It’s not as big as, say, when “The Real World” invaded LoDo in 2006, but it’s still pretty big in the world of reality TV. I know, because AI told me so.

“Love is Blind” is described by Netflix as “a social experiment where single men and women look for love and get engaged, all before meeting in person.” If that sounds like the end of all social norms of decency, well, that ship sailed a decade ago, because the upcoming Denver season is already No. 9. And if you already know all this … well, you’re probably under 30.

“The ‘Love Is Blind’ pods are heading west, where the Season 9 singles will explore ‘wild’ new frontiers in their search for true love!” says the show’s breathless marketing material. It goes on:

“This October, 32 Denver-based daters will embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Separated by a wall, they will date one another in hopes of building a connection based on emotional compatibility rather than physical attraction. Those who hit it off out of sight will then get engaged and take their relationships to new heights in the real world. After meeting face-to-face for the very first time, the couples must decide if they’re able to summit the mountain that is marriage – or if it’s simply too steep.”

Your hosts are Nick and Vanessa Lachey.

Now, true story: I only signed on to Netflix last week, meaning: “Love is Blind” is completely new to me. So I did a very 2025 thing: I asked AI: “Is ‘Love is Blind’ actually a big deal?” He/she/it/they responded:

“Yes, ‘Love Is Blind’ is a VERY big deal, consistently ranking in the top 10 of all Netflix shows. It has been called the top unscripted streaming program of all time in terms of appearances in the Nielsen Streaming Top 10. ‘Love is Blind’ is known for its unique premise of forming emotional connections before physical attraction, leading to dramatic moments and a massive global following that extends to international versions of the show. ‘Love Is Blind’ generates significant internet chatter and has become a cultural phenomenon, with viewers often becoming deeply invested in the couples’ journeys.” 

OK, already, I’m in. (Or, am I in? I feel unclean.)

So, guess who’s coming to Denver? (OK, that line is a play on a movie title from 1967, so, most likely, it’s not gonna land here.) 

Anyway, the incoming “pod squad” (get with the lingo already!) ranges in age from 27 to 41, with Aries and Gemini being the most common Zodiac signs among them. (No, I am not making that up. That is according to the official Netflix announcement.) “So, expect a few fiery spirits and some social butterflies and — since it’s Colorado — a lot of daters who love the great outdoors! There are also a couple of nurses, a few professionals in the real-estate game and a handful of hairstylists. Plus, Season 7 single Leo better watch out, because a new Rolex expert is entering the pods.”

(OK, that last sentence is surely just words in a blender … isn’t it?)

At this point, Netflix introduces you to all 32 contestants. Meet Blake: “As an April Fool’s Day baby, Blake knows how to take a joke, but he’s never been more serious about finding a partner.” Or, how about Nurse Ali? “Dating in Denver, Ali has encountered a lot of boys who aren’t ready to grow up, and she’s only in the market for men.”

What’s the Beckett line? “I can’t go on. I’ll go on.”

No, I won’t go on. The first episode of ‘Love is Blind’ Denver drops Oct. 1. I’ve done my part.

Cleo’s historic dance

Cleo Parker Robinson’s historic solo dance piece at the Sept. 6-7 Presenting Denver dance festival was one for the ages. Robinson performed “The Love We Carry,” choreographed by Christopher Page-Sanders, as a meditation on and celebration of the life of her husband, Tom Robinson, co-founder of the company that bears her name. Cleo Parker Robinson received a standing ovation that lasted nearly as long as her 8-minute performance.

“A year ago, I approached Christopher Page-Sanders to choreograph a solo for Cleo – mind you, I had not asked Cleo yet,” said festival artistic director Marisa Hollingsworth. Then I asked (Dance/USA Council Chair) Rhetta Shead, and the three of us tag-teamed Cleo and convinced her that she could do this.”

Some news out of the festival: A trio dance by the Hannah Kahn Dance Company was “the last dance,” as Hollingsworth said, for the eponymous Hannah Kahn, artistic director of the modern-dance company that she founded in New York in 1986 and moved to Denver in 1988.

“She’s officially retiring right after the show and moving to Michigan to be with her daughter and son-in-law and grandkids,” said Hollingsworth, who was pregnant while dancing in Kahn’s company more than 14 years ago.

Kahn has created more than 140 dances over the past 50 years, many informed by the  practice of Tai Chi. She was named a “Living Legend of Dance” for her contributions to dance in Colorado by the Carson Brierly Dance Library.

And what of Presenting Denver?

“We are a very small nonprofit service organization that uplifts small and medium dancers and companies,” Hollingsworth said.

Moore Creative Emmy Awards

Choreographer Mandy Moore, raised in Summit County, has been nominated for 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, starting in 2008 and continuing all the way up to … this past week, when she was nominated for her work on the 2025 Oscars broadcast. Moore was feted for her choreography of the James Bond and Quincy Jones tribute performances. The statue went to Robbie Blue for choreographing Doechii’s musical performance on the Grammy Awards.

Well, what will be will be. Moore has four Emmy wins on her C.V. for her work on “Dancing with the Stars” (2017), “So You Think You Can Dance” (2018), “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” (2020) and “Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas” (2021).

“It’s always an honor to be included in the moment,” Moore posted on Instagram, along with a photo of her father, actor Bob Moore, and sister, Missy Moore, artistic director of the Thunder River Theatre Company in Carbondale.

New boss at Performance Now

The new gig, she said, won’t impact the ongoing one. “I only artistic-direct at community theaters that start with P,” she joked.

Van Oosbree replaces Alisa Inahara, who served for 20 years following the death of company cofounder Nancy Goodwin, and will remain as board secretary.

Currently playing at Performance Now is “The Little Mermaid” through Sept 21.

Briefly …

Last night, Jonathan Watkins’ new ballet “A Single Man” opened at London’s Linbury Theatre with music by Denver’s own John Grant (formerly of the iconic band The Czars). Inspired by Christopher Isherwood’s novel, the story follows George, a middle-aged professor in 1960s California as he navigates a single day shaped by love and loss. Grant calls the ballet “a healing meditation on sexuality, grief and midlife.” He posted a photo after the show posing alongside none other than the great actor Tilda Swinton. …

Denver East High School has a film festival. And this year’s big guest is a big-time alumna: Film star Pam Grier, known the world over for her signature roles in 1970s blaxploitation films. Grier will be present Sept. 27 for a screening of Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown,” followed by a Q&A. The fest will also include a new documentary covering the school’s 150-year history. Info at eastangelfoundation.org.

John Moore is The Denver Gazette’s senior arts journalist. Email him at john.moore@gazette.com