#featuring synchronised choreography

[combeauferre]

never thought id say this but my favourite part so far of the twelfth night im watching is the feste/cesario/orsino/curio musical number

[maoisarap]

THANKS; no au

Mao Isara centric oneshot

WARNINGS: none.

PAIRS: ra*bits + mao (platonic)

WRITTEN: 5/1/24

REPOSTED: 25/10/24

WORD COUNT: 1k

Mao was taking a rare moment of fresh air around the schools campus, thinking of nothing, only letting his steps take him anywhere for a calm stroll around the place.

That is, until, in the corner of his peripheral vision, he sees a quadripartite sitting under a tree - actually, now that he turns his head to focus on the group some more, there was only a trio, the forth member was missing from the perimeter.

The members of Ra*bits. Under the tree sat Nazuna, Hajime, and Tomoya. He looks left and right in confusion. Where was Mitsuru?

He decides to walk up to the three. "Hey, you guys!" Mao greets the trio. The smile he wore in his greeting fell not long after once realising the gloomy aura that surrounded the three. The members of Ra*bits were frowning. They looked deflated from life.

Mao kneels down in front of them all. Tomoya was on Mao's far left, Nazuna in the middle, with Hajime clinging to Nazuna's arm on the far right. "Are you guys... okay?" He asks carefully and slow, hoping he wasn't trekking himself into any dangerous territory of some sorts.

"We have a show coming up, a one-time chance, but we don't know what to do... Mitsuru is ill - bedridden for a few months." Nazuna quietly explained, not once peeking his head up when speaking, which Mao didn't mind.

"Have you tried asking to delay the date or anything?"

Nazuna hums in response.

"They said they refuse to. It's either cancel our performance or go on without Mitsuru and ask somebody to take his place." Tomoya responds, deflating a small bit as he spoke.

Mao tilts his head in curiosity. "And... have you guys asked anyone?"

"We've asked all the idols possible, but the responses we got are all the same. Everyone is really busy at this time of the year, it seems." Hajime says.

Mao hums, leaning his chin in his right hand as he thinks the processing over for a minute or so. He looks towards the trio in the middle of his thoughts. It was clear that they didn't want to cancel - they wanted to make their friend happy whilst he's immobilised for a while.

An idea comes to mind, his kelly green eyes switching between each individual member of Ra*bits. "Are you sure you've asked 'everyone'?"

The trio then focused their attention on Mao, too. "We've tried everyone we know, even asking some other units from other schools across the country, so yeah..." Nazuna mumbles.

A playful smirk resides itself with Mao's features. "I don't think you guys have." He then focuses his attention mostly onto Tomoya. "Tomoya, you're around my height, just under, right?"

The mentioned boy nods slowly.

"Do you have a spare Ra*bits uniform?"

"I do. Why?"

Mao chuckles, the plan in his mind already beginning to set.

"Wait! Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Hajime wondered. Mao glances over and mutely nods.

"I don't get it. What are you planning, Mao?" Nazuna questioned.

"He's going to help us with our performance!" Hajime shakes Nazuna at the arm from the major excitement that suddenly ran through his figure. The other two members of Ra*bits gasp in synchronisation at the thought, finally settling into their minds.

Nazuna faced Mao once again. "Thank you, Mao!" The said older boy leapt from where he sat and tightly hugged Mao around the neck and shoulders.

"Don't thank me yet!" He chuckles whilst patting Nazuna on the back gently, partly in awkwardness. "First, you all should catch me up about your performance. What's the choreography? The lyrics? Tell me everything that you need to!"

"I've got it written down on my phone, here!" Tomoya suddenly cheered as he fished for his electronic device from his school blazer pockets.

...

For the umpteenth time in a matter of fifteen minutes, Mao wiped his long beaujolais coloured fringe out from his face, his other hand patting down on the hat that sat lightly above his head.

With looking into the full sized mirror that sat in a corner of the backstage area, Mao glances over the white cladded uniform he wore. It wasn't his usual style, but it was worth wearing if it meant helping some fellow idols — some friends — out with a major decision.

The members of Ra*bits were doing this for their fellow who was ill, hoping that the performance would encourage the healing stage for Mitsuru's sickness to work perfectly.

"Isara!"

He looks over his shoulder, seeing the trio he was just thinking about. They all wore similar smiles of hope. "You look great, Isara!" Hajime compliments him, the other two nod in agreement.

"Thank you!" He fiddles with the hat above his head once more and turns his whole figure around to fully meet the three. Mao couldn't help but smile similarly to the trio.

Tomoya walks up to Mao, handing him a microphone. "We're about to start," he mutters.

"Alright. Are you guys ready?"

The three members of Ra*bits cheer, following Mao to the sets leading to the back of the stage as soon as he starts moving along.

Faint cheers and squeals could be heard as he began to move up the steps.

"Then let's do this - for Mitsuru."

...

A smile was plastered on his face, causing his expression to glow brightly.

Mitsuru had his eyes set on his phone, and a live recording played out on his phone for the past twenty odd minutes.

The camera that the recording was set on focused on the large stage. Four figures stood out of breath whilst the audience cheered louder than ever. If he wasn't feeling so weak and ill, Mitsuru would join in on the cheer.

His eyes trail to the four on stage once more, laughing - giggling lightly - when seeing his unit mates surround a familiar student council president with tight hugs caused by the adrenaline of excite.

The group tumble to the hard panelling of the floor, his unit mates piled onto the beaujolais-haired member who belonged specifically to Trickstar. They all wore smiles of pride and success.

A small cough erupts from Mitsuru's throat, reminding him of where he was and why. But even then, he couldn't help but let his smile beam as bright as the ones on stage.

"Thank you, Isara..."

[rallamajoop]

Hi there!! Always really enjoyed the, ahem, spicier bits in your fics, and was wondering if you had any resources or insight specifically on writing threesomes? There are only so many ways to say 'cock' or 'thrust,' but when there's three of them?! If you answer this, thank you!!

Well, firstly, thank you for your kind words about my fic! I’ve been asked for smut-related-advice before, but I’m not sure if I’m the best person you could be going to for advice on how to write a threesome specifically. I’ve only ever written the one* myself, and it only had two cocks involved – and if your biggest concern is finding enough different ways to describe thrusting cocks (I assume you’re simplifying, but we’ll go with it for the sake of the argument), I’m not sure if you’re even writing the kind of smut that I could give much advice on. But for what it’s worth, here’s what springs to mind.

Choreography is certainly going to matter when you’ve got three different bodies involved (who’s doing what to whom, what position are they in, is this even physically possible on the furniture available and will my audience be able to picture it, etc), as will all the logistics and semantics involved in managing up to three different ‘hims’ and so many associated body parts. But that’s not going to be all that different to any other sex scene. To reiterate my usual advice on that front, though: do not resort to epithets, unless you can come up with something relevant to the relationship between the characters and/or what they’re doing. Go ahead and tell me ‘the larger man backed him up against the wall’ if the fact he’s physically imposing is something the back-ee is going to be aware of. But I really do not need to be reminded what colour hair anyone has, unless 1) we’re commenting on whether the carpet matches the curtains, or 2) it’s a hook up and they can’t remember each other’s names (and even then, I promise you there are better options). If unsure, less is usually more where epithets are concerned. You can use the characters’ names a lot before it really starts getting awkward.

I’d also point out that a sex scene featuring three cocks does not have to mean three-cocks-thrusting at once (I mean, can you even get all three going at once? Is someone fucking their own fist? …is the PORTAL GUN involved?), or even at all. It could mean A and B getting busy while C watches, or while C curls around A or B and whispers in their ear. Maybe B and C take turns on A, maybe B and C are working together to drive A completely wild (then maybe get together after A passes out?) Maybe A is effortlessly dominating both B and C at once. Or maybe C starts out watching, then B taps out and C tags in, then B gets a second wind and comes back for the big finale. Even if we are in an all-cocks-in scenario, I don’t want to hear about how-many-dicks-are-thrusting, I’m here for how much whoever’s in the middle is loving being stuffed full of cocks, or how overwhelming it is having character B inside them while they’re inside character C, or whatever else applies. Tell me about the rhythm: are B and C working in perfect, drift-compatible synchronicity ‒ is one of them setting the pace, are they trying to synchronise but losing it as they get closer to the edge? Don’t assume it all has to go smoothly either – a bit of awkwardness or humour can add a lot of humanity to the scene.

Really, though, what I’d most want shared about a threesome isn’t how many cocks are thrusting simultaneously, but what’s going on in the relationships between the three characters. A regular twosome only gives you one relationship to worry about, but a threesome will give you three, and they should all get some play. Is this an established relationship? If so, what’s special about this particular incident that makes it worth sharing? Are they trying something new? What does the way they approach intimacy tell you about the three of them, how well they know each other – what’s different about what the various players are like in the sack? Is A all over B in a heartbeat while C is a bit of a tease? Does A like to cuddle while B tends to pass out the moment they’re done? Etc.

At the alternate end of the scale from an established relationship, is this the first time any of them have had sex with each other? How did that happen? Are they at an orgy, have three friends all got high and one thing just sorta led to another, is it a game of truth-or-dare that got out of hand, did A and B stumble into a bedroom together only to realise a little late that C is already in there and has been really enjoying the show? The spontaneity of the situation could give you a wealth of options to explore! Or maybe A has hooked up with both B and C separately before and this is just the first time they’ve all got together at once? I never realised I could have this is a popular trope for a reason, and it could go double when there’s an extra person involved. Just what have I got myself into? could go double in a threesome too.

