#Alexander Technique Class

[betteratbeing]

Breathe easier with Alexander Technique

How to breathe better with AT

For some people, better breathing is the best and most important benefit of Alexander Technique (AT). These include people with breath-impairing conditions, ranging from allergies to asthma, COPD or post-COVID symptoms. Since the early twentieth century when Alexander Technique was first developed, it has been used to help people breathe more easily. Your doctor’s office should always be your first stop if you suspect you have an underlying medical disorder interfering with your breathing. But your wellness journey may not end with a diagnosis, or even with medical treatment. You may already be following your doctor’s orders for a chronic breathing condition, and still crave greater relief, without increasing drugs that can cause unwanted side-effects. If you're asking yourself, how can I improve my breathing, you might want to consider adding regular visits to the betterATbeing studio for Alexander Technique lessons. Your lessons can make breathing difficulties easier to manage, and unlike many medications, AT is side-effect-free, for a more reliable everyday experience of well-being. At betteratbeing, you can learn AT as it was taught by F.M. Alexander and perpetuated by master teacher Walter Carrington. This approach promotes a noticeable lengthening and widening of the whole torso, freeing the ribs for greater mobility, and creating conditions for a better exchange of oxygen.

How AT helps us breathe

As with all of Alexander Technique's benefits, the better breathing AT brings about results from increased self-awareness and better functioning. Sometimes individuals may be unaware that they are responding habitually to certain activities or outside stimuli by involuntarily holding their breath. AT lessons can make you aware of this unfortunate habit.

Get More Info : Alexander technique training 

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[gayestcowboy]

i feel like when people learn to draw people in a stylized way (like “anime style” in middle school or any other imitation of a cartoon style) we spend so much time perfecting stylized faces and neck placement but so frequently just gloss over HOW the head and neck connect to each other, especially the neck. and that’s how we end up with basically no “anime style” or commonly-seen stylized art that depicts double chins or loose skin or any facial features that are extremely common.

it’s something i certainly never spent much time drawing until the past year or so. knowing how the head and neck connect is a really important skill when you’re trying to draw people, and it’s something i always struggled with until i started to focus more on drawing people’s necks differently rather than just their head and face shape. we as artists spend so much time trying to perfect the face, but the neck affects the face so much. the neck has so much character.

and, of course, the reason you never see people draw double chins is because they’re considered “ugly,” which is of course a result of a beauty standard based around thinness and a hatred for fat people. obviously not everyone’s neck looks the same, and stylized art doesn’t have to be as realistic as possible, but it’s frustrating to see so few depictions of double chins, especially when artists go out of their way to try and draw the rest of fat bodies as well as possible. i think there’s a discussion to be had about how a lot of artists online nowadays draw so many more diverse body types (which is wonderful!), but there’s still such little variation in neck shape, because the neck affects how the face looks.

this is a really long way of saying the neck is a really cool part of the body that i think we as artists don’t take enough advantage of!!

[stressed-depressed-andobsessed]

It was @local-pr1nter who planted the Theatre Kid Mondo Owada idea into my head

Anyway

Here's the character list for who's who in my Danganronpa x Hamilton musical AU thing

Hamiliton Musical of 78' AU

Alexander Hamilton - Kiyotaka Ishimaru

He wasn't going to audition at first since he's never watched Hamilton before, but after a mandatory movie night watch with the entire class so they could 'study' the musical, he decided to try out for Hamilton himself

Taka absolutely loves Hamilton's passion and drive throughout the musical. He doesn't like the occasional cursing (and actively despises the affairs, both emotional with Angelica and physical with Maria), but he tries to look past it because it's all just an act afterall. He wouldn't actually curse if he were picked for the part (and definitely would not cheat on any future love interests)

He studies Hamilton HARD. Just as hard as the homework and topics that are discussed in class. He watched the entire musical 6 times over just to make sure he knew everyone's lines, moves, and personality. It doesn't matter that he was only going to be playing Alexander Hamilton, he still needs to know everyone else's lines too

Sayaka is his biggest hype man when he was practicing his lyrics before the rehearsal. Did he stumble over a line? That's ok, practice it a couple of times with me then try again! Can't hit a particular high note? Try this method she learned during a routine practice she was doing with her bandmates! Nervous before the audition? Look to the side of the stage, she'll be right there smiling and silently singing with you!

Hina is also like that, but with the dancing parts. Need advice for singing and dancing at once without getting tired quickly? She's got him, here's a technique she learned from swimming competitions!

Don't get me started on how loud they (and Mondo) screamed when Taka got the lead role. You would've thought there was a fire, or someone was attacking the school

He's still not over the cursing thing, but he'll manage! Somehow...

Aaron Burr - Mondo Owada

You thought he screamed loud for Taka? Wait until you hear what he did when he found out about his own role

He cried. Very hard.

It was almost scary how expessive he was after finding out he was gonna play THE Aaron Burr

"KYOUDAI! TAKA! KIYO! OH MY FUCKING GOD! TAKA! TAKA! TAKA TAKA TAKA TAKA! WHERE'S CHI? OH MY GOD! I GOT TELL CHI TOO! OH MY GOD!"

This man's happiness could not be contained

He practiced his ass off though so he definitely deserved his role. He was right there with Taka for the 6 viewings (plus the movie night viewing) of Hamilton

After just watching the musical, he started practicing singing. Considering he already knew the musical like the back of his bike before this, it didn't take much practicing to get every single line down for... Hercules Muligan.

That's right! He auditioned for Mulligan! Not Burr.

He definitely didn't think he was good enough to play the Narrator of the musical so the supporting friend of the MC will have to do.

He chose Mulligan mostly because of the man's lines. He sings in, like, 3 songs and most of the lines were about fighting, having sex, getting drunk, or being a spy. Cool ass guy with a cool ass voice. Right up Mondo's alley

The dancing was pretty simply to figure out too since it was mostly background choreography that he already memorized when he was 13. When he was back at home with Daiya, belting out the lyrics and dancing stupidly in the middle of the living room

After the wave of initial excitement, he realizes the responsibility that comes with being the narrator and the MAIN FREAKING ANTAGONIST AND HAVING TO 'KILL' HIS KYOUDAI OH GOD HOW IS HE GONNA DO THING?? BURR HAS LIKE 3 SOLOS AND A 2 WHOLE DUETS WITH HAMILTON AND SO MUCH STUPID DANCING AND-

Eliza Schuyler - Sayaka Maizono

No-one was surprised by this to be honest. Considering Eliza is the other lead besides Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, it would make sense to choose someone who knows exactly how to carry the show when needed

Sayaka practiced pretty hard so she could be Eliza. No offense to the other girls, but she was practically born to be the main Schuyler sister! She's the best at singing and acting since she already has the experience so all she really had to focus on is practicing the lines (and Jesus does Eliza have a lot)

Of course, she celebrated with her bandmates after breaking the news to them. Not everyone in the group knows Hamilton that well, but they still had some fun having a karaoke party and singing the songs

She did have to plead with her manager to get the month and a half off of concerts to go to the practices. It took a lot of compromising (along with some promises that her fans would surely pay to come and see her), but eventually, the crabby old man agreed on the condition that she does some in-between photoshoots to make up for her otherwise radio silence towards her fans

Sayaka immediately began practicing her lines with Taka after finding out about her role. It's a little awkward to pretend to be in love with him, but they end up laughing about it throughout the rehearsal whenever they have to be affectionate towards each other, so that helps a bit

Angelica Schuyler - Aoi Asahina

Hina decided her role through the process of elimination. She doesn't want to be Eliza since she knows Sayaka is going for that role (and she would KILL as the Female Lead!). She doesn't want to be Maria or Peggy since there's only 1 song that they sing in, and she wants to dance and sing as much as possible! (These strong lungs and athletic limbs are made just for that, and they will NOT be going to waste!) Angelica is perfect! She's in a couple songs and is one of the main-side characters, she also has a whole solo where she gets to sing as loudly as possible about two of her friends! The context of the song might not be positive, but when has negativity ever stopped Hina?

