
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 24, 1995                   TAG: 9502240041
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE TIPOFF

DANCE-O-GRAHAM: The 12-member Martha Graham Ensemble, from the Martha Graham School for Contemporary Dance in New York City, will on Thursday present works by its late contemporary choreographer namesake. The national touring troupe, which also performs annually with the Martha Graham Dance Co. on Broadway, is directed by Susan Kikuchi. The show will begin at 8 p.m. in Roanoke College's Olin Theater. Tickets cost $12 for general admission; $10 for seniors and students in advance; $14/$12 at the door. Call 375-2333 (weekdays, 2-5 p.m.).

SYMPHONIC SOUNDS: The New River Valley Symphony, composed of Virginia Tech students and local musicians, led by music director James Glazebrook, will on Saturday at 8 p.m. perform their "Winter Concert" in Virginia Tech's Burruss Auditorium. Works will include Samuel Barber's First Essay for Orchestra, Op. 12, and Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D Major. Tickets cost $5, $3 for students and senior citizens. Call 231-5615 or (800) 843-0332.

COOL AID: Well-known band No Strings Attached will on Saturday present a benefit performance with proceeds to benefit the Montgomery County American Red Cross and Red Cross disaster-recovery efforts in Japan. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation, 209 W. Roanoke St., Blacksburg. Tickets will be sold at the door and cost $4 for adults, $1 for senior citizens and children under 12.

FLOWERS IN FEBRUARY: Winter-bound gardeners might find it worth the drive to attend the sixth annual Maymont Flower and Garden Show. The Southeast Tourism Society called the event one of the top 20 events in the Southeast, and the New York Times rated it as one of the top 12 flower shows. This year's show, in addition to 20 landscape exhibits and more than 150 flower- and garden-related vendor booths, will feature workshops offering audiences opportunities to actually create and practice flower and gardening techniques. Advance workshop registration is required. Show hours are today-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.. The place is the Richmond Convention Centre. Basic admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children ages 2-12. Call (804) 358-7166.

GO AND SIN ONCE MORE: The French Alligators came all the way from France to provide French mosette-style tunes, Irish reels, Afghani and Bulgarian dances, sizzling Cajun tunes and Creole blues. You need only come to Charlottesville for a last evening of bacchanalia before Lent. Unlimited beverages, light hors d'oeuvres, fire eaters, jugglers, clowns, sirens, devils, drag queens and so forth will contribute to the naughty night. "Creative" formal wear - tattered to tacky - heavy makeup and masks are encouraged. "The Last Night to Sin" happens Saturday, at 9 p.m. ,at Live Arts, 609 E. Market St. Tickets are $35 per person. Call (804) 977-4177 or charge-by-phone (804) 296-0550.

ROUGH RIDIN': Pro Rodeo Association-sanctioned bareback bronco riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, Brahma bull riding and Cowgirls barrel racing add up to entertainment and excitement at the Lone Star World Championship Rodeo, tonight-Saturday, 8 p.m., at the Virginia Horse Center, Lexington. A Gold Rush, pony rides, clowns, and other kid-oriented events make this ideal family fun. Tickets are $10 reserved; general admission, $8 ($7 advance), $6 ($5 advance) for ages 4-12. Call 463-7060.

MASTERS' MUSIC: The 20-voice Rockbridge Chamber Chorus, under the direction of William McCorkle, will on Saturday perform sacred and secular works by French and German masters. Tenor soloist Michael Henry of Atlanta will join in presenting selections by Maurice Durufle', Claude Debussy, Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms. The show begins at 8 p.m. in Lee Chapel, Washington & Lee University, Lexington. Tickets, priced at $6 for adults and $3 for students, will go on sale at the door 30 minutes before the concert.

CAN'T MISS: George Clinton & the P-Funk All-Stars perform Monday in Commonwealth Ballroom at Virginia Tech's Squires Student Center. The show is being co-sponsored by the Black Student Alliance and the Virginia Tech Union. Tickets, $8 for Tech students and staff or $16 for the public, are on sale now at the box office in Squires Student Center. Call 231-5615 for information.

by CNB