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    The Arthropologist

    Barbara Bears hangs up her toe shoes

    Nancy Wozny
    Nov 26, 2009 | 8:00 am
    • Barbara Bears in a non-ballet pose
    • "Firebird" is one of the many roles Bears performed with the Houston Ballet overa long career
      Drew Donovan
    • Bears and Nicholas Leschke in Stanton Welch's "Tutu"
      Drew Donovan
    • Bears and James Gotesky in "Onegin"
      Jim Caldwell

    No matter what story I happened to be working on, Houston Ballet principal Barbara Bears always had time for me. “What do you need hon?” she would ask. So while I was interviewing her a few months back and she muttered in passing, “You know, I'm retiring,” I was shocked. Say it ain't so Barb. What about me? So soon? Again? (Bears retired for a year and a half after the birth of her precious son Ethan, now seven. Stanton Welch lured her back.)

    Whether it was the subtle tilt of her chin, her daredevil ways in the airspace or her subtle gut-wrenching emotion in contemporary story ballets like Manon and Onegin, Bears always gave me a reason to write. And face it, when the choreography is less than terrific, there's always the dancing, and Bears always got that part right. She exuded that star quality that wasn't about quantity (although the girl could do anything), but about knowing how to command a stage. Not by what she does, but how she holds the space.

    In some of my favorite Bears moments, she isn't doing anything. “Hey, sometimes doing nothing says everything,” she quips. “I love the part in Romeo and Juliet when the music swells to a crescendo and Juliet just sits on the bed.”

    Bears is a generous soul on stage and off. When I was teaching dance writing for the Houston Ballet summer academy students, she allowed a room full of hopefuls to interview her en masse. “I guess I just love talking about myself,” she joked with the kids. She spoke about so many aspects of her life that I ended up with 20 different profiles of her.

    Under Ben Stevenson, she witnessed first-hand the rise of Houston Ballet to the force it is to today. She traveled to Helsinki with him to compete in the International Ballet competition.

    “The Chinese were complaining that they had only rehearsed for three months, which was pretty funny, since we had been rehearsing for all of three hours,” remembers Bears, who snagged the 1991 Silver Medal. “I have no idea how that happened. Sometimes you just go out there and do it. I had never seen Ben so surprised and relieved.”

    With Welch, she had a second wind. “I love his ballets,” she says. “Ben was more of my ballet father, while Stanton was more my ballet husband.” Bears' fearless bravura in Welch's intricate partnering made for a synergistic relationship between muse and choreographer.

    Accepted as an apprentice to American Ballet Theatre, she could have developed her career there. Lucky for us, she chose Houston.

    She trained with Victoria Leigh and James Franklin, who believe strongly that dancers should know how to teach, to have something to fall back on and to better understand the inner workings of ballet technique. Bears took her first teacher training at age 14, and has been teaching off and on throughout her career. She plans to make a difference in the studio more often now, to “pass it on.”

    She's also a certified scuba diver, a Star Wars nerd, a tap dancer, and can't live without dark chocolate.

    The Jubilee of Dance: 40th Anniversary Celebration on Dec. 4 at the Wortham Center will feature film clips of Bears' best moments along with plenty of actual Bears dancing. She hand-picked the excerpt from Welch's Tutu for her big night.

    “It's about a woman at the end of her career, looking in the mirror, and reflecting about her life,” says Bears. “I love this dance and well, it seems perfect for the occasion.”

    To show off her dazzling quality, Bears pairs with Nicholas Leschke for The Merry Widow pas de deux. Makes sense; Bears always looks stunning at the top of the stairs in her Merry Widow Liz Taylor entrance.

    She will also dance the iconic farewell ballet, The Dying Swan, which she learned from Marilyn Jones, Welch's famous ballerina mom.

    “It's funny, this is the same piece of music that Ben used when he set his first piece on me when I was 16,” she muses. “I guess I've come full circle.”

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    news/entertainment

    weekend event planner

    Here are the top 15 things to do in Houston this weekend

    Craig Lindsey
    Jun 3, 2026 | 6:30 pm
    Ismali Center, Houston exterior
    Photo by Iwan Baan
    The building is reflected in the pool, a feature common in Muslim design.

