2011- new year and someone mentioned new starsigns

I'm still a gemini, let's just get that straight as a line.

As for a new year, I realise I haven't blogged here in a while. I also found that I blog when in a state of aggressive, puzzled or negative feeling. Although I seem to blog reviews on performances I have been lucky enough to witness.
I sit at home in which I have been back for the weekend, and man I have loved it.
This year will see me going into my second year at the Northern School Of Contemporary Dance, which I must say is a rather physically demanding course, sometimes I wonder why I'm putting myself throught it all ( this tends to be a feeling I encounter in the afternoons or indeed monday mornings ), but then I see that this is my love, my passion.
The career path I've chosen, and then I fall back into obsessive love again.
Ross and I have also been in a relationship for 2 years on 12.01.11 and man, its crazy. I love everything and everytime I spend with him and I'm so excited for many more fond memories and beautiful stories to come:)
Enough of love infatuation, even though I seem to find myself with a massive grin across my face, this year I want to part take in voluntary and community work.

Going to look around for some work within leeds with regards to community dance. West yorkshire sure as hell offer a lot.
Easter half term will find me in New York City, visiting my brother in New Jersy. Only problem: I sort of have an issue with flying. Not so much flying, as I find a lot of people hate taking off or landing (which I love) but infact its turbulence,.
I hate. Yet this trip is a mere confidence boost for the 21 hour trip to Sydney, Australia over the christmas break. Beautiful.

This year, I've found my love for things that I detested as a child is getting better. Bananas for one. Love them and all their potassium goodness. Fish is still one I'm going to conquer. I would just love to have thai fish cakes, they look and sound beautiful.

As for this blog, I see its getting more and more random the more I rant. A RANTom blog.
Quote of the day- happiness is only realy when shared.
May get that in a tattoo one day.
O.A.O
-cm

Ban? Or not to Ban? Jumping is the question.

In Newcastle Upon Tyne, I find myself within part of a community called the NEPK, North East Parkour, England. Now I have grown to understand the concept of Parkour and Free running and I have to say, in a non biast way (due to the love of my life being within this community too), that these people are practicing a sport...that is what it is after all.Now, surely they wouldn't say to the Footballing association that they were going to ban Football in certain stadiums due to it not being fair would they? Wish to know why that is? because football is the norm to a lot of, if not all of the world's population, where as Parkour is something different and something that is still hidden among ( what some people thing) the shadows of the sporting world... and the human race being the human race, people who haven't practiced freerunning or all those who dont understand it agree that it shouldn't be allowed. Yet this is not the case as there are so many practitioners across the world, but again, its still seen as a minority sport. This, outlook, seems to be the norm. But to those people who are thinking of starting to ban it in areas... think about this? Imagine you do something you love... like a hobbie. Now imagine you practice this in a safe environment. Now imagine that that hobbie is taken away from you...not because you cannot practice it anymore due to injury...but because the council or the local community decide to ban it...for no other reason than saying that it is a hazard to the public and there is not a thing you can do about it?
Now these practitioners do nothing apart from some of the, yes rather crazy jumps, leaps and drops they all try to attempt, but why take the passion and want away from those just wanting to make the free running community bigger and give it a bigger following of people who love what they do?



*Send this into anyone who wishes to say the sport of free running is dangerous...I don’t mind because frankly, they don’t know what they’re talking about it. Yet I will say, done incorrectly it can be unsafe…but just next time you see a set of boys and girls doing parkour, just take time to watch and see what they are doing, and then, only then, will you all realise that it is something beautiful,graceful,athletic and sport like.

Candoco Dance Company: Review

A dance company that works with disabled and non disabled dancers. Now, if you are not aware of a lot of the contemporary dance companies out there today then your gut instinct will be subconsciously telling you that this would be either, impossible or awkward or just simply cringe worthy? But if your out of the rut and in with the new more post odern ideas of dv8 then you will understand that having disabled dancers is neither of this: awkward nor impossible.

