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These Haagen-Daz comercials found their way to my computer while I was watching The Office Finale. (The Office is over! Sniff.) Anyway, I loved them both! And now, thanks to the successful marketing of Haagen-Daz, not only do I want ice cream, I also want to go back to Rome, cook Italian food, and watch Swan Lake. Le sigh.
I like it when retailers use ballet companies to model their wares. Last year JCrew used the Mariinsky Ballet to sell sweaters, and here is a Levis commerical that uses the Korean National Ballet:
I am not sold on the jeans, but wasn’t that a lovely commercial?
How is it already Friday again? Don’t get me wrong, I love weekends, but this year is just flying by! I am getting ready for another full weekend, with a couple adventures lined up. I tell you all about it on Monday!
(I can’t find the source for this picture, but I am pretty sure it’s from last year’s JCrew.)
Here is something beautiful to start your weekend!
Source: 79ideas.org via Trena on Pinterest
I found a dance studio and they are currently offering walk-ins for adult ballet classes. So I decided to try a few classes out this week. My first class was last night, and it was not only an amazing workout (my poor calves are still screaming at me, “WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO DESERVE SUCH ABUSE!”), but a trip down memory lane. It’s funny how there are somethings that never change no matter how many years you are away. Like the way the barre makes that creaking sound when it gives and flexes as you stretch. Or the sound slippered feet make on the floor, all moving in unison. Or that feeling of exhilaration when you do grand battement en cloche.
Found this the other day on A Cup of Joy. So beautiful! It’s filmed at 1000 frames per second. The precision is amazing.
Source: hbathegallery.blogspot.com via Trena on Pinterest
So, as I mentioned last week, I went to see the Mariinsky Ballet perform The Firebird and two other pieces. It was breathtaking! I have never seen such a combination of strength, precision, and grace. I could go on and on about the music, the dancing, the costumes.
The costumes! I love that the costumes for The Firebird were so rich and ornate! I feel if an American ballet company performed this ballet they would be tempted to tone the costumes down and simplify them. But these dancers have no fear of being overwhelmed by the costume, they dominate! Bring on the myriad of colors and the sparkle! All of it deeply influenced by Russian tradition. I loved it!
I was also deeply struck by the performance of Les Sylphides. It was so lovely! It doesn’t really have a plot, but you don’t even notice. It’s just so lovely. . .
Source: able2know.org via Trena on Pinterest
On another note, do you want to hear about my outfit? Okay! So I wore the dress below, which has become my new favorite party dress.
Source: anthropologie.com via Trena on Pinterest
Except I removed the halter strap and wore a blue, close fitting, oxford underneath. It might sound funny, but I got a lot of complements on it so it must have looked alright. Or it was so strange looking that people thought that it should look okay.
But here is the funny thing. Have you ever seen the inside of the Kennedy Center Opera House? I have and I should have remembered that the walls, and the ceiling, and the floor, are all the exact same color red as that dress. Thank goodness I was wearing the blue shirt underneath otherwise I would have looked like a floating head as I walked around.
Tonight I am going to see The Firebird performed by the Mariinsky Ballet at the Kennedy Center. (Going to see Russians dance ballet is the equivalent of drinking Napoleonic Brandy. I think. I have to admit I’ve never had Napoleonic Brandy, but you get the idea.) I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am! I have wanted to see this ballet since I was ten or eleven, at the time I was reading about Maria Tallchief, the first prima ballerina for the New York City Ballet. She gained her fame by dancing Balachine’s choreography of The Firebird.
Source: russianwashingtonbaltimore.com via Trena on Pinterest
The Firebird is a ballet based on a Russian folktale. It tells the story of Prince Ivan, twelve enchanted princesses, a wicked sorcerer and the Firebird, who helps Prince Ivan break the spell. It first premiered in 1910, the music is composed by Igor Stravinsky and the original choreography was by Mikhail Fokine. The immediate success of this ballet led to Stravinsky’s composition of The Rite of Spring and Petrushka (another favorite of mine, it’s so sad!).
So, have I gushed enough? Oh, yes, and they will also be showing Chopiniana (Les Sylphides) and Scheherazade. Two more ballets that I have always wanted to see, but haven’t yet. But The Firebird trumps them in my mind!
This was an eye opening book (for me at least) on China, and after reading it I wonder how anyone could ever think that Communism is a good thing. For that matter, how anyone could commend China and the “advances” they have made while they’ve crushed will of their own citizens (I am thinking of a certain State of the Union Address). I can’t say the actual writing was phenomenal, but the true story was interesting.
After reading it I realized that I don’t know anything about China. . . just that is Communist (which is bad, but its got to have more of a history than just Communism). . .so now I am looking into a couple books on Chinese history. Considering that the population makes up 1/5 of the world (I think) it would be a good country to learn about.
One thing did stand out, was the pride of the Chinese people. That is not a part of Communism, that is Chinese.
I was excited to see this today on Google, esp. since it moves! Visit the link to see it in action!
Here is the story behind the doodle.
I always wished I could have seen her dance. I generally don’t care too much for contemporary ballet, but there is something about Martha Graham that is incredibly graceful and powerful at the same time. Its strange, I am not even sure I like the type of dance that she introduced to the world. But I feel the same way about Picasso: I like some of his work, but I am not sure about it and its effects on art today.
And I like the way her costumes would have really long, flowing skirts to catch her movements.
