#look up [best of contortion cirque]

[just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi]

Reinforced - Lee

[Boo-yah babey I’m back]

CW; dislocation, sadistic whumper, contortionism, body horror honestly. This is just a little more intense 

The boy was trembling, holding his elbows. He was still wearing his costume, hair damp from sweat. The sounds of the other circus acts filled small tent with distant music and cheers. His teeth chattered in the humid air.

“Sir, s-sir please. Can- how, how to do I prove to you that I’ll behave? Please give me a chance to prove myself. Please?”

The Ringmaster smiled and straightened his long coat. So eager to please. Perfect. Of course he would be, he would never accept anything else.

The boy had done his act flawlessly again. It was always fascinating to watch him contort his body into something that seemed… inhuman. There were plenty of supernatural in this show, but Lee wasn’t one of them. He was just another human performer with nowhere else to go. Raised here, born before the Ringmaster had bought the company.

The wind blew a bar of music and a rush of the crowd from the big tent. He didn’t have much time before he needed to introduce the next act, but that was part of the game, now wasn’t it? The limited time only made every movement deliberate and sweet.

Just another rush.

“Now Lee, you know what I say about obedience.”

Lee’s eyes fall closed and he shivers. “That, that it has to be re-reinforced.”

Fat, heavy tears roll down his face and the Ringmaster soaked in the sight of them. He would call them crocodile tears, but he knows they’re not.

The crowd cheers and brings him back. Tick tock, the clock is counting down. He takes a deliberate step towards the boy and he shudders. He curls his hands close against his chest, hunching his shoulders a little to protect them.

He knows the game, too.

“It hurts.”

Its barely more than a whisper, but the man hears it. He hears it and allows the shadow of a smile to glaze over his lips. Lee’s eyes are closed, and besides - he knows anyway.

“I know,” says the Ringmaster calmingly, sickeningly, as he takes another step forward. Stalking. “I know it does, but we can’t have you trying to run away again.”

Lee chokes on a sob. How many nights, how many years had it been since he had tried to run? Regardless, he nods. He knows; and god does he regret it. He’s regretted it for years, and his waking nightmare is that he will regret it for years to come.

How long will it take before the Ringmaster tires of this game?  

“Hand.”

The man is standing in front of him know, Lee’s eyes fixed on the man’s shoes. It feels like someone has wrapped a band around his heart and it is squeezing him to death. The terror, the fear never lessens. They never dull.

“Please. Please let me do it,” he whines softly. He can pull the joint out carefully, he can make it hurt so much less. If he’s lucky, maybe not even at all.

There’s no answer. Lee knows there’s a time limit, he knows that the Ringmaster will get rushed and then there will be no comfort, no pauses. Trembling, he offers up his hand.

The Ringmaster grins and takes the hand gently, brushing his fingers down the back. He wraps a hand firmly around Lee’s wrist, and the other around the boy’s thumb. Lee bites his lip, fighting with the fire under his skin that is screaming at him pull your hand away.

The man tugs sharply, and the joint abused from nights and nights of this game gives. Lee gasps harshly, but it’s nothing. Nothing compared to what’s coming. Without prompting he lifts his other hand. The Ringmaster smiles and takes it lovingly.

Lee begged to prove his obedience but doesn’t seem to realize he does every time.

The process is repeated on his other hand, and Lee judders out another gasp. The Ringmaster holds the boy’s hands for a moment, brushing his thumb back and forth to sooth, before squeezing harshly. Lee keens, knees going slack.

The Ringmaster never lets him fall.

“Good job, you’re doing so good tonight, Lee.” The boy sobs, leaning his head to rest in the center of the man’s chest. It hurts, it hurts and it’ll only get worse, but there’s a single moment where at least he can be distracted by the kind words.

A length of rope is brought up and used to tie his hands tightly. Once, one time, he dislocated his thumbs to try and escape the cuffs. One time, but one time was enough for it to be added to the game. A precaution as the Ringmaster calls it.

Lee calls it torture.

His hands throbs and the rope cuts into his wrists as the man pulls him close to his chest. The man lays a hand across the boy’s dark hair and wraps the other around his waist. He breathes deeply, contentedly,  while Lee cries into his woolen coat and ignores the pressure on his poor hands.

The moment is brief, and when the man pulls him away there’s a new look of fire in his eyes. He seizes high on the boy’s arm, just below the shoulder joint, and raises the grip of his arm around Lee’s chest. A violent yank, and Lee cries out through his sobs.

His legs give out completely, and the Ringmaster brings them both down to their knees. He brushes strand of fine hair out of the boy’s eyes, admiring the tears on his face and listening to the pitiful, half spoken pleas.

“Just one more,” he murmurs, feeling the shiver his words produce. “Just one more and you’ll be done. You’ve done well, Lee. Can you do that for me?” Lee’s response is only more cries, but the Ringmaster accepts it just the same.

He only shudders when the hands come again. Another wrench, another sickening pop for deep inside his body, and screams. He can feel his voice grate in his throat. The pain is overwhelming him, oppressing him into a weeping ball on his knees. The hands disappear, and he’s drifting. Drifting and alone and in agony.

A hand cards in his hair and lifts, forcing him to stand. Once he’s on his feet, the hand doesn’t leave. It stays. It stays, and it pulls him backwards. Backwards and down, bending farther and farther until his spine lays atop itself. Only then does the hand slip away.

Lee takes a controlled breath as he takes in the world upside down. The worst part is over, now. It hurts, it hurts more than anything else, but the sharp, terrifying part is over. This stretch is normal for him, dark hair brushing the ground next to his ankles. His shoulders burn and pull and buzz like insects, but he can breathe through the consistent pain. The sharp, anticipated pain is what he fears.

He can find focus in moments like this, and the pain can fade as he focuses on balance and breath.

The Ringmaster’s hand grabs his hair once again, now his bangs, and pulls him through his legs. The world rights itself, and he adjusts, whimpering as he brings his dislocated shoulders around and his hands in front. Tears that were trapped by gravity glide down his face in abundance, but he can’t let himself feel them right now.

The Ringmaster lays a hand on his taunt stomach. “Down.”

Lee folds his knees and lowers his chest down to the floor. Once he’s on the rug, he tucks his legs under his chin and nuzzles his aching hands with his nose. He closes his eyes and listens to his own breathing, counting.  He can’t break down, now, he can’t cry. He needs to focus on breathing, on counting. Feeling small is a comfort to him, always has been. When he’s open, he’s vulnerable. But when he’s folded and compact, he’s safe. Small and safe and unseen. He pulls himself a little tighter together to stifle a sob that would wrack him.

The Ringmaster stands above the twisted form, observing every jerk and spasm. Time is almost up, but Lee is focused now, hiding deeper inside his head.

No matter. It’s just as enjoyable to unfold him slowly after the performance.

