USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Level 9 Eastern Championships kick off 5.7.11 @ DCU

USA Gymnastics returns to Worcester with three days of Junior Olympic Level competition inside the DCU Center’s Exhibition Hall this Friday through Sunday, an event that brings both great competition and great economic impact into the region.

1984 Olympic Games All Around Gold Medalist, Mary Lou Retton, will be in attendance as she watches her daughter, McKenna Kelley, compete in this prestigious competition. Retton holds the title of first American woman ever to win a gold medal in gymnastics. She also won silver medals for Team and Vault, and bronze medals for Uneven Bars and Floor Exercise. Her five medals were the most won by any athlete at the ’84 Olympics. To this day she remains the only American ever to win the Olympic All Around Title.

DETAILS:

Friday, May 6 COMPETITION DAY 1

SESSION I (8:00AM): COMPETITION FOR JUNIOR 1 & 2 DIVISION

SESSION II (12:30PM): COMPETITION FOR JUNIOR 3 & 4 DIVISION

SESSION III (5:00PM): COMPETITION FOR JUNIOR 5 & 6 DIVISION

Saturday, May 7 COMPETITION DAY 2

SESSION IV (8:00AM): COMPETITION FOR JUNIOR 7 & 8 DIVISION

SESSION V (12:30PM): COMPETITION FOR SENIOR 1 & 2 DIVISION

SESSION VI (5:00PM): COMPETITION FOR SENIOR 3 & 4 DIVISION

Sunday, May 8 COMPETITION DAY 3

SESSION VII (8:00AM): COMPETITION FOR SENIOR 5 & 6 DIVISION

SESSION VIII (12:30PM): COMPETITION FOR SENIOR 7 & 8 DIVISION

DCU Center, Worcester,  Convention Center – Exhibition Hall
General Admission – Adults: $15.75 (Session Pass), $25.75 (Weekend Pass)
Children (ages 3-12) & Seniors: $10.75 (Session Pass), $20.75 (Weekend Pass)

Tickets are on sale now at the Box Office, Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 800-745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com. Visit <http://www.2011usageasterns.com> for more information.

Phish is ON!

Phish Heads of Worcester – screw the snow – PHISH IS ON!

According to the DCU Center’s website, tonight’s Phish concert will take place as scheduled.

“The Monday, December 27 Phish concert will take place as scheduled at 7:30PM. Doors will open at 6:30PM. Phish will also play Tuesday, December 28 at 7:30PM.“

One minute with… Matthew Rimmer, spokesman for Walking with Dinosaurs

If you’ve been to Worcester Mag’s new and improved website recently, no doubt you’ve had to turn down the volume as the fuzzy roar of dinosaurs blasted out of your speakers (hope you weren’t using ear buds!). That roar comes from the ad showcasing the Walking with Dinosaurs event happening June 18 through June 20 at the DCU Center. We talked with Walking with Dinosaurs spokesman Matthew Rimmer about robots, puppets and robotic puppets that look like dinosaurs.

What’s a Walking with Dinosaurs experience like?

Rimmer: Walking with Dinos is a theatrical production based on the BBC production. We have 17 life-size dinosaurs that come to life on the floor. It’s like a time warp to 175 million years ago.

How realistic are they?

Rimmer: They roar, they snarl, they fight, they protect their young. It’s an experience  you can only have the show. The skin is processed spandex material that has a realistic look. The puppets are controlled by radio remote control. It’s a combination of technology and puppetry. They’re not automated, not on a track. We try to make you believe they’re real creatures. We definitely deliver on that. The technology behind the show took six years and $20 million to develop these dinosaurs and make them as real as we could.

Have you had to change your models with advancements in paleontology?

Rimmer: We have ten different species. Luckily there haven’t been any major recent changes or findings other than the T-Rex was around longer than people thought. Some findings reconfirmed our show: recently a scientist found that an asteroid killed the dinosaurs.

Is there a favorite dinosaur that people want to see?

Rimmer: Everybody is dying to see the mama T-Rex. One of the biggest in the show is the mama bracciosauraus with a height of a 3 story building; 36 feet tall, 56 feet long.

How do you move dinosaurs across the country?

Rimmer: The show has 300 moving lights, you see continents form and it has an epic musical score. There’s nothing like it in terms of size and scale on the road today. It takes 25 full-size semi trucks to move from city to city. It is grand on every level, whether you’re a kid or adult you’re going to have an experience you’ll never forget.

Walking with Dinosaurs will offer six shows at the DCU Center June 18 through 20. You can also see them in Providence, RI at the Dunkin Donuts Center from June 23 to 27. Order tickets online through www.ticketmaster.com.

Cirque du Soleil brings its newest production, Alegría to the DCU Center for 8 spectacular performances December 9-13.

What if anything were possible? What if the stage became a fantastic world where the old were young again, and where the kings were clowns? Come in! You are invited to the celebration at the palace court.

Alegría, which takes its name from the Spanish word for joy and jubilation, is a baroque and operatic production featuring flamboyant costumes, extraordinary lighting and an elaborate set. It is an impressive mix of skill, strength and speed combined with elegant, almost ethereal performances. Cirque du Soleil’s international cast of 55 acrobats, musicians, singers, clowns and characters will captivate you with their two-hour spectacle of breathtaking acrobatics. For more information about Alegria, visit cirquedusoleil.com/alegria.

Our photographer Brittany Durgin had a sneak peek of today’s warm ups – these images capture the hard working Cirque performers gearing up for tonight’s debut!

Show Times:
Wed, Dec 9 at 7:30PM
Thurs, Dec 10 at 7:30PM
Fri, Dec 11 at 3:30PM and 7:30PM
Sat, Dec 12 at 3:30PM and 7:30PM
Sun, Dec 13 at 1:00PM (SOLD OUT!) and 5:00PM

Tickets are ON SALE NOW at the Box Office, Ticketmaster locations, by phone at 800-745-3000 or 866-448-7849 and online at ticketmaster.com.