Early Halloween ~ Marie Antoinette

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!

Gaskell Ball April 2013

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. 

"Wings of the Swan", Princess Tutu Cosplay

Princess Tutu: Wings of the Swan by ~Stagsleap on deviantART

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!

When a dancer trips...

During tonight's performance, I tripped.

Before jumping into a tour-jete, it felt as if someone had pulled the rug out from under me. I didn't fall down, but I stumbled. It felt my shoulder slump and my head look down. For one second, I was in front of hundreds of people and absolutely petrified.

When you love what you do, your body and mind can work together to pilot your struggling ship straight again. I'm wearing a beautiful white tutu with flowers; I have a crown upon my head. I am a ballerina. The effervescent, magical, powerful storyteller of the theater. The audience wants to love me. My mind did not forget the steps that came next; my body did not fail to get me right up upon my leg again. A quick port de bras and my pas de basques came large and expressive. I back on track. My smile returned.

Of course I am concerned about how I must have looked. Was the illusion lost? Did I contribute to a lower morale amongst my fellow dancers for the rest of the piece? Did my face wrench into an unpleasant expression as I flailed? Did I flail? Was I able to regain my posture decently enough?

A year or two ago, I may have been in tears. I would have been nervous and shaking. But now...here I sit in the dressing room, happy and content. I am fine. Unbelievably, I feel great.

During the last section of the piece, when all the various characters come on stage to get into the final tableau, there is a moment when I prance into my center spotlight with a series of developpes before taking my pose in preparation for the ending. I have a moment to look into the audience, my arms outstretched and my slippers gesturing out to the top rows. Tonight, as I smiled upon them with my lips and my heart, I thought I heard a loving applause. It could have been for the others, but I would like to think they were welcoming me back - telling me "It's okay. We have your back; well done. " As I floated into my final pose, I felt happier than I had been in a long time.

When a dancer trips, remember that the audience wants you to do well. To see someone get right back up and carry on with a genuine smile may be even more thrilling than the fall itself. People love stories of individuals overcoming obstacles. When you trip or fall, it's almost like a miniature drama playing out in front of them. If you return from your "fall from grace" with strength and beauty, the audience is thrilled.

Dancers are the athletes of god. You are blessed and beautiful. You enthrall and entertain with a poise and magic that no other entertainer possesses. When you fall, don't let yourself fall down a black hole of despair. You are one of the privileged, so smile and continue your magical spell. There is a good chance the audience barely noticed anyway.

Opening Night!

It's Opening Night!

Here I sit in the corner of the over-stuffed dressing room, surrounded by flocks of dancers, a thin mist of hairspray hanging above our manicured heads. The music and sounds from the stage filter in through a speaker. Every so often, the pitched slap of skin against the stage floor echos through - most of the dance pieces are contemporary, after all, and you how those dancers just love their sadomasochistic relationship with the floor.

My white and red tiara perches happily on my head. My tutu has been tucked away on it's skinny hanger; it will not join me in the curtain call.

The dancers on stage breathe so heavily right now that I can hear it through the speaker.

It was a wonderful opening night. I was nervous, of course, but not nearly as much as I have been for past shows. This is my first show as a real "ballerina" with a sparkling tutu, and my joy was probably quite evident on my smiling face. I had so much fun out there! I'm working on keeping my chin up, since I cast my gaze too low sometimes. My pique pirouette manage started beautifully, but I when I realized I was going farther downstage than I should have, a small hitch made its way to my feet like a hiccup. It felt like an earthquake, but I'm sure it was miniscule.

The song playing right now reminds me of droids angrily boffing each other...

In my turning balances, I felt like my feet and legs were tied in knots, and I'm sure the footwork wasn't pretty... But I am still joyful. I have done it! I have performed in a tutu, with a tiara, in front of an audience! I hope I was able to share my excitement and joy with the audience tonight. :) 

Backstage photos!

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!

I was once a ballet-dancing commodore...

It's me!

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...

Gaskell Ball - October 2012

Another fantastic, wondrous Gaskell Ball! The October Ball is always one of most exciting, and for good reason! It's a "Fancy Dress" ball, which references the Victorian practice of dressing up in fanciful, historic, and Shakespearean costumes. So, we spend the night dressing up as Victorians dressing up...

The ceiling...

Duke and I originally planned in going in Indian dress, but we still need more accessories before we can really do those outfits justice, so we wore our Lolita outfits. I wore my favorite Peach Dress, cream tights, character shoes (brand new!), and lace socks, while Duke wore his minty Nehru jacket, trousers, and expansive bow. I wore Victorian-style side curls with flower and rose clips. I had nice curls when I left the house, but sitting quietly in the car was enough to straighten them. I still can't get my curls to set!

