The University Farmers Market starts Thursday, 9 am-2 pm, on Webster’s Lawn, just east of Pioneer Theatre. Goody. Last Monday I went to Slow Food’s get-together at Late Bloomin’ Heirlooms, a backyard mini-farm in West Jordan. Now I’m a convert to heirloom tomatoes. Well, that and the fact that my garden has produced exactly two tomatoes this year. The first one in early July could have been store bought, it was so tasteless and mushy. The heirlooms were delicious beyond belief. I am hoping someone will show up at the U’s Farmers Market with them. Also, it would be absolutely fantastic if someone would bring farm fresh eggs to the market, as I have never tasted a really fresh egg. I was hoping that my office mate would bring some in, but one of his Bountiful “neighbors” turned him in to the city and he had to relocate his dear hens to a relative’s farm. We’ll see. Last year I saw President Young among the passersby and had to compliment him for signing off on this very civilized endeavor. I saw a lot of other people doing likewise. See you there!

Clever title that, as the gorgeous Cat Deeley, host of  “So You Think You Can Dance,” might say of the U’s modern dance class for nonmajors. A nod to the popularity, even influence, of the show, the class brings hip hop, gangsta, and other edgy, contemporary forms into the academy. Now in its fifth season, “…Dance” offers all of that plus—FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER—last week’s pas de “duh.”

An “American Idol” spinoff, “So You Think You Can Dance” auditions wanna bes from around the country, gives them weekly routines—in wildly divergent genres—to find “America’s best dancer.” Picture a “popper” doing Russian folkdance, and you can imagine how inspired or painful those deep knee bends can be.

Since entertainment is the show’s guiding principle, I wondered what people who teach and study dance think of it. Donna White, U modern dance professor, performer, and choreographer, has seen only two or three episodes but says there’s no doubt of its effect on the department. “We see a lot of influence and many positives—including getting people excited about dance.”

I think it’s particularly exciting that two of the current 12 finalists—“a boy and a girl” hail from Utah. “It speaks to how much dance there is here,” Donna says. No doubt it also speaks to how much quality dance there is here.  The U’s dance department is, in fact, one of the best in the nation. But, as with wine tasting, I’m no expert. In the next couple of weeks, I hope to talk with other members of the department about their perceptions of the show.

I’m curious: Is the choreography as outrageous and provocative as it appears to me? Are these hopefuls really that talented when you put them up against, say, a chorus line on Broadway? What about the judges? Does “you’re one hot tamale TONIGHT, yes you are!” make experts want to hurl or do they laugh along with me? And why, oh why, are there so many English accents involved in America’s best whatever? Stay tuned.

Yeah, someone we know has it. We are keeping our fingers crossed that no one else comes down with H1N1. Ever since I got the flu in 1999, I’ve gotten inoculated each year without fail. It made a big impression on me. I remember thinking I was going to die. Or, it may have been, please, lord, let me die. As this post indicates, that hasn’t happened yet, although my REDTHREAD administrator might think my prose is deadly.

(And, BTW, does the fact that I’m Jewish protect me in any way from contracting swine flu? Drats!)

Anyway, the CDC has a protocol worth passing on: make sure the afflicted stays home for seven days after the doctor’s diagnosis; don’t say anything like “so and so has SWINE FLU!!!” unless that very admission has come out of that person’s (covered) mouth. And, most important, keep washing your hands and covering your mouth with your inner elbow when you cough or sneeze.

Finally, and this might not actually be in the protocol: start ingesting chicken soup as soon as you start feeling icky.

Be Well!