Dance is Art

Les Twins at Hip Hop International Dance Event

Les Twins are two brothers (identical twins) that were born and raised in Paris, France. They have become a Youtube sensation since performing at Juste Debouts in France in 2008. They currently perform at world dance competitions and they travel throughout Europe and the United States teaching hip hop classes. 

In this video, Les Twins have collaborated some dance moves that they have done at various world dance competition. The one wearing the jacket is Larry and the other twin is Laurent. They are titled as hip hop dancers but each twin has their own dancing style. Larry is more smooth and laid back. He is well known for his foot work. Laurent is very artistic and gets his inspiration from ballet. He is well known for his twirls and splits. This video is a little taste of their dancing techniques. I highly recommend that you watch their world of dance 2010 video to see amazing dance routines (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XLGYxeL1iQ).

I have been following these guys since 2011. I love to dance and as a kid I would always keep up with the latest dances and performed for my family and friends. I love how these brothers dance because they incorporate dance with theater and art. When you see them dance, you have to listen closely to the music. Every beat, sound effect and theme is pronounced through their dancing. Remember, listen closely to the music when they are dancing. Enjoy!

Trailer of many angles

The Women in Black 2

(Warning: Must have a good heart)

The Women in Black 2 is a movie about a group of children fleeing London from the destruction of World War II. They evacuated and settled in a house on an island isolated from others. Little did they know that there resides a ghostly figure (Women in Black) who is determined to find someone or something she lost. Unfortunately, she preys on those in the presence of the house.

This trailer has intimidating music to change the scene. It also has good lighting and zoning. There are a few parts where the scene changes from dark to light. Also, there is a scene where they focus in on a door then zone out.

I picked this trailer because of the lighting, music and zoning makes the movie more appealing. I am a huge fan of Horror movies. I am a big critic when rating horror films and trailers of horror films. I have yet to see the movie but the trailer is well put together. The end of the trailer is epic.

Annie-Hard Knock Life

This is a clip from the movie Annie that came out in 2014. This feature starred Jamie Foxx and Quvenzhane Wallis. This version of Annie was indeed a remake of the original broadway musical of Annie. This movie received two Golden Globe Award nominations.

The video is a short clip of one of the songs, Hard Knock Life. It shows the girls singing, dancing and acting simultaneously.

I picked this video because I have loved this song since I was a kid. I recently watched the movie and it reminded me of plays I enjoyed watching when I was a kid.

Poetry

America in 4 minutes

By Brandon E. Wellington

This spoken  poetry was written by Brandon Wellington in 2007 when he was approximately 18 years old. Brandon was raised in Indianopolis, IN where he was recognized for his amazing talent in spoken poetry. Throughout his teenage years, he has performed and competed in state competitions. Later in life, he joined the Navy where he continued to participate in poetry competitions. By doing so, he was awarded a scholarship from a competition where he ranked 2nd out of 100,000 participants. After he departed from the military, he moved to New York and pursued an acting career. He starred in a Travel Channel show called 'Paranormal Paparazzi' and a film titled 'Real Talk'.

This poem was written by him in aspect of how America is viewed and how we benefit from it despite the cultural differences but from the social and political aspect of it. He wrote this to inspire people to achieve success and take pride in accomplishments.

I thought this spoken poetry was inspiring and makes me think about the goals I have currently achieved and the goals that I am continuing to pursue. I feel blessed and thankful to say I have accomplished something in my life despite the challenges and/or besides the color of my skin and gender. We are all here to make a difference/change in our lives, continue to do so.

Music for the Soul

Maxwell - This Woman's Work

 Maxwell is a 41 year old singer, song-writer, producer and actor whom was born in Brooklyn, New York. Maxwell was not serious about music until he reached the age of 17.

 This is a remake of Kate Bush's song, This Woman's Work, which was featured in a movie titled 'She's Having a Baby' in 1988. The remake that Maxwell did charted at 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 16 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop songs chart. This song has many voices from the piano, guitar and backup vocals. In a few parts of the song, you can hear Maxwell's pitch change from high to low. For example, you can hear the voice change at 2:43 to 2:50 and then from 2:58 to 3:10.

I absolutely fell in love with this song from the first time I heard it back in 2001. The melody is beautiful and his voice has so much power that I can feel his pain. This song expresses the pain and anger from unexpected events that may involved the one you love so dear. In this video, it shows how Maxwell is grieving the loss of his love and how hard it is to cope and move forward. I believe the change in pitch from his voice ranging from high to low expresses hurt then to anger. Overall, this is one of my favorite songs.

Break Room anyone?

Mi Casa es Su Casa?

Yes, this is a toilet bowl seat. This is a toilet shaped house located in South Korea. This home was designed in appreciation of the World's Toilet Association. The World's Toilet Association is an organization that promotes sanitary restrooms worldwide.

The owner and designer of this 4,000 square foot home is a native of South Korea who was reportedly born in a restroom. He became known as the "Mayor Toilet". Sim Jae-Duck built this structure by using glass and concrete. Inside the center of the home, there is a glass walled bathroom. The rooftop resembles a toilet drain that is accessible by a staircase and equipped with technology that produces mist.

This architectural structure is fascinating. The thought of designing a structure that is designed to resemble a toilet bowl is unbelievable. From the lid to the opening is a true resemblance of a toilet. I am assure that Sim Jae-Duck was satisfied and amazed at his accomplishments.

Here is a short video of the construction of the toilet house:

Mindblowing Sculptures

The Grizzly Bear

This beautiful masterpiece is a creation by team members of the Robert Harrop Designs LTD. Matt Buckley, creative director of Harrop Designs, began his career in sculpting 20 years ago. The company was first established by his step-father, Robert Harrop. Buckley began his career doing the same thing his step father enjoyed doing. 

This sculpture is made 100% out of clay. It was designed by an image of a picture then transformed into a 3D masterpiece made of clay. A sturdy fixture is used to support the weight of the wet clay that is used for the sculpture. Then, the sculpture is molded and when hardened it is cut and casted with a marble resin. When that step is completed, any unwanted lines and residue are removed with the use of drills or knives. The final step involves painting.

This sculpture is one of many beautiful pieces designed by the Robert Harrop Designs LTD. The fact that this is made out of clay is remarkable. The eyes, nose, teeth and the tongue are well defined. When I look at this sculpture, I do not only see a grizzly bear; I see dedication, hard work, effective time management and most of all I see passion. I see passion in every line and angle. This is a beautiful sculpture.