She joins in on the practice sessions that Taka and Sayaka hold and joins in on one of the re-watches with Taka and Mondo

She, of course, has one on one sessions with Sayaka to improve her vocal cords. Going from loudly screaming the lines to passionately singing the lyrics

She practiced her choreography with Taka and Sakura, she asked Chihiro to join as well, but they ended up denying while poorly hiding a giggle

They're hiding something...

Oh well! Hina loves secrets so she'll just wait and find out with everyone else!

It doesn't really have to be clarified that she celebrated when she got the part! She was so so so so so excited to be Angelica!! Yayayay! Not only does this mean that she gets to sing and dance with her friends, but she'll also get to brag to her family about a fun new skill she learned! Or maybe she should keep it a secret until the big day? Oh, she doesn't know, she might just explode from the excitement!

She put all her excitement into the swim competition that she had a couple days later, and it won her first place! Yay!

Peggy Schuyler - Kyoko Kirigiri

Kyoko definitely wasn't planning on auditioning for any part. She'd much rather be on the sidelines with Toko

That plan changed quickly when Makoto wouldn't shut up about her being someone- ANYONE- so he wouldn't have to be alone in his small part (If he even got the part, his luck is kind of wonky sometimes)

She finally lamented and auditioned for Peggy. No practice at all, just went for it.

She was present for one of the watch throughs and watched the musical again on her own. The first watch was used to analyze how the characters act and interact with each other, the second was to analyze the plot and movements of the characters. She deduced that Peggy has the second least number of lines of any female main-ish character, (The first being Maria Reynolds and there is no way she is 'seducing' Taka on stage in front of people she most likely knows.) her movements aren't terribly complicated either and whenever Peggy is on stage, she's overshadowed by others, so no-one really pays attention to her. That role is perfect.

Kyoko simply smiled when she read the casting list and saw that she received the role of Peggy. Not only would this make Makoto less nervous, but also practicing for the musical wouldn't take up any time because Peggy is only present in 4 songs and speak briefly in 2.

She has cases to work on and she'd rather not let practicing get in the way of that

George Washington - Sakura Oogami

This may seem like a weird decision, but Hina and Taka thought it was a great idea that someone as stoic and wise as Sakura to play someone as respectable (and tall) as George Washington

It didn't take much convincing as she holds respects for him (and might've been a little intrigued in being in the musical)

It did take a bit of practicing since Sakura's way of talking is more slow-paced while Washington's lines are fast-paced

She is just as resilient in training her mental muscles as her physical muscles though, so the practice is welcomed with honor

All the practice definitely pays off as she finds her name 8th down on the cast list

A smile and a nod are the reaction that the stoic Oogami gave at this revelation... Then a gasp followed as Hina also read the list and basically tackled her from behind in excitement

Hina then went on and on about how amazing Sakura was going to look in Washington's waistcoat and trousers and how amazing she was going to sound because Washington's voice is amazing, and Sakura's voice is amazing and Hina loves all of the parts where Washington sings and now it's going to be even better because she'll get to listen to her girlfriend sing and-

Sakura was not let go of for another 4 hours, but she did not mind one bit

If she wasn't already excited for practice, then she definitely would be now with Hina's bouncing, bubbly excitement radiating all over the place

Thomas Jefferson/Marquis De Lafayette - Yasuhiro Hagakure

Gonna be so honest, I originally only picked this because of Hiro looks

And I'm going to go on a whim here and say that the judges (Who I'm going to say now were teachers like Chisa and maybe some eager volunteers from V2 and V3) at the audition also took Hiro's appearances compared to Lafayette and Jefferson in to account when casting people

Hiro did have some really good accent skills, probably from having to hide his voices whenever someone he scammed bumps into him

He's pretty good at fast talking too, probably also from him having to think of quick excuses on the fly for when he also bumps into someone he's scammed

Both of those qualities are needed to be Lafayette along with being silly and everyone knows Hiro is like the goofiest goober around when he needs to be

He's also witty, engaging, and very sarcastic when needed which are all the qualities needed to be Jefferson

Hiro had both characters down, he loved both of them, but he couldn't decide which one to do. He tried asking he crystal ball, but that just 'told' him that he would vibe as either. So, he consulted the cards, who also told him that he'd be fine as either

He auditioned as both Lafayette and Jefferson since that would amplify his chances of getting at least one of them. He sung a bit of Battle of Yorktown for Lafayette and Cabinet Battle #1 for Jefferson

The audition judges couldn't decide which they liked best so they decided he would follow in Daveed Diggs' footsteps and give him both roles to play

He looked at the cast list, he got there after everyone else with Leon because he had detention, and cheered, attempting to fist bump Leon, but Leon seemed upset. He let it go and went to tell Taka instead

He knew he would get at least one of the roles! Afterall, it was in the cards!

John Laurens/James Reynolds - Leon Kuwata

This man went straight for Alexander Hamilton with absolutely no practice

Well, that's not completely true. He practiced a little bit in the shower and sung Hamilton's parts in Helpless with Sayaka one time

He actually did pretty good despite the very minimum amount of practice

He stumbled on a couple words, he auditioned with My Shot, but ultimately made up for it with his dancing and charisma towards the judges

That's most likely the reason why they gave Leon the part of John Laurens. Laurens is Hamilton's bestie up until his death, he doesn't have too many wordy lines, and he's mainly there to hype up the crowd/his friends. He's perfect for Laurens!

Which is so not perfect for Leon since he's gonna have to watch as whoever gets Hamilton sweeps Sayaka off her feet while he sits back and literally cheers him on!

He goes back to the judges and tells the main judge, and the only one he can really find in this big, old school, Chisa (as nicely as he can) that he doesn't want to be Laurens. He uses the excuse that he feels as though he should be in more of the musical. Chisa agrees and tells him she'll see what she can do!

Cool! Now all he has to do is go serve his detention (Which he may or may not have gotten for racing toy cars in the hall with Hiro and making someone trip) and come back later to see his name right next to Alexander Hamilton

...James Reynolds? Wasn't that the abusive husband? That's not what he meant by 'being more in the musical'! This guy only had like 2 lines and one's about calling his wife a whore!

