County Connection: The Detroit Institute of Arts in Oakland County

Dance! American Art 1830-1960

The DIA's newest special exhibition, Dance! American Art 1830-1960, opens March 20, and residents from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties can join in on the fun! Admission to Dance! is free with general museum admission for all visitors every Friday, which means that tri-county residents can see the exhibition at no cost on those days. Tri-county residents also receive a $4 discount on adult tickets on all other days. Schools in the tri-county area can take advantage of free exhibition admission and transportation when they reserve a field trip in advance.

There will be plenty of exciting Dance! programs at the DIA and at tri-county community and cultural organizations that have planned dance-related programming in conjunction with the DIA's exhibition. Highlights in Oakland County include the Michigan Five at the Berman Center for the Performing Arts, 6600 West Maple Rd., West Bloomfield, on Saturday, March 19, at 8 p.m.; Young Choreographers Forum at Oakland University's Varner Hall, 2200 North Squirrel Rd., Rochester, on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 15 at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17, at 2 p.m.; and the Huron Valley Council for the Arts Kids Club African dance class at the Huron Valley Council for the Arts, 205 West Livingston Rd., Highland, on Saturday, June 11 at 11 a.m. A complete list of community programs will be available at ixiti.org/dance.

Image: Dances, Arthur Bowen Davies, 1914 or 1915, oil on canvas. Detroit Institute of Arts

Check out these upcoming county events:

"Director's Cut" talk, Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m.

Get to know DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons when he talks about his background, gives a brief history of the museum and shares his vision for the future in the next Director's Cut talk, held at the Ford Resource and Engagement Center, located at 2826 Bagley St., Detroit. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions following the talk. The event is free and open to the public.

Upcoming Director's Cut talks:

April 11, 7 p.m., Oakland County Rochester Public Library
April 22, 7:30 a.m., Birmingham Family YMCA
May 11, 7 p.m., Macomb Community College, Lorenzo Cultural Center
May 20, 1:30 p.m., Society of Active Retirees, Birmingham Temple
June 9, 7 p.m., Italian American Cultural Center, Clinton Township

Oakland County Day, Saturday, April 9

The DIA is providing free bus transportation to and from the museum on Saturday, April 9 for Oakland County residents. The DIA provides this service twice a year for tri-county residents. Round-trip transportation and admission is free, but reservations are required. To reserve a spot and find times and locations, call 313-833-4005 or visit tickets.dia.org.

Senior Thursdays, every Thursday at 1 p.m.

This new DIA program, which launched March 3, offers tri-county seniors the opportunity to visit the museum and enjoy programs exclusively planned for them, at no cost, every Thursday. The first Thursday of each month features a guided gallery tour; the second a lecture; the third an art-making class; and the fourth a film. During months with five Thursdays, the fifth Thursday will feature a guided gallery tour. All programs will begin at 1 p.m. The March schedule is:

March 10: Lecture: "Dance! American Art 1830-1960"; Lecture Hall
March 17: Art-making: tick-tac-toe boards; DIA Studio
March 24: Film: "King Lear" (the Stratford Festival production); Detroit Film Theatre
March 31: Gallery tour: highlights of the permanent collection; depart from Prentis Court

No reservations are necessary for individuals. Free transportation is available for groups of 25 or more. To book a group, call 313-833-1292. Visit dia.org for a list of upcoming activities.

The DIA now has a private lounge for nursing mothers to use while visiting the museum. The lounge, which is located just off of the Farnsworth St. entrance, features an armchair and ottoman, a changing table and an electrical outlet. The space serves as an option for mothers who want to nurse their children in a convenient, private setting. The entrance to the lounge is adorned with Italian artist Alceo Dossena's marble sculpture Madonna and Child.