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Ellen Boyers Kwatnoski
Stories of Secrets Kept and Told
Ellen Kwatnoski
Archive for category: Dance
Dance, Museums
Degas at the Opera–the National Gallery Reopens
"Lorenzo Pagans," 1871-72, Musee d'Orsay
At my reserved time slot, properly masked and distanced, I walked into the National Gallery of Art on a beautiful September day. It was like going home after a six-month exile and I was more than ready to see some art, in the flesh, so to speak. And what a treat awaited – Degas at the Opéra, a celebration of the Paris Opéra's 350th anniversary. The Musée D'Orsay, the Musée de l'Orangerie, and the National Gallery joined forces to gather paintings, works on paper, and one sculpture by the great opera and dance devotee.
Degas adored the Paris Opéra – the wonderful old building, the dance classes and rehearsals, and the fantastical stage performances. He also didn't shrink from the seamier side of the Opéra ballet of the mid-to late 1800s. Had the #metoo movement been afoot (pun intended), the young women of the corps de ballet would have been tweeting their hearts out.
"Portrait of Mille Fiocre in the Ballet La Source," 1867-68, Brooklyn Museum
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Degas, born into a well-to-do family, was introduced early to the joys of music at salons in his home. This portrait of the soulful Lorenzo Pagans was also a portrait of Degas' father, seen with his head framed by sheet music. It was the only portrait Degas ever painted of his father of whom he was very fond. Unfettered by the need to earn money, and with encouragement from his well-to-do parents, Degas was free to develop both his talent and his love of the opera, in which dance had a starring role.
"La Source," likely Degas' first opera ballet painting, depicts what appears to be an idealized history scene, but is a faithful rendering of the ballerina Eugenie Fiocre, dressed for her role as the melancholy Nouredda, bride of the khan. Glad you asked. Yes, the set did have a stream running through it and a live horse made an appearance, too. Look between the legs of the horse and you can make out a discarded pair of pale pink ballet slippers.
"Friends at the Theater," 1879, Musee d'Orsay
Degas was just as interested in the patrons of the Opéra as he was the performers. In "The Two Friends," we see his dear friend, Ludovic Halévy, conversing with another gentleman. It was Halévy, an avid connoisseur, who first introduced Degas to the Opéra. I love the strong vertical element setting off the two men, and how their dark suits and tall hats are crisply silhouetted against the painted stage flat.
"Robert le Diable," brings us down to the orchestra level, the vaunted territory of season ticket holders, all men. (Women were seated upstairs, in the boxes). At this point, the Meyerbeer opera was somewhat shopworn, and, as you can see, the gentleman with the opera glasses to the left is far more interested in who might be up in the boxes than he is in the action on the stage. Floating above the orchestra we see reprobate nuns, risen from the dead, performing a suggestively bacchanalian dance, as only a fallen nun can.
"The Ballet from Robert le Diable," 1871, the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Throughout this lush show, Degas' use of color—in his marvelous pastels and oil paintings—is a standout. I loved "Yellow Dancers," both for the eye-popping citrus yellow, but also for the wonderfully intimate poses of the dancers in the wings. First and foremost, Degas thought of himself as a draftsman and used line to express his love of the human form. He would sketch the same pose over and over, finding the volume, weight, and characteristic expression in each. He created a vocabulary of dancers' poses – yawning, back scratching, stretching, flexing the foot, extending the leg—which he could draw upon when a composition called for it.
"Yellow Dancers in the Wings," 1874-76, Art Institute of Chicago
In "The Curtain," a dancer flees from a top hatted man. Her panicked eye is barely visible as she disappears out of the frame, her red sash trailing. Men also lurk to the left, and from behind a flat their trousered legs mingle with those of the dancers. Wait. What's going on here? As season ticket holders, these men enjoyed the privilege of openly stalking the young dancers, ogling them from the wings or the front seats of the orchestra. Degas depicts them with a stark and sinister air; their constant presence serves as a reminder that the dancers—often only girls—were generally from poor families. If they showed talent, they would be pushed into a profession that was only a cut above prostitution. Several paintings here show the girls' bonneted mothers coaching them at auditions or seated in the galleries watching rehearsals. They were complicit; surely they knew what peril their daughters might face in the life of a dancer.
"The Curtain," 1880, National Gallery of Art
Around 1880, inspired by Renaissance alter panels and Japanese woodblock scrolls, Degas began to create frieze-like pictures such as "The Dance Lesson," the first of these horizontal compositions. An exhausted dancer in a red shawl slumps on a double bass while the strong line of the dark brown panel draws the eye to two other dancers, one adjusting her sash, and on to a group of dancers by the barre in the strong light of the windows.
"The Dance Lesson," 1879, National Gallery of Art
The same elements appear in "Dancer Climbing the Stairs," but are now radically changed. A dancer climbs a staircase to the rehearsal room as two other dancers follow, just barely visible at the far left of the picture. One turns to the other, as if in the midst of conversation, and, even though we barely see the third dancer's face, the swirling motion creates a sort of eddy in the wake of the climbing dancer which increases the sense of upward momentum. All this arrested action is even more impressive as we learn the staircase never existed.
"Dancers Climbing the Stairs," 1886-90, Musee d'Orsay
Across the room from the frieze paintings are a series of fans Degas created in a time of financial pinch when the Degas family banking enterprise went belly-up. Here, too, we see the Japanese influence as Degas plays with compositions in a constrained space. One has a special significance. Among the first he created, this fan features Spanish dancers and musicians. Although he'd planned to sell the fans, he gave this one to his friend, Berthe Morisot. Later, she featured the fan in her own painting, "The Sisters," also found in the National Gallery's permanent collection.
"The Sisters," 1869, by Berthe Morisot, National Gallery of Art
And now – the moment you've likely been waiting for: "The Little Dancer, Aged Fourteen," the only sculpture Degas exhibited in public in his lifetime. The National Gallery proudly owns a large collection of Degas waxes, and this young girl, with her perfect turnout, forward thrust hips, and pensive, long-suffering face, is perhaps the best known. She wears tights, a real fabric tutu, dance slippers, and a satin ribbon in her hair (human and horsehair). I gazed into her face and wondered what she was thinking as she posed for the artist. Today, we find her charming—I certainly did—but in her day, most viewers did not find her charming at all. When she debuted at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition in 1881, the critics, fed on a more conventional diet of idealized classical sculpture, savaged her as "odiously ugly," an "Opera rat" unworthy of elevation to art.
On that melancholy note, the show came to an end, and as I walked out of the last gallery, I found myself in a makeshift gift shop, where our dear little Opéra rat adorns everything from scarves to tote bags.
"Little Dancer Aged Fourteen," 1878-1881, National Gallery of Art
Do try to get there, if you're anywhere near DC. This glorious show, featuring a number of video clips of the ballets depicted in the paintings, is up until October 12, 2020, proof that not everything in this blighted year is toxic.
Indeed, Degas at the Opéra is a tonic.
You can get your timed entry slot here:
https://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/2020/degas-opera
"Spanish Dancers and Musicians," 1868-69, National Gallery of Art
September 21, 2020 /0 Comments/by ellenkwatnoski@gmail.com
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/yellow-dancers-in-the-wings.jpg 760 600 ellenkwatnoski@gmail.com ellenkwatnoski@gmail.com2020-09-21 13:14:282020-09-26 17:46:34Degas at the Opera–the National Gallery Reopens
Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company — 25 Years of Delighting Audiences in Washington and Around the World
Every time I see the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company perform, I wish I could watch each dance over and over again.
The Company Rehearsing
On Saturday, my wish came true.
My friend Jeanne and I were privileged to observe a rehearsal for the up-coming DTSBDC show, "Portraits." This June 15th and 16th performance at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater will celebrate the company's 25th year of delighting audiences as Washington, DC's preeminent dance company.
The first dance rehearsed was "Confluence," reviewed in this space on April 19, 2014 when it premiered in the magnificent Kogod Courtyard at the National Portrait Gallery. http://ellenkwatnoski.com/premier-confluence-dana-tae-soon-burgess-at-the-national-portrait-gallery-april-19-2014/
Even though this was a rehearsal, with stops and breaks for Burgess's and Katia Chupashko Norri's (associate rehearsal director), inventive notes to the dancers, this piece still took our breath away. Choreographer Burgess was inspired by the moody 1938 portrait of modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey by Barbara Morgan. The portrait was part of the Smithsonian Portrait Gallery's show, "Dance the Dream," which featured portraits of legendary dancers, Burgess himself among them.
Doris Humphrey, by Barbara Morgan, 1938
Fraught with psychological overtones, this dance expresses "an emotional terrain of the mind"—in Burgess's words—the uncomfortable state brought about by short meetings—trysts—in which unresolved feelings abound.
The dancers became lit from within as they got into character—even though still working out spacing, timing, and minute changes in hand gestures, arm shapes, and where the dancer's eyes should be focused. These and many other adjustments will ultimately combine to form the intention, emotional content, and musicality of the final performance. We were struck by Burgess's and Norri's precise and sometimes amusing notes to the dancers: "After the contact lens moment," (a dancer plucks something invisible from the floor), "The music is pulling you in," "Picture lasers in your arms carving the space into a figure eight."
From the 2014 National Portrait Gallery Premier
The music for this piece is haunting. Ernest Bloch's "Hebraic Suite" pumps up the emotional content, building tension as the dancers lift each other, fleetingly touch, curl to the ground, and pepper their lyrical movements with highly original hand gestures: pecking, stabbing, caressing, striking, and swooping in crane-like arches.