The piece I witnessed tonight at the Riley Theatre ( home theatre to The Northern School Of Contemporary Dance ) called Rendition, was a production of three separate work by three differen choreographers;
+The Hangman - choreographed by Sarah Michelson
+In Translation - choreographed by Emanuel Gat
+Imperfect Storm - choreographed by Wendy Houstoun

Now, I didnt purchase a programme, as I wish to try and delve into what I think the pieces are about, making sure I will not be entirely influenced by what the piece actually is. Plus, I didn't really have the money but Im glad.
Starting with the piece `The Hangman`, now initial observations of this piece was `wow,that woman has some insane leg muscles` because she did. Her feet must of been screaming to let them come off of a rise. The lighting...was spectacular, sitting in the balcony seating area was indeed the best move I did because you saw everything from being on level with the lights and speakers to being able to see the mass of people below. I did not fully understand this piece, but I developed this sense of maybe us all understanding the differences with in the dance company. For example, one of the disabled dancers was in a lot of movement phrases with a girl who was clearly not physically disabled and the vast difference just did not matter, because the male dancer picked up on so much detail that the female dancer did. Also within this piece, all dancers kept this impeccable sense of timing, it was just beautiful to watch. There was this one thing, that interested me highly was the change of costume that one of the dancers undertook. It interested me because I didn't fully understand why she was doing it and it was weird and bizarre what my mind was trying to do. It was trying to link the story together and trying to find a connection as to why she was changing her hairstyle and attire everytime she exited the stage and entered back on again, when in actual fact there may of not been any reason at all as to why this was happening.


After the first interval, In Translation begun and...wow, its weird that I cannot go into as much detail as I could the first piece...maybe it had something to do with the fact that it was so tedious. So repetitive. The movement quality and the choreography itself was just spectacular, but they could of done so much more with it. They could of give just that little bit more focus and passion, but hey...maybe that is the idea the choreographer intended. I mean, i certainly found in the first piece that the choreographer wanted the audience that the dancers were struggling with the movement, you could tell with some of the hench elongated balances a few of the dancers had to endure. This piece, did't interest me towards the end and I started to drift off into wondering how good the toffee cheesecake waiting for Ross and I back at home was going to taste, but that may of just been the heat of the balcony and the silence of no music. Oh yeah, that was the beautiful thing about this piece...silence. It adds so much to movement, i love that part about it

And finally, the Imperfect Storm piece was my favourite by far. They started grouped together as a huddle downstage right with a microphone. I enjoy it when contemporary performances are mixed with dialogue or sound, I find the pieces... more inspiring as such. As I was saying, they started saying that they wanted to discuss Shakespeare...William Shakespeare, but they realised time wouldn't allow them. So they worked with the stage directions of it instead. Intriguing? It was indeed. The ending was just spectacular ending on a list of all the different typical end of show lighting cues` dimming the lights or flashing them really bright then into blackness would maybe be the end of the show` and I was, suprisingly, expecting it to go on for hours... yet it didnt, and the ending was so abrupt and rather comical.

For an overal performance, I appreciated it all and loved some parts but hey, thats my opinion. If you think you can handle seeing disabled dancers without feeling the need to follow aesthetic views then I advise you to go see it when you have time.

-C.MUCKLE

England team through to face Mexico or Argentina. Uruguay Linesman found attached to the goal post in a bloody mess.

All things that should be happening but for various reasons, reasons that I am going to discuss (in a somewhat bias way) within this blog.

Let’s start with the shocking travesty that is (possibly was if England fans see him) the linesman for Lampard’s first shot on target. A blind man could have seen that that ball was well and truly over the line by at least, AT LEAST a yard. Seb Platter, you need to be hung drawn and quartered for being the only man in football, to not want goal side technology. You absolute idiot! How can you not see that there are no NEGATIVES of having that sort of technology only POSITIVES!
Okay, now that that abhorrence has been talked of, let’s begin to somewhat slate the England Team. Do they honestly deserve a title with the country’s name in it? And have they honestly showed us that they have earned the right to have `team` in there too? No. They don’t. They lack fight, fire, determination, teamwork, passion and in this specific game…skill. Yet some how, they can still be called ` talented`. Where to start:
The defence: Possibly the most horrific set up, the foulest attempt of team work and just a sheer abomination of the sport. Johnson, Terry, Upson and Cole. The four men who don’t deserve the title as this country’s football team defenders. Upson okay, he scored the goal but he didn’t stop any of the opposing side goals from going in. Striker was not his role in this game, it was to be a defender now surely, he should of thought about doing his initial job to a high standard then AND ONLY THEN, should he be thinking about pushing towards the strikers and opposing goal. John Terry is a dumb, idiotic and clumsy player. Johnson, oh dear fucking god, Johnson, Johnson Johnson, I just want to take time to say this, he has got to be one of the shittest… if not THE SHITTEST right backs I have ever seen on television or on the pitch. Now, I’ve had my fair share of football matches, what with playing from an early age but after Frank Lampard’s free kick right outside the box and when the Germans steamed it forward, Johnson, only defender back, and he seemed so lackadaisical, careless and sloppy and quite frankly, it made me sick to say that I was supporting a team who played a game like that. They were played for fools, dragged around, left space wide open and at times, all going for the same ball. Tell me I’m wrong but if I am honest… I’m not.

