August 2014 | Issue No. 20
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 Dear Friends of the BBLA, Greetings to you all at the halftime of summer vacations. I hope that you are fully enjoying your holidays whether it is spent doing some traveling, finishing that book, or practicing some outdoor sports. As you might know, in the world of sports, the BBLA Board is superbly represented. Our accomplished Champions include gymnast Norma Zabka, tennis star Jitka Volavka-Illner and the ice-woman, figure skater Aja Vrzanova. Norma is the National Gymnastics Champion. She was also inducted into the United States Hall of Fame for her pioneering work in the development and progress of "Rhythmic Gymnastics" in the United States and for her services as a national and international judge. Jitka won the Czechoslovak junior National Championships in giant slalom and downhill. During that same year, she became the National Singles Champion in tennis. Between these two sports, she decided for tennis and soon played her first game at Wimbledon. During her successful tennis career, Jitka was ranked as one of the top 20 players in the world.  Aja became twice the World Champion in figure skating, European Champion, and was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. We are very proud of their past achievements and thank them for their dedication to BBLA. They help elevate our group of Trustees to truly Olympian proportions. And the accolades keep coming in. For instance, Aja was just recently inducted into the Ice Skating Institute Hall of Fame, "...for her inspiration and bravery by paving the road to freedom for countless other athletes and, later, promoting ice skating as a recreation and sport in New York City including assisting in the renovation of Wollman Rink by the Trump Organization." Congratulations! As for the rest of us, well, what about doing that stretch tomorrow and at least a couple of sit-ups? Have a great summer,  Joseph Balaz, President Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association |
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 CHECK THIS OUT
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CALL TO ARTISTS OF CZECH AND SLOVAK BACKGROUND
A special opportunity for artists with Czech and Slovak background! The New York-based studio KADS NY calls artists to submit fine art prints for the Celebrating Print Competition 2014. Prints selected by a juror will be exhibited at our BBLA Gallery in December. If you work in printmaking and one of your parents or grandparents was born in the Czech or Slovak Republic (or the former Czechoslovakia), or you have Czech or Slovak citizenship, you qualify. You also qualify if you graduated from an art school in the Czech or Slovak Republic.
Do not miss this opportunity to showcase your artwork in New York City, connect with fellow artists and have a chance to win a cash prize. Visit the CPC 2014 website at www.kadsny.com/cpc2014 for more information and instructions on how to enter, in both English and Czech language.
The inaugural competition CPC 2014 is organized by studio KADS NY under the auspices of Consulate General of the Czech Republic in New York and Consulate General of the Slovak Republic in New York, with media support of Czech Center New York.
Download CPC.2014 Prospectus.
Stáhněte si informační leták CPC 2014.
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HERE IS WHAT'S COMING IN AUGUST
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Friday, August 22, 7:00 - 11:00 pm 
venue: BBLA at Bohemian National Hall With summer coming to a close, help us celebrate with the 'White Dance' hosted by dance instructor Blanka Stichova with music by DJ Raphael. White is a color that represents equality and unity, two traits we hope to bring to those dancing the night away.
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August 14 - 28 
Witness to the Revolution
traveling exhibition
The traveling exhibition Witness to the Revolution highlights first-hand experiences of Americans, a Fulbright Scholar, a professor, a Chicago Tribune reporter, and includes Ambassador Shirley Temple Black's memories of this experience, accompanied by the State Department's many cables detailing the growing unrest.
Closing reception: Thursday, August 28, 6:30 pm.
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WE RECOMMEND
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on view until August 20 
Monitors Ink
art exhibition
Exhibition featuring new prints by keyholders of Manhattan Graphic Centers, including prints by Katerina Kyselica.
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throughout August  Summer on the Rooftop
film series
This year's Czech Center's selection for the Summer on the Roof films reflects various tendencies in the use of music and songs revealing diverse moods in the 20th Century Czechoslovakia. Screening in August: Hair, Nowhere in Moravia, Big Beat, and Rebels.
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playing until September 14  The Good and the True
theater
A remarkable piece of theatre, The Good and the True weaves the true testimonies of two extraordinary people. Athlete Milos Dobry and actress Hana Pravda spent their working lives building suspense, knocking crowds into submission and drawing gasps from onlookers. Both endured the impossible challenges of being born Jewish in 1920s Europe. True survivors in every sense of the word. Did they possess exceptional qualities, or was their survival just "good luck"?
Venue: DR2 Theater, 101 East 15th Street, New York, NY 10003.
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Top photo: Marc Cappelletti.
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Bohemian Benevolent & Literary Association | 321 East 73rd Street, 3rd floor | New York, NY 10021
(212) 988-1733 | www.bohemianbenevolent.org | info@bohemianbenevolent.org
BBLA is a not-for-profit organization established in 1891 in New York City as an umbrella organization for almost eighty Czech and Slovak immigrant organizations. The mission of BBLA is to preserve and support Czech and Slovak culture in New York City. BBLA's member organizations include American Fund for Czech and Slovak Leadership Studies, Association of Free Czechoslovak Sportsmen, Czech and Slovak Solidarity Council, Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences in America, Dvorak American Heritage Association and Sokol New York. BBLA is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.
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