Les RokaLes Roka

I am a native of Toledo, Ohio, having received my Ph.D. in journalism and mass communication from Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism in 2002. In addition to teaching at Utah State University and the University of Utah, I have worked extensively in public relations for a variety of organizations including a major metropolitan university, college of osteopathic medicine, and community college. When it comes to intellectual curiosity, I venture into as many areas as possible, whether it’s about music criticism, the history of journalism, the practice of public relations in a Web 2.0 world and the soon-to-arrive Web 3.0 landscape, or how public debates are formed about many issues especially in the political arena. As a Salt Lake City resident, I currently write and edit a blog called The Selective Echo that provides an entertaining, informative, and provocative look at Salt Lake City and its cosmopolitan best. I also have been the U.S. editorial advisor for an online publication Art Design Publicity based in The Netherlands. And, I use social media tools such as Twitter for blogging, networking with journalists and experts, and staying current on the latest trends in culture and news. I also have been a regular monthly contributor to a Utah business magazine, and I have recently conducted a variety of editing projects involving authors and researchers throughout the country and the world, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Lebanon, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, France, and Japan. I’m also a classically trained musician who spent more than 15 years in a string quartet, being involved in more than 400 performances.

Outdoor Retailer 2023: Fine examples of ingenuity, science, lifestyle creativity, bootstrapping, cultural integrity, authentic eco-consciousness in show’s return to SLC

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This month’s just concluded Outdoor Retailer show, marking the event’s return to Salt Lake City after five years, highlighted a good representation of creative entrepreneurship and collaborations. Even for those who might not be avid outdoor recreation participants, there were plenty of ingenious, artful, elegant product lines and innovations, which suggest that the tent of … Read more

Sundance 2023: Volunteer in-person, online opportunities available for festival in Park City, SLC, Sundance Resort

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The Utah Review’s 2023 Sundance Film Festival coverage begins Jan. 18 and will continue through Jan. 29. There are still opportunities for volunteers to assist either in-person or in online roles for the Sundance Film Festival, which opens Jan. 19. Anyone who can commit to at least 32 hours of service during the … Read more

Seventh Emerge concert to feature new short works by Repertory Dance Theatre’s company artists, performances by community dance groups

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In addition to their performances and extensive schedule of leading dance demonstration and learning for students and the community, Repertory Dance Theatre (RDT) company members also are expected to develop their skills as a choreographer, to fulfill their contract. Many of the more than 100 RDT alumni have become internationally known choreographers and some have … Read more

A new twist to annual list of crowning achievements: The Utah Review’s Top 10 Moments of the Utah Enlightenment in 2022

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This year’s selection in The Utah Review of the top ten moments of the Utah Enlightenment in 2022 was easily the quickest to lock in, considering the possibilities. There were no close calls. The ten selections were a slam dunk. This year, however, presented the opportunity for a twist. While nine of the ten selections … Read more

Pioneer Theatre Company’s A Christmas Story: The Musical is spiffy, enjoyable homage to holiday film classic

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The 1983 movie A Christmas Story was a definitive sleeper hit. Directed by Bob Clark, the film did reasonably well at the box office, easily recouping its comparatively low production costs ($3.3 million) after opening right before Thanksgiving and it was still in about a hundred theaters on New Year’s Day in 1984. Clark was … Read more

A holiday evening of exuberant magic: Ballet West’s The Nutcracker becomes glorious world of fantasy

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It might surprise many readers that for critics, writing a review of The Nutcracker ballet is actually not as easy as it might appear. It is one of the most widely performed works in the end-of-the-year holiday season and audiences love it, whether it is in a lavish professional production or a small-town amateur community … Read more

Ariana Farber’s Dreamers is outstanding two-hander collaboration of Immigrant’s Daughter Theatre, Wasatch Theatre Company

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In a cramped Bronx apartment, the chance encounter between Donatello Angelo Bucci (a/k/a Donnie) and Svetlana Orlova, whose name translates from Ukrainian to “Holy Eagle,” peels away many layers but it really is the quest for self-love that pops in the epiphany of the outstanding two-hander play Dreamers by Ariana Broumas Farber. Directed by Stephanie … Read more

Four excellent November programs: NOVA Chamber Music Series’ Britten and Shostakovich, Gina Bachauer International Piano Foundation’s Andrey Gugnin, Repertory Dance Theatre’s Sojourn, Spy Hop’s 20th anniversary PitchNic

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November has been packed with concerts and presentations by numerous local performing arts and culture organizations. Four are reviewed in this roundup. This week, many organizations are in the midst of various end-of-the-year fundraising efforts and holiday season promotions for gift giving. Also, many local groups will be participating in the National Giving Tuesday (#GivingTuesday), … Read more

Four Utah Museum of Contemporary Art exhibitions cover range of expressions on cultural identities, community, isolation, racism, social practices

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Four current exhibitions at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art comprise a broad segment of expressions about cultural identities, community, isolation, racism and social practices. Each of these are discussed below. The Utah Museum of Contemporary Art (UMOCA) also received two grants totaling $140,000 from The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts and VIA Art … Read more

Repertory Dance Theatre’s Sojourn will feature world premiere of 2022 Regalia commission winner, newly acquired repertoire work, reprises of two recent commissions

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A choreographic journey of spiritual, social and natural connections, Sojourn, Repertory Dance Theatre’s (RDT) forthcoming concert, will feature a world premiere by the 2022 winner of the company’s Regalia commission competition and a newly acquired work from 2012 by an internationally acclaimed choreographer, along with reprises of two RDT commissioned pieces in recent years.  Three … Read more