But a lot of the most compelling threesome possibilities will be some variant where A and B are an established couple, and C is joining them for the first time. Are A and B colluding to seduce C? Has C been pining over the both of them, but thought there’d never be room for a third? Has C been pining over just A and looking at B as the competition, only to discover in the heat of the moment that B might be the one they really wanted all along? Or is C genuinely not going to discover any new feelings about B, beyond the joy of learning they’re so very willing to share? Is A the one who’s been pining over C, but never realised B would be up for trying a poly arrangement? Is C here to just roll in and take over? Has B invited C to the threesome just to rub it in their face that this is the only way they’ll ever get to have A, but A is now realising that C was there waiting for them all along? There are so many possibilities to play with – and to me, that’s all so much more interesting to me than who-fucks-who!

I’d also emphasise that the fact you’re writing three relationships does not mean everyone has to be into everyone else, let alone equally into both of them. You can still have jealousy, doubt and competition between the parties involved, even in a relatively healthy three-way-relationship (and there’s nothing to say this has to be healthy). How do all those messy feelings evolve over the course of the scene? Are they resolved, reinforced, awakened anew? Anything’s possible!

Cocks aside, a threesome is always going to mean more moving parts to juggle (figuratively, if not literally). The mechanics of who-does-what-to-who are definitely going to matter, but if that's all that's going on in the scene, I'm likely to end up checking out pretty quickly (YMMV on this, of course). The narrative, subtext, emotional impact ‒ what the players are learning about each other or themselves over the course of the scene ‒ that's what's far more likely to make or break a sex scene for me, and that's going to stay true regardless of how many characters or how many cocks are present.

* I did also recently sent my beta a fic I jokingly described as 'a steamy-Ethan/Chris/Heisenberg-threeway' ‒ but only if you take 'threeway' to mean 'an argument that rapidly devolves into violence.'

[cherrygorilla]

My first impressions of The Outsiders musical (plus my extra notes on your reaction to ✨Starlight Express✨)

As promised, I've compiled all the notes I made whilst I was watching the show you so graciously introduced me to into a neat little post for you to read. I know it's not nearly as exciting as a video, but hopefully you can still enjoy reading through them as much as I enjoyed watching it. It was so cool getting to watch it after knowing how important the story has been to you over the years, and how much it inspired your characters. It felt like I was unlocking new Danelle lore - I loved it 😂 But anyway, enough wasting time! I'll start with my reactions to The Outsiders (the overall show and each song), and then I'll tag on my comments about Starlight at the end. I did them as little bullet point-esque comments as I went along to try to stop myself from rambling too much, but I don't know how successful that was... 😅

The Outsiders:

Okay, first of all, I love that you can hear time period accurate music playing in the theatre before the show starts - I love when productions do that; it adds that extra layer of immersion and helps you get even more excited for the show to start - at least it does for me anyway.

The actor playing Ponyboy has a really unique voice - but I think it works well for the character. It feels really authentic. 

The use of the screens in the set to show the movie scenes at the start was cool - for what sometimes felt like a more limited/sparse set with the sort of scaffolding backdrop, it added an extra element of interest.

The contrast between the Greasers and the Socs in that first number was shown in such a cool way too - with all the Greasers playing around and doing their own thing to reflect their imperfections, but good hearts nonetheless - and then with the Socs being more reserved and putting their jackets all in perfect synchronisation to show how much more 'put together' they are. That's such clever choreography! 

The staging of everything is great too - it feels like such a big set but they use the space so effectively. And all the gravel on the stage is a great touch; it helps set the scene so well! I think I saw actual water in that tire too, which is another really cool feature.

Tulsa '67 - great song to set the scene - sets everything up really well - no notes - fantastic opening number 👏

The car pulling onto the stage was so cool - it reminded me of when I went to go and see the Back to the Future musical last month (which was amazing btw - gave me some very entertaining ideas for a one-shot 👀), because the way they used the delorean in that, and made it drive, was genuinely incredible haha.

Whilst I felt really sorry for poor Ponyboy when he had that run-in with the Socs, the way they did the fight scene (and all the ones that followed) was just brilliant. The way the lighting and the sound design and the way they did the choreography with the slow-motion sections - it was fantastic!! I've genuinely never seen anything like that in a show before - no wonder it won so many Tonys haha. It deserved to after seeing that!

Also - no matter how many fight scenes there were - I still couldn't work out how they got the fake blood all over themselves. Maybe it was just too late at night and I wasn't paying close enough attention - but that felt like genuine magic to me 😂

Grease Got a Hold - fun song to show the brotherhood of the Greasers - very time period accurate too - at least it sounds it to me lol - which works really well to help sell the story - it did a great job at introducing us to the way all the different main characters act too

Runs in the Family - really liked Darrel's character in the show - maybe it's because you made that connection with him being so similar to Miles, and you know how much of a sucker I am for that guy lol - but I also did just genuinely think he was a great character to add an extra layer of conflict - and the actor did a brilliant job of portraying it; I really believed him in the role, and I thought his voice was beautiful.

The scene with Ponyboy and Sodapop talking on the bed definitely gave me Bentley and Royce vibes - especially because they share a room. That moment about the book and how many pages it had got a laugh out of me too - the guy who plays Sodapop acted that bit really well. That whole exchange was just really sweet - they played out that super close brotherly bond so well - I can definitely see how their relationship could have influenced how you wrote the Murphys.

Great Expectations - really moving song that was great for showing off the guy who plays Ponyboy's voice - it was so powerful! I've got to admit I'm not always overly fussed about slower songs/ballads in shows, so I didn't necessarily love this at first - I thought it was a good song, but I don't think I fully appreciated it until I came back to listen to it again and could link it back to the rest of the show; I think it becomes more meaningful once you know the whole story - at least it worked that way for me

The exchange between Dally and Johnny Cade (I can definitely see why you thought August was a good match for him btw) was really sweet - they really sold that chosen family vibe between them. And it was clever how they incorporated the set-up with the switchblade knife too, what with it being so important later on. 

Friday at the Drive-In - nothing really groundbreaking, but it was a fun, catchy song - and I liked the choreography!

I loved getting to meet Cherry for the first time - with her bravery standing up for herself I can definitely see Vivien selling that almost defiant confidence really well. And how she speaks to Ponyboy afterwards - I could so see Vivien acting that out with Bentley. I sometimes forget how close of a bond Vivien and Bentley have because I usually think of them as a trio, or just Vivien with Royce - but I'd love to see them tackle this scene together; I think they'd do a great job. 

Going on from that - I Could Talk To You All Night - such a pretty song that is so enjoyable and easy to listen to - it works so well for the scene, and I think Vivien and Bentley would kill it - BUT, your idea of a one-shot with Miles and Carrie pre-relationship is absolute perfection for this song. It works amazingly - right down to their places in society and everything!! Aaah!!

I loved Cherry sticking up for herself when her boyfriend barged in and started being an asshole too - she's such a strong-willed girl, I'm obsessed with her. I could very much see elements of Carrie and Eric in her and Bob's relationship (unfortunately lol) - especially in TMM. If only Carrie had the same balls Cherry did to actually put herself first lmao.

Runs in the Family reprise - whilst I understand it was a little overkill for Darrel to fly off the handle like he did, I can appreciate his point of view and how he cracked under all the pressure he'd placed on himself. Like you said in your post, it's hard to imagine the Murphy brothers ever arguing like this - but it could be something interesting to play with just as a one off, to see how they would react - especially that element of Darrel talking about all the things he could do with his life if he wasn't tied down to providing for his brothers - I feel like Miles could share at least some of those struggles (I just don't ever think he'd express them lmao - especially not like that). Also - I feel like in this reprise, even more than with the song the first time around - part of the melody reminds me of What'd I Miss from Hamilton. Maybe it's just me though lol 😂

Far Away from Tulsa - what a pretty song! And what a sweet moment between Ponyboy and Johnny Cade - this was such a good way to show how close the characters are. And omg just imagining Bentley and August singing it 🥹 - I couldn't cope

Probably just me watching too much Starlight Express (as usual), but the "you're nobody" part of the following run-in with the Socs was very reminiscent of the "he said nobody, so he's nobody" bit in the show when the other trains are all picking on Rusty. Weird coincidence haha. But again, the staging of this fight was just brilliant - it was like I couldn't look away! And the underwater effects!! That was so cool!!

Run Run Brother - what an exciting end to the first act! Again, the staging of it was brilliant showing their escape - and I loved the song in this one too; I feel like it showed off Dallas' voice really well. 

Justice for Tulsa - this was a really cool opening to the second act - I loved the way they staged it with the interrogation; that was so clever and it set the tone really well how everything is a little darker and more tense compared to the bright and cheery opening of the first act. I really liked the second part of the song too with Cherry sticking up for the Greasers even though everyone else was turning on her because of it - she's definitely feeling like one of my favourite characters at this point. The tone of her voice is so pretty and clear too - you can tell there's a lot of power behind it as well. She's great!

Also - I know it's not really a comical show - but that cut back to Ponyboy after they'd cut and bleached his hair… 😳 Girl. I gasped. That wig. I know the point is that it looks bad but I was still speechless 😂 The poor guy! Wanted as an accessory to murder AND looking like a clown?! He can't catch a break!

Death's At My Door - what a sweet duet - not the most exciting of songs - but it's really heartfelt and showed off the characters' close bond really well. 

