Crowds flock to Dallas Arts District to celebrate new cultural hub

by Sarah Crisman

DALLAS — You make me proud, Dallas, if a little flustered at times. The highly-trumpeted opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center this week put the spotlight on a surprisingly significant swath of our population – everyday citizens who also happen to appreciate a bit of culture on a Sunday afternoon.

I've honestly never seen such a diverse crowd anywhere in Dallas. Young families, older couples, masses of school children, and arty hipsters all flocked to the Arts District today -- we share a bond of frugality and cultural appreciation. The sad truth is, we can't all fit into the venues. There's a general wash of confusion -- I don't think we're used to being around so many people. Maps and programs were in short supply and the overwhelmed, albeit cheery staff members didn't quite know where everything is. This place was a circus, but at least we're all in it together.

The buzz between strangers murmurs a general surprise that Dallas had this cultured a crowd. (You like the symphony? So do I! Let's go stand in line for an hour and a half.) The underlying feeling is more of mass befuddlement than it is, “let's take in a show," but the fine weather and pleasant company make for an overall enjoyable afternoon.

The Center Stage is anyone's best bet for catching any music or dance whatsoever. I wandered around Sammons Park searching for Sammons Park for a good half hour before I found a map that informed me of my ignorance. You are here. That makes sense, as the giant stage in the center of the chaos boomed forth a crew of middle-aged tap dancers. Not quite what I was looking for, but I knew jazz would happen eventually, and every other venue was packed beyond capacity. (If you really get down to it, I only ever leave the house to find jazz or food.)

The Richmond Punch Jazz Quartet soon took the stage, and I was pleased to see Lamont Taylor on drums. They played a short set, complete with a sick jazz violin tribute to Michael Jackson before making way for Anti-Gravity, a half-naked acrobatic team that added naturally to the general circus-feel of the day. The festival/fair ground environment doesn't really make for the most intimate outdoor music experience (not for a quartet, anyway), but the acoustics of the park are intense enough that you can't get away from the music, no matter what large piece of multi-million dollar architecture you hide behind.

From the look of that crowd today, the Arts District will have plenty of business to look forward to. It may take us time to learn how to properly behave like an urbane mass (this will no doubt be aided by events spread out over 19 blocks and not in a single afternoon). It's nice to see Dallas' cultural appreciation extending across so many demographics. Before you know it, we're going to be treated like a grown-up city, what with our museums and our arty inhabitants.