He taps the crate with his shoe, reminding Lee of where it is. Lee shudders in his compact form, but inches back towards it. Once inside, the Ringmaster comes around front and pets his cheek gently. Yes, to comfort him, but also to watch the mesmerizing shudder. It’s a sight to behold; a body so contorted shudder.

He closes the lid and straightens his coat. Time has come for him to introduce his next act, and the smile on his face is as genuine as it will ever be. It’s been fed by weeping and fear, thoughts still wandering to little Lee waiting for his return.  

[rainbowsky]

So I see a lot of bjyx saying things like GG denies all the rumors with li Qin and him dating and all the others but when it comes to DD he doesn’t do that so that automatically means something but in a county like CH it’s very hard for them to deny openly like this a same sex rumor about themselves especially how popular they are now so of course they would never do that even if there were rumors about them dating. And especially now with all the things that are changing there and them wanting to promote even more boy/girl romance and kinds stuff so it wouldn’t be in their best interest to deny them dating so openly like that…

And I just want to know what your thoughts are on the whole thing. Thank you 😊

What do I think, Anon? I think that this logic is so thoroughly contorted that it has a promising career with Cirque du Soleil. 😅

Fake, fan fiction, CPN.

You're seriously trying to tell me that in a country where homosexuality is frowned upon by the regime, where the official position has been to increasingly crack down on homosexuality and representations of queerness, where there's a stated mandate for all good citizens to enter a heterosexual marriage and have 3 children - you're saying with a straight face that it's not a good climate for them to deny rumors of being in a homosexual relationship?

To quote a certain cultivator: Ridiculous.

All we need to do to understand the absurdity of this line of thinking is consider the very obvious fact that they don't even need to speak directly about homosexual rumors in order to deny the BJYX rumors. All they have to do is put out a statement that says unambiguously, "GG/DD is totally single and not in any kind of romantic relationship with anyone." and voila, they've denied BJYX.

The fact that they've never done so, in spite of all the countless, swift relationship denial statements they've made over the years, makes it abundantly obvious to me that they don't want to kill the BJYX rumors. Hell, last year DD even put a stop to a rumor that GGDD broke up.

There have been countless opportunities over the past 4 years for them to shut down the supertopics and put all rumors about them to rest, and never once have they done so. In fact, they both repeatedly add fuel to the fire by

posting kadian that references each other

wearing the same or linked brands, clothing and accessories

making social media posts that contain references to each other, or that look similar in style and design

behaving in ways that appear to reference LGBTQ Pride, particularly GG

behaving as though they are not single

Hypothetical "Let's kill all gay rumors" PR advice for GGDD

If I was advising them on how to quell the rumors here's the first advice I'd give these two:

Make a blanket statement that says, unambiguously, that you are single and not in any kind of relationship.

Stop posting kadian that links the two of you, and instruct your teams to do the same. There are social media management apps that enable posts to be queued up well in advance, and posted at specific times. GG, avoid all times that include the following numbers: 8, 13, 85. DD, avoid all times that include the following numbers: 3, 13, 1005.

Stop wearing clothing brands, items and accessories that the other has been seen wearing. There are multiple resources where fans track what the other has been wearing and share that information online, so there's really no excuse for 'accidents'. And since it's in both of your best interests not to be seen to be in a relationship - particularly a queer one - I'd recommend coordinating with each other's teams to ensure no overlap.

Stop posting photographs, art and graphics that are similar to each other's on social media. Avoid using any typefaces or graphical styles that could be seen as similar.

Close down the supertopics. You have the power to do so. It's been over two and a half years since the Untamed finished airing. There's no longer any marketing rationale for keeping the topics up. These rumors are a threat in the current entertainment climate, and the recent crackdowns are a good excuse for shutting them down.

Stop showing evidence that you are, in fact, a couple. You can start by editing any mention of each other's names out of your videos, stop referencing each other in your social media photos and videos, and follow all the above advice. Start acting like the straight, single guys you supposedly are.

I don't know about you, Anon, but none of these things seem particularly onerous, burdensome or difficult to me. If GG and DD wanted to, it would be childishly simple to let the rumors and the CP wind down and die.

But let's face it - they didn't shut the rumors and the supertopics down during 2/27, and they didn't shut them down when the BTS topics were trending on Weibo, and they didn't shut them down when the entertainment industry crackdowns started, particularly when all the announcements came out about danmei/dangai stories. They clearly don't want to take advantage of the very obvious excuses they have to shut it all down.

These are all situations where fans would expect it, and totally not be surprised if the rumors and supertopics were shut down. Particularly with the entertainment climate what it has been lately. They could have shut it all down and it would have caused little fan backlash - if any at all. Everyone was half expecting it to happen.

But no, GG and DD still continue to feed the rumors, and as far as I'm concerned there's only one even remotely rational explanation for that: They are onboard with the rumors.

As I've said before, they are behaving like people who really are in a relationship. They are not behaving like people who are 'tolerating the mass-delusion of a bunch of fans'.

And that being the case, there are some really good, solid reasons why they would not deny they are in a relationship:

GG is too superstitious. He wouldn't want either of them claiming the relationship isn't real, or that they are single.

They're both the kind of people who wouldn't feel comfortable hiding behind some fake story.

They enjoy, appreciate and rely upon the support of their CP fans. It allows them the best of both worlds - being able to be supported in their relationship, while still maintaining some cover from mainstream backlash about being in a relationship.

And of course there's the biggest reason of them all:

They aren't even really trying to hide their relationship.

I don't know where you're coming from, Anon - it's a bit difficult to read what your underlying position is, whether you're a turtle or a solo or even an anti - but the kind of position you outlined above comes across to me as grasping. And that makes sense, because there really is no rational explanation except that they don't want those rumors to die.

I guess that leaves some people trying to find alternate explanations for why GGDD don't want the rumors to die, but given the evidence and the obviousness of the situation, such alternate explanations are bound to be pretty 'out there'. The simplest explanation makes the most sense to me. It is exactly what it looks like.

BJYXSZD.

More on this here.

Discussion of why they don't 'break up the CP' here.

[rk1kheadcanons]

smol hc: Being the only RK models, CyberLife used some of Markus's base code in Connor's program. Emotions & empathy for social integration, and also some caretaking protocols in case emergency repairs/first aid are needed on the job (IE reactivating the Traci at the Eden Club, or diagnosing & "treating" Hank's ethylic coma LOL). I love the idea of Con getting to take care of Markus for once if he gets injured doing Rebel Leader Things™

🥺 Anon. I love this HC so much. Connor having some caretaker protocols is...yes. Absolutely. The jury is out and they find the defendant correct.

___

When Markus limped into his office, practically hopping on one foot every other step, all he wanted to do was bulldoze through his paperwork so he could go home and forget today ever happened. He’d taken a pretty hard hit earlier when a counter protester at their rally thought it was just a capital idea to hurl a brick into the crowd. Much more surprising than the sudden brick to the knee, though, was the (almost terrifying in it’s rapidness) reaction from the crowd. The guy was immediately apprehended and cursed out by human supporters and androids alike. It was wild. His bodyguards barely had to do any work. Markus swore he heard a human yell that thirium shots were on them after this, amidst a chorus of responding cheers. Nothing brings people together like a communal ass whoopin’? Apparently??