Throwing in the Towel - I already had a bit of an idea what this was like from the TV performance of it, but omg seeing it fully staged, and knowing about everything that led up to this point, made it so much better! What a beautiful song! Everyone put so much emotion into it - and then when Ponyboy started singing too to show how they were all thinking of and missing each other despite being apart - ugh, it was so good!! Definitely a stand out song of the show for me. Brilliant vocals, and amazing acting too from all three brothers. I can totally see the similarities to your Murphy brothers as well, which made it all the more enjoyable to watch. The actor who plays Darrell did a particularly great job here, and as an oldest sibling myself, I definitely felt the most connected to him - he's another favourite of mine from the show.

The comedic timing on that "Do I look like Julie Andrews?" line was impeccable - that whole section with them talking about Ponyboy's hair was so good - they delivered the lines so well; it felt so authentic. And Dally's reaction just made it even better.

Soda's Letter - another really pretty song - you could really feel the sentiment behind the lyrics - it felt (at least to me anyway) that even the music itself was showing that internal conflict in Ponyboy: the need to stay safe and loyal to his friends, but also that comforting pull of his family back home. It was really beautiful!

Dally's monologue that followed was really powerful too, with him trying to keep his 'found family' safe - definitely felt like his advice was driven by the fact that he didn't have a choice in his matter of just keeping moving on though, and that he was potentially a little jealous that Ponyboy did have a loving family he could go back to. There felt like there was an element of pride there too - where he felt like their new big brother who could look after them, especially after his talk with Darrell, so he didn't want them to go back and not have them solely relying on/looking up to him anymore. He wants to try to keep that control over them  - maybe because there's nothing else he can control in his life? Idk, maybe I'm reading too much into it lmao.

Hoods Turned Heroes - that whole fire breaking out really took me by surprise, but it was so brave of Ponyboy and Johnny Cade to go save all those kids despite being so weak and tired themselves. No wonder they were deemed heroes! It was a fun song to show off the upswing in luck for the Greasers back home though - and it provided an even starker contrast to the next scene with Dally carrying Johnny Cade like that. That was a really powerful moment.

Hopeless War - another beautiful song showing off Cherry's actress' voice - I'm obsessed with it. She's really great. Definitely gives me turf war vibes that could be used in a throwback one-shot/au or something before the surfers and bikers made up.

The set-up for the rumble had me so nervous ngl - I really appreciated Darrell coming back and trying to help though, even offering to take Ponyboy's place and fight for him (not that Ponyboy was ever going to let that happen, but you know, the sentiment was there haha). Very good big brother energy - very Miles energy too. I liked it haha.

And then the rumble itself: genuinely unbelievable theatre. I know I've said it before, but the way they used the sound, and the lighting, and the choreography of everything - and the rain and the fake blood too - it quite literally took my breath away. Sooooo insanely brilliant. I can't believe how synchronised everything was - it was really, really impressive. 

Little Brother - another seriously powerful song, made even more powerful by that amazing performance by Dally's actor. Omg he totally killed that - the pain and the emotion in his voice - he sounded totally broken, it was such a brilliant performance! And aptly heartbreaking after what happened to poor Johnny Cade - it's just a shame Dally felt so lost and angry that he ended up meeting the same fate.

That conversation between the three brothers centering around Ponyboy and his grief was so emotional and, again, really powerful. They acted it out so well - I could really feel their love and frustration with one another. Again, I could totally see the Murphy brothers acting in a similar way if they were ever in that situation, especially with the way they were talking about their parents and how they're all each other has left. May or may not have helped me a lot with later parts of TMM too hehe 👀

Also - the part with them saying Johnny Cade's mum never showed up to the hospital to collect his things: what the hell! That's so sad! Poor boy deserved so much better 😢

Stay Gold - I've always known about this phrase being linked to The Outsiders in some way because I think you've had it in your bio at some point, but I didn't know the full meaning behind it until I listened to this. And omg what a beautiful song - definitely one of my favourites from the whole show. It's so delicate and heartfelt and pretty - that melody is just so gorgeous. It really feels like Johnny's last way of comforting and reassuring Ponyboy, all wrapped up in a song. Sooooo pretty. I loved the touch of them getting Johnny to be the one to sing it too; it sounds so much more meaningful coming from him. I could totally picture August singing this as well - the lyrics all felt very 'him' with that soft, almost poetic edge and the link to nature. At least that's the vibe I have in my head of August anyway haha.

The way they brought Ponyboy's writing back to end the show with felt so satisfying - it was a great way to tie it all together as one big story and show how their lives had changed, but part of it would always stay the same. A great way to end it with some really nice harmonies!!

So yeah, in case you couldn't already tell, I really loved the show - thank you so much for introducing me to it! I'm so glad I'll finally have an idea of what you're talking about when you bring it up now lmaoooo. And I'm so excited to see your reaction to it, because I feel as though it'll just make me love it even more!

Anyway, speaking of reactions, here are all the things I had to comment on after watching your reaction to Starlight Express. They're in that same sort of bullet point-y style, and I didn't comment on everything because I'd have probably bored you for hours. But here were at least my main things I wanted to share with you! So yeah, thank you again for putting that video together for me; I had such a fun time watching it and seeing you experience the show for the first time. I can't wait to see what ideas it sparks for you in the future (even if they're just new, awesome nail designs 😉)

Starlight Express:

It was so cool hearing you say that you bet you'd have loved the show when you were a kid because that's when I fell in love with it - and how you hoped that there are kids in the audience that fall in love with musical theatre because of the show because that's exactly what happened with me, and is exactly what the musical set out to do. Andrew Lloyd Webber has said many times that Starlight was designed to get kids into theatre and get them excited about going so the fact you picked up on that so early on was so cool! 

I LOOOOVE that you fell in love with Greaseball so early on - Greaseball's always been one of my faves, and this London version just cemented it for me. She's such an icon. I always used to love Dinah because she got to be WITH Greaseball - now I just want to BE Greaseball 🤣

That's so cool that you've seen stuff from the Bochum version (and that you've been learning German?! That's awesome!), and that you can appreciate the costume changes and everything. This video version of the London production might not be the best because the costumes aren't all finished off with the lights on their chest yet - since it was taken during the previews - but I agree that they all still look insanely cool. 

Also - with Dinah being one of my all-time favourite characters in the show - those Dinah inspired nails you got (which I may or may not have clocked in the intro because I'm a freak like that 🤣) are AMAZING! They look so good!! I'd love to see what you get done for Greaseball/The Outsiders if you end up getting them.

I loved your interpretation of the coaches being like the Muses in Hercules - that's such a cool connection; I'd never thought of that before but you're so right! And I loved your comments/analyses on their costumes too - they were so fun to hear. And as someone who LOVES really reading into details - especially when it comes to colours and things - listening to you talk about everything you picked up on was soooo fun. 

You giggling at that moment at the end of Whistle At Me was so cute 🥰

Also, I know you realised by the end of the show, but they definitely do sing AC/DC in Electra's main song - which is cool for both the music connotations, and because of the alternating current/direct current electrical terminology connotations hehe. 

I LOVED your reactions to Pumping Iron because that's one of my favourite songs in the whole show - it's just so FUN - and I had a blast watching you experience it all. Also - the way that your homemade slushie exploding lined up perfectly with Control saying "uh oh" had me cracking up so hard 😂

You picking up on Pearl saying "lovers" in Make Up My Heart was so entertaining too - the characters used to be a lot more romantically motivated in other versions of the show, and carrying songs over without changing the lyrics much (this one in particular) doesn't always work so well 😂

Totally agree with your score for Momma's Blues too - I love Momma as a character, but I always skip that song because it's just so random and unnecessary - genuinely don't know why it was ever included other than to give the Poppa/Momma character something else to sing 😂

I'm OBSESSED with Rusty's voice in this production too - obviously all the other Rustys I've seen have done an amazing job too, but there's something about Jeevan's voice that is just sooo beautiful. It made me appreciate 'Starlight Express' and 'Starlight Sequence' so much more than I used to because of how gorgeous his voice is to listen to. Also, can you believe he was only 17 when he started the show?! Insane!!

Unfortunately Greaseball is always kind of a jerk to Dinah in the shows, which is such a shame because they are so cute together otherwise. I've seen a few different interpretations of it though, like where Greaseball's so hellbent on winning that they don't want any distractions from anyone (no matter who they're from), and their desire to win just completely takes over. But another interpretation I thought was quite cute was that Greaseball is so desperate to look tough in front of their competitors that they have to disregard Dinah so that they don't look weak, because every time they DO properly acknowledge Dinah (like at the end) they're just like putty in her hands haha. 

I'm glad you still liked UNCOUPLED so much too, because as much as I also love it, I feel like it works much better with an American accent. Every other English-speaking version of the show has had Dinah being American, and since that number is so country music inspired, I just think it sounds better with an American accent. Eve's acting definitely helps to sell it though - and the more I listen to it, the more normal it's starting to sound. So maybe it's growing on me after all 😂

Your analysis on the 'money-driven' aspect of Slick's character was really cool too. That's a new aspect for this production too, because usually it's CB in that position just wrecking the trains for shits and giggles because he's a little psycho - but the link to the big oil rigging industry is a great one to make! I kind of wish they did more with Slick's character tbh - I feel like what they show of her is a very base level of her character - I wish we saw more of her desperation and intensity. And like I mentioned with how I imagine Abby would play her, I wish there was more of an element of Slick wanting to help Greaseball because she idolises her, what with their almost identical colour schemes and their joint reliance on oil. I think Wide Smile, High Style kind of falls a little flat because Slick's motives were never really shown up until that moment. But oh well, I suppose the show can only be so long haha. 

