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!
For the past few years, I have always celebrated Halloween early at Gaskell Ball instead of the usual 31st of October. Last Saturday, I finally achieved a minor goal of becoming Marie Antoinette, garish Rococo makeup and all.
Before the night's festivities, I spent about half an hour on makeup. To capture the over-the-top macaroni look, I used Kryolan Aquacolor white, drugstore cream blush, and "Death White" face powder from the Spirit Halloween store. I chose to take it easy with the eye shadow with only pink and violet in addition to mascara. No fancy makeup brands were used. Aside from the Kryolan white (which is becoming easier to find in specialty shops), everything could be purchased in a drug store.
Next came my beloved peach lolita dress, a lucky eBay find. No, I don't have a full Georgian gown yet, but the short length of this dress makes it perfect for dancing. It's flirty too! The wig was a rental, dressed up with some of my own flowers. I adore wigs!
Best of all, I had my very own lascivious dandy! The coat and wig are from an old theatre company.
The ballroom put some flats of enchanting turf in the lobby, and Duke was, naturally, riveted.
His glee was not shared by all the guests that night...
It was another heavenly night, filled with music, friends, and laughter. Danced with my favorite partners and a few new ones, and managed to have both the Sir Rogers prove exceptionally humorous. Finished it off with hot chocolate and carrot cake in Berkeley! Ah!
After missing the last three Gaskell Balls, it felt wonderful to finally get back on the dance floor last Saturday.
I had acquired a few new dresses from a theater sale last year, and since my first choice (a white dress) needed a new sash and some appropriate gloves, I settled upon a magenta/plum one. This particular dress doesn't stand out on the hanger, and might even be passed up as "tacky", but with a few petticoats, a good hairdoo, and a sleeve adjustment, it passes for a decent Victorian gown! It fits my torso snugly, and gives wonderful shape without a corset. The lightweight fabric makes it perfect for dancing. It's already one of my favorite dresses!
Had a great time at the ball chatting with old friends and dancing with new ones.
My friend, Ben, and I. We first met when he asked me to dance the Bohemian National Polka, a dance that neither of us knew at the time. We pranced through the choreography filled to the brim with giggles and smiles. It was one of my favorite dances ever!
Duke, looking dukish.
Update, May 5th: New photos! Thank you to Anthony Argyriou for the images!
Taken during "The Galop", one of the most frightening social dances one can take part in. You rev up and gallop head-long at the other dancers, yelping, squealing, and oof-ing aplenty.
Last year at Fanime, I was able to coordinate quite a few private shoots for my various outfits, including this Princess Tutu, a Lolita, my vintage dress, and my red bustle gown. As soon as my college portfolio is finished at the end of this month, I'll be uploading lots more cosplay photos. Enjoy this teaser, photographed by Jason, AKA Gamefan23!
I was tired, anxious about school, worried about my sick Beau, and unwilling to commit to anything much. I almost didn't go to Dickens Fair at all on the first weekend. My mother and I had free passes (for that first weekend only) so I pushed my worries aside and decided to head out on Sunday. My pink gown was not finished, and I felt like I didn't have any other appropriate dress to wear, so I decided I would dress "like a secular" and forgo historical clothing. The plan was to stay at the Fair for only a short time and view the shows, which I have often missed in past years.
So, I went into my closet to find "civilian clothes" and I came out looking like this...
I completely forgot my love of dressing like a boy. Oh my, how I had forgotten that sweet, liberating feeling! I felt more giddy and powerful than I had in a long time.
I accompanied my mother around the fair, nibbled at some Bangers and Mash (the food, not the band!), danced a wee bit, and went to Saucy French Postcards. It was a low-key day, but I was delighted to see nearly all of my fair friends!
Backstage in the dressing room at the theatre! I'm playing a ballerina from a Degas painting in a dance piece about Impressionism. Dancers portray various subjects from Impressionist paintings. I even have a little solo! No pointe shoes, though.
Tonight is our first dress rehearsal, and we are slated to remain in the theatre until 11pm tonight. Yikes!
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...
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