God he really hoped that human didn’t drink any thirium. Markus still had nightmares about Leo accidentally mixing up his blue raspberry jello shot with his drink, nevermind the fact that thirium consumables smelled like laundry detergent and poison as purposeful deterrents.  

“Are you sure you don’t want to go see the technician?” said Simon who, as his designated babysitter while North and Josh handled the fallout of the rally, followed into his office after him. 

“Naaahh,” Markus drawled, waving the hand that was grasping a pen as if he could wave away the problem altogether. Not for the first time he wished the government would catch up with the rest of the world and just go paperless. Reading over and signing these tedious documents would be a lot less painful to do if they would just let him download it into his mind like a sensible person would. “I barely feel it, plus my Regenerative Program has already kicked in. By the time I get to the med bay it’ll probably be all fixed.”

“Uh huh,” Simon unconvinced at him. “How long till you’re repaired.”

Markus pulled up the damage report in his HUD. “About six…”  he stared at the readings for a moment longer and, much to Simon’s chagrin, went back to doing his paperwork.

“...six what?”

“Bahhh,” Markus waved his hand again unhelpfully. Truthfully, he didn’t know how to make this sound better. Hopefully, his innate charm would cover for his trash convincing. “Ya know…”

“No. I do not know. What is it? Six minutes?”

Markus grunted.

“Hours!?”

Markus slumped lower in his chair. “Mmmhumph.”

“....Markus,” Simon started in a low warning voice. “If it’s days so help me I’m going to take out your other knee - ”

The door slammed open, startling Simon out of his threat, which was definitely about to escalate to more than Markus’ other knee once he found out it was six weeks. 

“Connor!”

“Good morning Simon,” Connor greeted briskly, expression stormy as he made a beeline for Markus like the man possesses on a mission that he usually was. He was swinging a rather large, rather ominous looking tool box with a red medical cross painted on it. Markus didn’t even stop doing his paperwork. He knew the drill by now. “I heard about what happened and came as fast as I could.”

“Wow, the news has only been out for an hou - wait. Weren’t you in Ohio?”

“Yes. I would have been here sooner but traffic was heavier than usual and the family driving the Escalade was surprisingly insistent on going the speed limit. A majority of police officers won't cite drivers for going between 1-5 miles per hour over,” Connor rolled his eyes and scoffed, like he didn’t follow some laws down to the letter while blatantly disregarding others at any given time. 

“Wha - did you hitchhike all the way here!?”

“Oh no of course not! There is a 46% chance of violent or criminal conduct committed against people who hitchhike.”

“Then how - ”

“I was sitting on top of the aforementioned Escalade.”

Markus gave him his best ‘why are you like this’ stare while Simon gaped in perplexion. “You didn’t need to car surf just to come all the way down here, hon.”

“After hearing about the state you were in, with all my love in the world I violently disagree.”

Markus sighed like a man whose knee wasn’t sparking and twitching at this very moment. And...hm. Maybe it did ache. A teeny bit. Whatever. He was still of the opinion that rubbing some dirt on it and a little stretching was enough to get him through the rest of the day.

“Well, maybe you can help me convince him to go to the technician,” said Simon.

“No need.” Without preamble, Connor plopped the heavy med(?) box on the floor and gently lifted Markus’ leg, hiking up his pants up to the thigh. As he examined it, intense as any jeweler examining a rare diamond, he hooked the back of a nearby stool with his foot and pulled it over, resting the leg on it. Markus neither struggled nor visually reacted; just kept stringently doing his paperwork like nothing was going on.

When Connor pulled out a collapsible creeper seat and rolled under Markus’ leg as if he were a mechanic working on a car, Simon went from passive observer to concernedly going around the desk to see what all the RK800 was doing.

“H-hey wait a second! Connor - it’s a pretty serious wound, maybe we should let the professionals handle it!”

Connor rolled slightly from under Markus with a large drill in his hand and an unimpressed look on his face. Surprisingly, Simon was not reassured by this in the slightest. “I assure you Simon that I am fully equipped with the latest caretaking protocols now could you please pass me that monkey wrench.”

“What seriously- UHH! I mean...” Realizing how insulting that sounded, Simon hurried to hand Connor the tool, clearing his throat. “I didn’t realize you had such uh...versatile programing.”

“It’s the same base code used in mine, actually,” Markus added, using his free hand to pat Connor’s soothingly when he heard him grumbling things like “I can do more than kill things” and “No one has been irreparably maimed in my Knitting Circle”. Damn right honey, Markus thought, Greta and Patrica have had nothing but nice things to say about you’re wool socks.

“Oh riiiiiight. You two are from the same model line, I…” Markus could practically Jedi Sense Simon about to say ‘I forget that sometimes’, so he looked up at the PL600 and shook his head firmly with glaring eyes. Simon, sheepish, held up his hands placatingly and held his tongue.

“The code...has been streamlined to cater more towards field and emergency repairs,” Connor admitted reluctantly, but then quickly added, “but combined with my own personal research outside of my programming, it is no less effective.”

Eager to keep his foot out of his mouth, Simon merely nodded in agreement. He couldn’t, however, keep the growing alarm showing from his face as Connor pulled more and more absurd tools out of his box (the electric saw was particularly disconcerting), and started contorting around Markus so that he wasn’t interfering with his work in ways that at first, seemed normal, but were steadily becoming more on par with a cirque du soleil act. That alarm changed into bewilderment when he tilted Markus’ chair back, put a car jack under his desk so that it tilted forward at the perfect writing level, put a pillow behind his head and a fizzy thirium drink (complete with a fun crazy straw) in his mouth. His standard office setup now suddenly a mini spa. 

When Connor started working a polisher to his knee Markus practically melted back into the chair. Oh that sneaky bastard. He knew Markus wouldn’t be able to get anything done by administering the android equivalent of a deep tissue massage. 

Bewilderment now firmly settled on amusement, and thoroughly reassured that his friend/boss was in good hands, Simon started to take his leave. “Alright, I’ll leave you to it Connor. If you need back up to make sure this guy takes it easy we’re all on stand by.”

Connor nodded. “I will escort him home for further recuperation as soon as I have finalized his repairs.”

Markus, eyes closed as he happily sipped at his Particle-Colada, grunted in response to Simon’s farewell. He was a little annoyed that everyone was treating him like a toddler over his small injury, and a little more annoyed that Simon had felt the need to hover around Connor, as if he were bracing for the RK800 to do something violent, before trusting his good intentions. Granted, Markus (begrudgingly) could admit that Connor’s methods certainly weren’t...standard caretaker protocols, and that his bedside manner was well...much like the android himself; aggressive, confusing, and, most importantly, well-meaning.

