Thought of the week

So I’ve joined a book club! I know I know…Swedish lessons, Wedding planning, Weekly yoga, Meeting friends, Making time with my fiancé and family, working and soon to be dancing again hopefully too etc. etc. I’m living a busy busy life, but (and whilst I’m not crashing or burning out) I love being busy and having things to do. Always have and I suppose always will. I love relaxing on holidays and relaxing in general, but I love life to be full and rich with things done when really living.

Now for the second I know I know….A book club you ask…really? Hell yes is what  I say! Before my wonderful friend Amber left to head back to Australia, she monthly would give me her hand me down books, from a book club she was a part of. I love reading but I really loved, when she would give me books I’d never really pick up in a book store. I loved the not knowing what types of books would appear for me when we had catch ups and in return I would give her some she too would never in a million years expect to read, let alone enjoy. So I’d asked Amber if I could join her book club, not just for the books, but for the monthly catch ups with others where you can share the joy of some fab literature and interesting plots, or equally ask the bemusing questions in the cases where ‘you just didn’t get what was going on’. I always think differences in conversation = really interesting conversations and broaden our knowledge and understandings for one another. Unfortunately there were no spaces when I asked, until last week! Anna had received my details from Amber and wondered if I was still keen. So here I am now – reading my first book in a new book club. I’m super excited (busy busy still in life but full of joy and happiness).

I must however mention, and apologise to those I have already informed, but in all of my excitement for joining the book club, I had a colleague who sits near me say the following “Well that’s a bit loser-ish isn’t it.” Firstly: 'Did you seriously just say that?' I thought and Secondly: How utterly judgemental and closed-minded.
I understand books aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but are we really living in 2013 where the stigma is that books are loser-ish and uncool. I know in school being overtly academic was seen as the no-no in the books for coolness (no pun intended), but a strong and steady intellectual interest in expanding your mind and outlook I think is so awesomely cool! It led me to really question though – how judgemental today’s society can still be. How we’re still trapped by stigmatism and closed minded ideologies I had assumed we’d grown out of.

I really want to just flag it and raise that open-mindedness is not easy but really should be exercised. As Beyonce (yes I’m quoting the famous Bey in all her superstardom) was recently quoted in discussion of life after her baby saying that we really need to appreciate ourselves for all of ourselves and all of the quirks and differences that make us, us. It resonated with me, that it’s just so damn easy to judge (same ways we do with books in the store) at first glance, and get trapped by that. I really urge you to find peace in the differences of the human race, and see these differences as beauty instead of loser-isms, as was presented to me. It took all of my might, to realise that generally (and I’m truly culprit of this) judgement comes when one is insecure. I really have found with hindsight, when I’m being overtly judgemental it’s an insecurity within myself over something – Like I wished I had this, or how can this person act this or that way. Instead of holding my head up high and moving beyond, I judge…..but that’s the easier way out, and in fact leads us to more damage within than we think. SO food for thought this week, think before you speak, think before you act, and really think before you internalise that judgement you’re just about to make.

Wishing you a fab week J

A Well Oiled Machine...BalletBoyz!

So last night was really overwhelming and totally cool! Filip and I went to see BalletBoyz, a show consisting of two pieces presented with 10 amazing male dancers. The first choreographed by Liam Scarlett entitled Serpent opened the show, for me in a beautifully classic contemporary way. It allowed newbie contemporary viewers to ease in, and perhaps allowed Liam (who's first venture it was choreographing on contemporary dancers) the same chance for an un-adhered approach to start the show. For me it was a simple welcome back to live performance. The lights rose, the score began, an arm appeared, and tears fell down my cheeks. It really had been too long since I saw movement - let alone movement as rich as this.

I had forgotten how dance provides a sound score, especially contemporary dance. It's like, the movement contains a musicality unlike any other. Every sound you hear is what you're meant to hear, and Serpent reminded me of that. Every jump and land - whether it be in silence and falling into the ground or trembling with sudden force, created an ambiance set amongst the sound score already created with physical music. It was a great reminder to really listen to all of the sounds. I was also reminded (maybe this is just a reaction from a dancer's eye) of how each movement creates its own breath. Or maybe the breath required per sequence/movement appeared to be noticeable again for me. Just nice to be reminded and to note it. Scarlett had explained in his video montage, he had wanted to experience movement in an elegant way without the dependency of women in his work. Or more so without women dominating, as generally when it comes (I say generally here, as I realise the political stance of sexism being apparent) to women dancing - expressionisms of soft and elegant movement can feel inevitable, ditto for men expressing raw, physical movement. Serpent showed a unified and rich expression into movement in it's pure form. It contained total continuation - the movement never finished, they elongated into the next one, and each part of the movement felt explored. It really gave me a visceral feeling. I could feel the stretch or the reach it seemed within my own body.The gaze into the audience from the dancer's eye established the relationship of performer meeting audience. It felt powerful and unique - an unspoken language. It was really beautiful to see the movement and not be focused on the relationship of the performers - instead having a focus of performer and audience member. Exquisite work.

