Check out this site

Don't leave until you come across Barbra Streisand.


http://www.sleeveface.com/

New Blog and Comments

Hey Folks!

I'm always glad to hear people tell me that they check in with this blog. I don't get to it with any regularity but it's great to know that somehow I am staying connected to those that I love while I'm away at school.

Speaking of school and blogs, I have started a new blog! This one is so that I can communicate with students in my ballet class. The URL for this blog is www.UWDance108.blogspot.com. Please feel free to check it out.

In order to communicate with my students, I enabled the comment link and its great to get comments directly on the blog items. I've enabled the comments link on this blog as well so feel free to respond, even it's just a hello or "hey, that's cool."

Looking forward to blogging with you soon!

Louis

Kiwi Flying

I don't quite understand this video, but the flying kiwi just filled my heart.

Contained Within

This bud is on a Night Blooming Cereus. It blooms just once a year for one night only. It is a rare and special event. In Victorian times, people planned parties around the blooming of these plants.

All the design information and geometry in this blossom (as in any blossom) is contained in the seed of the plant. It just takes time and the right conditions for the plant to flower.

What do you think it feels like to be this flower? How do you think the flowering of a plant might connect to the study of ballet?

Flying

Check out this link for an amazing video of flying people.

http://www.biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=4262

Sir Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity

About this Talk

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining (and profoundly moving) case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it. With ample anecdotes and witty asides, Robinson points out the many ways our schools fail to recognize -- much less cultivate -- the talents of many brilliant people. "We are educating people out of their creativity," Robinson says. The universality of his message is evidenced by its rampant popularity online. A typical review: "If you have not yet seen Sir Ken Robinson's TED talk, please stop whatever you're doing and watch it now."

Happy New Year!

Hey Friends,

It's the start of a new year and life is great. I am loving my life in Seattle and the work I'm doing at the UW. I just finished my first semester and did pretty well. I studied early dance history, dance in higher education, dance composition and danced religions. It was a fascinating combination of courses and at the end of the semester I created a solo that synthesized the whole semester of learning into one artistic expression. I'll try to get that solo on here so you can see it soon.

At the moment, I am nearing the end of my holiday break. I have been home in Maine for a couple of weeks and really working hard at relaxing. I slept 16 hours over New Years Eve. I'm really getting good at it. I fly back to Seattle on Saturday and start the new semester on Monday.

This semester I will be teaching Ballet! I've never really taught ballet, but I'm actually looking forward to it. Of course, I will have to do some original spin on it but it will be an adventure for all 36 students and myself.

I will also be taking a class called Myth, Ritual and Media, which sounds interesting. Dance Administration (which sounds kinda boring) and Teaching Methods (which sounds, again, kinda fun). And I'll be creating a dance with some digital arts undergrads and teaching another Dance 101, which I've taught 3 times now. So, I will be plenty busy. I am also really committed to the improv scene in Seattle which has become my spiritual connection to a wonderful community of artists.

My time home has been wonderful. I've really rested! And I've spent time with family and friends and Don and Randy. Every departure is difficult, but leaving this time seems really long. I won't be back until May. Randy is growing so much so fast. It's hard to miss these precious years away from him.

I hope you all had some great holiday time. Looking forward to seeing you in the new year!

Love, love, love,

Louis