We arrived right as the Grand March started, but I had to dress and apply makeup in the ladies lounge, so we started dancing halfway through the first set, starting with a Congress of Vienna (our favorite dance). It's a unique feeling to know a choreographed social dance like the Congress. I'm usually looking at my beau, but every so often I take a glance at the floor and the other dancers. To see a crowd of beautifully costumed dancers partaking in such a romantic tradition gives me a sense of security and satisfaction. Ah, everything might turn out all right. Civility, gentleness, and elegance still exists in the souls of these good people. With every step and gesture, we keep these practices alive.

 

Here's a video of the Galop from that night! There is usually only one Galop per night, and boy, that's enough! It's a fast, frightening, fun, slightly dangerous dance that is usually described as "Victorian Bumper-cars". You hold your partner close and charge  into the crowd, trying your best not to slam into anyone, but casual bumps are normal and fun. It's even better to charge at your friends! Some people try to cross the brass disk set into the center of the floor as many times as they can. You are at the will of your leader, and there is always lots of joyful yelps and woohoos. You can see Duke and I come into the center of the video at 0:04.

Turning into a puddingpuff in the lobby.

After singing our praises to the Queen (yes, we sing "God Save the Queen" after every ball), we headed off to Afters in Berkeley, where I had an apple torte, vegetable chili, and hot chocolate! Can't wait until next the next ball in December!

Getting ready for The Gatsby Summer Afternoon Picnic!

Some people enjoy reading The Great Gatsby. Others prefer to live it....


The San Francisco Bay Area has a little secret. Every so often, little pockets of history open up around the delta, beckoning the public to take a peek inside. If you give it your all and take the plunge inside, you are able to travel back through time for a few hours of peace. Some of these wormholes are stronger than others. Some still let fragments of the modern day pass through - A modern plastic chair here, a nylon backpack there. While many have learned to filter these artifacts out of the picture, they still create a slight disturbance.

One little pocket, however, will send you straight to heaven. Straight to the 1920s. No other adventure is so complete, so accurate, and so total as The Gatsby Summer Afternoon. You leave your auto-mobile on the asphalt and begin to walk. Concrete turns to dirt, which turns to grass. The bushes and shrubs rear up on either side of you as the lawn parts to make way for a small stream. You continue walking deeper into the park, the sound of the freeway fading into brass. Laughter tickles the air as the birds join in. You turn a corner...and you are in the past.

If you have ever read The Great Gatsby, take a deep breath - you're going to fall into its pages.

The modern world is gone. In its place are ladies and gentlemen (real gentlemen!) in pastel dresses and knickerbockers, sun hats and boaters. Plastic is replaced with the tink of glass, and lace tablecloths drape and delicately kiss the green grass below. Those great chrome beasts of the road stand long and proud on the lawn, their handlers standing close. The band plays away, their singers warbling with true, unadulterated voices as couples dance on the parquet floor before them.

No experience is as immersive and real as The Gatsby Picnic. It will be difficult to find remnants of the modern day, since no one in attendance wants to find them either. If you still delight in your denim pants, your hooded shirts, and plastic plates, be prepared to go no further. Unlike other experiences, which embrace the "secular" public, Mr. Gatsby would prefer you return when you are fully ready to travel into his world.

I made this wonderful journey into the past only once before, and now it is only days before I get to make it again. I do hope the pineapple upside-down cake comes out well!

Fanime and Clockwork Alchemy! 2 days!

I'm now in full convention mode as I gear up for Fanime and Clockwork Alchemy! It's going to be tricky dividing my time between both an insane anime convention and a brand-new steampunk convention, but I'll manage!

While I'll still be doing a little cosplay, I will probably be focusing more on my vintage, Victorian, and steampunk ensembles. My boyfriend, Duke, and I have never had a proper photoshoot done with us in our Victorian outfits, and we intend to change that this year!

Look for me at the Princess Tutu cosplay gathering on Sunday at 11am. Not sure if I will attend the Kuroshitsuji gatherings, however.

The highlight of the con will certainly be The Emperor Norton Ball at Clockwork Alchemy. It's going to blow Fanime's Black and White Ball out of the water, to be sure. I've written a little blurb about it over at my DA journal, so take a gander if you're interested in this dance event: Thinking about attending the B&W Ball at Fanime?

So excited! Can't wait!

"It is only natural for you to be able to dance."

I really stopped caring about having a "typical" social life after I started social dancing.

Once you have experienced the thrill of the waltz and a long night of pure vintage dance, nothing compares. When you are dancing, you get to meet so many wonderful people in a safe, exciting, unique way. Perhaps the folks in the vintage groups I meet with are so lovely because there must be a connection of trust the moment you frame up and begin dancing...And when you have just spun around the room with someone to a Strauss waltz, it makes saying "hello" the next time you meet effortless. No awkwardness!

I think dancing also makes one a great deal more attractive. You are flushed and vibrant with warmth and smiles as the music plays happily in the background. The orchestra plays bright, cheerful tunes, and there are no modern aggressive lyrics or beats. It's blissful.

You must try dancing. It will elevate you above the mediocre sludge our culture is so deeply mired in, it will make you beautiful, and it will make you unbelievably happy.