Serpent by Liam Scarlett

Enter Russell Maliphant with Fallen. The stage was stripped back - there were lighting decks only - no wings, and the bare stage laid bare hosting only the ten men we had just seen in such an elegant piece. But they weren't the same men...or that's what it appeared like. This piece transformed them into a well oiled machine, and interestingly enough enabled Maliphant's goal (explained in his video montage) to succeed. The goal being to introduce the dancers, each with their own skill set, to the other dancers and form a new set, whilst keeping their own. It would form a new language and a new learning for both choreographer and dancer (Maliphant had explained he generally had worked within many duets/trios and not a whole group previously). The sound score and staging transformed us to a factory or workshop. Raw metallic sounds filled the stage, and the movement eased into a physical attack and showcased jagged-edged movement in its finest form. The partner work and group relationship highlighted this new skill set and the vocabulary really spoke for itself - nothing else was needed and nothing less. It showed that there wasn't a need for independent identities - even though it kind of juxtaposed in that, they lost their identities and became a part of this 'machine like feel' yet still highlighting their unique independent voice. Similarly in that the movement didn't feel romanticised but then it's power resembled an era of romancing the movement instead of the relationship perhaps. All in all - a stellar show, and stellar performances.

Fallen by Russell Maliphant

And from an ex-dancer still holding nothing but passion for the craft and art - What an amazing show to reel me back in!

:)

A little bit of.....Culture Fever

So life has been busy busy busy...... After an intense December/January period of studying and working really hard (Prince 2 Project Management course and gaining my Indefinite Leave to remain in the UK - this entailed studying for an exam that is all about life in the UK, and a trip up Sheffield with a wait of 4-5hours!), I finally really feel free. Free to enjoy life again and explore and really do the things I love and want to do, rather than have to do - February I spent recovering I think...well kind of......

I enrolled into Swedish lessons officially to really truly and finally grasp Swedish! After learning Swedish from my friend Caroline, way back in 2008, I then met Filip at the end of 2009 and could mumble a few sentences....it must have impressed him enough cos we've made it this far :) But a few sentences doesn’t feel satisfying enough...especially when one day we plan to have some mini Swedes running around! So I leapt out of January's study time straight into Swedish lessons once a week at London's Kings College. It's been really good - I still don’t feel that I’m much better than I was before, and the late nights are kicking my butt, but I'm in the process and for me that is a good enough start. So officially Jag lär mig...I'm learning!

I'm also doing yoga again which I LOVE LOVE LOVE! I stumbled across Yotopia when Filip and I lived in Leicester Square. I used to be taught by the amazing and beautiful Eunice Laurel at Pineapple Studios but when she went on Maternity Leave I knew I needed to find something/someone to fill her shoes...and boy was that to be a challenge! But Yotopia did more than fill the gap. It's changed the way I do yoga in that, I breathe far more out of yoga than I ever used to, and the focus for me is really carried out of class now in a way it wasnt before. Maybe it's just me who's changed and grown a bit, but it feels (as I say to Filip all the time when I'm trying to nag him to come along too) that I can breathe true fresh air. Like its new oxygen in my body...odd maybe...but it really is an amzing feeling whatever it is! I've managed to drag a number of friends along, and have really just found the piece to the puzzle for now...Katie, my fave teacher at Yotopia is also soon to be on maternity leave, so whilst I'm so excited for her to be on an amzing journey ahead, am selfishly sad I'm to lose another amazing and inspirational teacher....I think I'll just absorb as much yoga as I possibly can until she heads off for the next journey in her life.

So with all of that said, that's taking up some time in my week, and making me although tired - feel good i'm so active and able to get out into London and find these gems in my life....It makes me appreicate the time I spend at home a whole lot more, and then also the time i spend with Filip too...I miss him the most but am just finding so much value in London, far more than before. With that kind of feeling circling my life at the moemnt, I've also booked Filip and I tickets to see BalletBoyz at Sadlers Wells nmext week, and I am SO excited to see some DANCE again. It ahs been way too long, and I'm just so hoping this show re-ignites a passion for live and good preformance, as Im thinking it will!

So what next.....or what more....I've still a llong list of goals to achieve, and classes to take, and sights to see. And of course, I'll be sure to update you all on that soon.

Have a wonderful week!
P.S Stay tuned to see what I get Filip for his birthday this year...I love birthdays so much and I love the art of being creative in gifts, so definitely stay tuned for this one!
x