From the Premier
Next, the company worked on "I Am Vertical," a dance inspired by Sylvia Plath's poem of the same name. Again, as the first-ever resident choreographer at the National Portrait Gallery, Burgess took his inspiration from a small but devastating NPG show of Plath's art and writing. The dance opens with several couples dancing a spirited lindy hop to "Take the A Train." When the music morphs into a surreal warp, a disembodied voice begins to read Plath's poem: "I am Vertical…But I would rather be horizontal." The dance plays with planes – upright and utterly still lying down. Following the poem's haunting ending, "I shall be useful when I lie down finally," we hear Plath interviewed about her fateful meeting with fellow poet and husband-to-be Ted Hughes. The role of Plath is danced by Sarah Halzack, with three other women dancers appearing as muses or influences on the poet; they change roles now and then, with each seated, miming typing on an invisible typewriter.
Sylvia Plath 1932 – 1963
Again, the dancing is sublime, the choreography original, and the emotional content utterly riveting.
After the rehearsal when the associate artistic director Kelly Moss Southall began literally to roll up the floor, we chatted briefly with Dana regarding the Plath piece. Jeanne, my friend, is a dance lover and a poet herself. Dana told us a bit about his process in creating a dance, how each dancer has her or his own motivations, inner desires, and character arc, and that each section of the dance corresponds to a chapter in a book, or an act in a play.
Once again, we could have watched for hours – and luckily, we will all get the chance to see these gem-like pieces—among others—performed at the Kennedy Center on Friday, June 15th and Saturday, June 16th at the Kennedy Center's Terrace Theater, 7:30PM. Tickets are on sale now!
http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/event/RSXAL
I hope to see you at this much-anticipated event in celebration of the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company's 25th year. We are fortunate indeed to have this stellar dance company performing in Washington, DC, but, in the words of the Washington Post's dance critic, Sara Kaufman, "This artist is not only a Washington prize, but a national dance treasure."
I am Vertical
by Sylvia Plath
But I would rather be horizontal.
I am not a tree with my root in the soil
Sucking up minerals and motherly love
So that each March I may gleam into leaf,
Nor am I the beauty of a garden bed
Attracting my share of Ahs and spectacularly painted,
Unknowing I must soon unpetal.
Compared with me, a tree is immortal
And a flower-head not tall, but more startling,
And I want the one's longevity and the other's daring.
Tonight, in the infinitesimal light of the stars,
The trees and the flowers have been strewing their cool odors.
I walk among them, but none of them are noticing.
Sometimes I think that when I am sleeping
I must most perfectly resemble them —
Thoughts gone dim.
It is more natural to me, lying down.
Then the sky and I are in open conversation,
And I shall be useful when I lie down finally:
Then the trees may touch me for once, and the flowers have time for me.
May 22, 2018 /0 Comments/by Ellen Kwatnoski
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/dtsbdc_25anniversary_8_300.jpg 211 300 Ellen Kwatnoski Ellen Kwatnoski2018-05-22 17:02:322018-05-22 17:02:32Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company — 25 Years of Delighting Audiences in Washington and Around the World
Boston Ballet—Mixed Repertory at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC
D.M.J. 1953-1977
Until this past Thursday evening, I had never seen the Boston Ballet and suspected the company might be some blue-stockinged poor relation of New York's acclaimed companies. Not so! My friend Susan and I were blown away by the quality of the dancing, the startlingly original choreography, and the inventive staging.
The program opened with "D.M.J. 1953-1977," which was created in 2004 and set to music by three Czech composers, Dvorak, Martinu, and Janacek (the D, M, and J of the title). Choreographed by Petr Zuska, the piece opened with the haunting largo section of "New World Symphony." Roses were suspended against a deep cobalt blue background and the dancers were positioned near large stele-like slabs. These vaguely tomb stone-like pieces (which put both Susan and me in mind of "2001, A Space Odyssey") moved throughout the performance, allowing dancers to slide on them, sit on them, or be hidden by them. The roses—red hardly seemed a funerary choice, but more an homage to lost love or passion—appeared and disappeared throughout the
piece. Lyrical and beguiling, the opening section evokes love, loss, and regret.
The mood changes in the middle section—becoming frantic and furious, with dancers moving between the now upright stele with urgency, breathtaking leaps, and an astonishing jump in which a woman leaps into space, parallel to the stage, and is caught in mid-flight, arms reaching straight ahead.
The final section was stripped, literally, of the flowing white and soft grey costumes. Here, the stunning Lia Cirio and Lasha Khozashvili appear in flesh-colored undergarments, sitting, rolling and collapsing on the slabs like broken puppets. In the end, Cirio greedily gathers up masses of roses, allowing them to fall to her feet, and, holding one against her haunted face, lies upon the slab as the curtain comes down.
In comparison, Balanchine's "Rubies" seemed, after its first dazzle—a huge sparkly starburst set against the burgundy curtain—a tad musty in comparison. In its day, Balanchine's choreography was likely sensational (the full piece, "Jewels," premiered in 1967 and was created to showcase the history of classical dance. "Rubies" demonstrated ballet's French foundation, "Diamonds" embodied Russia's imperial style, and "Emeralds," the new American version.)
Susan put it well, "Pretty, but perky."
The final piece, "Bella Figura," choreographed by Jiri Kylian, was a standout, although the recorded music (Lukas Foss, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, Alessandro Marcello, Antonio Vivaldi, and Giuseppe Torelli) was a let-down—all wonderful music, but one missed the orchestra.
First seen in 1995, the piece opens with the house lights up, the dancers engaging in what appeared to be aimless warming-up on a bare, stripped down stage, in silence. As the house-lights come down and the audience quiets, the opening strains of the music seem to cause the dancers to freeze. The curtain comes down partially to frame a single male dancer to the right of the stage. Clad only in flesh-toned briefs and in an impossible shoulder stand, he writhes with the energy of a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. A female dancer on the left scrabbles forward and backward, uttering a silent scream, as the black curtain embraces her, then releases her to dash forward again.
The choreographer makes each movement so economical, yet so full of brimming emotion, that you're riveted to the many small stories emerging, collapsing, and flowering again. The overarching emotion is longing—a tender yearning for love and connection, a kind of lamentation. Danced on a dramatically lit bare stage with a molten surface, much of the piece is crisply matched to the music. Sharp arm movements, and flexed feet are balanced by sensuous hip swivels and undulating backs; marvelously inventive slides and percussive slaps climax in an extraordinary lift, in which the woman, caught by the man, falls limp in his arms and, melting onto the floor, walks, lynx-like, on all fours, with the man's hand resting lightly on her back, as if tethering
her. Halfway-across the stage, they switch, he on all fours, she resting a hand on his back.
The appearance of a crimson-skirted, bare-chested woman is as startling as one of the male dancers crash-landing on the stage at a particularly percussive moment in the score. The duet which follows has it all: percussive hand and foot movements, off-kilter flexed feet, even a vampire bite. Soon our herky-jerky duo are banished from the stage by a majestic line of the red-skirted women, who stand, arms extended at the elbows, to catch the
descending curtain, then fling it over their heads. Evocative of Balinese dancers crossed with Samuri warriors, bare-chested men join the procession. At the close of this ravishing section, two women approach the curtain, and leaning into it, swoon onto the stage repeatedly—another of the inventive uses of the curtain as prop, or as a seemingly living part of the dance. In the end, they shed their skirts, leaving them bunched at their feet as their bodies wave like sea anemones, blown this way and that by unseen currents.
In the final section, two couples are flanked by flaming sconces. When the haunting vocal solo ends, you can hear the muffled sound of the flames as the dance continues in silence, ending with a touching sequence in which the male dancer, his face stricken, gently moves the raised shoulder of his partner down, and she returns the gesture, as if soothing the anxiety out of the other's body. And so it ends.
See Bella Figura here, in full: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFg8DUjEH0o
June 7, 2014 /0 Comments/by Ellen Kwatnoski
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/bella5.jpg 225 225 Ellen Kwatnoski Ellen Kwatnoski2014-06-07 20:30:372014-06-07 20:30:37Boston Ballet—Mixed Repertory at the Kennedy Center, Washington DC
Premier, "Confluence" — Dana Tae Soon Burgess at the National Portrait Gallery, April 19, 2014
Under the floating roof of the National Portrait Gallery, old and new fans of Washington DC's preeminent dance company, Dana Tai Soon Burgess (DTSB), were treated to a new piece, "Confluence," once again inspired by the on-going show, "Dance the Dream." For this piece, Burgess took his inspiration from the moody 1938 portrait of modern dance pioneer Doris Humphrey by Barbara Morgan.
Fraught with psychological overtones, the image led Burgess to make this new dance expressing "an emotional terrain of the mind" whose predominant theme is the uncomfortable state brought about by short meetings—trysts—in which feelings are unresolved.
Ten dancers enter from "off stage," elegant in Judy Hansen's black costumes, and walk with great ceremony to stand at the far edge of the performance space. In silence, one of the figures swoops away from the others, then another, and another, until they're briefly united, circling a spot at their feet. When the opening notes of Ernest Bloch's "Hebraic Suite" breaks the silence, the viewer is swept away. Divided into four movements that flow into one another seamlessly, the sense of portent is palpable from the outset.
In this piece, Burgess's characteristic spare, clean lines are punctuated with sharp, pecking arm and hand gestures, and an idiosyncratic pulling motion that seems to draw an invisible thread from inert figures on the floor. Fluid, organic movements mingle and merge in hypnotic ways, the dancer's faces showing more and more eye contact and emotion—ranging from wariness to openness to outright fear—as the dance progresses. This churning intensity propels the dancers upward into spectacular lifts and downward into curled resting positions. Twice, male dancers lift women and hold them aloft, straight as exclamation points, like "pillars of emotion," to use Burgess' words.
While exploring the uncertainty of short relationships that "are not love, not trusting," the dance shows us the various effects of touch—it can soothe and it can hurt. Hands caress, appear to strike, swoop in crane-like arches, and, in staccato bursts, express frustration and tension between partners. Dancers also leaned their heads on their partner's shoulders, backs, and arms, allowing momentary respite from the mood of suspended anxiety and bringing a fleeting sweetness into the mix. Not that this sustained emotion is hard to watch. Quite the contrary. It would have been impossible to look away.