    This weekend in Houston will be a very cinematic one.

    The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s yearly Jazz on Film series starts this weekend. The DeLUXE Theater recently launched its first Black Music Month film series. And Saturday will mark the grand opening of Lost and Found Media, a brand-new video store located inside Misfit Toys.

    More movie-related happenings will be going down this weekend, along with food events, art events, music events, and the return of a local star we affectionately refer to as The Pompadoured One.

    Thursday, June 4

    Sabine Street Studios presents "Ballet of the Masses" Awards Ceremony
    Experience the vibrant fusion of sport and art at "Ballet of the Masses," where over 40 Houston artists have transformed soccer balls into works of art. The aerial installation celebrates the incredible diversity of styles, skills, techniques, and media brought together by these talented creators. This awards ceremony will honor the artists, led by special guest juror/sports commentator/expert Glenn Davis, whose unique perspective bridges the worlds of athletics and creativity. Through Saturday, July 25. 6 pm.

    Wine & Food Week
    Located in The Woodlands, Wine & Food Week is one of the region’s premier culinary and wine events, with this year’s theme being Going Places, a culinary journey highlighting global flavors, emerging talent, and the innovators shaping the future of food, wine, and hospitality. With hundreds of wines, standout chefs, special guests, and immersive experiences, Wine & Food Week promises a week of indulgence, discovery, and unforgettable flavors. 6 pm (7 pm Saturday).

    Liverpool Legends
    Liverpool Legends are four musicians/actors, handpicked by Louise Harrison (yes, George’s sister), to honor her brother’s legacy and re-create the band that changed the world forever. The audience will experience the complete history of The Beatles, from the early mop-top hits to the Magical Mystery Tour through the psychedelic era, and other classics. With note-perfect vocals, authentic costume changes, and stunning state-of-the-art multimedia, Liverpool Legends allows audiences to experience The Beatles like never before. 7:30 pm.

    Friday, June 5

    Yuma Weekend Pop-Up Takeover
    In anticipation of its brick-and-mortar location opening later this summer, Brazilian/Cuban sandwich pop-up Yuma have scheduled three upcoming pop-ups. The pop-ups will preview some items from their menu, consisting of flavors that blend authentic Brazilian flavors with Cuban sandwich classics. The first pop-up will go down on Friday at cafe/chef residency Third Place, followed by Berwick’s Bird of Paradise on Saturday and 13 Celsius on Sunday. 11 am (1 pm Sunday).

    Cactus Music presents Thomas Csorba In-Store Performance
    Thomas Csorba will be at Cactus Music to perform and sign copies of Tender Country, his third studio album. The Houston-born, Dallas-based Csorba writes country music that feels less like performance and more like witness. His work belongs to the long lineage of Texas songwriters who understand that restraint can carry more weight than spectacle, and that the quietest lines are often the ones that speak the loudest. (For our CultureMap Austin readers, he’ll also be at Waterloo Records on Thursday.) 5:30 pm.

    La Calle Tacos, Juneteenth Houston, and Black Cinema Club HTX presents Bagby Park ‘90s Movie Night
    La Calle Tacos will host a special collaboration with Juneteenth Houston and Black Cinema Club HTX during 19 Days of Juneteenth. It’ll be an outdoor showing of the 1993 hit sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, where Whoopi Goldberg returns to don the nun outfit and lead a teen choir (featuring a young Lauryn Hill!), on a large outdoor screen at La Calle's Midtown location at Bagby Park. Come enjoy tacos, drinks, and good vibes. Seating will be available, but feel free to bring chairs and blankets as well. 7 pm.

    Lyle Lovett with the Houston Symphony
    Houston’s own Lyle Lovett joins the Houston Symphony for a one-night-only performance. With countless accolades — including four Grammy Awards, the Americana Music Association’s Trailblazer Award, and the title of Texas State Musician — Lovett blends country, jazz, folk, swing, and blues into a sound that’s uniquely his own. Known for his dry wit, poetic lyricism, and genre-defying artistry, Lovett remains one of America’s most distinctive and enduring musical voices. 7:30 pm.