“‘Can’t go home,” Markus murmured around his straw, very convincingly and not at all like he was about to ascend to a higher plane. “Still got work to do.”

“Hmm. Do you now?” With a fond, humoring, smile, Connor cranked up the power on the polisher. Markus swore his soul was straight vibin’.

Yea, actually. Maybe work could wait till tomorrow.

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Monday 20 August 1838

4 50

9

fine morning F66° now at 5 ¾ am breakfast – A- had had her bath – off at 7 5 our 2 guides on foot – at Gèdre at the douane at 9 ¼ - detained getting an acquit à caution for the horses to go into Spain – not certain whether it would be wanted now or not – sat sometime at the douane signed my name as usual A. Lister in the book – gave my name Anne Lister de Shibden hall in the county of York which address the receveur copied – the horses were toisés measured and described – Mr. Palesset and Charles our cautions (bordersmen) for the amount = 1200fr. if the horses should not return within 25 days – fine (amende) 500/. each and value 100fr. each horses = 1200/. we latterly left to the douane and went and sat at the auberge – this acquit à caution business takes from ¾ hour to an hour every time – off from the auberge (Gèdre) at 10 5 along the Gavarnie road till 11 12 when leaves this road cross the game by the fenceless wooden bridge of Barilyas near the little hamlet of the same name, ascend the hill and at 11 25 stop a minute or 2 at excellent point de vue of Gavarnie and its pretty green basin, and the cirque and cascade and Marboré just opposite to us – excellent station for a picture – at 11 35 a little higher up the hill stopt five minutes for Charles to drink petit lait at what he called the best in Gavarnie (i.e. the little district) le maison d’Yarré – view from here of Mt. Ferrat d’Ossoue (Ossoo, Charpentier spells it Ossōnne) i.e. of one pic of this mountain – then snow, and then Vignemale – off from la maison d’Yarré at 11 40 – at 12 ¾ good point de vue of Vignemale – just catch its over four pics and below these 3 summits reaching down to Mt. Ferrat – at 12 48 pass (right, on the other side the gave) the 1st cabane – cabane and wood bridge d’Artǐgolĕ – at 1 5 alight at the cabane de Saoussats Dabats – fine narrow savage valley – glad to see it again and clear – shut in east by the Piméné – west by the Vignemale – en face de la cabane (to the north) the tower like pic blanc -  I question that (had we gone as intended yesterday to the top of it (Charles did not know of my altered plan till at Gèdre this morning) it would have served us for a good point de vue of Vignemale – there is a high point, and high rock still beyond that, on the same line of crête, that might obstruct our view? Charles agreed that our labour would have been lost – bright, lovely day – the glacier of V- fine from here (standing at the cabane-door) – but I am strange to this side of the mountain – late and brouillard both evenings of our arriving at the cabane, and on the day of ascent out daylight spent on the Spanish side – here (at the cabane door) valley closed east by the top morsel of the pic de Piméné and its crête down to the summit of the Coumélie – and west by one point of Mt. Ferrat, then the snow – then 2 summits with spots of snow between – a crête and larger rounder summit – then the glacier reaching to the 3 visible pics of Vignemale – and one round lower summit stretching down till it closes our vale d’Ossōnne – on arriving A- ate one wind and the breast of an cold fowl then sketched Vignemale from the cabane door in her little note rough book –

SH:7/ML/E/21/0172

all the bergers away on our arrival – but we had taken some of their milk (always kept in a sort of drain made exprès with a stream running thro’ it) and had just wrapt up a franc in a written paper to be left in the compartment of drain we had taken the milk from when a berger came broche to to one of the bergers here before, and who went with us as guide – Charles measured the cabane inside – 2 umbrellas long and two + 4 pouces broad – not much space for ten of us to sleep in – En route again at 2 35 – the vale d’Ossōnne running east and west not far from its origin west, throws off 2 branches, southwards – the cannau de Lourdes leading to the Port de Plat d’[aow] (Plāh d’aow) which we passed on the 7th going to the V-      and the Plāne à combe ([coorn]) the easternmost of the 2, and leading to the Lac de la Bernatoire – the range of mountain forming the north side of the vale d’Ossonne, and on which rises about mid length the pic blanc is called on its south side towards the vale d’Ossonne, the mountain d’Ossonne or as Charles pronounced it Mountain d’Ossonne, and on its other north side Sowgué (Sowgay) – off from the cabane de Saoussa[t]s dabats at 2 35 – turned by and by (left) up the Plāne à coone [combe] – passed the cabane of the Spanish berger who carried our baggage on the 7th, and at the top looking down upon the very pretty little lac de Bernatoire at 4 35 as according to A-‘s watch, my watch would have indicated – but I had sometime before discovered that it had stood since 2 35 – very pretty little round deep lake exactly filling the bottom of a crater-like contorted rock basin between the two crêtes of rock forming the port or brêche perhaps about a couple of hundred feet high north and south, and rising into a high rock range west, and a high pic close over the lake east and its rock range stretching out towards the port de Bouchero – the crête of the whole of this rock-range separates France and Spain .:. ½ the lake is in French ½ in Spain – too cold for trout – no visible outlet for the water – the rock-basin hoary and bare of vegetation except a little on the west side along the talus of debris along the bottom of which (having descended to the waters’ edge on the north side)   we wound ½ round the lake to the south side up which we went by a little narrow zigzag scarcely visible track to the top having made this little trajet (from 1 side of the lake to the other) in ¼ hour – fine look down upon masses of rock Spain and the Port de Bouchero road en face, the fine rocks above which we had not been to see when just under them in passing from Gavarnie – coldish strongish south wind at the top of the port – it was 4 55 when we paid off our berger whom we had had since 2 35 and began the descent upon Bouchero – A- walked till 6 from which time she rode almost all the rest of the way – I walked till 6 ½ - then mounted for ¼ hour then walked all the rest of the way – very fine day – at Bouchero at 7 10 .:. from the cabane to the port 2 35 to 4 35 = 2 hours rounding the lake and stopping 20 minutes Descent from 4 55 to 7 10 = 2 ¾ hours so that we had taken in all 5 5 hours from the cabane de Saoussa[t]s dabats to the hospice at Bouchero – walked about the house out a little till about 8 – then supper – soup but made with too much oil, that we could not touch it – 4 or 5 eggs fried with a little fat bacon – we could have eaten more but unluckily no more to be had – good bread of which we both ate pretty well and Eaux-bonnes cheese of which A- ate a little – the water excellent – I had a [joram] of boiled milk of which I daresay I drank about a quart and left the rest for Charles who had a little colique this evening – I had felt my stomach far from well – it has been more or less derangé these 3 weeks – our room much better than we expected – largeish – one window about 2ft. 6in. high by 3ft. wide – 2 doors – nor glass nor frame – the woman brought at 1st lighted splinter of fir-wood, and on our asking for a candle brought  a little lamp which hung up against the wall – and as it must be hung up (would not stand) and we could only find one nail near the winds’ [edge] head of my bed, we were obliged to place our table accordingly – we had 2 beds each having a mattress over the pailasse, and sheets, coarse linen but clean – of course, nor baldaquin nor curtain – the great store seemed a large old kist forming also a high seat or table, in our room from which our good but dirty-looking landlady took sheets, cheese and all – all ready and room cleared at 8 ¾ - lay down with our things on A- taking off only her habit and shoes and stockings and I taking off my shoes and gaiters and cincture – very fine day