The complex choreography, seemingly propelled by the swirling, eddying music, conjures bodies of water meeting, joining and flowing in sometimes gentle and sometimes turbulent ways. I was particularly struck by the complex whorl of movement in which the woman lifted the man, and another pairing in which the woman rolls her head and upper body along the outstretched arm of the man. The work is filled with many such strikingly original moments.
"Confluence" ends with a woman placing her hand on a fallen man's body. Her expression is unreadable—does she feel victorious, dominant, or tender? It's a moving end to a piece in which the viewer is pulled into a darkly absorbing psychological space. Doris Humphrey would have loved it!
Being able to see such exquisite work in such a fabulous setting is a privilege and a gift. We who are DTSB fans look forward to seeing this new piece performed in a traditional setting. If you're not familiar with this treasure of a dance company, do visit their website at http://dtsbdc.org/ and make a point to see an up-coming performance. To echo, Amy Henderson, the adventurous curator of "Dancing the Dream," you can't have a static museum show about dance. We hope this exciting collaboration between museum and choreographer-in-residence will endure and flourish.
And, if you haven't seen it yet, "Dancing the Dream" is on view in the National Portrait Gallery until July 13, 2014. http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/exhdance.html
Photos by Jeffrey Malet of WUSA/Channel 9
April 24, 2014 /0 Comments/by Ellen Kwatnoski
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/dana14.jpg 510 680 Ellen Kwatnoski Ellen Kwatnoski2014-04-24 20:08:272014-04-24 20:08:27Premier, "Confluence" — Dana Tae Soon Burgess at the National Portrait Gallery, April 19, 2014
Premier, "Homage," Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company in Residence at the National Portrait Gallery
Ceiling, Kogod Courtyard, National Portrait Gallery
We gathered under the floating glass and steel roof of the Kogod Courtyard. Encircled by the Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum in Washington, DC, the courtyard, with its filtered light and lacey trees, is always magical. But on Saturday, November 16, it bloomed in a new way when the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company took to the floor to perform a new site-specific work, "Homage."
Inspired by the show now on display, "Dancing the Dream," the piece drew from the work of the greats of American dance: Katherine Dunham, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, and Bill T. Jones, to name just a few. The accompanying music drew from the show as well, and flowed into spoken commentary by dance sages: Merce and Martha, Bob Fosse, and others' voices I didn't recognize. No matter—the combination of music and spoken word blended well and reminded the audience that dancers are smart, and that dance is about ideas, emotion, and idiosyncratic expression as much as it is about supple, rigorously trained bodies.
Rehearsal, "Homage," at National Portrait Gallery, Dana Tai Soon Burgess Company
But oh, those bodies! Burgess's dancers are highly skilled performers of his fluid, organic, choreography. Theirs is a quiet strength, never flashy, but delivering the emotional depth and joy this piece demanded.
Opening with a bang and declaring right off the bat that the piece was to celebrate and explore the heart of what makes American dance American—a "regular guy" burst onto the stage in a blue shirt and bow tie. Dancing along to an exuberant "Yankee Doodle Dandy," he was joined by eight dancers who performed duets, solos, and ensemble dances. Accompanied by classical music, blues, rock, Elvis, and possibly Shirley McLaine, the choreography suggested rather than mimicked the greats of Broadway, ballet, and modern dance. Love duets were particularly fresh and charming. The dancers moved in perfect unison even when dancing to the spoken word. They were counting in their heads, you knew that, but their rapt faces never betrayed anything other than the spontaneous joy of the dance.
Judy Hansen's costumes were perfect. In a range of blues and blacks, they included a swingy ingénue dress, simple work-out clothes, and a jaunty Busby Berkeley-like culottes dress with a pale blue collar.
After the performance, "Dancing the Dream" beckoned from inside the Portrait Gallery. The show "tells the story of performers, choreographers, and impresarios who harnessed America's diversity and dynamism into dance styles that defined the American experience," through "experiment and lack of truck with the past." Organized by rooms devoted to Pop, Ballet, Broadway, Hollywood, and Choreography, all painted in vivid colors–Chinese red, lime green, peacock blue, fuchsia, and a deep marigold–the show presents portraits of dance greats in all media: film, photography, drawings, paintings, posters, and video clips.
The photographs drew me most powerfully.
Suzanne Farrell and Peter Martins (from "Chaconne"), by Max Waldman, 1976
Here are the sweetly paired Peter Martins and Balanchine muse Suzanne Farrell, by Max Waldman, 1976, accompanied by this quote from Martins: ". . . We were literally dancing the music. I felt like a violin."
Michio Ito, pictured in an image by Nickolas Murray, 1921, has a fascinating story. He visited Paris in 1911 where he saw Isadora Duncan and the Diaghilev Company perform. Profoundly affected by this experience, he formed his own troupe and went to Hollywood in 1929. After Pearl Harbor he was interned, nay imprisoned, at a relocation camp in New Mexico until 1943 when he was repatriated to Japan in a prisoner of war exchange. After the war, he choreographed revues for the soldiers of the American occupation in Tokyo.
After studying at the pioneering Denishawn School, Doris Humphrey developed her own technique that emphasized breath, balance, "fall and recovery," using weight and spatial orientation in new ways. She left the dance world her invention– "labanotation"–a system for recording dance which allows choreography to be passed along to future performers. Here she is, as photographed by Barbara Morgan in 1938.
Judith Jamison, upon taking over as head of the Alvin Ailey Company, said, "I don't feel I'm standing in anyone's shoes. I'm standing on Alvin's shoulders." This gorgeous image taken by Max Waldman in 1976, shows her own formidable shoulders and strong presence.
Judith Jamison, by Max Waldman, 1976
Gregory Hines, who raised tap dancing to a high art and believed it to be the true American dance form, started off performing as a child with his brother and father in "Hines, Hines and Dad." I love this barefoot image by Robert Mapplethorpe taken in 1985.
Finally, the incomparable Bill T. Jones, as captured by Robert Mapplethorpe, again in 1985. Founder of a highly experimental dance company with Arne Zane in the 1970s, Jones used improvisation and an individual style to shape his works, among them Tony award winning "Fela!"
Gregory HInes, by Robert Mapplethorpe, 1985
While I was delighted to see a portrait of our own Dana Tai Soon Burgess (Mary Noble Ours, 1978) I could have done without Beyonce's video of "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and sorely missed seeing an image of one of the most important modern dance pioneers, Erick Hawkins, my great teacher in New York.
Still, there is much to love here: the mind-blowing Nicholas Brothers leaping down stairs and landing in the splits, a campy Busby Berkeley water ballet, the irrepressible Josephine Baker in her banana skirt, John Travolta's oddly robotic "Saturday Night Fever" disco performance, and much more. The footage from "Soul Train" juxtaposed against that from "Dance Party" speaks volumes.
Bill T. Jones, by Robert Mapplethorpe, 1985
On view until July 13, 2014, this show is not to be missed if you're a dance lover, or simply an appreciator of this wildly diverse and creative country we live in.
Click here for more information:
http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/exhdance.html
To learn more about the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Company, please click here:
http://dtsbdc.org/
November 25, 2013 /2 Comments/by Ellen Kwatnoski
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/jamison.jpg 390 371 Ellen Kwatnoski Ellen Kwatnoski2013-11-25 23:44:052013-11-25 23:44:05Premier, "Homage," Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company in Residence at the National Portrait Gallery
Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, DC's performance in honor of Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909 – 1929: When Art Danced with Music
Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington performance in honor of the Ballets Russes
As an accompaniment to this fabulous show at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, students from the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, DC performed excerpts from L'apres-midi d'un Faune (Afternoon of a Faun) and The Firebird on July 13, 2013 in two standing-room-only performances on the mezzanine just outside of the gallery where show is mounted.
The performance was introduced by Martin Fredmann, artistic director of the Kirov Academy who was justifiably proud of the young dancers. Offering a high school diploma in addition to dance studies, the Academy places an astonishing 75 percent of its graduates in major dance companies around the world. After this performance, it's easy to see why.
Nymphs from L'apres-midi d'un Faune (rehearsal photograph)
Fredmann told the audience that Claude Debussy, in creating music for L'apres-midi d'un Faune, was inspired by the French symbolist poet, Stefan Mallarme's poem of the same name, while Nijinsky took the naturalistic choreography of Michel Fokine in a new direction, devising "archaic" movements recalling the stylized front-facing figures on ancient amphorae. Fredmann invited the audience, lacking a curtain, to close their eyes and "await the magic." As the music began, there was young Emerson Moose atop a large rock apparently sunning himself until the gauzily-clad nymphs appear. A beguiling Faune dressed in skin-colored leotard and tights, Moose was a lithe sprite to the nymphs' more reserved progress across the stage. Bailey Anglin, as the lead nymph, carried a raspberry scarf as enticement to the Faune. Once the nymphs have vanished and our Faune is left only with the scarf, he mounted his rock with deliberate steps, lay face-down upon it, and turned to extend one leg in an insouciant way, as if to say, look at my beautiful leg. I alone am enough!
During the interval between performances, Fredmann talked about Natalia Gonchorova's complete redesign of the Firebird set (see my earlier blog post http://ellenkwatnoski.com/2013/07/07/lush-life-part-ii-when-art-danced-with-music-diaghilev-and-the-ballets-russes-1909-1929/) with the vast onion-dome backcloth and brilliant costumes. Her version was the standard until Marc Chagall did new sets for a 1949 performance with Maria Tallchief as Firebird. Based upon a Russian folk-tale, The Firebird tells the tale of a prince who climbs a wall and finds an enchanted garden owned by an evil wizard. Golden apples hang from the trees, but they pale in comparison to a half-woman, half-bird creature—the magical Firebird he sees there. Dashing Prince Ivan, again danced beautifully by Emerson Moose, spies the exquisite Firebird and hides behind a tree to watch her flit and preen and enjoy being a fiery bird-girl. But, alas, watching is not enough and he must capture the bird, danced by fifteen-year-old Riho Sakamoto. With costumes worthy of Leon Bakst, these lovely dancers made the old folktale come to life without sets, lights, or onion domes. Sakamoto is an astonishingly mature dancer, delicate yet strong, with her bird-like head movements, gorgeous extensions and beautiful line. Her struggle with the Prince was complex dramatically—one had the sense she enjoyed being caught, even as she fights against capture. Perhaps this notion is confirmed when she plucks an enchanted feather from her plumage and bestows it upon the dazzled Prince. Sakamoto and Moose enjoyed a standing ovation from the appreciative audience, both on the mezzanine and literally hanging from the stairwells. Balletomanes: remember those names: Riho Sakamoto and Emerson Moose!
