Hitler's view of the Jonas Brothers

I laughed til I cried, but that's because I have children at home who are forever watching the god-forsaken Disney Channel. If you don't have Disney you may not have heard of the Jonas brothers, and if so, you are indeed lucky.

Note: Bruno Ganz again, funny that and coincidental.

Dance dance revolution

If 97% of young people (in the US) play computer/video games, and 61% play dance games - for example http://www.konami.jp/bemani/ddr/jp/howtoplay.html - What will be the effect on dance practice? All the research I can see is about weight loss. And I'm just wondering as now these games are being brought into schools to encourage fat kids to exercise.

Has anyone co-opted any of these movements into a performance piece? I would think it would be interesting to play with the ideas of the games outside of the video/arcade experience.

And indeed it would be interesting to know if choreographers are involved in the production of the games.

Paper online

My paper is now online at: http://conferences.alia.org.au/alia2008/pdfs/124.TT.pdf

The best bit is the editing fail of retaining 'HEADINGS TO BE IN UPPER AND LOWER CASE' but maybe that is the best bit, how would I know.

Exhibitionism

Went to see this performance. I'm a sucker for any dance really, but this was lovely. The dancing was good and sometimes inspired, the choreographers had made really good use of the gallery space, so that we watched the dancing from numerous vantage points, on stairs, through windows and really nicely done through archways (both structural in the building and through one which is an artwork in the Asian collection) as well as when they moved around and amongst the moving audience.

And surprisingly it did make me appreciate the artworks in a new way, the permanent collection at the National Gallery is small and relatively unchanging, and as such somewhat underwhelming, but happily not this time. Apart from a Cy Twombly sculpture, which we were advised by staff to be careful of, god knows why it is shit, like all his works. I think I initially disliked him because of the look of his name (yes I can be that petty) but actually, although normally sensible people tell me different, I think his art is utterly pointless, ugly and decidedly boring.

The video is of the work in rehearsal/progress. The female part was pretty much completely different, the male part (Brian Lucas) was the same, in that he remained (in my perception) as the stable centre gallery viewer.
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My first cut

Click on the link to see the wonderful picture 'My first cut' Part of the Semi-Precious Moments series on Worth1000.

Secret life of Arabia

No reason to post this other than it's an utterly utterly classic song. Go on take off those shoes, there is a slippery surface somewhere that needs feet upon it.

Libraries in movies

Die Bibliothek von Der Himmel uber Berlin

Wie kann ein Mann wie Bruno Ganz sein?

And for those more au fait with classical pop culture

Dancing in the library from The Breakfast Club

Vegetarian web list

A list of the most popular vegetarian related websites is available here. PETA unsurprisingly comes first. The first Australian site is at #89.

Emo advice

For some reason this image wouldn't be turned the right way by Blogger - stupid blogger.




Teenage daughter #2 and I came across this book Everybody hurts : an essential guide to EMO culture, we didn't buy it cos it looked a bit shit for the money and it relies upon the one joke, but hey I need blogging advice ....

Happy underpass

Someone has taken it upon themselves to improve an underpass on the way to Erindale. It certainly raised a smile on my face. I do so like any attempt as personalising public space.






Another underpass on the same route is a bit less happy. This one bears the scars of little explosions. The homemade devices (these ones probably just made from fireworks considering the black) are set off here to increase the noise and force of explosion. They also serve as a public testing ground, once (the probably teenage boys) have mastered the art then they move on to blowing up post boxes and larger things - hopefully.

Coming soon - Vegetarian Week

I'm thinking of going vegetarian for a week for this event - National Vegetarian Week and for the international one. I wonder how I shall go

Don't ever set me up with a false opposition again

You should maybe watch all the previous parts too.

Fair Isle

I'm not a violent person, but I probably would kill to get this vest.

DDC

The Dewey Decimal System (hush now, you know it works, LC-pfft) has religion from 200-300, how much is that, that is very very much indeed.


But Dance has only 3 little places after a point. It doesn't even have its own point, but falls under these headings

792 Stage presentations

792.7 Variety shows and theatrical dancing

792.8 Ballet and modern dance


793 Indoor games and amusements

793.3 Social, folk, national dancing


So and how does this rate on the scale of world calamities, not high you may think, but then are you cataloguing dance resources, are you? No.


Still with searching for cataloguing resources on Dance I did come across the Jacob's Pillow archives and photos of Ted Shawn and his Men Dancers, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, camp doesn't even begin to describe it.

Bollywood in Canberra

I went to the annual show of the Canberra Bollywood School, charming it was except for a few things. It seems a popular art form here, I hadn't booked tickets, and it being packed I only just got in.
There seemed to be many female dancers, and but only 5 male ones in the school. Three of the men outshone anyone else there, this always seems to be the case when I see dance that the men capture my attention. I presume that men involved in dance (in particular at the amateur level) are very committed to it, having had to overcome I suppose negative gender stereotyping and so maybe put more time in, or maybe I just like the athleticism.



The only bad part was that between the dances, they did insist on putting small children on the stage to dance, if there is one thing I hate it is having to see children perform, because essentially they are poor at it, charmless and ungainly. I don't mind watching children perform at school, obviously especially my own, but I do object to them in a paid performance.

DanceJam

Well I was thinking there was certainly a market gap for something like this, and here is DanceJam. It is new and looks very commercial (the advertisements are very intrusive), rather than community based, but anyway it has what I love most people front room, bedroom and kitchen dancing in their socks. I see also that the Melbourne Shuffle is already represented.

Update - It's owned apparently by MC Hammer - oh leet

Eat less meat - UN

News article from the Times of India highlights that the Indian vegetarian cheif of the UN Climate Change panel Dr Rajendra Pachauri has recommended people eat less meat to benefit the environment. He said this in a speech given under the auspices of the organisation Compassion in World Farming - highlights here.

Chinese papercuts

I got these paper cuts from a friend just returned from working at the Beijing Olympic Village. They are very fine, and very thin. I have a number of them containing different images of the Olympic mascots let me know if you would like one.

Football

All the excitement of travelling I missed gloating over the game 31 August.
Rangers 4 (fucking count them) - Celtic 2. I'm easily pleased me.