Leon was left so much more upset than before; he didn't even notice Hiro trying to fist bump him or him leaving. He was seething when he realized that Mr. Hardass was taking his spot at woo-ing Sayaka, the exact same Hardass that gave him detention.

Now he had to pretend like he was really happy for Ishi-Ton and Say-Liza while also remember all these new stupid lines for not just Laurens, but also Reynolds

Hercules Mulligan/James Madison - Byakuya Togami

Literally only got these parts because of his deep voice

He did not audition for Mulligan or Madison, he auditioned for Aaron Burr. Why not Hamilton himself? He did not want to be seen as a protagonist; he sees himself as more suited to be the antagonist, and he did not want to have to fake not 1, not 2, but 3 romances with women he did not have a lick of feelings for.

Aaron Burr is level-headed until he started acting like that fool Hamilton, he thinks his plans through to a detrimental level, and he only mentions a love interest for a couple minutes before focusing on his life plans again. He was the perfect candidate for Togami to stand in as.

He did not practice any dancing but did multiple different private practices for his vocals. He auditioned with Wait for it as it did not require dancing so he could focus on his lines for the pitiful judges that watched him. He did perfectly and was left to wait for the confirmation.

He wanted to wait for all the idiots to clear away from the cast papers, but an unexpected squeal from the overgrown, meathead who was raving about getting his part made him push everyone else out of the way to see if what the big baby of a biker was saying was true. It couldn't be true; Aaron Burr was his part.

...There had to be some kind of mistake! He scanned over that sheet 3 times to find that the dreaded papers were not lying. He was not Aaron Burr; he was Hercules Mulligan and James Madison. Madison he could respect, the man is sophisticated and responsible both in history and in the musical, but Mulligan is a short, angry brute! That is the person suited for that currently over-emotional biker, not Aaron Burr!

He turned to tell that stupid biker that just as the meathead was rushing off to find the little tech student.

Damn it all.

He went to instead lay out his fury with Chisa, the main judge, in a not so polite way. It didn't seem to affect her though. She simply said that she could give those parts to someone else, and he could work in the back with Fukawa...

He dialed the number of his private vocalist to inform them of the change in lines he would have to practice.

King George - Celestia Ludenburg

She too practiced in private.

Of course she was going to go straight for the King, who else would befit her?

It didn't take much singing to convince the judges. Her voice is powerful, condescending, and sarcastic. Perfect for King George!

She will not be spitting like he famously does, but besides that, she already has his part in the bag.

She didn't have to go check the list to know she got her part, but it was worth getting all dressed up to see Togami's hissy fit at his cast reveal

Maria Reynolds - Junko Enoshima

The cheating, the manipulation, the groveling, the despair of a broken marriage caused by her, how could she pass that all up?

The part wasn't hard at all to get down, she was already basically a natural actor.

She practiced only for a stupid older sister's benefit. Poor Mukuro was so nervous about her small little part that she had to practice her chosen part over 30 times (It was definitely because Mukuro was nervous and not because Junko kept laughing and pointing out every little mistake she made)

Her part also came with the added bonus of getting to feel up Mr. Stick-in-his-ass without getting detention. In fact, she might be praised for the added realism

She didn't check the casting roster until really late at night, unfortunately missing the RichMan™'s breakdown, to avoid everyone else for her poor sister's sake (MukMuk is such a big baby, she swears)

She got the part (Yay) and so did her sister (Boo)

George Eacker - Mukuro Ikusaba

She didn't have that many lines, but she just kept messing up during practice for some reason

Luckily, she got them right for the audition (or she hopes she did, Junko didn't say anything so she must have done good)

She wasn't going to audition for any part, just work with Fukawa in the back, but then Junko said she'd be perfect for the part of the murderer of Philip Hamilton and asked her to try out for it

She couldn't deny her little sister, could she?

It was nerve-wracking, but the list had finally been posted so regardless of her nervous-ness, she would have her answer once she went to check the papers.

Junko had to end up dragging her to the papers late at night because she couldn't bring herself to go

She got the part, yay.

Charles Lee - Makoto Naegi

He wanted to be in the musical to support his fellow classmates while also not having to memorize many lines as he might end up forgetting them out of nervousness

Charles Lee, George Eacker, and Samuel Seabury were all good choices. Samuel would be hard though, because he and Taka would have to be singing over each other and he might not be able to say his lines at the same time as him. Especially because of how loud and intimidating Taka can be

He decided to eliminate him and focus on the other 2 options. They both had relatively short parts so auditioning with both of their songs wasn't met with any restraint from the judges

He figured, with his luck, he had to get one of the parts and if he didn't, because that was still definitely a possibility, then he could help Toko with backstage work full time

Luckily, he got Charles Lee. Unluckily, Byakuya decided to take his anger out on him by ranting about 'The Giant Oaf' as he referred to Mondo for almost an entire hour

That's ok though, Makoto is always up to support a 'friend' in times of distress!

Samuel Seabury - Hifumi Yamada

He originally was just going to work backstage with Fukawa Toko-dono but at the prospect that his Mistress is going to be centered as royalty and there is a commoner whose sole role is encouraging the Town People to worship her, he immediately started practicing for the part of Seabury

He was pretty good, even putting on his Manly™️ Voice while auditioning

Because of his impeccable performance, (and the fact that no-one else auditioned for that part) he was almost immediately given the role

Mistress Ludenburg even praised him for his role! (Then ordered him to make her some tea to celebrate)

That's all the main characters sorted I think so next post will be all about how each song and the practices for that particular song went. As expected for the class of 78, there will be lots of shenanigans (and maybe even some fanart to go with it if I can figure out how to draw some of these characters)

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Hold on, there's someone I have forgotten!

Philip Hamilton - Chihiro Fujisaki

Chihiro practiced with Sayaka privately, which was super awkward at first, but they eventually got over it

They wanted to surprise everyone by being in the musical! They know it will be really hard because they'll have to preform in front of everyone in a pretty major role, but that's what the practice is for. They've been getting physically stronger with Mondo, so it's time to up their emotion and mental strength (along with their vocal strength because they have a pretty small voice)

They were really nervous about preforming just in front of the judges, but that's ok because they did it and that's all that matters

They didn't even get a chance to look at the casting roster before Mondo came barreling into them announcing his role. Getting to see the unabridged happiness and excitement from Mondo almost made up for being crushed in a back breaking hug.