If you come to the August 11, 2013 performance by Dana Tae Soon Burgess you'll see original choreography premiered in a suite of dances "inspired by the spirit of the Ballets Russes." Come early! There will be two performances at 1:30 and 3:30, best seen from the front rows or standing in the back of the performance space. The riser is low enough to provide a limited line of sight much further back than the third or fourth row.
Learn more about Dana Tae Soon Burgess: http://www.dtsbco.com/home/home.html
There's still time to see the show: http://www.nga.gov/content/ngaweb/exhibitions/2013/diaghilev.html
On view until October 6, 2013, the exhibition is well worth seeing, with or without a dance performance accompanying it. Bravo to the National Gallery, the Victoria & Albert Museum (owners of the costume collection), and now, the Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, DC. https://kirovacademydc.org/
July 14, 2013 /3 Comments/by Ellen Kwatnoski
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Kirov4.jpg 640 960 Ellen Kwatnoski Ellen Kwatnoski2013-07-14 21:57:192013-07-14 21:57:19Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, DC's performance in honor of Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes, 1909 – 1929: When Art Danced with Music
New York City Ballet Extravaganza
Carousel (A Dance)
My fellow balletomane and dear friend Susan and I enjoyed last night's performance by the New York City Ballet at the Kennedy Center–a feast for all senses, and in all senses, a masterwork. The program opened with "Carousel (A Dance)," music by Richard Rogers, choreography by Christopher Wheeldon. Under carnival lights, a coltish Lauren Lovette, pursued by partner Robert Fairchild, swoons her way through young love while cheerleader-skirted girls romp with athletic guys on an imagined fairway.
Glass Pieces
The stand-out performance of the evening was the stunning "Glass Pieces," music by Philip Glass, choreography by Jerome Robbins. The piece opens against a stark background, like an enormous sheet of graph paper, and as the music bursts forth, the entire corps is purposefully striding on and off stage, bodies crisscrossing, a pedestrian melee moving to Glass's hypnotic pulses. Amidst this throng, suddenly couples unite, their matching leotard colors signaling that they are mated in some way, and fated to meet, even as the crowd continues to churn around them. In the second movement, solos and pas de deux take place against a black-silhouetted line of female dancers, swaying, stepping, marching, like a frieze on a Greek vase brought to life. Yet, that allusion aside, there's nothing classical about this piece. It is an utterly modern fusion of art, dance, and music. We could have sat through it again and again, riveted.
The final piece, "Vienna Waltzes," set to music by Johann Strauss II, Franz Lehar, and Richard Strauss with choreography by George Balanchine, was equally engrossing and demanded the same level of athleticism of its dancers who are constantly on stage and constantly moving. A full-blown romantic confection, this piece is strikingly different in its classicism and exquisite period costumes. The first act evokes the sweetness of a youthful prom taking place in the Vienna Woods, all swirling pink and cream. The woods part to reveal a flock of wood sprites in hellebore colors. Next comes a burlesque polka in which the couples—girls in saucy frocks dishing it up with their partners (in striped pants and
Vienna Waltzes
pompadour wigs that Susan described as "Bob's Big Boy meets Liberace"). We gasped as the next scene was revealed: the last of the woods melt away and we're in an elegant Belle Époque interior; a mysterious and seductive black-clad woman appeared among the swirling couples. She, pursued by all, chooses the natty red-jacketed cavalry officer as number one on her dance card. Finally, the scene shifts again, and, stag-horn chandeliers lit, the whole company explodes into an exuberant crescendo of whirling ivory skirts and black tuxedos, like calligraphy set in motion.
The same program will be performed today at 1:30 and again at 7:30. If you can make it, go!
http://www.kennedy-center.org/events/?event=BNBSH
March 30, 2013 /0 Comments/by Ellen Kwatnoski
https://ellenkwatnoski.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/th.jpg 155 172 Ellen Kwatnoski Ellen Kwatnoski2013-03-30 19:18:022013-03-30 19:18:02New York City Ballet Extravaganza
Lush Life: Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes 1909 – 1929:...May 19, 2013 - 9:53 pm
Lush Life, Part II – When Art Danced with Music: Diaghilev...July 7, 2013 - 9:25 pm
Pump Me Up!March 19, 2013 - 3:58 pm
Faking It: How the Camera Lied, Even Before PhotoshopApril 14, 2013 - 7:43 pm
Seeing Differently at the Phillips CollectionAugust 12, 2021 - 3:30 pm
Happy New Year from the National Gallery's Sculpture...December 30, 2020 - 1:37 pm
Degas at the Opera–the National Gallery ReopensSeptember 21, 2020 - 1:14 pm
Seeing Slowly on the National MallJuly 18, 2020 - 11:51 am
It is such a pleasure to be introduced to the art you describe...September 10, 2021 - 4:23 am by Vicki Mears Duffett
I thoroughly enjoyed your adventure into slowly seeing and...July 19, 2020 - 11:14 pm by Marty Miner
Very interestingJuly 19, 2020 - 2:16 pm by RICHARD KWATNOSKI
And thank you for yours, Terry!September 16, 2016 - 7:50 pm by Ellen Kwatnoski
Alexander Calder Ballets Russes Bradley Walker Tomlin Carl Andre Chinati Foundation Claes Oldenburg Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company Dan Flavin David Smith Donald Judd Doris Humphrey Edgar Degas George Balanchine Henri Matisse Henry Moore Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Igor Stravinsky Isamu Noguchi Jackson Pollock Jean Arp Joan Miro Man Ray Mark Rothko Mary Cassatt Michel Fokine Monet National Gallery of Art National Museum of American Art National Portrait Gallery Odilon Redon Pablo Picasso Paul Cezanne Philadelphia Museum of Art Phillips Collection Pierre Bonnard Renwick Gallery Richard Diebenkorn Sam Gilliam Sergei Diaghilev Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery The Phillips Collection Vaslav Nijinsky Vincent Van Gogh Virginia Museum of Fine Art Wassily Kandinsky
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My life is going to be changed forever.
- Stricting living expenses due to surgery being moved up... please see updates area for explaination.
I had NO IDEA how serious and life changing this disease is... not COULD BE... but actually is... until... today.
One of my subscribers on YouTube sent me a video of a woman who had just gone through surgery for Kienboch. Hers was a different surgery than what was suggested to me because of how far along her lunate was destroyed in her wrist. It was not her experience that made me realize how serious it was... it was what she was reiterating from what the doctors who specialize in this disease were saying. This is a life long disease that will just get worse over time. Depending on the person, if you are lucky... you will just have limited mobility after surgery (or many surgeries)... which I already have limited mobility NOW... if you are not so lucky... your wrist could end up being fused and rendered almost useless. Thus, this is something that CANNOT be ignored.
After what I heard her reiterate from these doctors, I have decided this is NOT something to experiment with... as it seems that all of these surgeries are literally just "hopeful" type, not the end all fix, as there is none... I am going to try to get into the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix as soon as I can to see a TRUE specialist that literally specializes in Kienbock. I am currently located in MO.
In March of 2017 I started having issues with my right wrist after a minor popping sound happened while driving. No accidents. No recent injuries. Nothing. I immediately had a small swollen area on the top of my wrist. Nothing major but it is still there today. The pain would flare up on and off but never completely went away. I ended up buying a brace, took anti-inflammatory over the counter medications; figuring it would take care of itself.
In June 2017 I started to have a consistent dull sharp pain, an odd pain that I had never really felt before. I finally decided to go to an Urgent Care just to get an X-Ray... they found nothing abnormal and simply said that it is probably carpal tunnel - to follow up with a primary care. My biggest concern was that I possibly had a break or fracture and since that was not the case... I went along with my life and never followed up with anyone. Mainly because, as before, the pain subsided a day or two later. However, the pain continuously came and went. As time passed it was starting to get more intense.
So basically, everything up to this point was money flushed down the toilet. Money I did not have to flush. So... after all those wonderful experiences, I yet again, decided to wait it out.
In Feb 2018, almost a year later, the pain and swelling was still there. Some days so excruciating that I was unable to do ANYTHING. I finally broke down and made yet another appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon who specialized in hands. This time, he actually matched his description. He took X-Rays, did not want to be definitive but said it could be something called Kienbock Disease. A VERY RARE condition. So he ordered an MRI - did a follow up and sure enough, he was right. To be honest, with doctors these days, I was rather impressed that he had the right diagnosis before the MRI... I digress. He suggested a Radial Shortening surgery in my arm. I own a business that I use my hands for entirely and this was busy season... so I said I would have to push it out to at least July. Not much else was said other than a follow up appointment made for June.
My husband and I (including the doggies) could not be grateful enough for your help.
Had a check up today and it looks like the lunate bone that caused all this COULD collapse based on xrays... as it has gotten worse but the progress of negativity has slowed down exponentially.
Everything else looks good though, screws / fracture where they cut the bone.
I am doing quite well with function though so I was a little surprised to hear abt that lunate. Just need to baby it a little more.
Hope everyone is doing well! Thank you for prayers and generosity!
Just wanted to do a quick update. My scar is healing well; unfortunately it looks like there will be a straight line through my tattoo that will look like there is no ink. However, I am VERY grateful they were able to line it up correctly!!!