[sasuhinasno1fan]

Enchanting circus snake- Lukadrien June Day 12

I like watching aerialists and contortionist. I only ever saw one Cirque du Soleil show in person, but my favourite acts were those. It’s just amazing to watch. I was watching their video on their best contortion acts in different shows and one guy was on the list, I think. I wasn’t too sure about the last person. While interesting, since I think contortion is more geared to females, I also realized i could see the bends in the body way more clearly. Maybe I’m usually distracted by the make up and costumes of the other performers but I did get slightly grossed out but I have to remember that all these other contortionists bend like they have no bones and use those bodies to balance off of each other so...yeah. So Marco and Rose have been theorized to get the Goat and Pig Miraculous so that’s who I’m talking about when I talk about those people. I don’t think this is my greatest. Subject I’m not the most familiar with don’t come out well if I try to describe it so I only explained the stuff I have a kinda good understanding of. (Realized I could of asked my cousin who’s been learning how to do silks and hoop recently so...don’t yell at me, I walked in the sun for so long today, I’m so lucky I didn’t pass out when I got back home.) @lukadrien-june​ Enchanted

Adrien loved the circus. Not just the whole classic idea with clowns and such, but ones like Cirque Du Soleil. Those had been the types of circuses his mom worked with when she was younger. In almost every new production the Cirque had, they’d call his mother to perform. She was an aerial performer. His earliest memory was her teaching him how to properly hold himself on the straps so he didn’t hurt his shoulders. Even after she passed, even if it meant sneaking out of the houses, he’d go to circus gym to practise aerial, learn how to do contortion and keep himself as loose as a cat, just like his mother used to call him.

“My little chaton, you have no bones. You are going to astound people with your talent one day.”

Of course, after his mother passed, any mention of a circus would usually mean grounding or punishment. He’d have to beg his father’s assistant to not say anything if she caught him, convince his only friend to lie to his dad that he was with her when he would go to the gym or even ditch the only extracurricular activities his dad approved of outside the house. He was toeing the line constantly, but to do the thing he and his mother loved, it was worth it. So when Chloe surprised him with tickets to Miraculous Box, a new and upcoming circus that was getting a lot of buzz, he almost squeezed her to death.

“You’re lucky I’ve actually liked some of their stuff and didn’t think it completely ridiculous like all those other circuses you love. You have no idea what I had to do to get tickets after I missed the opening sale.”

He was sure she just bugged her dad to offer a huge donation so she could get tickets, but he didn’t say anything. He’d seen a few things about the circus: they wore masks and had code names based off the Chinese Zodiac and supposed animals associated with the 5 elements in Wu Xing, costumes to match and even though most had their own separate acts, they were skilled enough to do groups ones, usually acrobatics. He loved watching the ladybug aerialist, the turtle German Wheel user and even the goat slack rope artist. But one of his favourite was the snake themed contortionist. Chloe always squealed in slight disgust watching guys do contortion, mostly cause they were usually shirtless and you could see all the bends of their body. She still did it when he showed her a video of him, but she had to admit, much like a snake moving in a way to distract their pray, the contortionist moved in such a powerful and enchanting way, you wanted to keep watching.

And he was finally going to get a chance to see him in person.

                                                  _____________

Adrien felt like a little kid as he watched the ladybug dressed silk aerialist. The ribbons from her mask flowed as she held herself up with the black silk. Her red costume stood out as she gracefully moved. When she eventually reached the floor and bowed to the audience, Adrien loudly applauded and would have been standing had Chloe not grabbed his arm. She didn’t want to risk him being seen by anyone.

“Another round of applause for our lady of luck, Ladybug.” the master of ceremonies, Fu Wang he introduced himself as. “Now, please prepare to have your minds astounded as you see this snake slither into shapes.” behind him, stage hands quickly wrapped up the crash pad that had been under Ladybug as a music box looking stage rolled easily rolled out. Adrien could just make out a lip the top didn’t cover with a hand balancing block attached to it. “Now, you may ask why a music box? Well this snake can play you emotions with his guitar but since he can do that and do contortion at the same time, though I know he’d try, we hope you can find the music in his performance. Please welcome, Viperion!”

a stage hand stayed back from moving the crash pad and opened the lid to the music box. A pair of hands covered in a dark turquoise point gloves poked out grabbing onto the balancing block and then following, shirtless, a tight similarly coloured pants and snake inspired mask, was Viperion. His dark hair was tied back, just the blue tipped bangs hung in front of his face, clearly not bothering him as he lifted himself out of the box and into a backbender handstand. The stage closed and Viperion flipped his legs back to stand on the stage. Applause filled the room as he stood to greet his audience and Adrien could only stare. He had chipped nail polish and gauges in his ears and he could move his body in ways similar to a snake. Adrien had a bit of a fanboy crush on him. The music started and he sat himself down and started the bend. He could hear Chloe trying to hold in her comments, but Adrien didn’t care that he could see the part of Viperion’s stomach look like it was bending from where his ribs rested or that his legs looked they weren’t attached to his hips. He was every bit of the snake his costume suggested and Adrien was his pray.

“I think he’s staring at you.”

“Huh?” he broke his gaze away from the performance to see Chloe nodding to the stage. He looked back at Viperion, who was on his forearms, legs split in the air. As he grabbed one foot and straighten out the other leg, he stared at the crowd. But it almost looked like he was staring at Adrien. “No he isn’t.”

“Say what you want, but he’s totally checking you out.”

Viperion’s act ended with him twisted at his waist, hand out like a snake’s head ready to strike. This time Chloe couldn’t stop him from standing up and applauding.

“A round of applause for our musical snake! Before we move to our last performance, please check under your seats. For those of you who are new to our little circus, if you find a pass under your chair, you are invited to an aftershow meet and greet with our performers and if you’re skilled enough, maybe you can do a trick or two with them. The pass had a special mark that can only be revealed by our flash lights and they’re chipped too. You can thank Pegasus for that, he’s a bit of a computer nerd as well as skilled with the Cube. I ask that you don’t try to sneak in, Multimouse’s boyfriend wouldn’t like to have to throw you out. After the show, please stay in your seats and our performers will come and check your passes.”

Adrien pulled out a black and red card with a Chinese style motif printed on it.

“Looks like we get to go see if he was flirting with you.” Chloe said, a similar card in her hand.