Now, onto the slaughtering of the Midfielders and Strikers Lampard, Gerrard, Barry, Milner Rooney and Defoe.

I can honestly say, not one of them played at all. It was as if there wasn’t a team out there. Gerrard, what are you doing capello?!?! Does he belong on the left!?!?! Come on. And Gareth Barry... where the hell do you start with Gareth Barry. He didn’t deserve the number 14 on his back. Sheer disappointment with the lack of push, ball play and width the midfielders provided. Now see, I thought James Milner played an alright game. Not excellent and certainly not acceptable but alright. Then Capello takes him off second half, and replaces him with a guy who hasn’t played all season for Chelsea.WHAT ON EARTH?!?!?! HOW IS THAT LOGIC!?!?PLEASE? EXPLAIN?
Now, Rooney and Defoe. Rooney? Our saviour? The answers to all of our prayers?! Really because from what I have seen of the England matches, he has not performed in the slightest. He hasn’t been providing space for the ball, it’s as if he just stands and waits for it. He seemed to be getting pushed all over, especially by the Germans, and his body language in the game on Wednesday afternoon was disgusting

The thing that angers me above all, is not the shocking abysmal sight that was the England squad it’s the amount of money they will still get from playing as if they are down the park or part of a pub league and Fabio Capello…. Saying they played `well`?!?!??!?!. WELL?!?!. I know he isn’t strong with his English, but Jesus Christ all friggin mighty, can someone seriously be that ridiculously stupid?!?!. They played well….for Under 10’s playing at a tournament at their local first school where you win some little daft medal, THAT WAS NOT BY ANY MEANS ACCEPTABLE FOR WORLD CUP STANDARD. GET IT SORTED FABIO!

Every single person on that field today needs to remember that they were placed in the ENGLAND TEAMfor a reason. They do, all have talent and skill within the sport, I don’t know whether its lack of stamina, endurance, the heat, disliking of the structure of the team or hate towards Fabio Capello but I can say this, get on with it. There are so many other footballers who have the drive to perform better (than the disastrous 11 did) are willing to sacrifice everything they have to play for the England team. Hell, some young players dream about it and the likes of Rooney and Terry and all those big names need to find that motivation to deal with the negatives and turn them into an aggressive want to succeed as part of a team.

Deborah Colker's Companhia De Danca of "Cruel"

So while I sit here, after seeing the beautiful performance of Deborah Colkers work listening to E.S Posthumus' rather inspiring music, I decided to write up my views of the performance

Firstly, the intention behind the piece: This piece of dance was to explore many, if not all forms of cruelty that can happen within a relationship. It says to of been split into `four movements, the first of which sees an enormous globe shaped chandelier dangle from the ceiling`. Can I just say here, what a beautiful way to start a piece of movement. The lighting, the dancers direction and positions ( who to start of with, were all the male dancers acting with excessive amounts of masculinity in their tight tailored clothing)showing the intention of work was behind this specific phrase of movement. I must say, very suprised with how technical these male dancers were. Two, especially seemed to catch my eye. I mean the girls, were beautiful dancers, machines infact, but the boys were so much more precise with the placement of their feet, arms and their body, whether they be in 4th open or second with a slight tilt.

Secondly, another section of movement which just astounded me was the choreography that took place on a spinning and moveable long table. It was so fast paced and dynamic I believed that for a second these people were infact, robots. The way that timing mattered so much in this piece was incredible. I feel that this is the way a lot of dance pieces, if not all of them should be, in the sense that the audience should feel that the dancers are suspending so much that if they do it too fast they fall and too slow, the phrase falls apart. One woman is this section ( she was a little 5ft blonde lady, probably in her 30's, built like a tank with a body that we would all love and die for now, let alone that age) just had me in absolute awe. The way she moved, all of Colkers intricate details was shown in every piece of movement in this section that she performed. For example, she does a trio piece with two of the male dancers and yeah, it could of been classed as contact i guess but a lot of the work she done by herself was so beautiful to watch. Another female dancer, the only one to be on pointe on both feet while carrying knives for a part of the section, had me gobsmacked. Her precision while on pointe was on top form. She danced with such ease, ease I have never seen before. Ease, with emotion in her eyes.

