SUN 2/29
Even though disco music's relevance in pop culture has receded into 4 a.m. infomercial-land, there's still an audience for its dance-funk party anthems. Though some viewed the genre's artists as prefabricated hacks, one of its more talented torchbearers was Nile Rodgers, who along with Bernard Edwards churned out an impressive string of dance-floor ditties under the name Chic. Back in the late '70s/early '80s heyday, you knew it was a party if songs like "Le Freak" or "Good Times" were thrown in the mix.
Well, fear not, Studio 54 castaways, because Rodgers and company are taking the show out of the studio and onto the road. Chic -- along with Rose Royce, Thelma Houston, and the Trammps -- is invading the Broward Center's Au-Rene Theater (201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale) with a happy-go-lucky beatfest aptly titled "Disco Inferno." Of course, all the hits will be performed, including the aforementioned Chic cuts along with the Trammps' discotheque classic "Disco Inferno." Following the concert, guests can keep the vibe alive in the Horvitz Grand Lobby, where a DJ spins and a "Best Dressed '70s" contest sends the winner plus a guest to Las Vegas on Spirit Airlines for a two-night stay at the J.W. Marriott Hotel. Witness this festive time capsule at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $19.50 to 79.50. Call 954-462-0222, or visit www.browardcenter.org. -- Kiran Aditham
Ballet-lujah
Baryshnikov keeps on dancin'
FRI 2/27
For more than 40 years, Mikhail Baryshnikov has pursued his love of ballet. At age 18, he entered the Vaganova School in his native Russia and quickly began turning heads with his mastery of the dance form. Since defecting from the Soviet Union in 1974, Baryshnikov has been mesmerizing Western audiences with his continually expanding dance roles, in which he has danced to classical composers (such as Tchaikovsky), jazz greats (such as Duke Ellington), and even the sound of his own heartbeat. For his latest venture at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts (174 E. Flagler St., Miami), Baryshnikov will be accompanied by the stylings of pianist Pedja Muzijevic. "Piano Solos or Not..." begins at 8 p.m. Call 305-808-7446, ext. 301. -- Jason Budjinski