That moment after Rusty wrecks in the first version of the final race being Royce and Vivien coded is so true!! I'm so pleased you saw elements of them in those roles like I did!

It was so cute seeing how excited you got about Hydra each time he came on stage too - everyone seems to be really loving him, which is great since he, and all the other fuel trucks, were new additions for this production. He just seems like such a cool, chill guy - he's great. And that musical hook of his is really catchy haha. I'm pleased you could see how I could link him to Ethan lmao.

I love that you enjoyed One Rock and Roll Too Many - that's such a fun number in the show. I wish they'd made it more obvious that the trains had wrecked though, because in other productions they roll out in tattered/falling-apart versions of their costumes, which I think sells it more. But I also understand that that might not have been possible this time around with the way that the costumes are so rigid/plasticy. Either way - it's still a really fun number.

In terms of their makeup too - I've seen some of the cast on tiktok doing videos about their makeup and they have to do it all themselves! I think they were taught how to do their specific looks initially, but they have to do it all themselves every night, which is super impressive.

Also - yes - I totally agree Hydra should have been up there on the podium with Rusty at the end. Pearl didn't even race with him once!! 😂

And your utter confusion with Greaseball's poor spelling 😂 I love Al's portrayal of Greaseball but I don't think she hams up the dopey/dumb and embarrassed aspect of that part where she struggles to spell 'sorry' nearly enough. 

Overall, I absolutely loved your reactions though - getting to introduce people to stuff I love and seeing their reactions is one of my favourite things to do, so getting to watch you experience the show for the first time and fall in love with it was soooooo special. I can't wait to see your reaction to the Outsiders one if you choose to do one for that too!

And with that, I think I've got through everything. And to save you from reading through even more of my ramblings, I'll leave it here. Thank you so much for getting through it all if you made it to this point though - you're a real one haha. On a serious note though, the dedication you've put into editing together that video and watching the show purely because you know how much I enjoy it, and going to the trouble of helping me watch The Outsiders, is insane - you've gone above and beyond any of my irl friends with all that, so thank you soooo much. You truly are the best! 🥰

Now, back to TMM! 😂

[popmusicu]

The Supremes and their legacy in music

The Supremes' story begins in Detroit, Michigan, in the early 1960s, when Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Betty McGlown attended the same high school. They all shared a love of music so they decided to get together and form a group.

After several line-up changes, the group was consolidated with Ballard, Wilson and Ross. They signed with Motown Records in 1961, where they began working with the legendary production and songwriting team, Holland-Dozier-Holland. During this process, the group went through several name changes before establishing themselves as The Supremes, like The Primettes.

Their first single, I Want a Guy, was not very successful but the second, Buttered Popcorn, began to attract some attention. It was in 1964, with the single Where Did Our Love Go, that they reached the top of the charts. It was the first of a string of consecutive hits, including Stop! In the Name of Love —my personal favorite— and Back in My Arms Again.

Live performances, which featured synchronised choreography and stylish costumes, were key to the group's appeal and success. However, the popularity also generated internal tensions, especially in relation to the leadership and prominence attributed to Ross. This led to Florence Ballard's departure from the group in 1967. Under the new name Diana Ross & The Supremes, they continued to achieve success.

In 1970, Diana Ross announced her departure to embark on a solo career. With her departure, Jean Terrell joined as the new vocalist, and the group continued to record successful music —again under the name The Supremes— until its dissolution in 1977.

Despite their demise as a group, The Supremes left an indelible legacy in pop and R&B music, with a string of hits that remain popular today. Their music and style have influenced generations of artists and their place in music history is firmly established.

 - Tomás Tamayo.

[thewidowstanton]

The Widow's best of 2021

Compiled by Liz Arratoon

2021 was the year Blackpool Pleasure Beach celebrated its 125th anniversary, and the magic world marked 100 years of sawing a woman in two. Hmmm! For us, spending more time at home meant we watched more films and read more books so both will feature more heavily in our list than usual, along with other stuff we’ve seen and enjoyed this year.

But before we get to any of that let’s start with the most beautiful thing we saw in 2021. It was right at the start of year – and nothing since has come close to it – when the London International Mime Festival directors Joseph Seelig and Helen Lannaghan managed to put on a brilliant event against the odds by going online.

MOST CREATIVE: Vertigo, a short film by mixed-reality artists Kristin and Davy McGuire of Studio McGuire commissioned by the London International Mime Festival. Four minutes of heaven as Kristin performs on a shiny pole, enveloped in a gossamer haze of digital images that are protected on to gauze. Stunning! Watch it here. Pic: Studio McGuire

BEST SHOW: David Byrne’s innovative concert/dance production American Utopia.

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Annie-B Parson’s thrilling moves in American Utopia.

FAVOURITE ACT: The Shandong Acrobatic Troupe’s plate spinners from 2019’s Monte Carlo International Circus Festival. In a refreshing break from tradition, it used the main theme music from Wong Kar-wai’s 2004 film 2046. Also watch out for Laura Borrelli's hula-hoop cameo in the film The Hand of God.

BEST TWITTER CIRCUS PIC: La Charmeuse de Serpents at the Folies-Bergère, posted by @PablosCircus.

BEST PROMO: Hula-hoop star Marawa the Amazing's delightful 'calling card', produced by her husband. Watch it here.

BEST SHOWBIZ STORY: Christine Walevska's stolen cello in The Tale of the Little Countess’ Little Cello on BBC Radio 4’s Outlook.

BEST SHOWBIZ TV SERIES: Hacks, with the incredible Jean Smart as a 'senior' Vegas stand-up comic.

BEST TV CHARACTER: Nunzia Schiano as Donna Nunzia in Gomorrah, the Naples-set Mafia saga, which also gets MOST STYLISH TV SERIES for its breathtaking lighting and locations. BEST DOCUMENTARY SERIES: Fran Lebowitz’s Pretend It’s a City, directed by Martin Scorsese on Netflix. BEST INTERVIEW: Sylvie Guillem by dancer Daniil Simkin. Watch it here.

BEST EXHIBITION: Noël Coward Art and Style at the Guildhall Art Gallery in London.

BEST SERIES: Spending the War Without You: Virtual Backgrounds. Laurie Anderson’s stunningly intelligent Norton ‘lectures’ – in reality, shows – from the Mahindra Humanities Center, six of them given to the world for free!

BEST MUSIC: The score for the TV series ZeroZeroZero by Mogwai.

BEST WEEKLY MAILOUT: David Mills’ Quality Time – “a five-point bulletin of curated curious content” – in which he scours the world for things to interest, surprise and delight us. Above is the original rhinestone cowboy Loy Bowlin, who covered his life and house, the Beautiful Holy Jewel Home, in glitter, tin foil, tinsel and so forth. What could be more showbiz? Subscribe for free here.

BEST DANCE: The Ballets de Monte-Carlo White Darkness by Nacho Duato and The Lavender Follies by Joseph Hernandez.

BEST COSTUMES: Russian synchronised swimmers Svetlana Kolesnichenko and Svetlana Romashina’s spider-themed outfits at the Olympic Games. BEST FILM: Apples, a Greek Weird Wave first feature film from director Christos Nikou concerning… um… a different sort of pandemic.

BEST ANIMATION: Hungarian 1976 short Scenes with Beans, directed by Ottó Foky, about a cosmic metallic hen that lands on a planet of beans and observes their daily lives.

BEST DESERT ISLAND DISCS CASTAWAY: Sophia Loren, by a mile.

MOST FUN: Stump the Guesser, a short film by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson.

BEST SHOWBIZ BOOK: My Rock ’n’ Roll Friend by Tracey Thorn, and To the End of the World, Travels with Oscar Wilde by Rupert Everett.

BEST BOOK: Two more memoirs share this spot… Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes by Rodrigo García, and Linn Ullman’s Unquiet. Both concern ageing and death, which leads us on to…

GONE TOO SOON: Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Mike Nesmith of the Monkees and actors Michael K Williams (above) and Helen McCrory. And those we knew personally: our friend circus impresario Gerry Cottle, Spymonkey’s marvellous and unforgettable loon Stephan Kreiss (below), and lastly Lord Christopher Laverty of the magnificent @clothesonfilm, who was one of the most knowledgeable, and certainly the best, speakers we’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to, who died desperately young in a canoeing accident.

But so as not to end on too sad a note SPECIAL MENTIONS go to the Lucille Ball film Being the Ricardos, the kick-ass women in the TV series The Nevers, and the simply spectacular documentary House of Cardin, about genius fashion designer – among many, many other things – Pierre Cardin.

[cryptic-flash]

Q&A Perfume CMU 2013 LEVEL3

AM: Your new album sounds great and is upbeat even by your own standards. Was this a fun record to make? AC: It was as lot of fun! I enjoyed recording different types of songs. Different types of rhythms and atmosphere.

K: I enjoy recording our albums more than standalone singles because we get more songs! The diversity of the songs makes me excited, like I’m one of the listeners.

AM: This seems like a particularly dancefloor-focussed record. How do you think ‘Level 3’ compares to your previous albums, and what do you think your fans will think of it? N: Yasutaka Nakata, our producer, writes all our songs and I think ‘dance album’ was what he had in mind for where Perfume stands right now. This is the result of him thinking what kind of music makes Perfume cool in 2013.