Recovery is a little slower than I expected... I always have high expectations of myself though LOL! I have learned how to create most of my flowers with my left hand - so I was able to reopen my store about a little over a week ago! Bummer I am still unable to paint my orchids which is where about 80% of my sales are just because they are unique and obviously you cannot find them anyplace in the world. So still financially a bit rough. Trying to make as much as I can on new designs because we are about $300 in the hole with bills - Electric / Cable / Gas / Etc... mortgage is good to go though.
So things are coming along!!!
Thank you ALL for your help during the last few months, it has been a life saver - not sure how we would have been able to get through house bills during that time.
My tattoo looks awesome and I am SO thankful!
UPDATE: I have been having massive muscle spasms the last couple of weeks that are EXTREMELY painful and last a few hours at a time. Had to see the Dr a couple times since they started. Another follow up is Wednesday. Xrays are looking good so far though! Not much healing has occurred... but that is expected. Just going to have to wait out the spasms.
I will continue to update as things move along!
I can barely move my wrist still and strength is so low I cannot open up one of those black paperclips... I was praying that this would be a little easier and actually thought it would be... just so I could get back to work. So I am not sure when I will be reopening my store. HOWEVER, a very creative subscriber from YouTube suggested a fly tying vice - it is for tying/making a type of fishing hook... lack of a better description... to hold boutonnieres. I purchased one for $20 - obviously a cheap one, was not even sure what I was looking at when I got it LOL - and it is a possible solution!!! I just need to stabilize the stem more and practice. Definitely a learning curve to say the least.
Thank you all for your help and generosity and anything you can help with in the future would be awesome as well... just got my medical bills in... ew.
Thank you all again - very much!
So I got some extra pain meds and muscle relaxers. Yay, more drugs. Ugh. They took x-rays, everything looked good so far. Nothing has changed with that lunate bone, thank God, and healing looks good at this point. The part that he sawed in half and took a small portion out of still has a good break in it but the screws look good. It's going to take 10 to 12 months to heal... I have no idea when I'm going to be able to open my business again and I'm going to be screwed here pretty soon.
The picture attached is a pain gel that I've been using for months, it is like gel vicodin... not literally... but it feels that way. You can only get it by prescription. So anyone out there that's having issues, any type of pain issue for that matter, I would suggest trying to get some of this from your doctor. It's a great alternative to having to take pills all the time. I'm starting to use it again where I can.


Thank you everyone for your support! We had a great time at our Mayworks event, engaging in a dialogue about our kwentong bayan/community stories.
We began by honouring the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation and Haudenosaunee Peoples. This city, that many caregivers and allies now call home, is on their traditional territories. Thank you for having us as guests on this land as newcomers and settlers.
Tita Flips, owner/chef of KANTO for making suman!!!
To all caregivers on this Mother's Day, who care for our elders, our children, and the environment, we honour your labour.


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12 Questions for Author Jen J. Danna
This morning, Jen J. Danna, author and infectious diseases scientist, is my guest. So let's find out more about Jen and her gripping mysteries.
About Jen J. Danna
A scientist specializing in infectious diseases, Jen J. Danna works as part of a dynamic research group at a cutting-edge Canadian university. However, her true passion lies in indulging her love of the mysterious through her writing. Together with her partner Ann Vanderlaan she crafts suspenseful crime fiction with a realistic scientific edge.
Their 4 Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries include: Dead, Without a Stone to Tell it; No One Sees Me 'Till I Fall; A Flame in the Wind of Death; and Two Parts Bloody Murder.
Jen lives near Toronto, Ontario with her husband and two daughters, and is a member of the Crime Writers of Canada. You can reach her through the Contact page on her website or by email: jenjdanna at gmail dot com.
Find Jen Danna Online
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Blog: Skeleton Keys
Jen J. Danna Tackles the Dirty Dozen
1. In which genre do you write and why that particular genre?
The Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries falls, as the name suggests, under forensic crime fiction or, more generally, police procedural. I starting writing in this genre because, as a scientist myself, I found the science fascinating and it drove me crazy when TV shows like CSI took forensic shortcuts in the name of storytelling. I was sure there was a way to tell the story well while staying true to the science involved, so I threw my hat into the ring and gave it a try.
2. What's your most recent book and what's it about?
Two Parts Bloody Murder released just last month, and is the fourth installment of the Abbott and Lowell Forensic Mysteries.
Prohibition was a time of clandestine excess—short skirts, drinking, dancing . . . and death. But a murder committed so many years ago still has the power to reverberate decades later with deadly consequences.
It's a double surprise for Trooper Leigh Abbott as she investigates a cold case and discovers two murder victims in a historic nineteenth-century building. Together with forensic anthropologist Matt Lowell and medical examiner Dr. Edward Rowe, she uncovers the secrets of a long-forgotten, Prohibition-era speakeasy in the same building. But when the two victims are discovered to be relatives—their deaths separated by over eighty years—the case deepens, and suddenly the speakeasy is revealed as ground zero for a cascade of crimes through the decades.
When a murder committed nearly forty years ago comes under fresh scrutiny, the team realizes that an innocent man was wrongly imprisoned and the real murderer is still at large. Now they must solve three murders spanning over eighty years if they hope to set a wronged man free.
3. As an author, what can readers expect when they read one of your books?
Suspenseful storytelling with real and accurate science backing up the forensics.
4. How did you "become" an author? For instance, was there a moment when you said: "I think I'll write a book."
As a teenager, I used to write for fun with a girlfriend. We'd snail mail each other chapters of our latest works (I'm sure they were terrible, but I'd really love to see some of that material again, just for the sake of nostalgia). That girlfriend is now children's author R.J. Anderson.
I gave up writing completely sometime during my high school years, then went to University, started my career at the university, got married, had two kids and life was busy for a long time. But years later, when the kids were more independent, I started to dabble again. I met my writing partner Ann Vanderlaan over the internet, we wrote four or five trunk novels together and then decided to try to make a go of professional writing. The first book in the series, Dead, Without a Stone to Tell It, was that novel.
5. What's the best thing about being an author?
Without a doubt, the best aspect of being an author is interacting with readers. After so long with these characters living in your own head, it's an amazing experience to be able to discuss them as if they were real people with readers who love them as much as you do.
6. What's the worst thing about being an author?
Juggling my time. I still work full time in an infectious disease research laboratory, so I have to shoehorn my writing time into every available minute—before work, on my lunch break, after work and then after dinner. To my husband's great regret, we have no social life because I simply don't have time for one. Lucky for me, he's supportive and understanding about the whole thing.
7. Do you have editions of your books available other than ebook editions?
Our novella, No One Sees Me 'Til I Fall, installment #2 in the series, is only available in eBook format. The first book in the series, Dead, Without a Stone to Tell It, is available in hardcover, eBook and, as of January, mass market formats. The second book in the series, A Flame in the Wind of Death, is also available in hardcover and eBook formats, but will be available in mass market as of April 2015. The latest installment, Two Parts Bloody Murder, is currently available in hardcover and eBook.
8. Do you listen to audio books? If so, what device do you use?
Due to time constraints, audiobooks are my main way to consume fiction. I listen when I'm driving, cooking, or doing dishes. I love them! I use an iPod touch for my audiobooks because otherwise I'd be constantly draining my smart phone battery.
9. What device do you use to read ebooks?
I have an older Kindle model and split my reading between that and my phone, depending on where I am at the time and how much time I have to read.
10. If you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring author, what would it be?
Be persistent. If being traditionally published is what you really want, don't give up after 25 agent rejections. Don't give up after 8 or 10 publisher rejections. If it's not the right book this time, write the next one and try again. It's all about finding the right match between author, book, agent, and publisher, so stick with it.
11. If you could tell readers one thing, what would it be?
In a world where free and 99¢ eBooks generally devalue the work we do, to remember that authors spend months and years pouring heart and soul into their work. So to ask for fair compensation for their art isn't unreasonable.
12. What is your big dream (or goal) as a writer?
To someday earn enough money by writing to be able to really devote myself to my craft. Right now, it has to take second place to supporting my family, but maybe someday it can be my focus. I live in hope! :)
Reprise: Two Parts Bloody Murder
It's a double surprise for Trooper Leigh Abbott as she investigates a cold case and discovers two murder victims in a historic building. But when the victims are discovered to be relatives—separated by over eighty years—the case deepens. When a murder committed nearly forty years ago comes under scrutiny, the team realizes that an innocent man was imprisoned and the real murderer is still at large. Now they must solve three murders spanning eighty years if they hope to set a wronged man free.
Buy Two Parts Bloody Murder
Hardcover from Amazon U.S. * Hardcover from Amazon Canada * Hardcover from Amazon UK * Hardcover from B&N
Isn't it fascinating to learn about authors and what they write? Pick up Jen's book today.
Labels: Authors, Digital Publishing, Interviews, Pop Culture, Readers, Thursday3Some, Writing Biz
Jen J. Danna Wednesday, March 04, 2015 11:00:00 AM
Joan, thanks for hosting me today!
Joan Reeves Wednesday, March 04, 2015 4:12:00 PM
Jen, it's been a pleasure!
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Kick off Mondays with this delicious meat-free dish. I made a batch of these, they are very handy to store in the fridge or lunch box and heat when the hunger strikes. Falafels contain a nice variety of vegetables like chickpeas and sweet potatoes, to help you achieve and eat a healthy diet. Added to the dish is zoodles (zucchini spiralized), cherry tomatoes, coriander, shredded carrots and avocado. Sprinkled with sesame seeds, lime juice and chilli flakes.
* TIP: for convenience I buy the shredded carrots, white cabbage and purple cabbage mixes in the supermarket to make salads. They are very handy and quick , plus boost your plant intake.
pinch of Salt & Pepper.
1. Peel and boil sweet potatoe, until soft.
2. Pop sweet potatoe, chickpeas, garlic, cumin, chili, coriander, tamari, salt & pepper. Blitz until smooth mixture is formed.
