leap.

guido.

As we enter into awards season, I know that everyone is all about Avatar (I haven't seen it yet, so will not share any opinion) but that movie that obviously is the most appealing to me was Nine. Like Chicago, also directed by Rob Marshall, the music, costumes and dancing is continuously on repeat in my head. Currently, I'm super inspired makeup-wise by the Italian women in the 1960's.

So far, dark, dark, dark eyes with pale lips are part of my morning regimen, a la Sophia Loren. How classic and beautiful was this woman (and still is!) with her cat eyes and glowing skin. My current beauty idol of the moment.

I'm now debating about growing my short hair out a little longer to channel this style even more. Nahhh not yet - I still want to be Velma Kelly for next year's Halloween. :)

peaches.

I always trip and fall,
The same old … and repeat and go back,
How blind a girl can be.

partner.

Watching home videos from when you were a child is one of my favourite pastimes. Although I don't have any of them here with me now, I turned to my dance collection from over the years. It's crazy to see how shy I used to be on stage when I was a kid, forgetting all the steps to wanting nothing more then to stay on it and never leave. As I grew up and my friends immersed themselves in normal teenager pastimes and went to Jamba Juice after school, I committed myself to the dance studio and wanted nothing more then to expose myself to everything that was dance. (I even tried poi and break dancing, which were experiences but I won't go back to that again).

During my grade 10 year of high school, I was extremely lucky to fall into an apprentice position with Moving Arts Dance Company in California. I performed many different pieces with other apprentices and the professional dancers, and took a hand at learning how to choreograph for the first time.

Today as I watched my videos of the solos I performed, I wonder how I was able to make my mind like that at times. Luis Napole's "No More Strangers" piece killed me with a seven-minute modern pointe solo - to the music of breaking glass and chainsaws. Not your everyday experience.

Something that really caught me today was the duets I performed. Once, it was the Pas de Deux of the Sugarplum Fairy from "The Nutcracker", which was literally a dream come true. But "No More Strangers" has such a different message now that I'm four years away from it. The relationship I had with my partner was so deep and intimate while we were onstage, and our emotions were bond by the piece. We relied on each other, and pushed ourselves and partner to get through. Those hours of rehearsal, the tears, practicing in silence during the dark, that made us come together.

I don't know where she is anymore, but onstage we were a unit, moving and creating art. That trust and experience doesn't come along that often, and I'm finally able to see the deeper message of it years later. Ask me, and I'll show you the video sometime.

kind.

This is quite a cute commercial.

B&W5.

"An artist cannot do anything slovenly."- Jane Austen

real.

"Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself." -John Dewey

pixels.

It's interesting as we live in an age that's very "do-it-yourself" that everyday people are now learning to do extraordinary things. For example, quite a few of my friends have gotten new computers, new cameras, the works, and are now instantly able to shoot, download and edit their own photography. You can do this all sans professional photographer, which means no appointments, no fees, and you can be an artist any time that you would like.

Does this mean that the field for arts and technology will continue to develop? What will the next level be for the professionals, who have done their degrees and more in their craft - if now everyone can do what they can? (and sometimes, in a new/different/interesting way) Do we go stay in the same place? Or do we move forward to something unattainable? There is always freedom, but what level is the right amount?

everyday.

faith.

As I go through the Canadian post-secondary system, I constantly contemplate what I want to do with my life and where I want to be someday.

Those who know me know what it changes daily. Yes, I still want to be a journalist, but there are other ideas as well.

Today: Move somewhere to live with the monks and practice yoga all the time. I wrote about this in summer 2009, and taking a yoga class tonight really reminded me how much I love the ideas and base of the practice. It's interesting in movies and other mediums of popular culture that yoga and modern dance (my two great loves!) can be ridiculed and laughed at. Not going to lie, the first time I took classes of either sort, I looked at the teachers talking to me about energy and all these ethereal concepts and thinking, "Seriously? WTF?".

However, through experience in both sports and other practices, I have moved on to teaching my own classes - and have found myself saying that same things that my teachers told me. It's because it's true. When you immerse yourself so immensely into an art or craft, you finally can understand. I know you might feel so weird and odd at first, but put more faith, and things will work out. If they don't - it's not the end, it's just the journey.

sonnet.

"When you're typewritin' and that long-legged clerk

Tips back there on his chair and smiles at you,

And you look up and get to smilin', too,

I'd like to go and give his chair a jerk

And send him flyin' till his head went through

The door that goes out to the hall, and when

They picked him up he'd be all black and blue

And you'd be nearly busted laughin' then.

But if I done it, maybe you would run

And hold his head and smooth his hair and say

It made you sad that he got dumped that way,

And I'd get h'isted out for what I done -

I wish that he'd get fired and you'd stay

And suddenly I'd be a man someday."

- S.E. Kiser, Love Sonnets of an Office Boy. (1907)

rent.

"I should tell you I'm disaster,
I forget how to begin it.
Let's make this part go faster,
I have yet to be in it.







"I should tell I blew the candle out,
I'd forgotten how to smile, until your candle burned my skin."
- I Should Tell You, Rent.

five.

Even though it's only January, so many people (especially students) are talking about summer jobs and getting prepared for when they are home or wherever during the warm months - and we are all quite broke right now, so it's constantly on our minds. I've been thinking a lot about the work that I've done, which is running summer camps for kids and girls to help motivate their self-esteem and positive body image. I think that this is something that is constantly being addressed in today's society, because children don't have the same role models that my generation did growing up in the 90's.

Yes, the High School Musical franchise is huge. Hannah Montana is every girl's idol today...but what are their catch lines?

Personally, I think that the Spice Girls influenced a large amount of attitudes and actions of girls in my age demographic (along with other factors that vary individually). Pause for reaction.

So who didn't play "Spice Girls" on the playground when growing up? We all had our characters, wanted their personalities, sang their songs, wore major platform shoes, and yelled about Girl Power at every chance. Some of us grew out of this obsession, and others rekindled it by attending their recent tour a few years ago - but I argue that we're so lucky that these women were around. They made us believe in ourselves and be independent/motivated to perform and totally be your own person. They make this impact today, as the personalities of friends come out at times, identifying which Spice Girl they played during grade school. They have major Girl Power.

Not going to lie, I still show mine via my hair. Then: I always played Posh/Victoria. Now: I have Victoria Beckham's hairstyle always.

bounce.

Viktor and and Rolf Spring/Summer 2010.


Divine non?

warped.

I can't even begin to describe how excited I am for Spring/Summer 2010.
1960's psychedelic? Bring it on.
You know what's wicked about it though? This trend doesn't have to be loud (although I am in the favour of colour always) but the detail and exquisite attention to cut and fit is what can really make something soar.

outside.

It's fascinating to look out the window at the view that you see everyday and notice something that you've never looked at before - but was always there. Sometimes the sun shines in just the right direction, that your eyes catches something for an instant. But in a blink of an eyes, it can disappear as quickly as you noticed it. Notice the details in the fabric, and keep your eyes open. You never know what might just inspire you.

faces.

People are strange when you're a stranger,
Streets are uneven when you're down.
When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain.