Parr Arts & Humanities Series

"A Tradition of Discretion, Loyalty & Hospitality at the White House”

Kate Andersen Brower is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller "The Residence and First Women", also a New York Times bestseller, as well as "Team Of Five," "First In Line," and the children's book "Exploring the White House." "The Residence" is being made into a television series produced by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix. Her forthcoming book, "Elizabeth Taylor," is the first authorized biography of the icon.

She is a CNN contributor and she covered the Obama administration for Bloomberg News and Businessweek and traveled as part of the White House press corps. She also covered First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. On September 19, 2023, Central Piedmont welcomes Kate to the stage to discuss "A Tradition of Discretion, Loyalty & Hospitality at the White House," a thorough look at contemporary presidents and the people that supported them in the office and at home.

“Signature Works”

Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami (DDTM) is a bold, cutting-edge contemporary ballet company founded in 2016 by former Miami City Ballet Principal Dancers Jennifer Kronenberg and Carlos Guerra. In three short years, DDTM has continued to earn national recognition thanks to a dazzling repertoire and dynamic world-class dancers hailing from various Hispanic, North, and South American backgrounds. The troupe’s profound energy and electricity truly reflect the unique cultural vibrancy and allure of their home city, Miami. Following rave reviews from their 2022 tour, DDTM’s “Signature Works” will be tailored especially for Central Piedmont’s audiences and will include the exciting world premiere of Voyager, by Choreographer-in-Residence Yanis Eric Pikieris, a former dancer with the Charlotte Ballet.

“The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships”

What is “social health” and why is it better for your well-being than eating broccoli and doing pushups? Why do 61% of Americans report feeling lonely on a regular basis, even though they have 15,237 notifications buzzing on their phone? Why is making friends as an adult harder than trying to file your taxes during a heavy metal concert? Kat Vellos, author of We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships will share solutions to these and many more connection conundrums on February 8, 2024, at Central Piedmont Community College. In this engaging, educational, and humorous presentation, you’ll learn why connection in the digital age can be so tough (it’s not just in your head!) and you’ll walk away with clear, exciting action steps for creating more fruitful friendships in your life, no matter your age or life stage.

Born in 2001 in Hackensack, NJ, Matthew Whitaker grew up surrounded by music. He was named a Yamaha Artist at 15, becoming the youngest musician to join the stellar group of jazz pianists. Whitaker has had years of music instruction. He previously studied classical piano and drums at The Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School in NYC. He also studied at The Harlem School of the Arts and was a member of both the Jazz House Big Band and the Organ Messengers at Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ. Whitaker graduated from the BA Jazz Studies program at Juilliard in New York City in May 2023.