AC: We see each album as being like a concept album. So Perfume right now is at a dance music stage [more than straight pop]. This doesn’t mean we’re going in this direction from here but this is just one of our aspects. Please don’t see this like “so Perfume is going into dance music direction, so I don’t have to follow them anymore…” If you don’t like this type of music, just let it go and come back to us when we release our next album.

AM: I read in another interview that Yasutaka Nakata doesn’t let you hear the songs he’s written for you until the day before you go into the studio. Do you ever worry you won’t like them? And do you like working in this way? K: I never worry that we won’t like the songs. It’s so much fun to get new material, and getting it on the day of the recording ensures a good tension. We prefer not to practice too much in advance. If we listen too much, or practice too much, before the recording, our habits tend to overcome the freshness. I like how we get the songs at the last minute and go straight into recording. I think this style is good.

N: But when we got the rap song, that freaked me out a bit! [Laughs]

AM: Given the way in which you hear your music, would you class yourselves fans of Perfume? What music do you tend to listen to in your daily lives? N: Yes, we’re our biggest fans! We are huge fans of Yasutaka Nakata songs, so we are proud to deliver them to our fans, and we proudly perform them at our shows. Though in my daily life, I listen to different kinds of music. Before I go to sleep, I have a playlist for that. If I want to get hyped up, I listen to dance music. I listen to whatever suits my feelings at the time. I listen to rock too.

K: I don’t listen to much Japanese music to be honest. I listen more of international music. When I listen to Japanese music, I tend to pay too much attention to the lyrics, so to listen to music as background music, non-Japanese music is better for me.

AM: ‘Level 3’ has your first fully English language song on it, ‘Spending All My Time’. Was it strange to sing in another language? Was it unexpected when the song was presented to you? N: Yes, it was unexpected and I was surprised. We generally prefer to sing in Japanese, so when [‘Spending All My Time’] was first presented to us, it was difficult at first. But when we played abroad, everyone sang along with that song, and seeing that made me feel so glad that we recorded this track!

AM: You recently played your first European shows. What was that like? AC: It seemed like fans in Europe really enjoyed our show. Japanese audiences tend to send us messages like “we’re having fun”, but in Europe, they were just enjoying in their own ways.

AM: It’s quite unusual for big J-pop acts to come over to Europe, but Kyary Pamyu Pamyu also made the journey over the London earlier this year. Do you think we’ll see more J-pop acts over here in the future? And will we see you again? AC: I don’t know if more J-pop acts will go to Europe in the future, but it makes us happy that a lot of Japanese artists are going abroad to promote Japan. We’re just simply happy that we got to go play at the home of techno music and we hope that there will be more demand for us in Europe.

K: We definitely want to go back to Europe and do shows!

AM: Your performances often feature very high-tech elements. What has your favourite innovation been? Is there anything you don’t use in performances anymore that you’d like to bring back? AC: I liked the projection mapping performance we did at [the Cannes Lions International Festival Of Creativity, where the group won a design award for their website] and on the European tour. It’s a high-tech performance where projection moves with our dances and it’s only projected on our body and dresses, nowhere else. It’s so high-tech that I really don’t know how to explain it!

K: We have been playing at smaller venues recently so we haven’t been able to use a lifting platform. But when we play big venues again, I want to bring that back. I want to get on the lifter and perform from high up! This allows people in the back to see us in big venues.

AM: As well as the technical side, your dancing is always extremely precise and tightly synchronised. How long do you rehearse before each show? N: Probably about a month, including choreography.

K: For big shows, we spend about a month but smaller shows like the recent European tour, we only rehearsed for about a week.

AM: What happens if something goes wrong on stage? AC: If something happens on stage, we continue like nothing happened. If our shoe falls off, we immediately put it back on. If I forget the dance, I look to other members. If the lights went out, I try to speak to the audience and let our voices be heard. Anything can happen in live shows and we try to enjoy that moment.

AM: How involved with the choreography and design of your shows are you? K: We let [long-time collaborator] Mikiko take charge in terms of choreography, though for live arrangements we do tell her our ideas.

N: We put together the setlist, and we tell our stage director brief ideas like “we want to get close to audience”.

AC: We tell them our dreams like we want to fly or we want this kind of stage.

K: And then we leave it to the technical team to tell us if that’s possible or not.

AM: You’ve been together since 2000. Do you still get the same excitement from being in Perfume? What are you favourite parts of the job? K: Yes, we’re still excited because we’re tackling new things all the time, including the latest technology.

N: The best part of being an artist is that we can share our happiness and experiences with so many people. There are a lot of fans out there who like what we like. I think that’s the best part. source : https://completemusicupdate.com/article/qa-perfume/ By Andy Malt | Published on Tuesday 8 October 2013

[ashiiewappa]

Rio 2016 Full Team Artistic Swimming

Sport:

Artistic Swimming

Court Dimensions:

The pool must be at least 20m wide x 30m long, and at least 2.5m deep. One area, 12x12m or larger, must be at least 3m deep and the slope between the change in depths has to be completed over a distance of 8m or less.

Equipment:

Nose Clip

Underwater Speakers

Swimsuit

Hair Gel

Basic Skills:

Sculls

Eggbeater

Positions

Crane Position

Ballet Leg Double Position

Side Fishtail Position

Knight Position

Flamingo Position

Split Position

Lifts

The Platform Lift

The Stack Lift

Technical & Tactical Skills:

Stages of Technical Preparation

The process of learning motor skills is based on theoretical findings on motor learning.

Accomplishing the aim is conditioned by:

understanding the technique as a unity of its internal and external features

step-by-step procedure of its acquiring

stabilizing the technique

comprehensive conception (contents organization)

conscious activity of both the athlete and coach

The process of learning is not linear and even; it is a long-term process unlimited by time.

In practice, the following stages appear:

drill

improving

stabilization

Drill

Tasks:

learning the objectives of selected sports discipline

drilling the techical basics of relevant sports skills

This stage proceeds in the follow axis:

introduction (rules, feeling the water, ball etc.)

defining the task (couch’s input, athlete must identify him/herself with the image)

creating image

initial attempts (verifying the image under simplified conditions), repeating („repeating without repetitions“)

Improving

Tasks:

firming, improving and subsequent adjusting techniques in given specialization

gradual interconnection of technique and fitness requirements and physiological functions of the athlete

focussing the stage aims at further shaping the image

All information is integrated in a single unit of complex locomotive analyzer which is sport specific. Firming and improving is carried out through sophisticated repetitions of relevant exercises which lead towards automation. This stage continues to improve mainly kinematic (time and space) and dymanic (strength) parameters of motion structures. Techique should be gradually interconnected with its fitness basis and energy supply.

The main aim of this stage of technical preparation is final technique firming and stabilization.

Stabilization

Tasks:

firming and stabilization of sports skills complexes as units which are ready to be involved in programs for competitve activities of the athlete

mutual interconnection, combination and adjustments of these units to most demanding conditions under which sports activity is employed

attempts to firm and stabilize lead to another, more in-depth, uniting of technique, fitness, psyche and tactics into highly functional units

The substance of stabilizing technique in this stage lies in automation of relevant structures and actions of skills structures and their continuous adjusting to competition conditions.

Methods of Technical Preparation:

Methods: analytic, analytic-synthetic, concentration, dispersion.

Procedures: whole, from whole to part, from part to whole.

Tactical Preparation

It is necessary to differentiate between two terms:

strategy is understood as a pre-prepared plan of actions in a specific competition

the plan is defined by key strategy points (points in competition when the athlete makes decisions according to given strategy in so-called conflicting situations)

tactics further analyzes and shows possible solutions of individual competition situations (conflicting situations)

focuses on practical implementation of these situations within given plan (strategy)

tactics (individual, group, team, offensive, defensive)

Implementing tactical actions is carried out on the following axis:

perception and analysis (situation occurence – situation recognition – situation analysis)

mental solution (solution proposal – soluction selection)

movement solution (solution execution, feedback)

Tactics is being solved within competition situations which are characterized by conditions.

We can differentiate between two types of conditions:

fixed (sports ground, sports area, equipment etc.)

changing (referee, audience, route, ball bounce etc.)

Drilling Tactical Skills

Tactical skills are understood as certain procedures or models of competition situations solutions acquired by training.

Acquiring tactical skills presupposes influencing the athlete’s:

perception (space, rhythm, objects)

thinking and decision-making (analysis, synthesis, generalization, intuitive solutions – solutions outside the scope of perception)

knowledge (rules, organization of sports combat conduct, principles of tactical actions in specific situations, knowledge of strategy)

experience (memory, anticipation)

Principles of drilling tactical skills:

tactical skills are closely related to technique

there is a certain specific solution for each competition situation

theoretical background (algorithms, patterns) must be acquired before drilling itself

suggest solution to a situation when drilling and perhaps let athletes to discuss it

at first, teach without pushing, increase resistence and pressure (time, space, fatigue) after they handle individual parts

group skills (power play patterns) must be practised in an analytic way (in pairs or groups of three)

it is preferable to handle solving smaller number of situations with better quality

adjusting situation to expected competition conditions

Solving competition situations

When creating strategy plan, pay attention to the following:

competition aim,

competitor power

competitor strategy

own power

information on environment and conditions

Solving practical situations is based on the level of preparation during training and the extent of their indefiniteness (i.e. they cannot be prepared in advance)

We differentiate among:

Algorithmization (standard situations I.) the athlete chooses from several pre-peraded solutions (A, B, C options). Medium indefiniteness.

