This Is My Thing: Flag Football

This video is the first episode of This Is My Thing podcats on KUT News

Richard Samuels, owner of RichesArt Gallery discusses his love for flag football, making art for a living, and why hobbies are important. Samuels was a former professional football player turned art gallery owner in East Austin, TX.

ATXplained:Danny Thompson

This video premiered at the ATXplained Live show at the Paramount Theatre on April 3, 2024.

Local East-Austin musician, Danny Thompson plays the drums in front of his lawn for his neighbors to show appreciation after COVID-19.

Summit Lion and Dragon Dance Team

is ready for Lunar New Year in Austin 

Sounds erupt from the Taiko drums with each arm stroke as the beats form the base of a thunderous symphony. The clash of cymbals slices through the air like bolts of lightning. Accompanied by the clang of gongs, colorful lions and dragons weave their way around the eager crowd to ward off evil spirits and welcome the Lunar New Year.

Beneath the lions and the dragons are members of the Summitt Lion and Dragon Dance Team based out of Summitt Elementary School. Comprised of dancers ranging from elementary school kids to adults, the group has been a staple in the community since 2001.

With more than 10 performances on the book for Saturday and Sunday alone, it's safe to say Lunar New Year is their busiest season.

Why is the two-step danced differently in Austin than in other parts of Texas and the U.S.?

This video premiered at the ATXplained Live show at the Paramount Theatre on Feb. 22, 2023.

Two-stepping originated from foxtrot and has been danced to country music in dancehalls around Austin for ages. Influenced by other music genres played in the region, people here have put their own spin on it.

KUT listeners Allyson Lipkin and Cristopher Juarez wanted to know why people in Austin and San Antonio dance the two-step differently than folks in the rest of Texas and the U.S. So, they reached out to KUT’s ATXplained project.

PMJA Division E Visual Storytelling Award winner, 2023

What is the third most spoken language in Austin?

This video premiered at the ATXplained Live show at the Paramount Theatre on Sept. 28, 2022.

After English, the second most widely spoken language in Austin is, unsurprisingly, Spanish. The third most spoken language is a bit more difficult to determine. The City of Austin says “other Indo-European languages” are the next most common.

But KUT listener Mary Milan wanted to know: What really is the third most spoken language in Austin? So, she reached out to KUT’s ATXplained project.

KUT multimedia producer Patricia Lim asked Austin’s city demographer Lila Valencia to explain the breakdown. After teasing out and counting individual languages, Chinese outnumbers every single language in the category of "other Indo-European languages."