hospital.' Van Gogh was 80 pleased with the summer landscape that he made three copies there, one of the same size—which hangs in the National Gallery and two smaller copies which he planned to gift to his mother and sister.

Dear friends and community,

We are happy to introduce our new show, On Broadway.

This will be a night of the most entertaining, and thrilling Broadway Shows set on stage.

We would like to honor some of these world class acts in our spectacular show.

You will experience dramatic tangos (探戈), elegant waltzes (华尔兹), and   much more.

This production will attract you with its creative dancing, exciting music, and beautiful costumes.

Date: February 20 - April 4, 4 - 6 pm

Admission: $20 presale/$25 on the door

Our unique and fun summer camp features dancing, fitness, games and other activities.

While having a good time, campers can improve their body coordination (协调), balance, posture, and physical condition.

For the last day, we have planned a performance for family and friends to show everything we have learned during the camp.

Date: Monday July 9 - Friday July 13, 9 am - 12:30 pm

Children Ages 5 & Up

I am excited to invite you to attend the North Carolina Open, Charlotte’s first NDCA recognized dance competition.

Located in the beautiful Ballantyne Resort, this is an event you won’t forget. Take part in an elegant evening of dancing, then relax in the spa or get away for a round of golf.

Enjoy a full day of dancing with world-class judges and scholarship opportunities.

Date: September 21

Admission: $30

General Information: Yusimi Cruz, Phone: (704) 892-7000

Dance Center USA is turning 7 years old, so come and celebrate with us!

Wine bar, appetizers (开胃菜), great music, and special performances by Dance Center students and professionals will be waiting for you.

Also, an award ceremony will be held to recognize the outstanding achievement of our students in the past year.

Date: Friday April 29, 8-10 pm

Party Admission: $15

【推荐2】Camps for Grades 6-8

Camps for Curious Minds are going virtual! Get ready for hands-on experiences this summer   from the comfort of your home. Group sizes are kept small and led by two virtual counselors so that these at-home experiences are interactive and engaging.

Art and Animation (动画制作)

When: July 27-31 (1-4 pm), August 10-14 (1-4 pm)

Cost: $ 275 / $ 250 PacSci members

Create and animate a story using different artistic media and styles. Campers will   explore physical media to create their art and then choose from a variety of animation styles to translate it into a digital animation.

Chef University

When: July 6-10 (9 am-12 pm), August 3-7 (1-4 pm)

Cost: $ 225 / $ 200 PacSci members

Get started learning basic cooking skills such as cutting, sauteing, emulsifying and baking, and about the scientific processes behind some of the most common food phenomena.

Anthrozoology

When: June 29-July 3 (9 am-12 pm), July 27-31 (1-4 pm), August 24-28 (9 am-12 pm)

Cost: $ 225 / $ 200 PacSci members

Be an anthrozoologist for the week, bring your curiosities to life as we discover the relationships between humans and animals! Uncover the worlds of wildlife conservation, veterinary ( 兽 医 的 ) sciences and zoology. Deepen curiosity about our natural world by creating global solutions to human and wildlife interactions.

Ready, Set, Action

When: June 22-26 (9 am-12 pm), July 20-24 (1-4 pm), August 17-21 (9 am-12 pm)

Cost: $ 225 / $ 200 PacSci members

We’re spending so much of our time in front of screens, so let’s use them to make something awesome! In just one week, we’ll learn all about movie-making, storyboards, and setdesign. We’ll explore the possibilities of using video-conference software to create unique and creative short films.

【推荐3】Green Line Performing Arts Center

Upcoming Programs:

First Monday Jazz Series: Crosswind

Monday Feb 4 | 7-9 pm

First Monday Jazz is a free monthly event showcasing local Chicago jazz artists.

Green Light Series: South Side Story Time

Sunday Feb 17 |10-11 am

Bring your kids to listen, learn, sing, dance, and interact! South Side Story Time is a small gathering that centres on readings for its young attendees along with the chance for their parents to socialize. Open to families with children of all ages.

Sistergirls and Freedom Fighters: Stories in Celebration of Women’s Power and Grace

Wednesday Feb 20 |7-8 pm

Join us for an evening of storytelling featuring the dynamic singing, in the Spirit by Emily Hooper Lansana.

This performance will highlight a range of stories that demonstrate women’s creative and political genius from folk heroines to Nobel Peace Prize winners.

Family Saturdays: Art together

Every 1st Saturday of the Month | 3-5 pm

Explore your child’s artistic curiosity with hands-on art workshops designed to stimulate creativity and play. These interdisciplinary workshops are exciting for the entire family, offering activities from music to arts and crafts. Come to learn something new! Appropriate for families with children. Registration is encouraged.

Follow Arts + Public Life on Facebook for more event details and a full list of all upcoming performances.

【推荐1】Changing Bit by Bit

A new contest challenges people to use micro:bit computers to solve problems.

Could you use your computing skills to aid the fight against illegal animal hunting? How about tackling ocean pollution or monitoring animals under threat of extinction?

A new global challenge called Do Your Bit aims to get young people using their computing creativity to solve real-world problems. It’s being run by a partnership involving the BBC’s micro:bit computer, the technology company ARM and a campaign called World’s Largest Lesson, and it's aimed at people aged 10 to 16. It kicks off on 16 September.

The contest in 2019 is based on two Global Goals: to protect life on land and under the water. To take part, young people first choose a problem that affects them and their community, then design something involving the micro:bit computer that could help to tackle that problem.

Participants need to write up to 500 words about the problem and their solution, as well as providing a photo of their drawn plans or a hex file of their prototype code (编码), plus any other photos and videos showing what they’ve done.