After the initial excitement, they then had to listen to his anxieties about all the lines and dance movements he's gonna have to remember before joking that they wouldn't have to do that themselves since they didn't audition for anything. Mondo will not admit that he stumbled to keep up as Chihiro pulled him down the hall (not running, just speed walking as they did pass Taka on the way) back to the casting papers

It took a minute as they specifically requested that their name went on the second paper and not the first so the likelihood of anyone finding their name on accident was low, but they sure did find it... and they were almost immediately put into another crushing hug. They may have gotten stronger and used to Mondo's physical affections, but the bear hugs are something they don't think they'll ever get used to

They leave off telling everyone else, they'll figure it out during practices

Alright, that's everyone! Any other minor roles that weren't assigned to anyone is picked up by other Ultimates that aren't in the 78 class (maybe some of the class of 77 helped) like the background dancers or the prop and set movers. Toko doesn't get a role, not because I don't like her because I absolutely do, but because:

1. I could not find a role that fit her comfortable

2. Realistically, she would not and could not perform in front of potentially 100s of people (Most of whom are made up of the classmates' family and friends, along with Sayaka's fans who came just for Sayaka)

3. She would not want to risk Syo coming out in front of hundreds of people. She would rather have her come out while backstage because then someone could notice and get her away from the stage area more subtly and without worry

She's content with having to pull the curtains or just motioning for props to be sent out to the stage.

This entire performance is going to be put on in a sort of hall, think of a graduation ceremony kind of hall. Despite the huge school and its amenities, they could not fit all the props, characters, and costumes along with 100+ people anywhere in the school comfortably. The school funds the renting of this hall though since this is for a festival. The festival will be happening at and around the school where some students will also be selling tickets for the musical and then there will be an announcement, signaling that the musical will start in an hour. All guests will then move to the hall, get their tickets taken, and take their seats.

[moxpunk-art]

Illusionist Job Stone (Fan Job)

So, after the new Dawntrail details came out, my brain has been buzzing with the idea of my writer-lalafell Bamimi Bami transitioning from Summoner to Pictomancer, but it didn't really feel right. She's a writer, after all! She should be able to bring fiction to life with illusions!

Fun fact, this was my first-ever attempt at digital painting!

Thoughts on my creative process below the break!

So, the big thing I wanted to do was to have meaning behind the decisions that are similar to the job stones in XIV.

First, the symbol. It's obviously a pen nib (the class's arm being pens as a counterpoint to Pictomancer's brush), but it also has the center-circle motif found in WHM and RDM, with the top-curve found in SCH. I figure it'd fit in very well with the rest of the casters to keep a bit of similar design-language.

The stone shape! I wanted to go with a triangle that was mostly even, but offset. It's an art about illusions, after all - they aren't perfect. It's why it doesn't have smooth facets like MCH and BLU.

Finally, I picked violet because I played Guild Wars 2 like over a decade ago and Mesmers have solidified it into my brain that illusions should be violet. That's the long and short of it. My girlfriend says it looks mixed-berry flavor, and I agree. Plus, it's similar in color to Bamimi's eyes, and it's a soulstone crafted by her using her bullshit Alexander Time Magic.

In all, I'm insanely proud of it! I've never tried doing digital painting before, and my whole process was opening a blown-up picture of the DRG job stone on my other monitor and sorta messing around to peel apart the techniques used in the official art. I think I did a pretty good job for a first-time try!

[wavypotatochips]

Heyy can I request something soft and calm with Trent when u have a very bad day so he tries to make you happy to stay home with you on a rainy and cold day🥹

𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 | 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐀𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐥

𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴: Trent Alexander-Arnol x Female Reader

𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩 : 1.8k

𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦: I don't watch Liverpool so I wasn't too sure of Trent's personality, but I did my best as always! I also tweaked your request a bit so I hope you do not mind ((: I Hope you like how I represent your idea ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚!!

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ REQUESTS ARE OPEN, Ive finished 4/7 request that I currently have and will schedule them to be posted throughout the week so be on the look out for your request c: <33 ♥

The sound of thunder rumbles in the distance as you sit at your desk, surrounded by textbooks, notes, and a dimly lit lamp. The rain is pouring down outside, pattering against the windowpane like an incessant drumbeat. You've been studying for hours, but the information just doesn't seem to be sticking. You read a page of notes, and it seems like the words are just jumbled letters on a page. You try to remember the names of the bones in the human body, but they all blur together in your mind. You continue to review the information, trying different study techniques like creating flashcards, drawing diagrams, and taking practice quizzes. But the more you try, the more frustrated and stressed you become. You take a deep breath and try to focus, but your mind keeps drifting. You got this you got this, you think to yourself. You start to feel a knot in your stomach as the realization sets in that you might not be ready for this exam. You try to reassure yourself that you've studied as much as you can, but the fear of failure creeps in. As you delve into your notes, lightning flashes in the sky, illuminating the room for a split second before disappearing just as quickly. The flicker of light startles you for a moment, but you quickly regain your composure and return to your studies. As the morning goes on, you become more and more exhausted, both mentally and physically. You're running out of time, and the pressure is building. You want to cry, scream, or just give up. But you know that you can't afford to do any of those things. You have to push through and keep studying, even if it feels like it's all for nothing.You began studying at six in the morning, and it is now three o'clock. Since you are studying for your current class, Anatomy and Physiology, Trent has not bothered you because he understands how important it is for you to be by yourself so you can concentrate. After all, majoring in Sports medicine is not the easiest thing in the world. 

Trent yells, "Babe," and lifts his fist to knock. After a little wait, there was no response. He knocks once more, this time slightly louder, but there is still no answer. When he gently opens the door, he sees you seated in the desk chair with papers all over the place and your head down against the textbook. 

You do not hear Trent as you are too lost in your mind so feeling his hand touch your shoulder causes you to jump up and quickly turn your head. Just by the way you are looking at him he could tell something was wrong. You are always beaming with light, Trent would say if someone asked him to describe you, your smile could light up the whole room. Your eyes are always so lovingly that each time you would look into his eyes, it would cause his heart to tug. But right now, you have a slight frown on your face and your eyes are droopy. You look up into his eyes as he stares down at you, analyzing. You see he is wearing a black tracksuit and has his futebol bag in his hand, “Oh you came in to tell me you are heading out for practice? Have fun,” you give him a small smile as if you are feeling okay, and of course Trent does not buy it. When it is raining, or in this case thunderstorming, they usually practice inside so it is no surprise that he still is about to head out. You are about to turn around, but then hear him speak, “Did you eat yet?” You shake your head no, “I haven't had time…. Or should I say I don't feel the need to?” “Didn't you say the exam is on Friday?,” he questions, causing you to nod your head. Today is Monday, but of course anatomy is not something you can just study at the last minute in hopes to pass the test. He stares at you for a few minutes, before dropping his bag and grabbing your hand. “Come on, you've been studying all morning and it is draining you.” As he grabs your hand to pull you out of your seat you begin to protest,”But Trent I-” “You will be fine. You studied today, and you can continue to study more tomorrow. But, Don't try to study all day because that's when your brain goes into overdrive… Plus I don't think the thunderstorm is helping you right now,” and as if on cue- a loud roar of thunder can be heard. You sigh, nodding your head, giving in. He smiles as he takes you out of the study room, bringing you into the living room and notions for you to sit down on the couch. He picks up the remote from the coffee table, handing it to you, “Pick out a movie for us to watch and I will be right back.” You are about to question where he is going, but he is already quickly leaving the room. You bite your bottom lip, exhaling a deep sigh as you mentally give in and try to destress yourself. You begin to flip through Netflix to try and find a movie for you two to watch.