“He was no. he was probably just looking for a focus point. Now pay attention, they’re gonna do acrobatics.”

the Goat and Pig named performers where thrown in the air to land on towers of their other performers and while it was nail biting and so amazing to watch, Adrien thought he deserved a bit of credit for being slightly distracted. He’d get to meet Viperion after.

After the show was over, those without passes lingered a little, but with the lights back on full brightness and stage hands acting as ushers, the crowd disappeared and left only the lucky winners left. The performers came back out, wearing matching jackets with their stage names and animal printed on the back but masks still in place.

“Welcome everyone! It’s said that ladybugs are good luck, so it seems you’ve all seen one in your past few days as you’ve gotten the chance to stay back after the show. The performers will come check your passes. Once you’re cleared, please come join me in the centre.

Ladybug was coming to do their section when Viperion stopped her. They talked for a moment, Ladybug smirked at the contortionist and then went to another section.

“Oh he was totally staring at you.”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “How do you figure that one out your majesty?”

“Well peasant, our section is pretty empty and we’re the first ones who’d get our passes checked. Why did he stop that other girl from coming to check our tickets? To chat with the mom and her kid in our section?”

“Maybe.” a long shot possibly but Adrien didn’t want to get his hopes up. Last thing he wanted was his memory of his favourite contortionist laughing at the guy with the fanboy crush.

“Passes please.” oh god, there he was. With all the control of a model, Adrien handed him the pass which was handed back after a moment. “Hope you enjoyed the show.”

“Loved every moment of it.” Adrien couldn’t help but glance at the still bare chest underneath the jacket. “Every bit.”

as they got up to head to the centre, Chloe whispered, “I saw that.” to which Adrien shushed her.

“Welcome everyone! I hope you enjoyed our show. We’ve invited you to come get to know our performers better. You can even ask their names if you wanted, the masks are just protection since most of them are underage.”

“He does have permission from parents and guardians before any of you panic!” Rena Rouge, the fox magician, assured. “We have a public Instagram where you can see us.”

“Thank you my dear. So, does anyone have any questions, want to see something or even show something?”

“He does!” Adrien heard before he felt his hand go up.

“Chloe!” he yelled, yanking his hand away, but everyone was staring. He was sure people recognised him.

“Yes my boy?” Fu kindly asked.

“Um, uh, I just wanted to say that the show was amazing and I really liked the contortion. I’m learning how to do it myself. I’m better at aerial though.”

“Are you now? That’s amazing to hear. How long?”

“Um, been doing aerial since I was a kid. Started learning contortion on and off about the same amount of time? I’m really flexible.” he kept seeing Viperion stare at him. Not in a mean way, but in a ‘I’m very interested’ way.

“Helps when his mom is Paon Graham.”

What was she doing? “Chloe!” anyone who wasn’t sure had to know who he is now. His mother never shed away from sharing her circus life.

“I thought you looked familiar. I got the chance to work with your mother once. Same in awe look whenever she watched performances.” Fu said.

“Do you think you could show us something?” Viperion asked. Adrien felt himself getting red at the attention.

“Oh, no I couldn’t.” Mostly cause if a video got out, he was dead.

“Oh please? Your mom was such a huge inspiration to me.” Ladybug begged.

“We’d really like to see. Most people can mostly do cartwheels and such.” Viperion asked.

“I guess I could.” he really hoped his fanboy crush on Viperion would wear off one day. It was surprising how easily he bent to those kind eyes.

Viperion’s music box was brought out again and he climbed up. He was used to all eyes on him but this was different. Chloe was the only one who’d seen him doing tricks like this, now he had professionals and a crowd watching him. He took a breath and put his hands on the block and pushed his gravity forward so his legs came above his head. He slowly took one hand off, finding his balance before grabbing the leg near the front of his head and pulling down so he was more slanted. It took him a second but he was able to start turning the block.

“Alright Adrikins!” Chloe cheered as the group clapped for him. He glanced up, seeing Viperion smile at him.

Yeah, he didn’t see himself getting over that fanboy crush anytime soon.

                                                  ______________

Luka was happy to have the day off and he should of gone to visit his mother but he was sure she’d be ok with him putting it off. Last night during his act, he looked in the crowd, tantalising it and caught a pair of green eyes fixed on him. Then he actually looked. Even in the dim light, he could make out the blonde hair, fair skin and those, enchanting green eyes staring. He felt the urge to talk to him, flirt a little maybe. Marinette had definitely been right to guess that Luka had been showing off more than usual last night. He wanted to catch someone’s attention. Then when the guy’s friend said Paon Graham, he realised he wanted to flirt with the guy who’s picture was plastered all over Paris. He always looked beautiful in those pictures, flawless almost, but Luka thought he looked most flawless doing that trick last night up on the stage that had been designed for him.

Somehow Kim got the girl’s number and passed along a message she had: “Adrien practises his tricks at Cirqu’Aouette, they have a private gym that I paid for him to use. I watched a guy do contortion which looks so much weirder so if he doesn’t get a date out of this, your circus’ tour won’t be a big enough wing span to escape my wrath.”

he really hoped that meant just focused on him and not the circus. He followed the address Kim forwarded to him to a building at the side of Cirqu’Aouette. He glanced in through the window to see Adrien pulling himself up on a ring and hook his legs through, dangling there without a care in the world. He eased open the door so not to startle Adrien.

“Not many guys to hoop.” he said, Adrien opening his eyes and staring at him.

“Viperion!” he pulled himself up and dropped onto the crash pad beneath him.

“It’s Luka actually. Luka Couffaine.” he said, offering Adrien his hand so he didn’t stumble off the pad.

“Luka. Um, what are you doing here? I thought you guys would of headed out.”

“Well, pretty much the whole company is from this town so this is our homecoming show, so we get a little time  to spend with our family. I wanted to talk to you though.”

“Oh?” Adrien looked nervous.

“I’ll be honest, your friend threatened to either hurt me or the circus if I didn’t come talk to you, but I’m glad she made me come cause I thought your trick last night was pretty amazing. Not many people have the bravery to get up in front of a crowd and do something that’s kinda scary to be honest.”

“Oh, well, not nearly as good as what you do.” the model replied modestly.

Luka looked up at the hoop. “So aerial is more your thing?”

“Yeah. I love being in the air. My mom would call me a cat because of how I can bend but she was always in the air growing up and I wanted to do the same.”

“So I’ve always wanted to learn aerial and while I’m sure Marinette – Ladybug,” he clarified when he saw the confused look on Adrien’s face, “could be an amazing teacher, I was hoping maybe you could teach me? I’d be more than willing to teach you more about contortion. Who knows, maybe we can make a cat out of you yet. If not, then would I still be able to ask you on a date?”

“A date? Me?”

Luka nodded. “I don’t usually go showing off to the crowd. I tend to stick to my routine and stay with it, but I saw you and before you ask, no I didn’t know who you were nor does that matter, and all I wanted to do was keep your enchanting green eyes on me.”

