The Lively Foundation

04/07/2026

Our Artistic Director, Leslie Friedman, has been invited by Stanford to present her new book, Coming Home to India. The annual program brings authors with new books.All are connected to Stanford. Historians, fiction writers, & scientists, all great writers. It's FREE. In person or watch over Zoom. It is PACIFIC TIME. Leslie chairs at 2:25 with two medical drs: Charlotte DeCroes Jacobs, a medical oncologist who wrote 90 Seconds to Midnight: A Hiroshima Survivor's Nuclear Odyssey & John G. Brock-Utne, anesthesiologist specialist, wrote Memories from the German Occupation of Norway, 1940-45. Like books? Don't miss this event!

03/12/2026

Women's History Month. Lively started annual programs of music & dance with new repertory each year. I am thinking & planning for another season for "Heroic, Beloved," the name of the event. The first one was in 1996. There is something going on that means to block married women from voting in the USA. Hard to imagine that elected reps could come up with such baloney. Don't let it happen. It's time to dance & shout- remember that song? Good women & good men work together-Let's practice our rationality! And keep on dancing.

03/05/2026

New Book COMING HOME TO INDIA. It's about my first time in India. On a Fulbright Lectureship. I was affiliated with Tagore's university in West Bengal. I circled India to perform& teach. Each place where I performed reinvited me to perform again. Stories: Dance, history, travel. I'll be at Stanford for Company of Authors. I chair a group & talk about my book, too. APRIL 18, 1 -5:30 P.M. Humanities Ctr, Zoom or live. FREE!

12/31/2025

Lively is grateful for donations we are receiving today & through the holiday season. Lively works to create & present the best of the arts. One recent donor wrote, "Lively brings the best of the arts to everyone and every age. Your donors make it possible, but the hard work, dedication, & just plain great talent make it work." Stick with Lively. We are for you.

12/03/2025

Giving Tuesday: Here's something about giving. I found out that Mary Joyce passed away, 97, Feb. 2025. She taught dance to children & adults at UC, Berkeley & Davis, Oakland Rec, Beresford Ctr,San Mateo. She wrote THE books to teach creative dance to kids&adults. She hired me to make dances for children. So much I did not know. Being around her, I learned. It is GIVING DAY: Donate to LIVELY our artists/teachers will change your life. THEY GIVE TO YOU. Donate: you are the recipients.

06/08/2025

Frankenstein -the Ballet created by Liam Scarlett premiered in London and then premiered in San Francisco. Take a look:

Frankenstein: Run to It! You may have seen Frankenstein movies; the Frankenstein ballet is better. Nothing against Boris Karloff, the Monster (or Creature); he was so good in the 1931 movie that the story goes on and on. Before I tell readers more, I advise you to get tickets now. Frankenstein’s l...

06/08/2025

Raymonda performed by the San Francisco Ballet -entirely new choreography set in the time of the Crimean War. visit the livelyblog for the article.

SF Ballet Makes History: Raymonda & Frankenstein Saturday, March 8, 2025, San Francisco War Memorial Opera House — The full house audience applauded through out the performance. They witnessed exciting, innovative, and challenging ballet in the North American Premiere of Raymonda, choreographed by...

06/08/2025

Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted Stravinsky's Firebird. It was created to be a ballet, but it was still great. Of course, we'd love to have the whole show.

Esa-Pekka Salonen Meets the Firebird May 24, 2025 – San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall – Esa-Pekka Salonen, Music Director of the SF Symphony, led the orchestra through a fascinating program: Chorale, by Magnus Lindberg; Violin Concerto, by Alban Berg; and The Firebird, by Igor Strav...

06/08/2025

It's working again! I am grateful to Jill Hackett, a specialist in the computer world, she worked with me to make a new DONATE button. Here are links to articles about concerts and ballets. Leslie has been watching and writing about a great list of artists. Third Coast Percussion performance at Stanford's beautiful Bing concert hall; here's the link

THIRD COAST PERCUSSION @ Stanford Third Coast Percussion plays Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall, May 7, 2025 Witnessing the Third Coast Percussion’s performance was a delight. The four musician-magicians, Sean Connors, Robert Dillon, Peter Martin, David Skidmore, play at a very high level. They demo...

12/15/2024

The Lively Foundation's paypal connection was not working, but now it is. You can use it to buy tix or books or just send a donation so Lively can keep on keepin' on. Thank you!!!

12/03/2024

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. Lively appreciates any support on any day. Help us to present dance & music for everyone to enjoy. Inspiring art is here for all ages. Young people,older people, all in between "get" it whether "it" is abstract movement or stories. Early next year, we present STORIES featuring stories read by a best selling author & some in dance & music. It will be over Zoom. Our audience is in all time zones. Thanks for your interest. Please Support Lively!🥰