Meanwhile, Trent stood in the kitchen, staring at the open fridge, trying to decide what to make for you since you more than likely have not eaten yet. He knew he wanted to make something fulfilling, yet light on the stomach. He scanned the shelves, looking for inspiration. He saw some fresh vegetables, a carton of eggs, and some cheese. He decided to make you a vegetable omelet, as he knew you loved them.He quickly chopped up some onions, peppers, and mushrooms, and sautéed them in a pan. Then he whisked some eggs in a bowl, added a splash of milk, and poured them into the pan. As the omelet started to set, he sprinkled some cheese on top and folded it over. He plated the omelet, along with a side of fresh fruit and some toast. He also poured a glass of orange juice, knowing it was your favorite.Trent carries the breakfast to the living room, where he sees you sitting on the couch, looking stressed and tired. He presents you with the plate, and a warm smile.

"Here you go, my love," he said. "I made you a vegetable omelet, just the way you like it." The aroma from the food fills your nostrils, instantly making your stomach grumble to remind you just how hungry you unconsciously are. You smile as you grab the plate from him, thanking him, and instantly grab the fork to begin to eat. Trent sits down beside you, watching you intently as you savor each bite of your meal. He couldn't help but admire your beauty, from the way your hair cascaded down your shoulders to the way your eyes sparkled in the light. As you take another bite, Trent's mind begins to wander. He thought about all the times you two had spent together, laughing, talking, and just being with each other. He couldn't believe how lucky he was to have such an amazing girl in his life. Lost in his daydream, Trent didn't even notice when you finished your meal and looked up at him. "What are you thinking about?" you ask, a smile playing at the corners of your lips. Trent blinks, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh, nothing," he replies sheepishly, feeling a flush rise to his cheeks as his smile never leaves his face,allowing his dimple to peek through, "I was just admiring how beautiful you are.". "Oh hush you are soooooo cheesy!,” You laugh, shaking your head, “Thank you for the food baby," you say, leaning to give him a quick kiss. Trent feels his heart swell with love for you as he pecks your lips. As you browse Netflix once more, you lean against his side and put your arm around his. "Let's watch Scary movie 2," you suggest. Trent releases his arm from your grasp and wraps it around you so that your head can rest on his chest as you continue to speak, "It's dumb but it's funny." Trent leans his head against yours as you click on the movie. He kisses the top of your head, "Anything for you, love.” He tells you to wait a second before stepping away from you once more just as you are about to start the movie. He then stands up and walks through the hallway. A short while later, he returns, with a blanket and a bowl of popcorn, saying, "Alright, I'm ready now."

When the movie is over, you decide to just have a "movie day" and keep binge-watching films.

Now halfway through the second movie, you and Trent are cuddled up on the couch wrapped in the cozy blanket he brought prior . The TV's quiet hum and the pelting rain on the windows from the storm that is forecast to last all day were the only sounds coming from the living room. As a result of feeling so calm and at ease in Trent's arms, you start to feel quite exhausted. He watches as you snuggle closer to him,your head resting on his chest, and he feels a wave of tenderness wash over him. He knows school has been stressing you out lately, with exams and assignments piling up, and he wants nothing more than to take care of you. He ran his fingers gently through your hair, soothing you as you closed your eyes and relaxed. Trent feels a deep sense of responsibility towards you. He wants to be there for you, to support you in every way possible, and to make sure you know how much you mean to him. As he looks down at you, he knows that he is willing to do anything to make you happy. He begins to think about all the little things he could do to make you feel better in times like this - make you breakfast in bed tomorrow, send flowers to your university to surprise you, etc. He knew that these small gestures could make a big difference and help you feel loved and supported during this stressful time. He hugs you tightly as you snuggle even closer.  He knows that he will always be there for you, no matter what. He vowed to himself the day he asked you out that he will take care of you, to support your dreams, and to be your partner in everything you both do. And as he looks down at your angelic sleeping state, he feels grateful for every moment you two have shared and looks forward to a future filled with love, laughter, and cuddles on the couch.

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

Bob Ross makes oil painting look so easy, but the cost of entry is so high that I don't want to gamble on it if I suck. I mean, yeah, I'm gonna suck, everyone sucks when they start out, but I can't imagine anything more disillusioning than spending hundreds of dollars on supplies only to produce crap you hate. Drawing is easy to get into because it's cheap; pencil, paper, boom, you're good to go. Even if you suck, you don't have to worry about bankrupting yourself to practice. Oil painting is a prohibitively expensive hobby, and the only way to get good is to spend money again and again. I took a class in college and loved it. I've watched so many Bob Ross and William Alexander episodes that I have memorized their techniques, and I want nothing more than to put them into practice, but I know for a fact that memorizing how to do something is not the same as actually doing it. I won't be magically good on my first try. I'd apply too much pressure while blending and everything would become muddy, and my rolls of paint wouldn't break into perfect snowdrifts, and my trees would look like blobs. If money were no object, I'd be more than happy to suck because I could afford to fail. I don't want to fail on my own dime.

[anamoon63]

Another school day, Anika just received Alexander's reply to her message from yesterday. Almost 24 hours without hearing from him and this is what he replied: "Hey, Anika, sorry for not replying yesterday but I had to go into class, we have lots to talk about, I'll call you later. xoxo."

And that was all? Well, enough of Alexander and his escape techniques. It's better for Anika to focus on her studies this time so she doesn't end up like the day before. By the way, Kennedy managed to convince Miss Coombes not to give them a report. Lucky to have the teacher's pet as a sister!

After school, Anika checked her phone again, there were two messages from Alexander, one was a meme, the other was a funny video. Anika: Alexander, you idiot, how much longer are you going to keep postponing our talk?

She spent the whole day at school brooding about her and Alexander, so, by the time she got home she was fuming. Anika: "Why is he talking to my dad if he's not going to talk to me? Maybe because he's not really interested in me and just wanted to look good for him. Well, if that's the way things are, then to hell with you Alexander."

[fated-mates]

This one is probably as goofy as we get 👆 — we’ve spent six years talking about Romance Science, and now class is in session! We’re talking biology, human physiology, astronomy, neurology, urology, gynecology, obstetrics and dermatology. Basically, we’ve studied this enough to hold multiple MDs & PhDs. If we’re ever on a plane and someone needs a doctor, we’re volunteering. Love doctors count, right?

We also talked 👇 about wondrous Alexander Technique practitioner Christopher Reeve.

(Thanks to 1001 Dark Knights and Pippa Grant for sponsoring this week's episode.)

[akindofmagictoo]

Hey maybe sorcery

Trick🙀 or treat🍬

sparkly d4 says treat!

have some of the poetry i've been writing for class. it's collage poetry!

