Performing Arts

The Ballet

November 4, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

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The Spanish National Dance Company, ‘Compañía Nacional de Danza’, was founded in 1979 as the Spanish National Classical Ballet, and has evolved toward a more contemporary style with a distinctive identity based on Spanish cultural and folklore roots. The company tours Europe, achieving international prestige under the direction of Víctor Ullate, María de Ávila, Maya Plisetskaya and Nacho Duato.

Giselle, is one of the world’s most often performed classical ballets as well as one of the most challenging to dance. The romantic, ghost-filled ballet tells the tragic story in two acts of a beautiful young peasant girl who falls for the flirtations of the deceitful and disguised nobleman Albrecht. When the ruse is revealed, the fragile Giselle dies of heartbreak, and Albrecht must face the otherworldly consequences of his careless seduction. [10 Facts To Know About Giselle, Kansas City Ballet].

If you missed the live stream broadcast of Giselle by the Spanish National Dance Company in December, 2018, there’s still time to watch a video recording of the performance. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located in right top corner of the media player below.

Dancers tell their stories and provide a glimpse of the goings-on backstage and behind-the-scenes → Ballet Backstage

Drawing on classical ballet and modern dance as well as non-western cultural dances, contemporary dance is exciting, unpredictable and constantly evolving. FREE To WATCH performances → Dynamic Dance

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on this article, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

Feature photo of Spanish National Dance Company by Maite Villanueva CC BY-SA 4.0

Ballet Backstage

June 2, 2020 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

Ballet originated in 15^th century Italian Renaissance courts, later developing into a performance dance in France and Russia, and over the centuries, has become a widespread and influential art form with many evolving stylistic variations (from classic to contemporary) and teaching methods (no less than half a dozen).

A ballet dancer [danseuse (female) danseur (male)] is a dancer who practices the art of classical ballet based on traditional technique and vocabulary. Many years of extensive training (starting as early as age 2) are required before a ballet dancer has a chance to join a professional ballet company, and there is an established hierarchy ranking system within a company as well as strict gender roles. Ballet training also takes a toll on a dancer’s body, making ballet dancers prone to serious injury after years of continuous physical strain.

The strength and stamina required of ballet dancers are not always obvious to a spectator as they make the physical demands of jumps, turns and lifts on pointe appear to be effortless during a performance, and there’s seldom a mention of a dancer’s personal sacrifice and total commitment. In these short videos, ballet dancers tell their stories and provide a glimpse of the goings-on backstage and behind-the-scenes.

En pointe (‘on the tips of their toes’) is classical ballet technique performed wearing special pointe shoes that enable a dancer to support all body weight on a fully extended vertical foot. Consequently, the construction and wearing of pointe shoes involves a very complicated process unique to each ballet dancer.

The tutu is a costume dress worn in a ballet performance, made of fabrics such as tarlatan, muslin, silk, tulle, gauze and nylon. There are two basic types of modern tutus as well as several derivative styles: the Romantic tutu is soft and bell-shaped with the skirt reaching down between a dancer’s knee and ankle; the Classical tutu is short, stiff and projects horizontally from the dancer’s waist and hip.

One of the most famous of all ballet dancers is Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer (La Petite Danseuse de Quatorze Ans), a sculpture created in wax by Edgar Degas in 1880 of a student at the Paris Opera Ballet dance school, named Marie van Goethem. After Degas’ death in 1917, his family authorized copies of Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer and other Degas wax and mixed-media sculptures to be cast in bronze in order to preserve and sell the compositions. Louisine Havemeyer, an Impressionist collector, acquired the first bronze cast of Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and bequeathed it to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1929, where it can be viewed on display. [Editors Note: The original wax sculpture (a reworked version of the original sculpture that was shown in Paris at the Sixth Impressionist Exhibition of 1881) is located at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, and other bronzes can be viewed at museums around the world — Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of the novel ‘The Painted Girls’, provides a list of locations ⇒ HERE ]

The bronze dancer’s tutu has been replaced a few times since the Met’s acquisition, and a curator recently decided it was time for another update as the skirt looked “tattered and dirty”. The task was given to Costume Institute’s conservator, Glenn Petersen, and he tells the story of the historical research, fabric, design and color selections used in creating the dancer’s new tutu in the short video ‘Met Degas Tutu’. Peterson’s goal for the new skirt was that it would be harmonious with the sculpture as well as depict a sense of movement to add to the way people view Little Fourteen-Year-Old Dancer, and most would have to agree that he accomplished that goal and more.