Patterns (standard situations II.) everyone knows what to do in a given situation, both me and other team-mates (e.g. direct free kick, ofensive combination, service in volleyball. Minimum indefiniteness.

Instant unprepared solution is improvised. Creativity is of very high importance. High indefiniteness.

Rules of the Game:

No Touching The Bottom - One of the things which makes the lifts all the more impressive is that artistic swimmers are not allowed to touch the bottom of the pool at any point during their routines.

No Bling - Presentation is a unique and important part of artistic swimming but there are certain restrictions on what swimmers can wear. For example, artistic swimmers are not permitted jewellery, theatrical make-up, or inappropriate costumes.

No Goggles - Another restriction during artistic swimming routines is goggles. However, swimmers in figures competitions are permitted to wear them.

Team Means Team

Teams normally contain eight swimmers, but the minimum number for a team is four. Teams lose marks for every swimmer they have under the full complement because it is easier to synchronise the fewer people there are in a routine.

Stick To The Schedule

Routines can be anything from two and a half minutes to five minutes long, depending on whether they are performed alone or as part of a team. However, swimmers are penalised if they take 15 seconds fewer or longer than the specified time.

Before participating in the Olympics, the swimmers must clear the qualifying competitions

If we focus on Olympics, there are only two events played in each Olympics i.e. team and duet

There are two routines included here one is free routine and one is technical routine

Players can perform both in team and duets

Technical routine is predetermined and should be performed strictly according to certain elements

Free routine is not predetermined so the players are free to do their performance and in free routine, they have to show their creativity in choreography, dancing, and coordination

In duet event, there are two swimmers and one alternate swimmer. In free routine, the time limit is 3:30 minutes and in technical routine time limit is 2:20 minutes

In team event, there are eight swimmers and one alternate swimmer. Time limit in free routine is 4:00 minutes and 2:50 minutes in technical routine

In each event, there is relaxation of utmost 15 seconds

The judges give points according to the level of difficulty of the performance shown by the players

Marks awarded ranges from 0.0 to 10.0

How to Officiate the Sport:

Clerk of the course - organize the competitors so that they are ready for their events at the required time. During figure competitions, they ensure that the swimmers are in the correct order to perform their figures.

Scorer - record marks from the judges and make the necessary computations for each routine. There are two levels of synchro scorer – national scorer and chief recorder.

Judge - essential for running synchronised swimming competitions as they provide scores based on the performance of each routine. They are also responsible for marking grade level assessments. To reduce the level of subjectivity in scoring, all synchro judges must be expertly-trained. They require a full understanding of FINA and the ASA’s rules and regulations for synchronised swimming competitions.

Referee - oversee the control of a synchronised swimming competition. The referee makes sure all aspects of the event are run smoothly and follow FINA rules.

Analysis:

Egypt - Very synchronized and have exquisite leg work. Timing of movements are precise with the used sound.

Australia - Great formations and artistic exhibitions. At some point the formations become chaotic the used sound not really in match with their dance. Nevertheless their synchronization is very on point.

Italy - Very graceful in movements like water ballerinas. Used music is very great matching the displayed moves. New and artistic exhibitions are shown applying great synchronization. Pleasing to the eye formations and movements are very timing with the sound.

Brazil - Colorful and amazing costumes matching their theme. The sound used is very festive and energizing. Great formations and timing with their moves despite having a  fast paced sound. Showed new exhibitions and precise moves.

Russia - Exquisite and well-thought out costume design matching their theme. Showed great and amazing stunts. Heavenly movements with great precision  and power. On point timing and leg movements while being graceful and synchronized with each other. A very powerful and impactful performance.

Ukraine - Intense used sound along with stunts and exhibitions. Very quick in movement and has great timing with the beats of the sound used. Showed new and unique stunts. Amazing formations and flexibility of performers.

China - Festive and colorful costumes matching with their chosen theme. Amazing attention to detail moves, having exquisite moves. Moving in precision without sacrificing the on point synchronization. No dull parts during the performance, always giving powerful moves and stunts. Great interpretation of the used sound. Intense yet graceful routine with amazing formations.

Japan - Very dramatic and scintillating costumes to match their theme. Precise with their formations and moves. Impeccable timing with their movements coinciding  with the beats of the sound. Performers having great flexibility with graceful yet intense moves. Synchronized amazingly with each other. Stunts are unique and all the while exquisite. Used enchanting sound which is very pleasing to the ears. Tremendous effort in executing their routines.

[heyifinallyhaveablog]

Fortnight Two: Meta Five

Film: Baahubali: The Beginning

Sequence: After a brief battle, succeeding Bhadra’s beheading by Shiva, Kattappa, who has pledged his life to protect the Royals of Maahishmati, calls upon a weapon to kill the unidentified intruder, who has fled with the prisoner, Devasena, and killed Bhallaladeva’s only son. Right after the lance lands in his grip, Shiva turns around for another round of combat against Kattappa. The rain washes off the grime on his face to reveal the countenance of the Late Amarendra Baahubali, as Kattappa rushes towards him for another attack.

Amarendra’s face upon the stranger’s body, sets in him the realisation that their long-lost King, and Devasena’s baby, who had, till now, been believed to be dead has returned. Devasena’s watches her wait materialising into reality as Kattappa drops his weapon, and proclaims Shiva to be Baahubali, kneeling before him in reverence. Her child’s foster mother, Sanga watches in astonishment, as does Shiva’s lover, Avanthika. Hearing Kattappa’s proclamation of Baahubali, the entire crowd bows before the Ruler of Maahishmati who has returned as their saviour.

This particular sequence, again, is not without drama, which as I have reiterated time and again, is almost inseparable from a movie as thespian as Baahubali. However, noteworthy non-script features work in beautiful sync with the dramatic elements and bring forth this yet another marvel of a sequence.

1. The setting and the lighting

Rain, thunder, and a grim, almost dark background. This is one of the very few sequences in both the Baahubali movies that doesn’t have a brilliantly-lit backdrop. There are no bright reds, no blazing golds, no royal hues, but a simple, earthy backdrop with a tumultuous natural situation. For one, the earthy tones accentuate the fact the Junior Baahubali is the strongest when working in situ with nature. For another, the largely violent nature, gives the unfolding of events and the consequent revelations a pronounced effect, thus taking the script forward.

2. The Background Music, Sound sequence and Camera Angles

Composer M.M. Keervani, and Cinematographer K.K. Senthil Kumar take care to synchronise their music and camera respectively, as higher tones of the background music emphasise the camera to focus on the ladies in Shiva’s life. Avanthika, Devasena, and Sanga are all the secondary focal points in this sequence, as their child, and lover comes at a turning point in his life, when he is heralded by all and sundry as their saviour, and protector of the realm.

3. The Co-ordinated Choreography

Or, shall we say, stunt coordination.

Needless to say, this sequence involves a fair amount of impeccably-timed, precise coordination. Stunt coordinator Peter Hein (who has also worked with the same director before in Magadheera), times his high-points perfectly as the lance flies into Kattappa’s hands as he breaks into a run. Likewise, Senthil Kumar, with all his expertise, takes special note of the timing of the scene where he lets go of the weapon. Another noteworthy factor here is, this particular sequence also times its slow-motion sequences aptly so as not to let them border on being a drag.

Finally, with Kattapa’s submission as he runs down to a humble kneel, comes at a time, when Shiva has made a complete turn to face his potential opponent. This, in turn, is also a time when all cinematographic, and audio effects come together to highlight this crescendo as Mahendra Baahubali is revealed for the world to see.

[yutark]

YT —@yu.n uploaded new video!

lullaby by got7 (choreography) group: @rkjeon​, red shirt ; @rkhyojeong​, pale yellow shirt ; @rkmseok​, white shirt ; @rkljhyun​, black jacket ; @mxnhork​, plaid jacket ; @rkhyunjoon​, bright yellow shirt + hat. caption -- 「 you can see more of everyone in the group on their instagrams~~                       hyojeong @.phantomhyo (ig)                       hyunjoon @.headchef_hhj (ig)                       minho @.dance_mh (ig)                       jaehyun @.ljhyun (ig)                       minseok @.meamk_99 (ig)                       jeongguk @.allmight98 (ig)                                                                                                                                      」

                                                                                              -- 6th APRIL 2019

They’d worked on this as a group for just over a month now, coming together on weekends to practice the choreography with Yuta at the lead. Not that he necessarily needed to hold their hands throughout the process. Hyunjoon was quick at picking up the moves, Minseok was dedicated to perfecting them, Jeongguk was a natural at it. Each of them could hold their own to varying degrees of skill and for Yuta, that left him focused on bringing them together as a group and working on their synchronisation. Still, even when they were practising, it was fun to come together. Minseok brightening up the room whenever they paused for a break, Hyunjoon and Hyojeong sharing their inside jokes, Minho’s soft energy being given a chance to be polished off and encouraged into something more. Yuta had noticed some minor awkwardness between Jaehyun and Minho, but brushed it off as nothing more than nerves. It’s not as if he knew Minho to be energetically extroverted. Every weekend had begun to become something Yuta looked forward to, seeing them bring together everything and watching each of them help one another through any difficulties that came up. 

A month passed by quickly, leaving them sharing glances after the camera was set up and the music started to fill the inside of the dance studio. It was not an easy routine and Yuta was proud of how much effort each of them had put in. Slacking was always an option if they weren’t serious about what they were doing, but he wanted to believe they had all put in as much energy and effort as they could. 