    Saturday, June 6

    Time Mission Houston Grand Opening Weekend
    Time Mission is a new, immersive adventure experience from the team behind Museum of Illusions and Sandbox VR. Located at the Marq*E Entertainment District in Spring Branch, teams of 2-5 players (ages 6-106) move through 25+ interactive, mental/physical challenge portals. Time Mission is also giving away 1,000+ free tickets to the first Houstonians to book their experiences. Additional tickets are half-off through Thursday with the code, OPEN50. 11 am.

    Ismali Center, Houston exterior
    Photo by Iwan Baan

    The Ismaili Center hosts the Cardamon Challenge this Sunday.

    Meow Wolf presents Phenomenomaly
    Meow Wolf presents a production that turns Meow Wolf’s newest exhibition into a living stage. The experience marks the first full-scale performance season inside Radio Tave, blending Houston’s creative pulse with Meow Wolf’s signature storytelling. The event invites guests to explore at their own pace through every dimension of the exhibition, with special performances by Houston artists throughout the season. Through Sunday, August 9. 2 pm.

    Michael Carbonaro: Wonderboy
    Michael Carbonaro is best known for his truTV series The Carbonaro Effect on truTV, where he performed inventive tricks on unsuspecting people, unaware that he is a magician. Carbonaro's illusions, along with his absurd, matter-of-fact explanations, leave people bewildered and families laughing out loud. On this tour, audiences will discover him as the Hero of Mischief in a world where magic is the superpower and laughter is the sidekick. 6 pm.

    River Oaks Theatre presents Stolen Kingdom with Filmmaker Q&A
    The 2025 documentary Stolen Kingdom delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film features key figures from the park’s underground exploration community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. Filmmaker Joshua Bailey and other guests will be around for a post-screening Q&A. 7 pm.

    Sunday, June 7

    The Ismaili Center, Houston presents Spice Routes: The Cardamom Challenge
    The Ismaili Center, Houston will open its doors for a culinary/cultural experience celebrating the global journey of cardamom through food, art, and community, as well as serving as the debut of the Center’s permanent art collection. Attendees will experience chef-driven tastings with people’s choice voting, a judged, “Chopped”-style culinary competition, curated exhibitions, architecture and garden tours, family programming, and The Bazaar, a vibrant marketplace featuring artisan goods, specialty foods, crafts, and cultural vendors. 11 am.

    I'll Have What She's Having presents Preventative Health Care Bake Sale
    The Houston-based nonprofit has collected baked goods from more than 30 Houston bakers, which will be available for between $2-8. In addition, star pastry chefs such as CultureMap Tastemaker Award winners Christina Au (Blacksmith), Jane Wild (Jane and the Lion), Stephanie Velasquez (Casaema), and Vanarin Kuch (Koffeteria) are contributing "fancy cakes" for a silent auction. Proceeds support the IHWSH healthcare fund which provides no cost preventive wellness appointments to uninsured food and beverage employees. 12 pm.

    Texas Best Music Fest
    The Texas Best Music Fest was created in 2013 to bring together Lone Star musicians to help some deserving children. Proceeds from the show go to Champions Kids Camp, which helps little ones who have survived a traumatic injury, illness, or personal loss. This year’s fest will feature performances by headliners Scotty Alexander and Hayden Bakers, as well as Bill, Kim, and Jimmy Nash, special guest Grace Harrison, and more. 2 pm.

    The Big Queer Picture Show and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston present Cactus Pears
    Cactus Pears is the first of many screenings the Big Queer Picture Show will be co-hosting this Pride Month. Anand, a 30-something urbanite, returns to his rural home village for a 10-day mourning period for his father. He reconnects with Balya, a family friend and local farmer. As the mourning ends, Anand returns to the city and must decide the fate of his relationship with Balya. Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at last year’s Sundance Film Festival, where judges proclaimed it to be “the great modern love story . . . the world needs right now.” 5 pm.

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