ID under cut

ID: two columns of black Times New Roman text on white background. the left column has the following text:

“The ship wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned from Crete had thirty oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus, for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their places, in so much that this ship became a standing example among the philosophers, for the logical question of things that grow; one side holding that the ship remained the same, and the other contending that it was not the same.” — Plutarch, Theseus

“The role in which the physical properties of gold impact making ancient jewelry cannot be overemphasized. Think chicken and the egg. You can’t have one without the other. Raw (dead soft), high-karat gold is malleable. The hammering and forging used while shaping the gold compacts the molecules and makes it dense and strong. However, worked past it’s malleability, the gold will flake, crack and eventually break. When making a piece of jewelry, separate components are frequently wrought to the brink of this “work-hardened” state and are then “annealed,” returning the metal to its original plasticity, yet maintaining its pre-annealed form. Finding the sweet spot of flexibility and strength is essential to creating a structurally sound form from supple gold. All techniques must be mastered and successful as each step is the foundation of the next. There’s no room for fudging or the piece falls apart. Pure gold (100% AU) is referred to as 24 karat gold. The term karat is an ancient term for purity and weight based on the Carob bean found in the Middle East. Fun fact, Greece is not naturally rich in gold. The amount of gold jewelry produced in Greece at the time reflects foreign trade and influence. Funny isn’t it,  Alexander the Great's conquests after 331 BC passed through all the main gold-supplying regions of the former Persian Empire.” — Katy Beh Jewelry

the right column has a heading in bold that reads "REPURPOSED. or, THE SHIP OF THESEUS", with the following text underneath:

this ship returned old planks decayed new and stronger planks used new planks original form is it the same

forging jewelry worked wrought hardened all the same metal not the original form is it the same

are You the same

after hammering and forging worked to the brink are You the same

gold is malleable are You malleable are You soft

will You grow or will You break

are You dead or are You stronger

are You preserved standing strong or not the same maintaining physical form yet the foundation falls apart

the same components hardened wrought

the same and yet not the same foreign

are You You

to reflect the collage nature, every instance of You is capitalised since it is also capitalised in the original paragraph. for the same reason, the poem has forward slashes between all the 'pieces'; only words which were already grouped in the original paragraphs have no slashes, but the slashes have been removed from the ID for ease of screenreader access. /end ID

[betteratbeing]

Breathe Easier | Alexander Technique Singing

When a deep, calm breath is hard to come by

For some people, better breathing is the best and most important benefit of Alexander Technique (AT). These include people with breath-impairing conditions, ranging from allergies to asthma, COPD or post-COVID symptoms. Since the early twentieth century when Alexander Technique was first developed, it has been used to help people breathe more easily.

Your doctor’s office should always be your first stop if you suspect you have an underlying medical disorder interfering with your breathing. But your wellness journey may not end with a diagnosis, or even with medical treatment. You may already be following your doctor’s orders for a chronic breathing condition, and still crave greater relief, without increasing drugs that can cause unwanted side-effects.

For the best outcome possible, consider adding regular visits to the betterATbeing studio for Alexander Technique lessons. Your lessons can make breathing difficulties easier to manage. And AT is side-effect-free. For a better everyday experience.

Get More Info : Voice With Alexander Technique

Website : https://betteratbeing.com/

Contact Us : Alexander Technique Lessons In Manhattan 

[queenlucythevaliant]

Ooooh I would love to hear about your hypothetical curriculum for St. Petersburg!

In my mind, there are two other parallel versions of me that chose other fields of study. There's one who chose theology, and there's one who chose Russian lit.

So five-ish years ago, I read St. Petersburg: A Cultural History by Solomon Volkov. I absolutely adored it. As I read, I kept a running list of all the literature, music, and art that I wanted to look up and experience once I had finished the book. This turned into a sort of self-taught class on the literature of St. Petersburg, which continues to be one of my greatest fascinations. I read voraciously, listened to little but Petersburg opera for months (hit me up for Russian opera recs!), and when I read other Russian cultural histories, I kept similar lists and read even more. I've still got quite a lot of Russian classics on my to be read list, but this technique gave me a wonderful start, which led me in turn to create this hypothetical lit curriculum. I would love nothing more than to somehow share Petersburg's beautiful body of poetry, prose, and essay with others.

Note: this is probably a bit more than would fit in a standard undergrad semester, but I've already made substantial cuts from the original lists and can't bring myself to pare it down anymore. Suspend your disbelief, etc.

The Petersburg Mythos

Alexander Pushkin: The Bronze Horseman and The Queen of Spades

Mikhail Lomonosov: Masquerade

Nikolai Gogol: The Nevsky Prospect and The Overcoat

Fyodor Dostoyevsky: White Nights and Crime and Punishment. Maybe also The Adolescent if there's time; if not, I would at least include one particular excerpt from it.

Ivan Turgenev: Home of the Gentry

Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karenina

Yevgeny Zamyatin: “Moscow-Petersburg”

Essay: Using “Moscow-Petersburg” as a framework, examine the projected mythos of St. Petersburg in contrast to that of another major city in Europe, Asia, America, or even in fiction.

The Silver Age

Alexandre Benois: “Picturesque Petersburg”

Andrei Bely: Petersburg

Boris Pasternak: “February” “A Wedding” “My Sister, Life” “Hamlet”

Alexander Blok: “The Dances of Death” “The City Sleeps” “The Stranger”

Nikolay Gumilyov: “The Lost Tram” “The Sixth Sense”

Anna Akhmatova: "The Prayer"

Marina Tsvetayeva: “To Akhmatova”

Essay: While the influence of Golden Age literature on the Silver Age is clear, many have noted an air of dread and anticipation preceding the Bolshevik Revolution in their work is well. Was St. Petersburg of the Silver Age more past- or future-oriented? Defend your answer.

The Martyr City

Anna Akhmatova: Untitled poem on Gumilyov’s arrest

Osip Mandelstam: “Leningrad,” “Petropolis,” Untitled “Help me, O Lord…”

Yevgeny Zamyatin: The Cave

Konstantin Vaginov: The Goat Song

Yuri Tynyanov: The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar

Anna Akhmatova: “Requiem” and “Poem Without a Hero”

Mikhail Zoshchenko: Nervous People

Choose an emotional response to the suffering of the early Soviet Era, such as grief, alienation, fear, or hope, and analyze its presence in the literature of early to mid-century Leningrad.

Expatriates, Non-Russians, and the End of the Soviet Era

Vladimir Nabokov: Speak, Memory

Alexander Kushner: selections from We Cannot Choose Times…

Andy Croft: Epilogue to “Fellow Travellers”

Olga Berggolts: Untitled “We pronounced the simplest, poorest words…”

Vladamir Kornilov: “Freedom”

Essay: How does the writing of those who are alienated from St. Petersburg’s identity in some way differ from those who are immersed in it? (In order to answer this question, you will need to decide: What is St. Petersburg’s identity?)

[pwlanier]

Alexander Yakovlevich Bykhovsky (1888 - 1978)

Alexander Yakovlevich Bykhovsky is a Soviet painter, graphic artist, theater and film artist and teacher. As a child, he studied painting with the local icon painter Gorbunov. After participating in the revolutionary movement, a trip to Turkestan and wandering in the Volga region, he studied at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts in St. Petersburg under the guidance of N.K. Roerich, however, he did not complete the course of study.