Adrien’s face turned red and he ducked his head, fingers messing with his shirt, getting chalk marks on the dark fabric.

“Oh, well, um, I guess I wouldn’t oppose to teaching you, or a date. Whichever works for you. I know you’re on tour still.”

“For two more weeks. And both would work for me.” he smiled when he saw Adrien bite down his own smile. “Can I see you perform on the hoop, if that’s ok?”

“Can I borrow your phone?”

With a Lindsey Stirling song playing on his phone, Luka watched Adrien bend and contort around the hoop. Maybe it was still the big pull that had drawn his eyes to him last night still affecting him, but watching him hold himself by the strength in his legs, he never looked more enchanting.

[izzy-b-hands]

Tagged by @little-murmaider thank you!!!

1. Height: 5′3 ish? tbh I have not been measured in years and the last time I was in high school I was at 5′2, so now I just kinda...well I lie, and presume I gained that extra bit even though I really might not have lol.

2. Last thing I googled: ‘clothing brands worn by the band Queen’ because-well, actually, does it shock anyone that I’ve googled this? I live for so much of the shit they wore in the 70s and 80s and just really wish I could find reproductions of some of it (also that Hot Dad look in the 90s they all had going? that’s just basically my work uniform in terms of the button ups and weird ties and bow ties I own, so I’ve already got that bit down, even if I don’t look as good as they do rocking it.) 

3. Favorite musicians: ...so many, and also do bands count? Like if you admire each member of the band as a respective musician and in what they contribute to their group as well as any individual work? Because if that counts then a short list (made off of the much longer full list, and I swear I really did try and pare this down but it was difficult!) would be: Queen, Avatar, Brendon Small, Gene Hoglan, Frank Ocean, Childish Gambino, Tyler the Creator, Hozier, My Chemical Romance, Banks, Brian Eno, Elton John, Cab Calloway, Cocorosie, David Bowie, The Decemberists, Fever Ray, WEEP, Ghost, Janelle Monae, Jozef Van Wissem, Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Miike Snow, Mother Mother, Tom Waits, and Sufjan Stevens (and I’m forcing myself to end this list here lol.) 

4. Song stuck in my head: I’ve got a few, but the top three competing to play all at once in my head currently are: Sweatpants by Childish Gambino, Earfquake by Tyler the Creator, and Son and Daughter by Queen.

5. Followers: 225, and I’m grateful for each one! I never anticipated having that many people following me on here tbh, when I started this blog...jesus, back at the end of high school/beginning of college? Time is a cold motherfucker lol.

6. Following: 276. I was following over 600 a few days ago, but I finally went thru and cleaned it out. A lot of people hadn’t posted in months, or years, so I just kinda figure they aren’t coming back now, tbh. My dash isn’t as busy as I’d like it to be, but I also actually see everyone’s posts whereas before they didn’t always show up, so it’s a decent exchange.

7. Do you get asks: Sometimes! Especially recently, folks have been wonderful about sending in requests and asks for the various ask box things I reblog. I sometimes worry that I reblog too many of those, but I honestly do really like getting to talk to folks on here and interact, and getting asks or mentioned on posts really does make my day!!

8. Amount of sleep: if my insomnia isn’t being terrible, then between 4-6 hours most nights. If it is being an asshole, then more like 3-4 max. I’ve gotten a full 8 hours once before though, and boy was that fuckin weird.

9. Lucky number: Don’t know if they’re lucky, but the numbers 2 and 6 seem to turn up a lot in my life, which I consider a cool little thing. Probably the closest I have to lucky numbers.

10. What are you wearing: A very old pair of sweatpants and an Avatar shirt, because my after-work uniform is basically all lounge clothes/pjs mixed with band t-shirts.

11. Dream Job: Published author/screenwriter and/or museum docent. I mean, don’t get me wrong I love just writing as I do now, but it would be cool to get my work out there more and also be able to make a bit of a living off of it, even if I did still need to have another day job. I think I’d be a lot happier, if I could make that happen at least. 

12. Instruments: I learned and played clarinet from elementary school into my first year of high school. I play guitar badly. Can fuck around on a piano but suck at reading music so anything I play on it is usually just whatever’s in my head at the time. Own a mandolin, play it poorly. Does the recorder count if you’ve not played it since like sixth grade?

13. Languages: English is my first language. Took almost four years of Spanish, but don’t speak it well, though I can understand a bit of it when I need to at work. Took a year of German, but really only recall the German swear words my German/Russian grandma and great-grandma have taught me over the years. Un petit peu of French but very basic levels-like I can order a sandwich, but please don’t ask me to say much else lol. Jag prata svenska, men det är inte gud. Swedish is probably the one I speak best after English, but I admit my accent is painful to listen to, even to me. Someday it will sound not totally horrible, maybe. 

14. Favorite song: Just one? Oh dear. Well, there’s really a rota for this so I’ll give you the most recent favorite: Action This Day by Queen 

15. Random fact: I occasionally study contortion because I fell in love with what the contortionists at Cirque Du Soleil can do, and I’ve always been flexible enough to move my limbs to places they probably don’t belong, despite not really being very physically fit otherwise. I’ll never be flexible enough or good enough to actually use it anywhere, but it spices up my exercise routine when I need a break from dance, yoga, and weights. Also, it’s weirdly fun seeing if you can get your foot to rest on your face (I can! And it definitely should not be that exciting but I’m nearly 25 and struggling in various other areas of my life, so the little things really count.) 

16. Aesthetic: I’ll always be a little bit goth, I think. Could go and do Goth 2 Boss, and it would still be there, y’know? I’m trying to think of some of the ways friends and coworkers have described me/my look/general vibe, a few are: 

-A librarian that works part time as a roadie but doesn’t have two separate wardrobes for each job

-Like I’m constantly trying to look as queer as possible, so that I’m not mistaken for a heterosexual (though this one is honestly true, my dream is to find one of those vintage ‘how dare you presume I’m heterosexual’ buttons from the 80s and just add that onto my current set of looks)

-A dramatic demon that also cares about having sensible footwear (I like swooshy clothes and I like not fucking up my ankles more than I already have, I can’t help it that I can’t give up either of these things for Fashion)

-Like a Cool Uncle/Justin McElroy (true, and you’ll tear my horribly patterned shirts and various Hot Dad button ups from my cold undead hands.) 

-Like a vampire who didn’t really understand the Vampire Fashion Memo but tries really hard (a friend tossed me this one, and I still can’t tell if she meant it as a compliment or a plain old insult, but either way I admit she’s kind of right lol)

-Like you’re trying to steal Richard Ayoade’s wardrobe (this one came from my mum, and she’s right, I am. He dresses wonderfully.)

So...all of that in one, I guess?

Tagging @peterginn, @0randges, @sunshinerami, @the-heebiejeebies, @ramibaby, @my-space-and-all-within, @hobbadehoy and anyone else who follows me and wants to do this! Just say I tagged you and go for it!!