Yuta was the first to move forward into the space the camera was focused on, loosely playing the the music and coming to his place in the center. The other members following in after him, finding their places and positions. Jeongguk to his right and Hyojeong on his left, and the urge to check if everyone else had found their place which he couldn’t fulfil as the beat shift to the starting point of the choreography. The tips of his fingers curled into his pants as he began the steps, with confidence in himself; with confidence in the group that stood with him. More than once he’d gotten them to go through the whole routine without him in place, studied how well they had their positions memorised and how smooth their movements were. 

Throughout the dance there was a chance for some of them to have the center, to take the spotlight with their own brief dance and Yuta had worked with each of them specifically for them. Incorporating their wants, with what would best fit the dance and allow them to shine for those seconds. Jeongguk’s was a slick, charismatic walk, purposeful gazes as if he were the vocalist of the group, and that was followed in succession by Minseok, There was no chance to check if they were doing well, if they were holding their own, if they were enjoying themselves. Yuta having to more than once dip to the floor, to twist, to pull himself back up onto his feet with the rest of the members. No matter how much they practised together, if they weren’t feeling the song or the routine, or what they were performing, Yuta knew it would be lacking. 

These were the sorts of worries that made him dislike being the leader of any group; worries he pushed from his mind as they performed. He wanted to have fun too, like they did when they exhausted themselves running the routine and he could still hear his heart thudding in his ears. A smile tugging onto his lips as he took front and center again, rolling his body, feet slipping across the floor and running his hand around the outside of his head. It might have been his favourite part when he could run his hands down the front of his body, to press to fingers to his lips, to rock and move with the beat. The rush of the slight jump, of moving forward and going back; his bangs falling around his features and the smile crinkling in the corner of his ears. People complained about dancing a lot, especially as trainees, where they were forced into hours of lesson -- but Yuta loved it. He loved dancing, he loved having people around him who felt the same as he did and put in the same energy.

It was Hyojeong who got to perform cutely and yet coolly in the center next. He didn’t know if it was because he taught her outside of the group, but he liked to give her more help through the steps -- whether she needed his aid or not. Double checking that she had them down, making sure she was comfortable. Maybe it was because she was the only female in the group too. Yuta didn’t want to her to fade out into the background with the rest of the boys there or struggle on her own. She was going to be as charismatic as the rest of them and show her best side.

The lift of their shirts when Yuta stood in the middle again had come with a light, ‘only do it if you want to’, and completed with a definite promise that he intended to. It was rare that he got to show off the abs under his shirt, he’d worked on them with childish pride as a gift for Taeyong on Valentine’s day the year before and he was not going to pass up the chance to shameless give a peek while he danced. There was no pressure on anyone to follow through with him on the teasing though. The energy of the dancing shifting as Yuta took enjoyment and delight in the performance and played around; the movements slightly easier through the section and allowing them a break -- and for Hyunjoon to take the spotlight and show off his skills.

By the time Yuta’s laid back on the floor, he can feel his heart pumping in his chest; arms flat at his side as he lifts his hips up and crosses his legs over. The cold floor beneath him chilling the heat that came of his skin from the exertion of the dance. A brief and barely there respite, that ended when the beat picked up again, and he had to be back on his feet again.

Hyojeong and Jeongguk, followed by him and Jaehyun playing around with twirls -- the energy rising back up again through the section that he’d insisted they enjoy themselves with the most. ‘Do what you want’, ‘feel the beat’, ‘catch you breath’. But they had to snap back into position at exactly the same time for the perfect effect to be made. Yuta biting down on the inside of his lip as he hoped that they would pull it off well. The rest of the song going through with the chorus once more, repeating the choreography from earlier and slowing down at the end; Yuta standing in the center, conducting them with the motion of his hands and the draw of his arms in. A grin resting on his lips, and then bitten away as they fell back in sync again, one foot behind the other and turning his head to follow the movement of his hand.

A cool ending pose that they were to all hold together, even while his chest rose and fell with panted breaths. 

[longgrupo]

Genki sudo

GENKI SUDO MOVIE

GENKI SUDO PROFESSIONAL

GENKI SUDO MOVIE

Genki Sudo has written eight books, is married, started an amateur baseball team for people 30 and over, and has finished filming his part of the movie The R246 Story. Sudo Genki ( ) Japanese Genki Sudo (born in Kt, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese politician who serves as a member of the Constitutional Democratic. Mike Brown Stats 39 Striking accuracy Sig. After his win, and to the shock of the crowd, Sudo announced his retirement. Genki Sudo Lightweight Division 13-3-1 (W-L-D) View Fight History UFC Spotlight UFC 47 Prelim Fight: Genki Sudo vs. Īt K-1 Dynamite! on Decemhe defeated Damacio Page by submission. The fight was won by a controversial referee stoppage after Sudo was knocked down by a right hand which was followed by some punches. Genki Sudo was defeated by K-1 HERO's lightweight champion Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto. Faisant son entrée dans un kimono et un masque tengu, Sudo a montré son style personnel en dansant et en lançant des coups de pied tournants pour ouvrir le match, pour finalement lancer une tentative d’étranglement triangulaire volant qui a duré pendant la majeure partie du round. After the fight is over he always kindly smiles and bows to his opponent, makes sure they are not injured, and holds up a United Nations flag with the words "We are all one". Sudo a fait ses débuts en Ultimate Fighting Championship à l’UFC 38, face à Leigh Remedios. On a side note, Genki Sudo is a practicing Buddhist and although many think his antics in the ring are disrespectful and arrogant, he explains that it is simply his way of relaxing and having fun with what he is doing. While most fighters carried the flag of their native country, Genki Sudo carried a flag featuring all the countries in the world, and at the center of the flag. One entrance featured Sudo doing the robot and operating levers that released a column of smoke from the top of his head while wearing a Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket as a hat and a white plastic mask, in an homage to the musician Buckethead. Sudo is well known for his particularly flashy choreographed ring entrances that often include costumed dancers. Prior to his retirement on New Year's Eve Sudo fought for K-1 HERO's, the mixed martial arts branch of the most popular Japanese combat sports circuit. Genki Sudo Lightweight Division 13-3-1 (W-L-D) View Fight History UFC Spotlight UFC® 47 Prelim Fight: Genki Sudo vs. Among the rather unorthodox techniques that he favors and can use effectively are the spinning backfist, a flying leg-triangle choke and flying armbar, as well as dancing and turning his back to opponents in order to taunt or distract them.

GENKI SUDO PROFESSIONAL

Between 19, Sudo was a professional athlete and then was in the entertainment industry from 2006 to 2019. Although seen as a fighter with good striking ability, and while he has won fights by knockout in both mixed martial arts and kickboxing, Genki Sudo's skill set seems primarily focused on grappling and submission wrestling techniques. The Incredible Genki Sudo Genki Sudo is a Japanese singer, composer, choreographer, actor and author Oh, and he’s a legendary MMA Fighter as well Sudo is also the lead vocalist, producer and director of the music group World Order, who are known for their techno music style and highly synchronised robotic choreography. Genki Sudo is a Japanese MMA fighter, singer, actor and politician who has been serving as a political independent in the House of Councillors since 2019.

[theji]

SDOC 4 Ep 5 Commentary

Weekly round-up before hotpot later!

•  I was wondering how they formed the teams in the last ep. Glad they featured the bts.

• It was interesting to see how the different team leaders approached the challenge and bonded with their team members. I especially like Ye Yin's approach to have them express their thoughts via drawing - it's a brilliant way to overcome the language barrier; at the same time, it allows everyone to have a say. It's smart and respectful.

• AC looks cute with the hair cut.

• I enjoyed Auju's krump freestyle and mini battle. S4 gave me a deeper appreciation of Krump as a dance type. It's more than just arm swings (sorry, Lay!). I definitely see the appeal and I'm interested to see more of it being incorporated with the subsequent team routines.

• Zyko singing their assigned song in French. That was awesome.

• Every episode there's something new to love about Acky-san. He is just so humble, respectful and genuinely cares for everyone, and a little goofy. Him giving his team red packets with handwritten well wishes in Chinese, that was so sweet. I got a lump in my throat watching that segment. He just exudes positive vibes all around. I want an Acky-san in my life.

• Acky Family's performance is as Chinese as it gets. Super on point. The song name Gongxi Facai is an auspicious phrase we usually say during Chinese New Year, to wish the other party happiness and prosperity. The act of giving red packets is also a common practice in Chinese culture. If you found the chorus familiar, that's because DD performed a version of it with Andy Lau (original singer) earlier this year during CCTV's Chinese New Year show.

• Just like kids. Always excited to receive red packets from the elders. Look at DD doing that little popping move while receiving it from Acky-san. And his expression. He's so extra but also so cuteee.

• My Top 3 performances of the ep are:

Team Ye Yin - easy on the eye and soothing. I like the symbolism. Also, a good performance doesn't have to be explosive and involve all the big moves.

Team AC - powerful, heart pumping. And it's AC!!!

Team Nelson - while the choreography wasn't as neat and synchronised as Team GOGO, the routine was quite rich despite the uneventful song. Plus I've always liked tutting.

• Is gremlin behaviour contagious? I thought HG was immune to it but then he did the whole hiding ladder thing. 😅 (Look at DD's little smile in the 2nd gif, like 'now you know the trick, ya?')

• LOL at Lay and Henry preparing a written speech.

• Nobody can say no to dd. HG and DD's dynamics on the show always makes me go awwww. What he said to Nelson in the room about DD. 🥺 HG is so indulgent towards the boy.