FREE To WATCH: Ballet performances from around the world

Watch: The Dance, an On2In2™ video collection of dance performances and inspirational stories

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Feature photo is courtesy of Flickr user, Pilar Castro, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Dynamic Dance

March 10, 2020 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

“Dance to be danced, not analyzed” — Merce Cunningham (1919 – 2009) American dancer & choreographer

The widespread popularity of contemporary dance among audiences and dancers is likely due to the creative freedom of movement and expression it allows as it incorporates different styles and techniques of dance. Drawing on classical ballet and modern dance as well as non-western cultural dances, contemporary dance is unpredictable and constantly evolving with changes in rhythm, speed and direction, costuming and music, and a performance can be in the abstract or a narrative form.

If you’ve never seen a contemporary dance performance, here’s a great chance at an introduction to the experience. Really, there’s nothing you have to understand about contemporary dance. Just enjoy.

Provenance is an explosive modern dance and gesture-driven contemporary ballet choreographed by Keith Haynes and Laura Malpass. In Haynes’ bombastic group work, forms and bodies collide, representing a clash of opposing ideologies, and in a dance about loss, Laura Malpass’ explores the myths that shape our lives as bodies and memories disintegrate with age.

If you miss the live stream broadcast of Provenance, you can watch video recordings. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media players below ↓

Information/Resources:

What’s Contemporary Dance These Days? by Rebecca Martin, Dance Magazine – Australia edition

CU Presents is the home of performing arts on the University of Colorado – Boulder campus, offering a wide range of concerts, plays, recitals and dance performances each year.

Ceyda Tanc Dance – works, upcoming performances, classes and classes

*Kaya, Turkey was at one time home to a Greek community that was forcefully removed from the village in the early 1920’s as part of a “population exchange” agreement between the governments of Greece and Turkey. Close to 2 million people were made refugees and denaturalized from their homelands. The village of Kaya became a ghost town, and its population was recorded at 1,524 in the year 2000. [Wikipedia: Kaya, Fethiye; Population exchange between Greece and Turkey]

WATCH more creative dancers and inspiring performances of all sorts → The Dance Channel, an On2In2™ collection of favorite videos FREE To WATCH, On-Demand

Feature photo is courtesy of Tim Gouw/Pexels CC0

THROW

December 14, 2019 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

It’s written that Ancient Greek philosopher Plato said, “Life must be lived as play”. A simple, but profound truth that goes back 2,400 years. Today, Coffin Nachtmahr inspires us with his story of how a simple toy invented by the Ancient Greeks — a yo-yo changed his life. Watch the video-doc Throw, and discover the amazing benefits of play.

“Throw” is a video documentary from Early Light Media. [Editor’s Note: As with all media content provided within On2In2™ website, this video is intended for adult audiences, not children. The dialogue in “Throw” contains some expletives.]

YO-YOING

First invented by the ancient greeks, the yo-yo went down & up, and that was it— until 1928. That’s when Pedro Flores, founder/owner of the Yo-yo Manufacturing Company, introduced his ‘looped slip-string’ design modification. A simple twist, but it changed the game by boosting variety in movement and spin, and started the yo-yo modern era. New technology and designs in yo-yo body shape, type and mechanism have continued to transform the yo-yo over the last four decades, enabling throwers to create and perform more and more amazing tricks. More tricks adds to the challenge and the fun, but a big-time throw is not all about the yo-yo, is it?