He worked on private orders for the Kagan-Shabsaya gallery, painted portraits, made miniatures on glass, made covers for publications of the People's Commissariat of Education. He was engaged in the design of streets for the revolutionary holidays. Since the late 1940s, he has worked as a sculptor. He founded the Isostudia named after M.A. Vrubel, where he taught himself.

Alexander Bykhovsky was born on May 15, 1888 in Mogilev to an orthodox Jewish family.

In 1901, against the will of his parents, Bykhovsky studied with the local icon painter Gorbunov, then worked in the artel of artists engaged in the manufacture of icons, trade signs and interior painting. As part of it, he worked in various cities of the Russian Empire: Orenburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan.

Since 1905, he participated in the revolutionary movement, in connection with which he was forced to hide from the police, moving from place to place. From 1911 to 1912, he attended classes at the Drawing School of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts under the guidance of Nikolai Konstantinovich Roerich in St. Petersburg. However, he did not complete the training, worked on private orders. Since 1913, he began to take part in art exhibitions.

In 1919, he headed the Fine Arts Section at Gubnadzor and the poster workshop in Gomel, where many posters in the technique of lithography and linocut were born. Together with the artist Sergei Kovrovsky, he founded a studio-school named after M. A. Vrubel, where he taught himself. Talented young people of the city studied at this school, many later became famous Soviet painters: Georgy Nyssky, Lev Smekhov, Akim Shevchenko, Elena Mashkovtseva.

Since 1922 he lived in Moscow, where in 1923 he held a solo exhibition in the Gabima studio, where he presented graphic works of 1910-1920. Participated in the exhibitions of "United Art" (OBIS), "Society of Artists of the Moscow School" (1925), as well as in the exhibition "World Graphics" in Leipzig in 1927.

Bykhovsky became the first illustrator of the famous writer Isaac Babel. In 1926, he designed Babel's film script based on Sholom-Aleichem's novel Wandering Stars.

In 1932-1934 he worked on sketches of costumes and scenery for the film "Love and Hatred" by A. Handelstein for the Mezhrabpomfilm studio. Later he was engaged in the design of exhibitions for the Aerochemical Museum and the House of Aviation. Developed the design of exhibitions "Promcooperation" in the House of Unions of the USSR, the Soviet pavilion "Mother and Child" at the exhibition in Tokyo and others.

In 1941 he worked at TASS Windows. In the same year, he was evacuated with his family to Omsk. He created sketches of costumes and scenery of productions of the Omsk Puppet Theater. Participated in exhibitions of the Union of Artists in Omsk and Novosibirsk.

In 1947 he returned to Moscow. Since the late 1940s, he has worked as a sculptor. In 1951 he joined the Moscow Union of Artists, in recent years he has been engaged in projects for sculptural and decorative sections of the Art Fund of the USSR.

Alexander Bykhovsky died on June 19, 1978, the artist was buried at the Donskoy Cemetery in Moscow.

Vellum

[nanas-45]

Archie Jackson: The Cricket Prodigy Whose Brilliance Was Cut Short

Archibald Jackson (5 September 1909 – 16 February 1933), also known as Archibald Alexander Jackson, was a cricketing prodigy whose career, though tragically short, left an indelible mark on the sport. With only eight Test matches to his name, Jackson's story is one of extraordinary talent and untapped potential.

A Star is Born

Born in Rutherglen, Scotland, Jackson’s early years were spent in the cricketing heartland of Balmain, Sydney, where his father’s connections to Australia and his family’s move in 1913 set the stage for young Archibald’s rise. A natural talent, Jackson began playing first-grade cricket at just 15, quickly making a name for himself with his elegant and fluid batting style.

The Rise of a Young Star

Jackson's ascent was meteoric. By the time he was 17, he was already donning the New South Wales colors. His performances were nothing short of sensational, with his early first-class matches showcasing his potential. He scored a remarkable 111 against St George, followed by a dazzling 198 against Western Suburbs, making it clear that this young talent was destined for greatness.

At 19, Jackson made his Test debut against England in 1929, and what a debut it was! He scored a stunning 164 runs in the first innings, becoming the youngest player to achieve a Test century. His grace and technique drew comparisons to the greats of Australian cricket, such as Victor Trumper and his mentor Alan Kippax. The cricketing world buzzed with excitement, with many believing Jackson could rival the legendary Don Bradman.

A Promising Career Plagued by Illness

Jackson’s early career was a whirlwind of achievements. He excelled in domestic cricket and was a key player for Australia. However, his promising career was marred by health issues. Despite his skill and potential, Jackson struggled during the 1930 tour of England, plagued by poor health and unfamiliar conditions. The following year, in the series against the West Indies, he had a standout performance in Adelaide but was soon sidelined by a series of low scores and health problems.

In early 1931, Jackson’s health took a severe turn. He collapsed and coughed blood before a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland, leading to a diagnosis of tuberculosis. Despite medical advice to rest, Jackson’s love for cricket led him to continue playing, though his condition worsened. He moved to Brisbane in hopes of improving his health but tragically, he passed away at just 23.

A Legacy of What Could Have Been

Jackson's career, though brief, was filled with brilliance and promise. His elegant batting, early success, and the comparisons to Bradman left a lasting impression on the cricketing world. His untimely death is a reminder of the fragility of life and the fleeting nature of greatness.

In the annals of cricket history, Archibald Jackson’s story stands as a poignant chapter—one of immense talent, unfulfilled potential, and the heartbreaking loss of a prodigy whose light burned too brightly, yet too briefly.

[the-firebird69]

This is a very large sub for the day and it was used in the 20s and other people did not have them and they would be just one way they did it so these guys get that and they try and use it and they have their bully boy brad do it as the foreign identity saying they're looking for people angelina Jolie does it in an assassin group there's a lot of them that start doing it saying they're trying to find the clan then they are. Kind of thing gets their blood boiling because they're the kind of people who wouldn't even see it and the max would sometimes see and Matt Daddy too and foreigners they wouldn't and foreigners they wouldn't know what it is but they could see it a little and it was happening so these guys don't like that then they start figuring out that GHWB was Mr Bourne the inventor of the submarine and David was Alexander the Great he made the glass diving bell and with other characters are named Alice it goes on for quite awhile it's extremely annoying This is the Class A submarine that the dimwits actually find and they drive it around and they pretty much almost ruined it and it's not the Barracuda but it looks like it and the Barracuda was designed to ran and it's a good technique because they end up hitting each other a lot because of the way the torpedoes work back then and now so you can imagine the ship below Florida an Oregon most likely Barracuda and they do the same thing in space it's quite a sight to see if the captain is skilled

Thor Freya

Olympus

we see he recalls a shio ramming and in the war hammer series so he will try to find it and yeh it looked awesome

Hera

we reccall it and see yes could be one of them yes

mac daddy we ck the features ok

all ...now....

