Thoughts and observations from a young lady stuck in the wrong century who believes firmly in beauty, kindness, poise, the arts, ballet, and a love for all creatures. She also enjoys "The Fandom" and geekery is common.
Art will be shared, and life will be discussed. Enjoy!
The weekends of November 23- December 23 (and the Friday after Thanksgiving).
10am - 7pm (stay all the way to the end for caroling!)
It will soon be time for my favorite holiday tradition - the Great Dickens Christmas Fair! If you live near the San Francisco Bay Area in California and have even a slight interest in history, I suggest you visit. Held in the cavernous stock barns of The Cow Palace, the streets of Victorian London are lovingly recreated and populated with hundreds of trained actors. They portray numerous characters from Dickens, historical figures, and various city folk and travelers. There is a wealth of delicious Victorian food, activities, shopping, shows, and entertainment. It's a truly immersive experience unlike anything that I can think of.
Think the Victorians are too "prude" for you? Oh boy, are you in for a surprise. You might just see Victorians (and history geeks!) in a very different light after visiting The Fair. Be sure to get tickets for "Naughty French Postcards"!
If you have never been, I wanted to give you a little teaser by showcasing some wonderful photos of the fair. Enjoy!
All of these wonderful photos are from various artists on Flickr. Flickr can make it difficult to share photos, so some are links instead of thumbnails. Show your appreciation for their work by visiting their galleries and faving or commenting!
The parlor at The Adventurer's Club. Photo by marianme.
Mr. Dickens himself in the family parlor. Photo by maywong_photos
The Can-Can Girls of Mad Sal's. Their show is delightful! Photo by tuna94544
Try as they might, their message is often ignored! Photo by tuna94544
Anyone who thinks these people are "lonely nerds" are wrong, wrong, WRONG. Dickens Fair is the site of some the bawdiest fun you'll ever see this holiday season. Photo by tuna94544
Every fall at my college, the dance department has open auditions for their Fall Dance Concert, which is composed of student-choreographed pieces in all styles of dance. I was in three pieces in 2009 (which were mostly small roles) and the experience was certainly worth it. I made a lot of acquaintances and realized how little I actually knew as a dancer. I felt like "the baby" amongst all these other girls (and a few boys) who had years upon years of experience. I had a really difficult time picking up choreography. :(
Fast forward to 2011, and while I had no interest in taking part in another Fall Dance, I did hear whispers that there was to be a ballet segment in a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed dance. Pirates? Ballet? WHERE DO I SIGN UP? Luckily for me, the choreographer used to dance at my off-campus studio and knew of me. I was given the role of Commodore James Norrington.
It doesn't end there! Of course, every PotC dance needs a Captain Jack Sparrow! Who better than....my boyfriend Duke? For the first time in our relationship, Duke and I would be in full theatrical costume, on stage together, dancing, and in roles that both suit us. It was like a dream come true!
Rehearsals were wonderful. All of the Royal Navy cadets danced ballet, and I event got to dance a duet with Duke. Other segments includes contemporary, gymnastics, and hip hop. Duke and I worked together smoothly and happily. Things got even better when it came time to start rehearsing in costume and makeup. I wore a white "powdered" wig, poet shirt, a cream waistcoat, cream breeches, white tights, and black slippers with white elastic (so they look like black shoes). I had to dance all the choreo with a sword, adding an elegant challenge.
Best of all, Duke transformed into a stunning Jack Sparrow. Not only did he look perfect in the makeup, but he also got Jack's gestures, expressions, and run down pat.
Now, on to the pictures!
In costume as Norry before putting on the wig.
Confronting Sparrow.
Our duet. Apparently, the camera captured my inner demi-god.
Enjoy the video too! The hip-hop segment was cut for some reason...
Wow. Opening ceremonies. I'm sure many people are totally fangirling over the crunking Victorian gentlemen and steampunkian nightmare carriages. A one hundred foot Lord Voldemort puppet? Kenneth F-ing Branagh? Bean?!
Duke and I, who are lucky enough to surround ourselves with true gentlemen, dance at stately Victorian balls, and enjoyably study history at the college level, were understandably giddy and awed by the first half of the ceremonies. A happy night of laugh and love between us. :)
However, I'm still disappointed that there is no sign of equestrian athletes in any of the commercials, intros, and other promotion material for the Olympics!
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