Mastery of the yo-yo takes some know-how and practice. Best to start with the basics: Click/Tap the link “How to use a Yo-Yo” for a 12-step instruction. The Yomega Power Brain XP * yo-yo is designed for beginner & intermediate play, includes instructions, and priced at less than $15 (10/1/2016).

⇓ Yomega gift set* includes 3 classic yo-yo’s (beginner, expert & pro level) plus instructional DVD.

* If you purchase a yo-yo via a link within this page, Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Find More Inspiration
How to Beat the Bull
Happy and Proud
A Thousand Sparks
Life Inspired (an On2In2™ collection of videos)

Feature photo is a screen shot of Throw video

Magic Tricks

October 18, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

There’s a mystical feeling of awe in magic, sparked in a person’s mind with staged tricks and illusions performed by talented magicians (sometimes referred to as ‘illusionists’). One of the oldest forms of performing arts in the world, magic shows have been popular entertainment for centuries, and magic tricks continue to evolve and amaze us.

For those who believe, no explanation is necessary; for those who do not believe, no explanation will suffice. — Joseph Dunninger (1892 – 1975), aka ‘The Amazing Dunninger’, pioneer performer of magic on radio and television

TRICKS of the TRADE

Magicians pull rabbits out of an empty hat, make objects seem to disappear or move from one place to another, transform the colors of a silk handkerchief, destroy something (like cutting off a head or tearing a dollar bill) and restore it, and escape from a restraining device [Harry Houdini (1874 – 1926) was known as the ‘Handcuff King’]. Other illusions include making something appear to defy gravity (levitation), making a solid object appear to pass through another object, and predicting the choice of a spectator (e.g., a specific card from a deck, word or number). Really, there are many different types of tricks, and magic acts often use several combinations of effects.

Creating “real” magic moments while faced with fast-paced technological advances during the last 50 years has presented challenges for magicians. However, Doug McKenzie, a New York-based magician and mentalist, has found innovative ways to merge traditional magic tricks with 21st century tech. Absolutely, crazy amazing. Watch these videos and see McKenzie in action.

LEARNING MAGIC TRICKS

Magic is a fun to learn creative art form, but the teaching of magic was at one time quite secretive, and professional magicians were often unwilling to share their knowledge and magic tricks with hobbyists and amateurs. Today, there are many books (See Magic Trick Instruction Book Selections), videos and online ‘how-to’ resources available to beginners. However, there’s more to magic than learning some tricks. It takes study, training, and lots of practice. How to Learn Magic Tricks (with Pictures), WikiHow

Jay Sankey shares his secret to reading minds using a paper napkin in this video demo.

Watch this ‘how-to’ video demonstration of a cool card trick for beginners.

Information/Resources:

Magic clubs offer an opportunity for new and experienced magicians to help one another learn and improve. There are usually minimum requirements, auditions and club membership fees. Here’s → a list of magic clubs around the world

Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a book purchase you make via the link within this page. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.

Photo credits:

Levitation performed by P.C. Sorcar (Magician), Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections

5 of Diamonds Card magic feature photo, Omid Armin/Unsplash CC0

Pow Wow

October 2, 2019 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

In Native American communities, a pow wow is a social gathering, and it’s become a special (both public and private) event where Native American people can socialize, sing, dance, and connect with their history and traditions.

Information/Resources:
Pow Wow Calendar – Find a Pow Wow Near You
Guide to Pow Wows Across Canada, Indigenous Canada

FREE 2 WATCH On2In2™

Members of the federally recognized tribe of the Pala Band of Mission Indians are descended from both Cupeño and Luiseño peoples. They have shared the Pala Indian Reservation territory in Pala, California on the San Luis Rey River since the Cupeño were evicted from their ancestral homeland by the US government in 1903.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 11th annual Pala Tribe Gathering and Pow Wow, there’s still time to watch video recordings of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts on the media player below ↓

The Meskwaki people, “Red Earth People” are of Algonquian origin from the Eastern Woodland Culture areas of North America, and the Meskwaki Nation is the only US federally recognized Indian tribe in the state of Iowa.