Of course, the interval draws the curtains after 40 minutes and as I get up to pop to the toilet, I see one of my dance teachers sitting on the same row and we both realised that the college piece I am involved in which 2nd Year Dancers are performing seems to be very inspired by this Colker piece. I don't know, maybe its because of the detailed sections, along with the dynamic and such drastic change in emotion but it was the waltz section too! The dancers perform a very up beat yet earthy contemporary waltz ( it cant be done you say? Oh yes... yes it can) and wow beautiful is all i can say

Okay, so the final act. I must admit, apart from the revolving mirrors, the pieces intention started to lose itself on me. I dont know whether this was because i was so astounded by the dancers climbing about these high mirrors while crawling through holes in it and running everywhere ( manic times!!!) but the piece of cruelty in relationships, I felt, wasnt strongly presented then again, maybe it was, but in a more subtle and personal approach so that Colker and her dancers only understood. I don't think I will ever understand the use of the mirrors, yet there were a lot of points where the dancers would dance frantic then just stop. Motionless just looking at themselved in these mirrors. Intention was there I knew that much and it certainly made me question as to why they were doing it.

All in all, the dancers have an incredible amount of skill and concentration that was obviously on high demand for this piece, as well as stamina of course. The men, sounded like feathers and dust touching the floor on the landings of their jumps. The women, full of emotion and passion from beginning to end. Thoroughly enjoyable piece choreographed by such an excellent choreographer.

C.Muckle

Your leaving? So soon

A line that seems to be said by myself and my family quite a lot over the past few days.
Dad saying to Noel when in the hospital ` leaving us so soon, noel? no your not, ya daft begger`.
Ross saying to me ` leaving now? no dont? stay here with me`

I wish I could.

Chloe Candarakis arrives in Newcastle on Friday Morning and boy am I stoked for her and her mums arrival. Its going to be a crazy 5 days and no, I am not even thinking about her leaving :) I have too much to say to her and too many hours to laugh with her and her mum for to think negatively about it. We then are heading down to london (via scary plane) for a few days :D to dance and shop and see the capital. I am BETTING I hear the words `Conservative` and `Labour` more than Katie Price has called Alex Reid Peter Andre by mistake while in the bedroom.

Life at the moment can be summed up in a short phrase: Fucking unfair

I realised today that I take a lot of things for granted. Sitting up here, chilling to Paolo Nutini - Autumn over and over again makes me realise how much I love my life. Everything and everyone in it. From the ability to create to the love I received from my family, my boyfriend and from the best kind of friends.

Its days like this as well that I miss being able to do what the fuck I wanted.You know the days when you were young and you stayed out every hour of the day and didnt give a shit about anything?
That is why this summer is going to be all about;
Sunshine
Chilling to the best music with the best kind of people
Party
Camping
Dancing

Best things.

Life

I read a paragraph once about life.
It said `The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities`

Its bizarre to think everyone lives such a vicious life. No matter how happy you are or claim to be. Life in itself is a vicious happening. Why should it be acceptable to create life then take it away? In either such a sudden or elongated way? If your going to take it away, whoever you are Mr and Mrs grim reeper, why give it in the first place?

Its times like this, at moments in my life like this, that make me question everything I was taught to believe in at school. Everything involving God, Christianity and religion. Everything about the 10 commandments including ` Thou Shal Not Kill`. Contradictory Mister maker? I think fucking so.

I dont believe in God. I dont believe in science. But at least science doesnt take lives the way it seems `God` does. Now, I dont want to make this a religious blog because sadness dawns on me too much to go into that. All I know is, when it comes down to it, everyone has felt this before, what Im feeling. So my family and I dont feel alone.

Some are scared. All I know is that this maybe life and it may occur on a regular basis. Im just angry and disappointed with whoevers idea it is to take away a life, of a friend of the family. Its wrong. All of it is wrong. Life is all wrong.