• It's a pity we didn't get to see Liang Liang's team performance. I thought the editing was a little unfair cos it made it seem like the dance was cut out from the ep because of their mistakes. I read about the alleged reason on weibo but I won't repeat it here cos it's unverified info.

• Dd looks so good in next week's preview. I'm looking forward to the captain performances!

I read some online comments saying that HG is biased, or that he's nice to DD only cos of DD's status, or that they are just playing it up for the cams cos why would HG keep acceding to DD's requests? HG and DD go way back; he literally watched DD grow up - from trainee to entering the industry and getting to where he is today. He let DD have some of his former trusted staff members. And DD respects him. What's wrong with him doting on his little brother? DD was just being himself - pursuing what he wants. He dares to ask, HG is willing to give. What's the issue?

For those who says they are just play-acting, clearly you don't know DD well. No one can make him do something if he's not willing to. DD doesn't play along.

And you think just anybody can hold DD's hand? And the few times HG spoke fondly of DD being hardworking and all that. They obviously have a deeper relationship, beyond SDOC and other public interactions. Not everything needs to be shown on social media in order to be real.

[lasersaga]

World Energy Congress Laser Multimedia Show

Multimedia and Hologram Show for World Energy Congress 24th edition in Abu Dhabi, ADNEC. A complex multi layer show featuring Lasers, Special Effects, 3D Video Projection, Holography, Aerial artist and choreography, all synchronised into a spectacular show. For enquiries and more information please contact us.

[claennis]

I’m so lost as to how to tag this but this is a practice video of a Misha Ge-choreographed-produced Ice Fantasia show in S.Korea, soon to be performed this month? Lots of question marks despite me following the guy on ig. 

Anyhow, features many a skaters that we all come to know and love (Plushenko, you, I see you) practising the choreography, attempting synchronisation, all that fun stuff. Highlights are of the boys dancing off to BTS at the end and V.Zhou looking oh-so-awkward bless your socks my son.

In other words, I’d love to watch this whole thing! It looks very charming and delightful.

[infinite-drabblets]

Random INFINITE thoughts #4 - Top Seed (Album)

1. Dongwoo talked about how their previous title tracks like Be Mine had a “strong point” and are quite intense, whereas Tell Me is more relaxed and less overpowering. In that sense, I appreciate that Tell Me marks a change from the past. Hoya’s movements I think epitomised INFINITE’s “knife-like” dance moves for so many of their songs. Dongwoo’s style has tended to be more fluid, and with Hoya no longer around, it seems that this has flowed into the choreography as well. It’s a good way of “beginning again”.

2. Pray (Maetel’s Sadness) apparently was recorded waaaay back in 2011, after Be Mine but before Paradise (which may explain how this sole Sweetune track appeared on this album). Why this was not released before is a mystery to me because it’s pretty epic. Sunggyu and Sungjong did not re-record their vocals on this, so what you are hearing are 19 year old Sungjong and 23 year old Sunggyu (which boggles my mind and tugs at my heart strings at the same time). 

3. I really think this is Dongwoo’s era. I just want to give him a huge hug - I’m that proud. Hearing his vocals on the album, stepping up as the main dancer and rapper, and also handling questions with depth and maturity. during interviews. You’ve done so, so well Dongwoo. 

4. I also wanted to give a major shoutout to Sungjong, whom I also want to give a huge hug too because he sounded so good on Tell Me (he seriously sounded like a bell), and in his solo, Confession. I love that he has more lines, and that he too, is coming into his own.

5. I’m especially in love with Dongwoo’s solo, TGIF. It’s is such a bop and I can see why Sunggyu really wanted to feature on it. And while I think it would have sounded great with Sunggyu, I still love that it was all Dongwoo, alone.

6. Confession is not my usual style, so I was so pleasantly surprised to find that I love it. Actually, I think that Confession could really use a full music video, just as Sungjong envisoned it on stage during the Begin Again fan meetings - in the streets, on park benches, perhaps with the addition of cute animated line drawings.

7. Wind - The whistling you hear in the beginning is Sungyeol! It was an impromptu decision during the recording. (Here he is, whistling during the VLive). 

8. The title track went through several changes - it started with being I Hate, and then it switched to Synchronise, and then finally settled on Tell Me. The final decision was made just before Sunggyu’s Taipei fan meetings in November.

9. Interestingly, while I Hate is the song whose sound that I think some (including myself) have associated with a Japanese anime, it’s Pray (Maetel’s Sadness) that actually refers to one - “Maetal” refers to a character in the anime Galaxy Express 999 which aired in Korea in the ‘80s - ‘90s.

10. Seriously though, I Hate is amazing. It shows off each of the members’ vocals in a way I never imagined a rock song would. I can see why it’d be a hard sell as a title track on music shows etc, but this song really deserves a live performance. Forget about choreography etc, they should full out rock to it and unleash their inner rockstars to it (not that this should be a licence for Sunggyu to try screaming again….)

11. Dongwoo alluded to the possibility of the other members’ solo songs being released in other ways, whether in solo albums, units or repackages. I think we can safely assume that Woohyun and Sunggyu’s solos from the fanmeet will be released at the very least in their future solo albums, but as for Sungyeol’s solo, he had himself said during the VLive that he was glad that it wasn’t actually released in the album, and he had prepared it with the aim of performing it at the fanmeet.

12. (My own personal speculation as to why Sungyeol doesn’t have a solo in this album is that it could have simply been a matter of time and resource allocation. He was confirmed as a lead in Love Returns in October, and has been caught up with filming since then. We also know that recording and modifications for Top Seed extended into November last year (hence the delayed comeback). To me, it makes sense that he would just focus on a performance for the fans, without the stress of perfecting something for the big comeback album.) 

13. I haven’t gone into detail with each song, but I just wanted to say that I also love Myungsoo’s solo, Reminisce - it was one of the first songs I found myself humming to after the first listen.

13. Overall, I think the album feels more relaxed and free. I do think I hear this in their voices, which sound more natural without losing their emotive power (I’m thinking of Why Me in particular, which by the way is absolutely beautiful). Freedom in voice and freedom in style. This may not appeal to longtime fans who would love a throw back to the 80s- tinged, obsessive and sharp intensity that is trademark INFINITE, but personally, I love this album.

[crazy4tank]

Ahluwalia – Traces in collaboration with musician Cktrl Director: Stephen Issac-Wilson

New Post has been published on https://fashiondesigne.com/ahluwalia-traces-in-collaboration-with-musician-cktrl-director-stephen-issac-wilson/

Ahluwalia – Traces in collaboration with musician Cktrl Director: Stephen Issac-Wilson

In place of a physical display, AW21 sees Ahluwalia delivering short film Traces in cooperation with musician Cktrl plus director Stephen Isaac-Wilson.

The film captures the particular spirit of brotherhood plus unity seen in the clothes through synchronised movement carried out to an exclusive score made up for this occasion by Cktrl.

Director: Stephen Issac-Wilson

Creative Director: Priya Ahluwalia

Featuring And Music By: cktrl

Producer: Ella Toal-Gangar

Professional Producers: NTS & Rik Green @ Pulse Movies

Supported Simply by: Dropbox

Versions: Salim, Ronald, Michael, Mumin, Jason & Emmanuel Movie director of Photography: Harry Wheeler Production Designer: Christopher Melgram Choreography: Holly Blakey Spreading Director: Troy Casting Hair stylist: Nell Kalonji Make Up & Grooming: Bari Khalique Modify: Gregory Hayes @ Whitened House Post Grade: Jerrika Wallis Production Company: Heartbeat Films Customised Trainers: Ahluwalia x Adidas Originals Ahluwalia Studio Manager: Femi Akinrinde Production Manager: Rachel Bashford 1st Assistant Director: Elle Lotherington Steadicam Operator: Rich J Lewis Gaffer: Costs Rae Smith Sound Technology: Alexander Archer Styling Associate: Nicola Neri Make Up & Grooming Assistants: Ayse Gonen & Maeve Mcelholm first Assistant Camera: Kate Eccarius 2nd Assistant Director: Philips Nortey Production Runners: Yasmin Tippett & Flynn Horne Loader: Rory Power Sets off: Ana Vilar- Bergua & Sam Baker Trainee Ignite: Nonso Onwuta Camera Student: Lucrezia Pollice Art Section Assistants: Levi Hinds, May well Winter & Madison Bore holes Air Medic Uk Limited: Greig Wyllie Location Search: ETG Projects L TD Research Assistant: Zara Manzoor Credit and Title Style: Dennis Mcinnes This movie was made with the assistance of Dropbox, in cooperation with NTS. LVMH Reward 2020 Finalist and Style Award winner Priya Ahluwalia launched her namesake brand name Ahluwalia in 2018. In March 2020, Ahluwalia was featured within the Forbes 30 under thirty European Arts and Lifestyle list.

Through the girl namesake brand, “Ahluwalia”, Priya takes elements from the girl dual Indian-Nigerian heritage plus London roots and explores the life of vintage plus dead stock clothing, making use of textile techniques to give them brand new life. Ahluwalia photographs her very own research which is an integral component to her design process. Ahluwalia is a brand that concentrates on creating unique forward-thinking clothes for the modern man, making use of responsible sourcing and produce techniques.

Ahluwalia won the H& M Design Award 2019, collaborated with Adidas in Paris Fashion Week pertaining to AW19 and has received around the world press in publications like i-D, Vogue UK, Dazed & Confused, New York Occasions, More or Less and GQ amongst others.