The Annual Meskwaki Pow Wow is a four day event celebrating the end of summer, and features singing, drumming, traditional dancing (twice daily, beginning with a grand entry) and native dress, including full regalia, handcrafts, food, games and fun. Although dance styles and content have evolved over the years, the Meskwaki still consider this event a time of reaffirmation and hope, kinship and friendship, and celebration.

If you missed the live stream broadcast of the 2018 Meskwaki Pow Wow (August 8-12), there’s still time to watch video recordings of the event. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

During the past 35 years, the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow has grown from a simple event celebrating Native American culture and traditions to the largest pow wow in North America. If you missed the live stream broadcast of this great event, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button or select from the video posts located on the media player below ↓

Feature photo of pow wow dancer (sourced via Wikimedia) is courtesy of Jeff Kubina, CC BY-SA 2.0

Night at the Opera

November 9, 2018 By Zola Zeester 2 Comments

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream is an opera by composer Benjamin Britten with a ‘libretto’ (text or words of an opera) adapted by Britton and Peter Pears from William Shakespeare’s popular stage play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The opera was first performed in 1960, and has become one of the most frequently performed operas written since WWII. You’ll find a synopsis as well as history and recordings → Here

If you missed the live stream broadcast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream from the Music Theater at University Mozarteum Salzburg, Austria, there’s still time to watch a video recording. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

Otello is an opera in four acts by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) with Arrigo Boito (1842-1918) providing the ‘libretto’ (text or words of an opera) which was based on William Shakespeare’s play Othello (The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice). First performed in 1887 at the Teatro alla Scala opera house in Milan, Italy, Otello was an immediate success with performances continuing 130 years later throughout the world. Click/Tap here to read → Otello Synopsis

Have a listen to an opera expert: Naomi Barretara of the Metropolitan Opera Guild will take you through the history and music of Otello in her podcast, and you’ll get a good understanding of Giuseppe Verdi, his creative genius, and the beauty and power of Otello.

Information/Resources:
Learn About Opera, The National Opera Center America (A free go-to guide to history and technical aspects of opera with online resources and interactive learning, including in-depth information on specific operas and advice on how to prepare for an opera performance and make the most of your experience.)

Photos:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by John Simmons (1873), PD
Othello and Desdemona (1880) by Antonio Muñoz Degrain, Public Domain (Degrain’s painting takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s play Othello. It’s currently located at the Chiado Museum, Lisbon, Portugal.)
Feature photo is courtesy of Via Dumitru/Unsplash CC0

LET’S DANCE

August 10, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

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The World Reggae Dance Championship is open to dance groups of 3-6 and attracts internationally recognized as well as talented local dancers, with strong support from Jamaica reggae and dancehall communities. Dancers compete in 3 categories: Roots Reggae, Dancehall and Dance Narrative, and must use only dancehall/reggae movements in all rounds – Eliminations, Semi-Final and International Final.

Did you miss the live stream broadcast of 2018 World Reggae Dance Championship?
No worries. There’s still time to watch a video recording of this incredible dance competition. Just click/tap the “Watch Again” button on the media player below ↓

If you missed the live broadcast of the 2017 Dance World Cup Finals held June 24 – July 1 at Oberrheinhalle in Offenburg, Germany, there’s still time to watch a video recording of dancers from more than 30 countries compete in tap, hip hop & street dance, jazz & show dance, ballet, modern & contemporary, song & dance, and national/folklore. Click/Tap the “Watch Again” button or any of the video posts located on the media player below ↓

Experience the magic of an upside-down/vertical dance performance – Aerial Dance

Go to the ‘The Dance’ channel to watch an On2In2™ collection of favorite videos about dance and dancers —
FREE to WATCH, On-Demand

In Ballet Backstage, we take you for a behind-the-scenes look at life in ballet with video documentaries featuring personal stories of dancers and a great look at the tutu.