Olympus print now

[sicilycontactimprovretreat]

TEACHERS

MARTA IUCCI

Passionate dancer, researcher and teacher of the Feldenkrais Method since 2011 and Contact Improvisation (CI). I studied in Rome, my city of origin, from 2007 to 2011.

I like to consider myself an endless student and think of learning as our infinite potential as human beings. Feeling in order to remain fully alive and in a state of presence.

My main inspiration and teacher at CI is Nita Little. I have also been lucky enough to study with Nancy Stark Smith in Italy and to have been organising workshops for Ray Chung and Martin Keogh at Spazio Nu in Pontedera (IT), a space I have been collaborating with for 9 years.

From 2016 to 2019 I collaborated with Asaf Bachrach, Matthieu Gaudeau and Ema Bige on the project “F.A.R.” in Paris (Feldenkrais, Alexander and Rolfing in CI).

I currently live in Italy (Tuscany), where I opened my Feldenkrais studio and teach regular CI classes in Pisa and Livorno… as well as teaching in many other places!

MARTA WRESINSKA

Contact Improvisation (CI) dancer, teacher, passionate about improvisation in dance, contemporary dance, somatic methods, martial arts and movement as a means of expression and personal growth.

She trained in contemporary dance with Iris Muñoz, Michalle Mann, Leonardo Robayo. In CI with Cristiane Boullosa, Katja Mustonen, Linda Bufali, Martin Keough, Mirva Mäkinen, Urs Stauffer, Dani and Eckhi, Sebastian Flegiel, among others. She learns Integrative Body Process (PCI) in In Corpore School with Antonio del Olmo.

With different companies she continues to investigate the CI technique, multidisciplinary improvisation, videodance and performance. Over the years, she collaborates with several artists both in Poland and Spain, including: Perros de Otra Vida, Sharon Fridman, leOma, Teatro Biuro Podrozy, Alter Ego and Proyecto Open Spaces. As a CI facilitator she has worked in different countries: India, Canada, Portugal, Poland and Spain. Nowadays, she lives in Madrid and combines her artistic interest with her work as a teacher and organiser of events related to CI. Co-organizer of the Reunión festival and Mediterránea Contact Festival.

JESÚS ALONSO

Jesús Alonso CI Movement researcher and dancer. His work focuses on dance understood as an exploration of bodily sensations and the poetics of movement. IHe´s participated as a teacher in Flow Festival in Warsaw and Mediterranea Contact Festival, organizinand os La Reunión and teaches regular CI classes and worshops in Madrid. Trained with teachers such as Cristiane Bullousa, Diana Bonilla, Linda Bufali, Katja Mustonen, Mirva Mäkinen, Charlie Morrissey, Rai Chung... and in contemporary dance and movement research with Poliana Lima and Lucas Condró and Mónica Valenciano. Feldenkrais Method with Simonetta Alessandri and Julen Arévalo.

[jcmarchi]

EvolutionaryScale Secures $142M to Advance Generative AI in Biology

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/evolutionaryscale-secures-142m-to-advance-generative-ai-in-biology/

EvolutionaryScale Secures $142M to Advance Generative AI in Biology

EvolutionaryScale, an artificial intelligence startup focused on biology, has announced a successful seed funding round, raising $142 million. The company aims to leverage generative AI models to drive innovation and accelerate discoveries in the field of biology. With this significant investment, EvolutionaryScale is poised to make significant strides in applying AI to solve complex biological challenges.

Founding Team and Backers

EvolutionaryScale was founded by a team of former Meta AI researchers, led by Alexander Rives, Tom Secru, and Sal Candido. Their expertise in machine learning and computational biology has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision and approach. The seed funding round was led by prominent investors, including Nat Friedman, Daniel Gross, and Lux Capital. The round also saw participation from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Nvidia’s venture capital arm, NVentures, demonstrating the strong industry support for EvolutionaryScale’s mission.

ESM3: A Frontier Model for Biology

At the core of EvolutionaryScale’s technology is ESM3, a cutting-edge AI model trained on a vast dataset of 2.78 billion proteins. This model has the capability to generate novel proteins, opening up new avenues for scientific research and applications. ESM3 can reason over the sequence, structure, and function of proteins, enabling it to create proteins with desired characteristics and functionalities.

To promote accessibility and collaboration, EvolutionaryScale has made ESM3 available for non-commercial use. Additionally, the company has partnered with AWS and Nvidia to provide access to ESM3 through their respective platforms, allowing select customers to leverage the model’s capabilities for their research and development efforts.

EvolutionaryScale’s ESM3 model has far-reaching implications across various domains. In the pharmaceutical industry, the model’s ability to generate novel proteins can significantly accelerate drug discovery and development processes. By designing proteins with specific therapeutic properties, researchers can identify new drug targets and create innovative treatments for a wide range of diseases.

Moreover, ESM3 has the potential to facilitate the creation of entirely new classes of therapeutics. By leveraging the model’s capabilities, scientists can explore uncharted protein design spaces and develop novel biomolecules with enhanced efficacy and specificity. This could lead to groundbreaking advancements in personalized medicine and targeted therapies.

Beyond healthcare, EvolutionaryScale’s technology can also contribute to environmental protection efforts. For instance, the model could be used to design enzymes capable of degrading plastic waste, offering a sustainable solution to the growing problem of plastic pollution.

Overall, ESM3 has the potential to significantly accelerate scientific research across various fields. By providing researchers with a powerful tool to explore protein design and function, EvolutionaryScale is enabling faster and more efficient discovery processes, ultimately leading to transformative breakthroughs.

EvolutionaryScale

Competitive Landscape

EvolutionaryScale is not alone in its pursuit of applying AI to biology. Several other notable players in the field include DeepMind’s Isomorphic Labs, Insitro, Recursion, and Inceptive. These companies are also leveraging AI and machine learning techniques to advance drug discovery and development.

However, EvolutionaryScale differentiates itself by focusing on scaling model training with broader biological data. By training ESM3 on a vast dataset encompassing 2.78 billion proteins, the company has created a model with unparalleled breadth and depth. This comprehensive training enables ESM3 to capture the intricacies and diversity of protein biology, potentially leading to more accurate and effective protein design.

Looking ahead, EvolutionaryScale aims to expand its capabilities beyond protein design. The company envisions developing a general-purpose AI model for biotech applications, capable of tackling a wide range of biological challenges. By continuously refining and scaling its models, EvolutionaryScale seeks to become a leading force in the intersection of AI and biology, driving transformative innovations across multiple industries.

A New Era of AI-Driven Biological Innovation

EvolutionaryScale’s successful seed funding round marks a significant milestone in the application of generative AI to biology. With its groundbreaking ESM3 model and a strong team of experts, the company is well-positioned to revolutionize drug discovery, therapeutics, and environmental solutions. By leveraging the power of AI to design novel proteins, EvolutionaryScale is opening up new possibilities for scientific breakthroughs and transformative innovations. As the company navigates the challenges ahead and expands its capabilities, it has the potential to become a driving force in shaping the future of AI-driven biological research and development.