3. Roll the mixture into 4 burger patty shapes , sprinkle on black & white sesame seeds.
4. Pop on a tray & bake until golden brown. I baked for 25 minutes at 180 degrees, or if you want a crispy exterior leave for another 5 minutes.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Neurofeedback is based upon the principle that there is a normal pattern of brain wave activity and that the brain regulates itself based upon this pattern.
When customized treatment plans are put together to help you achieve your optimal goals whether you are a child or an adult.
Individuals are hooked up to a computer using wires and sensors and the computer reads their brainwaves and helps them regulate the brainwave dysregulations through watching a movie, playing a game or putting a puzzle together.
Much like physical training, we use brainwave training to strengthen specific brainwave patterns.
The more you practice activating a specific area the stronger and more capable that area becomes.
Neurofeedback trains your brain to function more efficiently, improving mental functioning and emotional stability.
Outstanding performers in all fields are taking advantage of neurofeedback technologies to reach their peak; from London's Royal College of Music to poker champions.
It is extensively used in elite sports; by professional golfers, Olympic athletes, and football clubs such as A.C Milan, Real Madrid, and Chelsea.
Brainwaves in proper function run like an orchestra. Nothing too loud, nothing too quiet, with a harmonic beat.
Restoring this natural symphony is what we do. like physical training, we use brainwave training to strengthen specific brainwave patterns.
Neurofeedback is so safe and effective that so many people are using it daily and getting results.
Surgeons use it to improve concentration; corporate executives use it to increase emotional intelligence for improved leadership skills and better time management; others use it as a mental guide to reach mindful, meditative or other spiritual states.
Many people use neurofeedback brain training for release from stress, to improve sleep, and to be at their best no matter what circumstances they face.
AC Milan football club has been using neurofeedback training since 2006, and based on their World Cup win it was adopted by Real Madrid. Chelsea began using it in 2009.
Please Be Advised: The following materials presented on this site are for educational purposes only.
This information is not intended for diagnosis or any other purposes.


Ravens Call From Gothic Coloring Book Selina Fenech Fairies AndBendon Malbucher images that posted in this website was uploaded by ekasapta.me. Ravens Call From Gothic Coloring Book Selina Fenech Fairies AndBendon Malbucher equipped with a HD resolution 1080 x 1440 Pixel.You can save Ravens Call From Gothic Coloring Book Selina Fenech Fairies AndBendon Malbucher for free to your devices.
If you want to Save Ravens Call From Gothic Coloring Book Selina Fenech Fairies AndBendon Malbucher with original size you can click the Download link.


What is the Transition Phase and Why is it so Important?
It is safe to say road racing season has come to an end and the majority of the athletes I work with have over 6 months before their next event (for those of you gearing up for cyclocross, you can stop reading here, bookmark this post, and come back to it in December 🙂 ). I would argue the transition phase is the most important phase of periodized training for an athlete's mental health and motivation. By the time September rolls around, road-specialist cyclists have been training hard for ~5 months, have put in thousands of miles and hundreds of hours on two wheels, have probably been sun-burnt, dealt with saddle sores, crashed, changed flats, ridden in oppressive heat, humidity, and rain, and have had to balance all this training with work, family, and other commitments. Guess what? It is 100% normal and expected to feel unmotivated, generally fatigued, and not have the "itch" to get on the bike and pummel the pedals into submission. Just like you need rest periods in between intervals to be able to accomplish the workout, you need rest periods in between training seasons to be able to grow and progress as an athlete. So, how do I define the transition phase of periodized training?
The transition phase allows for full and extensive muscular regeneration and mental recuperation. It can last from 2-4 weeks, but sometimes needs to be longer if the athlete is experiencing overtraining symptoms.
As stated above, the transition phase is really not about structure or crushing it day in and day out. It is actually the exact opposite! So, if you feel like skipping a workout and staying in your pajamas all day, do it! Literally do anything that makes you happy and do not care about how it will affect your fitness or cycling, you will be getting into your base phases soon after anyways.
For the athletes I work with, I like to include 2 weeks of "Athlete Choice" workouts where it is completely their call if they want to ride or not. I also include a few days of bodyweight only strengthening exercises to prepare their bodies for the off-bike strength and power training to come. After these 2 weeks, the athlete is usually feeling mentally refreshed, but this does not mean they are ready to start crushing it again! Normally, I schedule an additional 2 weeks of minimally structured training and encourage cross-training activities to achieve more time away from the bike, as well as prevent cardiovascular fitness losses.
A WORD OF CAUTION: Even though you are in the transition phase, taking a full month off the bike and not doing jack will lead to a great amount of detraining. Try and still do something to get the heart rate up a few times week that isn't cycling! This can be hiking, running, rowing, elliptical, stair-master, etc.
I also like to include some mental training if the athlete is completely burnt out from a long season. The mental training I recommend is meditative primarily and focused more on relaxation versus getting fired up. Check out Headspace online and in the app store if you are interested in this further.
As stated above, the transition phase is typically 2-4 weeks in duration, but can be longer if needed. Typically, I like to see my athletes re-engage with structured training after 4 weeks to prevent any additional detraining. Besides the time stipulation being satisfied, I also like to see the athlete having the "itch" to train again and being excited to swing their leg over the top tube. Normally I can see this via data analysis (more structured work versus just riding, Strava KOM attempts, etc) as well as communication with the athlete (workout and interval focused post-activity comments versus commenting on the weather, how many turkeys they saw on the ride, who they rode with, etc). Once you have these few boxes ticked, it is time to get back on it!
So, my fellow roadies, use the next few weeks to chill out and truly embrace your transition phase. Don't worry about structure, what your FTP is, your placing on that Strava KOM, and better still, put your Garmin in your back pocket and just look and listen to the world pass you by. One of my favorite expressions this time of year is "No Garmin No Rules", do yourself a favor and abide by it for a little bit.
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Kids Group Classes Trainers
DANIEL ANTOR
After 20 years in the cars industry, Daniel Antor joined Stejarii Country Club team to develop new projects meeting the expectations and standards of the Club's clients. Daniel wants his relationship with Club's members to build up as a fair partnership, in order to provide them the best conditions for training, relaxation and well-being.
ALEXANDRA BRATU
Alexandra has over 13 years of experience in marketing, sales and customer care, in domains such as automotive, real estate, retail etc. She graduated the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations at SNSPA and over the years has accumulated skills in developing marketing strategies, marketing management, negociation, business planning. Always attentive to the smallest details, perfections and positive, Alexandra is an extremly valuable member the Stejarii Country Club's team.
ALIN IENAC
Alin began his involvement in sport from the very young age of four. He started with swimming and by age 8 he started focusing on team sports like basketball and handball. At age 14 he began his professional career at the "U Cluj" rugby team, which he continued until he turned 18. His experience taught him the importance of discipline, teamwork and determination. After quitting professional athletics for a while, Alin gained 30 kg in weight. Thus he enrolled for the courses of the Babes Bolyai Physical Education and Sports Academy in Cluj Napoca, where he broadened his experience with sports like: swimming, track and field, fitness, cycling, ski and tennis. In 8 month, with the help of a steady diet, he was back to his old weight. After finishing University courses he enrolled for a Master's Degree in Training and Sports. Since then he is an avid supporter and practitioner of crossfit. His personal motto is: "Don't limit your challenges, challenge your limits!"
BOGDAN RIZESCU
CHIEF OF CONCIERGE
After graduating the University of Economics of Commerce, Tourism and Services. Bogdan has gained experience in services and sales, working for a while in luxury hotel market in Bucharest. He is part of the Stejarii Country Club team from 2015, where he started as member of the Concierge team to become now the Chief of Concierge. Bogdan is very organized and has specific abilities in resolving issues and treating all customers with respect.
GABRIELA ONETE
Gabriela is responsible with sales and promotional activities, as well as with maintaining a quality relationship with club members. With her background in marketing and the degree in Finance and Banking from the Economic Studies University, Gabriela is well prepared to rise above any challenge in her field.
ADRIANA IORDACHE
Adriana brings in Stejarii Country Club's team over 10 years experience in sales, gained both locally and internationally. Her experience in service industry, customer support, organization and supervision of events to the highest standards help her understand in detail the needs of each client and find the most effective solutions, contributing to the added value brought to each Club member every moment.
DENISA BALOMIR
ANDRA DANCESCU
ROXANA NICOLAE
SORIN MINCA
BANQUETING MANAGER
ALEXANDRU ROSU
PERSONAL TRAINER/FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
Alexandru received his license from the Physical Education University and also has a Master's Degree in Bodybuilding, Fitness and Personal Training. He is an international Power-Plate instructor and IRB Strength and Conditioning Coach, with many degrees in various sports and fitness activities. His athletic records are also very impressive. Alexandru is a three times National Champions and double Vice Champion in track and field and was also a member of the Romanian National Rugby team. His main motto is "If You've Got The Will, I've Got The Way!"
ANDREI BADIRCEA
With a bachelor's degree in Physical Education, specialized in Sports and Motric Performance, Andrei first took contact with sports at age 6 practicing football until the age of 20, at the highest level of performance. He continued his care as a Personal Trainer because his objective is to make people get in the best shape. Motto : " Impossibile is Nothing "
VALENTIN LEMNARU
PERSONAL TRAINER / GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
Valentin practiced professional athetism for 12 years. Also, he won the second place in the Balkan Championshim "European Games", four national championship titles, two silver medals and three bronze medals in the high jump probe. Valentin has 5 years of experience in fitness and personal training. He graduated the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports and has a Masters degree in Athletics Specialisation. Valentin is an open person, optimistic, with sense of humous, full of energy. He enjoys outdoor trainings and dynamic exercise. Motto: "Life has no limits, except those that you set for yourself."
VLAD BUCSA
Vlad Bucsa is one of our qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor at Stejarii Country Club. He is a triple World Champion and double National Champion in Ashihara Karate and a person who is truly passionate about health and fitness. His goal is to help people achieve their goals. He strongly believes that movement means health. "Challenge Yourself! Train with me and let's architect your body!".