We’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to comment on the fun you find here, join the conversation, or share your inspiration, and you have not yet registered as an On2In2™ playmaker, please sign up via the ‘Engage page’. Don’t worry, it’s pretty quick and easy (unless you’re a robot).

Feature photo courtesy of Pexels/Pixabay CC0

Beauty and Strength

June 29, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

The word “calisthenics” comes from two ancient Greek words: kallos (which means beauty, perfect, or good) and sthenos (which means great strength, courage, and determination).

In late 19th century, calisthenic exercises were introduced in Australia as a means to keep people fit and healthy, and these exercises gradually morphed over the decades to choreographed theatrical performances involving music and dance. Calisthenics (aka Australian Calisthenics) as it is known today is a unique team-based competitive performing art with elements of rhythmic gymnastics and ballet that’s practiced in all Australian states except Tasmania.

If you’ve never heard of Calisthenics, the “Skills Syllabus – Gold Medal” video demonstrates some of the movement skills. It’s a good example of the flexibility, strength, balance, precision and grace required of competitors in the sport.

Calisthenics competition includes a variety of ‘items’ performed on stage: Figure March, Club Swinging, Free Exercises, Rod Exercises, Aesthetics as well as a few ‘fancy items’ that focus on theatrical performance: Song and dance, Calisthenic Spectacular, Rhythmic (similar to Aesthetics), Stage Presentation and Calisthenics Revue. Competitors wear beautiful costumes and theatrical make-up to emphasise expressions on stage. The video below is a short demonstration of “Free Exercises” Calisthenics competition.

While team competition is the main focus, solo competition is also a part of Calisthenics, and one of the highlights each year is the elite solo competition category “Most Graceful Girl”. The video documentary, Graceful Girls, follows school teacher Brianna Lee’s final attempt to fulfil her dream to win the ‘Most Graceful Girl’ title. This short video was the 2012 video pitch for funding the documentary, and it provides a brief description of the sport of Calisthenics as well as it’s history. The funding campaign was successful, and Graceful Girls was released in Australia (2015). DVDs are still out there and available → HERE*; however, a multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player is required to view it. *[Zeester Media LLC may receive a small commission for a purchase you make via this link to Amazon. This in no way affects the price you pay for the purchase.]

Feature photo ‘Aesthetic’ was sourced from the Australian Calisthenics Federation website where you can find more information about this very unique sport from the Land Down Under.

Watch an aerial dance performance Live & Free On2In2™

WATCH Aerial Dance and experience the magic of an upside-down/vertical dance performance. It’s amazing!

New Media Art

June 18, 2018 By Zola Zeester Leave a Comment

New media art describes works of art that have been created using new media technologies. This includes a very long list of diverse, dynamic new media art categories — digital art, computer graphics and animation, virtual art, 3D printing, robotics and internet art (to name just a few), as well as different artistic practices ranging from conceptual and virtual to performance and installation. New media art sometimes also involves interaction between an artist and observer or between an audience and the artwork.

But, don’t get hung up on the tech or the definition of new media art. You don’t have to be an art or media expert to appreciate it. Just enjoy the beauty found in the merging of creative expression and technical innovation.

Information/Resources:
New Media Art – Wikiversity
New Media Art – Introduction – The Art, Technology, and Cultural Colloquium, Brown University
What Is (New) Media Art? – Irish Museum of Modern Art

FREE To WATCH and EXPLORE the creative world of new media art here in this On2In2™ video collection– Digital Arts

Get Inspired! Watch as 98 year old, digital artist Pat Scott tells her story of a life enriched with creativity and innovation in this short video documentary Try Something New – FREE To WATCH

Feature photo is courtesy of Pixabay/Pexels CC0

Performing Arts

The Ballet

Ballet Backstage

Dynamic Dance

THROW

Magic Tricks

Pow Wow

Night at the Opera

LET’S DANCE

Beauty and Strength

New Media Art

MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS

Performing Arts

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MUCH 2 SEE

THINGS 2 DO

PLACES 2 GO

PEOPLE 2 MEET

FOOD & DRINKS

JUST LAUGHS