Indianapolis, IN
Local talent to shine as WNBA All-Star Weekend showcases dance to entertain fans
INDIANAPOLIS — Downtown Indianapolis will transform into a vibrant stage this weekend, as the WNBA All-Star Weekend arrives with not just basketball, but the celebration of art and dance.
Local dancers of all styles are uniting for a series of dynamic activations, showcasing their talent and creativity.
Among the talented dancers featured is Ashley Lain, a tap dancer from Indianapolis. For Lain, this opportunity is not just about performing; it’s a significant milestone in her career.
“This is like a resume line: I danced at WNBA All-Star Weekend as part of the entertainment for all the fans,” said Lain.
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She expressed her enthusiasm for performing in a city where opportunities for tap dancers can be limited. “As a tap dancer, there’s not a lot of work for us, especially maybe in a city that doesn’t have a big tap hub. So it is like an honor to be able to present myself as a tap dancer to the city.”
Dancer Cuong Tran shares a similar passion and vision for the weekend. He hopes that the WNBA All-Star festivities will inspire dancers across Central Indiana and broaden their horizons.
“I think a lot of people think they need to move out to like LA or somewhere in California or New York to make dance a living. I think being part of this event is going to show folks that you don’t got to move anywhere. You know, we can do it here in Indiana, in Indianapolis,” Tran stated.
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Tran will play an active role this weekend by teaching a pop-up dance class on Monument Circle following Saturday’s All-Star Bounce event. He will also showcase his skills as an emcee for an all-women dance battle, an event he is eagerly anticipating. “It’s going to be crazy… We have so much talent in Indiana,” Tran said.
Both Tran and Lain were selected from over 100 dancers who responded to a call for talent issued by the Indy Dance Council, an organization dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the dance community in Indianapolis.
“For us, dance is part of life. Dance is part of culture. Everybody dances a little bit, shaking it in your kitchen absolutely counts. That is how we celebrate, that’s how we express, that’s how we mourn. It’s dance,” Mariel Greenlee, the artistic director of the Indy Dance Council, explained.
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Sarah Farnsley, managing director of the Indy Dance Council, added that the organization is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the WNBA.
“Our organization’s only about three years old, and before us, there wasn’t really so much of a way to gather all the groups together,” she expressed, highlighting the growth of the local dance community.
The partnership with the WNBA was a natural fit, given that approximately 72% of the dance community is female.
“There’s a massive female-led presence in both of those communities. So I think a ton of crossover is natural, but it’s also a way to really showcase a lot of the incredible talent that we have in the city, in the dance space.”
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Greenlee hopes that fans will come out to support the dancers this weekend. Dance performances will be showcased on the south end of Monument Circle, near the Conrad Hotel and at the Indiana Convention Center.
The entire community is invited to join in the festivities for Indy’s hottest dance jam, which kicks off on Friday night on Monument Circle. The event opens with pop-up performances by Dance Kaleidoscope and the Indy Project before dozens of local dancers ignite the dance floor from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
As Indianapolis rolls out the red carpet for All-Star festivities, the city’s dancers are ready to showcase their passion, creativity, and talent, making this All-Star Weekend a celebration of both basketball and the vibrant rhythm of dance.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
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A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
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