This is the second micro:bit Global Challenge to be held. In 2018, the contest's winning designs included a homemade thief alarm, a classroom health monitor, a food-waste watcher and a device to remind people to sit up straight.

The deadline for entering the challenge is 28 February 2020: the winners will be announced the following month.

【推荐1】The kakapo is the world’s heaviest and only flightless parrot. Now, some scientists are using advanced technology to rescue the endangered kakapos. If successful, the techniques used may help save other bird species as well.

The few remaining kakapos live on three small islands, where their progress can be monitored through a smart device. Once found in large numbers across New Zealand, the cute bird, which can weigh up to 11 pounds (5 kilograms), is now heading to extinction. While cruel predators (捕食者) such as foxes, cats, and snakes are largely to blame, the kakapo’s strange habits of laying eggs don’t help either. For starters, the parrots, which can live up to 100 years, do not start laying eggs until the age of five.

Scientists have set up individual feeding stations for all the birds to keep track of how much they eat. Given the difficulties to increasing the population, it is not surprising that only 114 adult parrots remain. Though the number is low, it is a great improvement over the 51 kakapos that remained on Earth in 1995. The increase of its population results from the government’s decision to remove the 51 birds to three small predator-free islands off the coast of New Zealand, and the efforts of a team led by Andrew Digby, a kakapo scientist for the New Zealand Department of Conservation.

A four-day-old kakapo chick will receive a health check. Young chicks in nests are examined and weighed every night, to ensure they are healthy.

Once the birds lay eggs, the eggs are carefully moved from the nests and taken to a hatching (孵化) room to hatch. “We tend to be more successful at raising kakapo eggs than the kakapo,” says Digby. “We break less of them. ” Once the eggs hatch, each mother is given only one chick, while the rest of the newborns are hand-fed (人工喂养). This helps ensure they all receive enough food.

【推荐2】The Adventures of Amilya Rose: The Lie

By Chavonne D. Stewart, Jasmine Mills, published in 2014

Enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.It is the first book in a surprising series of children’s books. That’s fun and exciting and teaches kids valuable lessons.

Chester and Gus

By Cammie McGoven, published in 2017

Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems that dream might never come true－until a family adopts him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus. But Gus acts so differently from anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus, but he’s determined to figure it out and show he’s the right dog for the job.

Invisible Emmie

By Terri Libenson, published in 2017

The novel tells the story of two totally different little girls in a class — quiet, shy and artistic Emmie and popular, outgoing, athletic Katie — and how their lives unexpectedly connected one day, when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands. Emmie eventually learns to speak up for herself, realizing that being social isn’t as impossible as she thought.

Ocean Meets Sky

By Terry Fan, Eric Fan, published in 2018

“Young readers will be attracted.”— The Washington Post.

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out of his window, it’s a constant reminder of the stories that his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Finn’s grandfather has gone but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself! And when he arrives, maybe he’ll find something he didn’t know he was looking for.

【推荐3】Heritage: Tomb, 1,200 years old, unearthed

A tomb dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) has been found in Hebei province, according to the local cultural relics protection department.

The tomb was discovered by a villager. A tombstone, two china pieces, 12 items of pottery and some bronze artistic handworks were unearthed. The inscription on the tombstone, measuring 45 centimeters in length and 9 cm in thickness, consists of 323 Chinese characters recording the name, birthplace and life story of its owner and its inscription year in 733. Two china pieces, as well as other artistic handworks, are important to the research of the china craftsmanship of the local kiln(窑), Zhao Xuefeng, a cultural relics expert, said.

Travel: Kung Fu Panda land coming to Beijing Universal

Beijing Resort(度假区), which is expected to open in 2021, has released a short video about its Kung   Fu   Panda   Land   of   Awesomeness.   The   Kung   Fu   Panda   land   will   be   the   first   Kung   Fu Panda-themed land, according to Universal. The entirely indoor experience is designed to transport visitors to “legendary China”. It is based on the animated movie series Kung Fu Panda, bringing to life the brave panda Po with Chinese architecture, festive decoration and excellent performances. The Hollywood film follows the exploits of Po, who wants to be a Kung Fu master.

Films: Saturday Fiction set for screening

Saturday Fiction is set for release in China on Dec 7, according to the China Film Distribution and Exhibition Association. Gong Li plays the role of a film star with a hidden task in the film. Set in Shanghai in 1941, it follows the star who is working undercover gathering intelligence for the Allies( 盟 军 ), while starring in a new play. She discovers the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbor but chooses not to share the information. Directed by Lou Ye, the film made its world premiere(首映)at the Venice Film Festival in September.

Tech: 5G smart bus starts trial run

A 5G driver-less microbus started trial operations in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Tuesday. The bus is equipped with 30 smart sensors to help identify obstacles such as pedestrians and vehicles from up to 200 meters away. The smart bus communicates through the road cloud collaborative intelligent system.

Theatre: Lin Zexu to be staged, marking 180^th anniversary of Opium War

Directed by Wang Xiaodi and written by scriptwriter Guo Qihong, the play Lin Zexu features actor Pu Cunxin as the protagonist and actress Xu Fan as Guan Shuqing, Lin’s wife. In 1838, the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) official, was sent to Guangzhou, Guangdong province, to stop the illegal importation of opium by the British. Lin launched the destruction of opium in Humen, a port town, on June 3, 1839. About 1,400 metric tons of opium was destroyed within 23 days. The incident triggered the First Opium War (1839-1842). Marking the 180^th anniversary   of the war, the play will be premiered in Beijing next month. It also incorporates dance to showcase the battle scenes.