VLADIMIR BIASUTTI
PERSONAL TRAINER / FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
Vladimir is a personal trainer and fitness instructor with over 23 years of experience in sports performance (swimming, basketball). Multiple national champion and coach of the senior men's basketball team "CSO Voluntari", Vladimir holds a wide range of international certifications, including: Functional Training Advanced, Strength & Conditioning Coach, Power Bands, Bulgarian Bag, 3D Bosu Ball, Kettlebell, Animal Flow. His motto: "Work hard, Dream big!"
CATALIN OPREA
Catalin began his sports career practicing lawn tennis for 5 years and, from the age of 16, fitness has come a lifestyle for him. Due to perseverance and hard work, Catalin became champion at "Men's Physique" category in 2018, as well as winning the bronze medal at Balkan championships. Over time, Catalin has perfected his sports activity following multiple specialization courses: Power Bands, TRX Suspension, Nutrition. His Motto: "One Life, One Body, One Chance!"
IULIA POPA
FITNESS MANAGER
From her standing position as Fitness Manager, Iulia is responsible for coordinating Stejarii Country Club's fitness zone, managing the team of professional trainers and setting up personal training appointments. Iulia has earned the title of Elite Master Trainer on Personal Training while attending the Scandinavia School and has over 10 years of experience in collaborating with numerous high end sports clubs. Another thing that sets Iulia apart is the fact that she was a professional athlete for over 8 years and was a high jump national champion. She is also a graduate of the Romanian-American University's Management and Marketing Faculty and is on her way to recieve a Master's Degree in nutrition from the Sports and Physical Education University
LAURA CUPSA
Laura began making sport at the age of 4, and at 6 years she participated in her first competition of rhythmic gymnastics, was multiple national champion, and at the age of 12, she was selected in the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics. In 2007 began to participate in fitness competitions in the IFBB, in 2008 and 2014 she was National Champion, in 2009 European Champion, 2010 World Champion and in 2015 Balkan Fitness champion. She studied at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport at the University in Cluj Napoca and is certified as a personal trainer and fitness instructor at FRCF.
CATALIN GHERMAN
Catalin has graduated the National School of Coaches, is an IFBB accredited fitness instructor who holds a wide range of international certifications, including: Sports Biomechanics Specialist, Functional Training Specialist, Speed, Quickness and Agility Specialist, Children Programs Developer, Pre and Post-natal Fitness, Assisted Stretching Biomechanics, Sports Nutrition Specialist
LAURA CRISTACHE
Laura has practiced artistic gymnastics from age 5 to 12. Later, she practiced aerobic gymnastics and for 8 years she has been part of the National Team of Aerobics. Because of her perseverance, hard work and talent, Laura won, along the years, over 30 national and international medals and multiple European and worldwide titles. Laura graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports and from the Marketing and International Business Economics University. She completed her studies with a Masters Degree in Physical Education and Sports Training. Also, she is a member of the company AEROS and a national and international arbitrator at aerobic gymnastics. Later, she took classes of Aerobic Advanced Choreography, Step Advanced Choreography, Port de bras, Zumba, Bulgarian Bag, Kettlebell, C- Core, Healthy Spine and as a personal trainer she has a 4 years experience. Her motto is: Believe in yourself! You have more power than you think.
DRAGOS VASILE
Pro athlete since the age of 12. Handball coach and player in the national junior and youth teams. Former player of the National League teams Uztel Ploiesti, Dinamo Bucuresti and Steaua Bucuresti. University of Pitesti Alumnus, specialized in Sports and Kinetic Performance and licensed in handball. Specialized in physical preparation, muscle toning and functional training. Certifications: TRX suspension training, TRX sport medicine, Foam rolling level 1, Myofascial compression tehniques and SFT (surface free training). Motto:"Choose bold objectives and don't stop until you get there!"
DRAGOS IVAN
Dragos has graduated the National Academy of Physical Education and Sports with a degree in Kinesiotherapy and Special Motricity, finishing the master courses in Nutrition and Body Reshaping. With 9 years' experience in fitness and group fitness, he attended several courses and workshops, posture and training, functional training, steel training. Motto: "Save the excuses, it's not about having time, it's about making time. If it matters, you will make time."
SORIN DRAGHICI
Sorin has graduated the University of Physical Education and Sports and after that he has completed the Master in Sportive Performance. He is a former professional athlete, multiple national and international champion and has broken many national records at the 100 m and 400 m hurdles. With a vast experience in this field, Sorin brings new methods of training, which will help you achieve the desired results in a very short time. You will also learn how to exercise correctly, avoiding accidents. Personal Motto: "Don't give up, just keep following your dream!"
GEORGE STROILESCU
Gratuate of Faculty of Physical Therapy at UNEFS and former performance athlete, George is currently both a Move On fitness instructor and a Personal Trainer at Stejarii Country Club. Following the "Train smart" motto, George combines during his workouts, fitness exercises with the principles of physiotherapy, helping Club's members to achieve their sports goals, reshape their body and improve their health.
MATEI CERNAT
MIKE CUC
CYCLING INSTRUCTOR
OVIDIU ATANASIU
GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
ANCA BUCUR
Anca started to practice sports when she was 3 years old, and so far, this is the passion that helps her feel 100% satisfied. After winning her medal at world championships of aerobic gymnastics, Anca has transformed her passion for movement and performance in her job. She currently holds 5 world titles, Miss Fitness Universe, and, as a fitness coach, she has won countless certifications in the past 13 years. She enjoys doing what she likes while delivering energy, balance and orientation towards a healthy and active lifestyle.
ELDAR-SEBASTIAN ROSIANU
TENNIS DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR
Sebastian has been practicing tennis from the age of 10 years old – he was part of the National Junior Team under 16 years. He gained a rich experience in juniors and seniors, national and international competitions (FRT; ETA, ITF), both singles and doubles. Currently, Sebastian is part of the tennis team at Stejarii Country Club, and his experience as a player and coach helps and motivates members to improve their level of playing.
VLAD MARINESCU
TENNIS INSTRUCTOR
Vlad began his tennis coaching career in Romania, working with highly regarded professionals like Simona Halep, Camelia Begu and Monica Niculescu. He perfected his studies and professional training in the United States, where he taught at the prestigious Harvard Tennis Academy and held an assistant's position at the Tennissmith Academy. In 2011 Vlad was captain of the Wichita State University tennis team and by 2013 he was employed as the head coach for the Brookhaven Country Club in Texas. Presently, Vlad is part of the Stejarii Country Club team of professional trainers and he is using his vast experience to help club members perfect their athletic abilities.
ALICE BANICA
Alice started practicing professional tennis when she was 7, making herself noticed in national and international competitions for juniors. Multiple national champion at double game, Alice graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, Tennis specialization. As a member of the Stejarii Country Club team, she helps the members improve their playing techniques and reach their the desired goals, by using all her sports knowledge.
ANDREI DUMITRASCU
TENNIS COACH
Being passionate about tennis since the age of 5, Andrei has participated in national and international tournament both for juniors and seniors. He is also vice-champion for the junior team and was sparring partner for Alexandra Dulgheru for 2 years. As a teacher, Andrei aims to transmit his passion and tennis knowledge to his students.
NICOLAE STOIAN
KYOKUSHIN KARATE & KICKBOXING TRAINER
Sensei Nicolae Stoian is a European and International Karate Kyokushin champion, and also 11 times National champion between 2000-2012. He has 23 years of experience of fighting in competitions, winning 11 European medals. At the same time he gained a lot of experience as a teacher during the 17 years of teaching Karate Kyokushin and Kickboxing in private schools and clubs.
EDUARD INGEAUA
KICKBOXING INSTRUCTOR
Eduard has been practicing martial arts since 1998, winning the title of National KickBoxing Champion in 2015, being the national champion and senior national champion (2010-2016) and international champion at the Moldovan and Hungarian Championships (2015-2016).
MIHAI MACHITA
As Pool Manager, Mihai is responsible for coordinating the aquatic area and preparing the team of instructors and lifeguards, as well as leading the swimming class. He has practiced professional swimming for more than 17 years and is multiple national and balkan champion, a member of the olympic team and holds the title of Master of Sports since 1998. His vast experience in swimming classes varies from the teaching babies to teaching the elderly and other professional athletes.
LIVIU MAGDA
Liviu has been practicing performance swimming for 13 years, loving the sport since he was 4. He was part of the national swimming team, participated in Masters swimming championships and he fancies the triathlon. For Liviu, swimming is more than a sport, it's a way of living. He is a certified swimming instructor and currently attends the Coaches School CNFPA – Swimming and Modern Pentathlon. Being a very relaxed person, communicative and open-mined, Liviu is equally loved and appreciated by the adults and the little ones.
BOGDAN CAPRARU
As a former professional swimmer for the Dinamo Bucharest Club and a National Water Polo Champion, Bogdan feels like home in water as he feels on solid ground. He is part of the Romanian National team for the European Championship held in Germany. As for education and training, he has a degree from the Physical Education University, a instructor's degree from the National Sports Complex Lia Manoliu and a Fitness Instructor license from the Romanian Federation of Fitness and Bodybuilding. If you were to sum up Bogdan's qualities you would learn that he is a friendly, outgoing, passionate and punctual person.
ROXANA ORZOIU
Roxana has graduated the Academy of Physical Education and Sports, natation area of specialization. She has practiced performance and synchronized swimming for over 12 years and she has an experience of over 15 years in introducing both children and adults to basic and performance swimming. Roxana is a positive, sociable, full of energy and patient person.
CRISTINA LEONTE
Cristina practiced the sport of professional swimming for over 10 years and is a former component of the national team. Her titles include multiple national champion for juniors and seniors, junoir balkan vice-champion, national record holder for the 50m stroke, former member of the olympic rowing team. She is a licensed swimming instructor and has been teaching both children and adults for over 4 years. Cristina's studies include a degree from the Physical Education University and a master's degree in Sports Activity Management.
