Though no photopgraphy/video was allowed during the performances for us laypeople - a few folks were given permission to record. Someone captured Malcolm Stuart's "light" and "dark" performances for Tilted Torch
Light
Dark(ish)
I believe these were the DC performances because the Baltimore audience seemed considerably louder (more drunk?) but, you can see...it was pretty rad.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Tilted Torch: The Bipolar Show
Death was dancing on stage in leopard booty shorts and 3ft stilts.
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| Paco Fish Not pictured, recently removed death shroud. |
It was Saturday night and I was knee deep in the second act of Tilted torch's Biploar show - the theme of which was "bipolarity," complimentary opposition, like the yin and yang - with some part of lightness always in the dark. Paco Fish interpreted this by showing us what "death" did when he was off the clock. Which was, apparently, join the Love Parade.
It was par for the course of the evening, which had already included everything from traditional Egyptian belly dance to a 5 minute opus set to Enrique Iglesias's "Tonight I'm Lovin' You," with the "you" in this case being...cotton candy. Or, cotton candy shaped poi that performer Magnificent Malibu spun around her with undeniable charisma and talent.
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| Ariel |
The production's generous view of the theme allowed for great diversity in the acts, with each performer coming out with their own interpretations of a light and a dark act broken up by a short intermission. The "light" performances acted as a delightful appetizer to the ridiculous, hilarious and unforgettable "dark" second act.
The first dancer was, Ariel, who began with the lovely traditional Egyptian belly dance, but really wowed us with her "dark" second act which was an unexpected mix of belly dancing, pop and lock and break dancing. Co-creator Miss Joule followed her with a traditional burlesque and feather dance act that, I will admit, made me think for the first time that taking my clothes off in public could be a lot of fun. Her second act was described as "walking on glass," which was one of the bigger understatements I may have ever heard. She took to the stage and gleefully stripped down to roll, jump, and stretch on top of a row of broken glass with the same enthusiasm as a kid jumping on the bed while their parents aren't looking. This was the real zest of the show - no matter what they were doing, every performer did it with a confidence that made you think - "I wanna try!" Even if they were rolling in glass...half naked.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Weekend Review 4/24
Happy Holidays Hoopers! Here's this week's weekend review. Stay Tuned for upcoming reviews of Tilted Torch and Malcolm Stuart's Workshop!
MONDAY
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| Monday |
Twin Dancers break it down in this awesome performance!
TUESDAY
Contact Juggling will forever look like magic...and give me an excuse to post videos from the Labyrinth
WEDNESDAY
Must-read essay about how to spot what you love and then turn it into your life.
Got a gig coming up? Tips on performance preparation from Gyropulse
THURSDAY
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| Thursday |
This elephant is hula-hooping -and, is it just me or does that look like a big grin on his face?
Inspiration is everywhere. These new hoops were inspired by a hair style, an old key, and more.
FRIDAY
Blind Photographer Pete Eckert says he is "only a tourist in the sighted world." See his beautiful work here
Want to learn to hoop with someone? No I mean, with someone -as in, in the same hoop! This tandem and tantric workshop is for you, then
Tiana is awesome. Her new hoop space may be small - but she really makes the most of it.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Baltimore Bound
I'm out of town this weekend for Malcolm Stuart's Hoop Master Workshop (after which I will clearly be master of the hoop) and the Tilted Torch Show (fire eating, hooping, burlesque - oh my!) along with a few other adventures up in John Water's native city.
(I just don't think I'll ever be able to think about Baltimore without also thinking about Mr. Waters.
Not that that is a bad thing.)
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| John Waters Somehow I think my adventures will be less adventurous than his. |
Happy Weekend hoopers! Weekend Review and event updates posted soon!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Everybody's Doin' It
One of my favorite bloggers Karla Deras from Karlascloset was spotted on olsenboye holding some big ol' hoops! Will the fashion world and hoop scene finally collide? We shall see...
HoopYogi ~ Tantric & Tandem Hooping with Jocelyn Gordon
Tantric and Tandem hooping? Hmmm...sounds saucy.
From the Hoop Dance DC website:
"I am only a tourist in the sighted world."
These were posted here a bit ago and I completely fell in love with the dream like state created by each photo. They look like watercolor paintings that got caught in the rain and then blown by the wind. How does photographer Pete Eckert create such beauty when he is completely blind?
He did not begin life blind, and was actually a very visually motivated person before being diagnosed with an incurable condition resulting in his blindness. he didn't let that stop him from finding his art. Read his story and the motivation behind his art below and on his website
A short history of how I got into photography.
I didn’t take photography seriously until I went totally blind. I was trained in sculpture and industrial design. I have always been a visual person and planned to study architecture at Yale, but then I started to lose my sight. A doctor coolly told me I had Retinitis Pigmentosa and left the room without further comment. While listening to Dr. Dean Edell, on a San Francisco TV network, I learned I would go completely blind. A caller asked about RP. I remember the doctor’s words; they hit me like a hammer. “A person with RP gradually looses their sight until they go completely blind.“ There is currently no cure for RP. Read More
The Great Link 4/22/11
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| Hooping.org takes a look at what you wear to hoop and what it means. |
--"Certain career choices are fundamentally incompatible with being meaningfully engaged on a day to day basis with a young family." A fascinating TED talk on the reality of work-life balance - without all the fluffy magazine advice that we've all heard before. Highly recommend watching this one (AntiSpin)
--Get started creating some of those awesome isolation/manipulation moves with Drex's Cateye Tutorial. (Youtube)
--A ridiculous number of juggling and flow art tutorials all in one place. yay! (Street Juggling)
--Do the clothes make the hooper? Lara Eastburn explores the changing hoop aesthetic. (Hooping.org.)
--Do the clothes make the hooper? Lara Eastburn explores the changing hoop aesthetic. (Hooping.org.)
Tiana and Her New Hoop Space
It's always a little too exciting when she puts another video out. Sooo gooood.
Wonderland Friday
For some reason I can not get Alice in Wonderland out of my head this morning.
I'd love to see it in production. What is it about wonderland that is so enchanting?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
That's Right, Battle
Best watched on mute. Or maybe that's just me. (The announcers are really obnoxious the entire time, I feel - but I do so enjoy the moves.)
Patterned Stems
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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