GLORIA TONE
Gloria is a member of Gifted Education and has special training in psycho pedagogy, socio-educational animation and yoga for children. As a result of direct experience with children, she developed "Move and Ballance" program, combining games and movement so that children learn and improve their age-specific motor skills in a fun, dynamic way. Gloria Tone has been licensed in kinesiotherapy and has been working in the Fitness Group for more than 10 years. Since 2010 her interest in yoga practice has been followed by several training courses in Hawaii, Bali, England (200h YTT, yoga for pregnant women, children yoga, yin yoga). Gloria is also a personal development coach with certifications in NLP, Theta healing, light mandals, reiki, Bach floral remedies and gifted education under the guidance of Professor Florian Colceag.
FLORENTIN CHIRIPUCI
KYOKUSHIN KARATE TRAINER
Florentin graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in Bucharest in 2016, Martial Arts department, but also having Psychological Education Level 1. As a performance sportsman he achieved remarkable results at the National and International Championships during 2010-2016, being also a member of the National Karate Kyokushin Lot (2013-2016).
DENISA GANEA
For Denisa, sport has transformed from career into game. At the age of 5 she began to practice artistic gymnastics and the aerobic gymnastics, and 20 years later, after becoming the European and World Vice-Champion in Gymnastics, she returned to the gym as coach. She is a member of AEROS and in the meantime she has not stopped practicing sports, learning about sports and teaching sports as a fitness group instructor.
Denisa graduated from the NATIONAL EDUCATION AND SPORTS UNIVERSITY, both license and master studies, has been active in this field since 2009, and during those years she learned that when people practice sports, they need to load the instructor's energy to feed their own motivation. Thus, Denisa believes that when we do sport together we share energy and this helps us achieve great physical results, a strong psychic and a happier soul.
BIANCA MARCAROV
Bianca graduated from the National Academy of Physical Education and Sport, the Physical Therapy Department, has a master in Nutrition and Corporal Remodeling, as well as she has postgraduate preparatory studies. Former sports performer at the athletics section of Dinamo Bucharest sports club, Bianca excelled in speed tests, obtaining various medals and titles nationally and internationally recognized. Initiator of the Steel Program in Romania, Bianca is currently instructor of Aerobic, Step, Dance, Rebound, Functional Training, Steel Tonic, Training Steel, Pilates and Yoga.
COSTIN BUCURA
Costin is a martial arts expert, with over 12 years of experience in kickboxing and muay Thai. His involvment in strength classes is obvious because of his prefectly defined phisique. His classes are always packed and he often has to rearrange the equipment in order to allow everybody to practice properly. He cares deeply for his pupils and their performance. When they're ready to give up he always pushes them to surpass their limits and is very, very motivating. "If you care about what you do and you are really involved in it, people will sense it and come to you."
LYORA ZYTER
JANI COSTACHE
Jani graduated from the National University of Physical and Sport Education, the Master of Rehabilitation and Motric and Somato Functional Education and Post Graduate Course of Psysical Coach. Also, she graduated one of the best international schools of Pilates (Basi), has been an accredited teacher of yoga and pilates for more than 8 years and has an experience of over 10 years in the fitness industry. Always with a smile on her face, Jani is the instructor who will help you overcome your limits constantly.


No doubt you've heard of the horror stories involving steroids and of course we have all seen the freakish end result of steroids each year up on the Olympia stage. I though it might be both refreshing and a little more relevant to write a blog detailing how a normal guy with average genetics would fair using steroids. I completed a 10 week cycle with and additional 3 weeks post recovery and have included all the steroids I chose to use and why, the positive and negative results and what kind of training regime I undertook. I'm not here to discuss the ethics of taking steroids, nor am I promoting the use of them and I am by no means an expert of any kind. This is merely a blog of one guy's experience.
Let me begin with a quick self introduction. At age 16 I was 188cm tall and weighed 65 kg. For a teenager who liked physically competitive sports that tall rake like body simply had to change. I had always admired the physics of my favorite cartoon characters such as Superman and the Hulk. Their massive shoulders and rippling arms had long been something I had aspired to. So, at age 16 I began weight training. Like any new sport it took some time to fully understand the weight lifting ethos and master all the basic techniques, but After some time I began to see progress and once I felt that awesome sensation of my first bicep pump I was hooked. I made steady progress into my mid 20's until I was struck down with 2 serious injuries due to football. These injuries cost me 2 years of training and ended my competitive sport playing days.
Since about the age of 26 I've trained constantly with only a few minor injuries and interruptions. I'm currently 33years old and although I was happy with my state of my body there was a desire deep within me to become bigger and stronger. As I passed 30 years of age I found myself training more to just keep in shape than to make progress. 5 nights a week of weight lifting at gym had become 3 nights a week lifting and 2 nights of cardio just to keep the love handles at bay and the weight down. I decided I wanted more than to just tread water. In my early years of training I tried every kind of protein powder imaginable. The only result I noticed from using protein drinks and pill were that my wallet always seemed lighter than it should have been. I began to search the net and tried to find as much information as possible before taking the next step. After a month or so of comparing prices, side effects, benefits, risks and rewards I apprehensively made the decision to try my first cycle of steroids.
My first cycle was 10 weeks on the juice and then about 3 weeks waiting for my body's androgen level to drop to a low enough level. Then 20 days on post recovery cycle. Here's a rough outline of what I did.
Below is my basic training schedule. It is very simple, never working more than 2 muscle groups at a time. I often change the upper body combinations to make sure each workout is a little different. Monday could just as well be chest/triceps or even chest/back.
I think it's important to always be thinking about your workouts ahead of time. So when you enter the gym you have the whole work out planned out in your mind. Also I carried a small note book with me and just kept a log of what exercises I did and how many sets, reps and the weights I lifted. It's very easy to forget from one week to the next exactly what you did the previous week.
David Jacobs (c. 1973 – 5 June 2008) was a personal trainer, convicted steroid dealer and informant.
Dzhambulat "Dzhambik" Khatokhov (born 24 September 1999 in Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia) is the world's heaviest child.


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Mund es una comuna suiza del cantón del Valais, ubicada en el distrito de Brig. Limita al norte y al noreste con la comuna de Naters, al sureste con Birgisch, al sur con Brig-Glis y Lalden, y al oeste con Eggerberg y Baltschieder.

Referencias

Enlaces externos
 Sitio oficial de la comuna de Mund

Comunas del Valais

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


When one thinks of magnetic-based bracelets and jewelry, one may consider chunky and unattractive barricades of magnets that manage to weigh down one's arms. One may set that idea aside as these bracelets can greatly benefit the health along with be fashionable and useful wrist accessories. Magnet therapy has been around for some time now and the improvements in jewelry fabrication contain allowed jewelers to make chic and sleek bracelets produced from magnets.
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What is the difference between a person of faith who is devout and a person of faith who is a fanatic? They could be two sides of the same coin - and that is exactly what this film spends 105 minutes doing, exploring paradoxes.
The way the film is made and the way the story is told are almost of equal stature. The way the script explores and develops the thoughts within a 13th century poem by the Flemish mystic Hadewijch, is masterful. The techniques used when the film was shot to enhance the narrative in a way that strengthens the impact of the story - and this story has many points of impact.
I also found the film frustrating. Sometimes what we were being told seemed so obvious as to be pedestrian. A jump-cut would then take me to another seemingly unrelated scene where I would be struggling to make any sense of what I was watching. There are long passages without dialogue which further enhances the visual storytelling. The added benefit is that the film is in French with good clear subtitles, so when there is little dialogue, it's easier to keep up!
The central character Céline, at the same time feels overwhelmed by the immanent love of God and distressed by the absence of God's presence. For much of the film I asked myself "is she behaving like that because she is naive or because she is so sure of her place before God?". The casting of Julie Sokolowski as the central character is a masterstroke. The way she presents herself and acts makes her character sexually attractive and in the very next frame androgynously asexual and not at all attractive.
The film plays out exploring the paradox of the opulent and privileged central Parisian home life of Céline with the spartan and hopeless existence of Yassine (Yassine Salime) who lives with his brother in a project on the outskirts of the city. It explores the seeming paradox of Christian devotion and Islamic devotion but sadly the film gets sucked in to portraying Christianity with much more sympathetic stereotypes than it does Islam. It explores the paradox of those with faith having no experience of parental love with a convict whose mother believes in him unquestioningly. The film explores the paradox of who is condemned and who acts as saviour. It explores a myriad of other paradoxes as well.
If you are prepared to watch a film that will get under your skin and messes with some of your more comfortable preconceptions, this might be for you. If you want to see people transfigured by an aura when they are having a deep and meaningful experience, this is definitely for you. If you like clever cinematic storytelling you'll love it. In the first scene when we see Céline praying, see what's outside her window. Also, when the convict is with his mother, see what's on the TV in the background - there are others - ikons into other worlds.
Above all, if you enjoy exploring and reflecting on paradoxes, especially in a faith context and are open to discovering new things about yourself - this is definitely for you. Reading the poem written nearly 800 years will help with some of the interpretation. Whether you read it before you watch or afterwards, I will leave to you to decide. The rest is up to you. I'll give it 8/10.
The poem can be found here.


This family of mares was selected in 1998 and 1999 from the long-standing Froelich Ranch in ND due to their concentrated amount of Leo breeding, excellent maternal lines and reputation as ranch horse producers. These mares all rode with lots of sense and big strides. Each has been great producers-they consistently mother really stout colts that are often top sellers in our sale. An added bonus is color, as a group they have produced about 90% roans and grullos to date. See more pictures and additional history on McKeag by clicking here.
McKeag Queen Jewel is bar none our stoutest broodmare-a trait she passes on to her offspring. Her extra volume, muscle & mothering ability result in her colts being very impressive on sale day-most have been among our top sellers going to OK, MO, IA & KS. We've retained an excellent blue roan daughter of her by Blue Max Hancock who is becoming quite a producer in her own right. Gotta love these McKeag mares and their excellent maternal qualities.