[davidmann95]

Why is spiderman so great?

The same thing needs to be said upfront here as with Superman and Batman: what makes a character good - at least in the sense of defining core principles of their personality and themes - is not the same thing as what makes them successful. That’s a necessary ingredient, but Spider-Man didn’t climb to the top of the merchandising heap on the back of Peter Parker worrying about his money problems. What was much more relevant - starting at the visceral mass-appeal stuff and working our way down - is likely that:

Everything about Spider-Man and his world looks cool

Each aspect of how Spider-Man looks and moves is calibrated to be slick as hell. He’s got that nifty Steve Ditko costume that shouldn’t work at all with how much detail it has going on and how much it obscures what his deal actually is with traditional superhero elements, but it comes out to a streamlined whole that accentuates how his body curls and angles itself around, and obscuring he’s based on spiders isn’t a problem because they’re the actual worst. He doesn’t just run or fly, but cirque du soleil’s through endless freefall on manmade tightropes and swings that he sticks to and contorts himself around at impossible angles. And he does it all through the most iconic skyline in America - Gotham’s creepy, Metropolis is generic, the other Marvel heroes (aside from a couple in Hell’s Kitchen) use NYC as a base for adventures elsewhere, but Spidey’s the Manhattan hero, ducking and weaving through neon and brick in three dimensions. Add the little storytelling touches on top like the spider-sense lightning and his mask and face appearing at the same time, and his adventures are just cool to look at in a way unlike any other superhero.

His power fantasy is physically easy to imagine

I commented with Superman that he just does what we do but better, and it’s much the same with Spider-Man, but on an even smaller, more intimate scale. His only powers that aren’t just better versions of the things we already do (though not SO much better as to become incomprehensible) are:

* He’s sticky

* He swings from ropes

* He gets a bad feeling about things

We know what those are like. We can imagine the sensations that accompany being him in a way that few other superheroes can match, and therefore watching him do what he does has a certain extra power to it that doesn’t come with watching a hero use telepathy or a wishing ring.

Spider-Man’s funny

So before moving past a picture and the ‘Powers’ section of his Marvel’s Who’s Who entry he’s got a lot going for him, but that’s not the same as a character. But he’s got that too, to an extent even takes as far afield as the Sam Raimi movies at least somewhat understood the biggest detail: Spider-Man’s a goof. Not of the winking-at-the-screen untouchable Bugs Bunny type Deadpool’s popularized lately, but a dope mouthing off in the face of danger because he’s too scared to shut up; whether or not he’s even actually successfully funny almost matters less than that he makes the effort while he’s fighting for his life, and the personality that lends him in the middle a fight where most superheroes default to grimacing silence. The surface qualities I talked about earlier help here too; his spindly figure and ability to get himself into just about any position help with the physical side of comedy, and even ducking the obvious metaphor, him firing silly string and goo all over the place (where it can fizzle out at any moment) like a one-man birthday clown doesn’t hurt. And that he doesn’t put up a serious front additionally means he can FREAK RIGHT OUT when under fire in a way that his colleagues can’t, giving him that little extra range in the right circumstances.

Spider-Man’s the ‘normal’ one

That he acts like a normal human (albeit one asking for a sock in the jaw) in the middle of fights points to the other defining side of his day-to-day adventures: he’s the hero who’s one of us. That’s a gimmick that’s a dime a dozen these days - in fact, Spider-Man didn’t even have the defining “superhero being a normal person” comic of the decade, that was Hawkeye - but he’s original and the A-lister who plays by those rules, and that gives him a cultural foothold that can’t be matched. It’s not just the big, soap-operatic material like his Aunt’s health troubles or losing his job or his friends trying to kill him either; it’s catching the flu, it’s his costume shrinking in the wash, it’s fighting crime for a couple weeks with his arm in a sling or trying to hold a conversation over the phone while people are shooting at him. These ‘what makes X great’ posts of mine tend to focus on what makes characters immediately and obviously connect to a general audience that generally pays attention to them for about 2 1/2 hours every 2-3 years, and with Spider-Man it’s obvious - his adventures are seeped in the mundane of everyday life in a way completely divorced from any other major superhero, and that makes it easy to look at him and go “hah, his costume’s soaked in the rain and he can’t get the boot off/he screwed up and took his mask off while someone was looking/he didn’t stick the landing and fell on his ass! Yeah, I know that feel, that’s probably how I’d be as a superhero too”.

Spider-Man’s a great character

And this comes last: not what draws ‘em in, but what keeps ‘em. Skipping past anything and everything to do with power, responsibility, and dead uncles, Peter Parker’s an interesting dude, because by all rights he should have been a supervillain. On the second page of his first story he’s all but thinking “I’ll show them! I’ll show them all!!!”, his immediate instinct is to make money, and his defining trait at first aside from power and ego is that he’s a budding mad scientist; May and Ben tried their best, and he loves them for it, but Parker’s been hurt by the world every day of his life and hasn’t developed any meaningful concept of why he should bother doing anything for it. But then what happens, happens...and in the original stories, he keeps being an asshole, only quitting showbusiness when he can’t cash the checks, only getting into crimefighting so he can sell pictures of his adventures. He’s just not a very good person by nature; he’s petty and vindictive, short-sighted, fearful, and above all arrogant.

But slowly, painfully, he learns his lesson, over and over and over again. He realizes what happens when he brushes aside his duties, he comes out of his shell and opens up to people, he goes from self-aggrandizing and self-pitying to self-effacing. In other words he stops being a shitty teenager and gets it beat into his head what it means to be a grownup, and no matter how much the world craps on his shoulders he takes it in his stride (give or take an understandable breakdown) and figures his way through it to the next crisis, because he remembers what happens when he shrugs his shoulders and lets the world just roll on past him as not his problem. That may be guilt talking more than principle or reason much of the time, but that’s what makes him vulnerable and scared and human; he fucks up hard and frequently, and keeps going because he can’t quit even when he wants to. He’s just some dude getting by in spite of himself; in other words, he’s the hero who could be you.

[cirquedufreak-rp]

WELCOME TO THE CIRCUS [Crunch].

[Lee Dahye] will reside in the [White] tent. At home, she is assigned to home number [236]. [Bone and Muscle Manipulation] will be useful to the Midnight Circus. Remember our only rule: Once you join, you cannot leave.

Faceclaim Information Name: Amber Group: f(x) Character Information Name: Lee Dahye Stage Name: Crunch Age: 23 Tent Assignment: #1 White Home Island Cottage Assignment: #236

Skill: 

Dahye has the gift (or the curse, perhaps) of Muscle & Bone Manipulation, or manipulation of her own self structure.

Can increase or decrease own muscle mass at will

Can increase or decrease bone mass to match the shape of muscle

Due to the above, she has the ability to modify the degree of her strength.  Manipulation of both include the ability to control the general shape of such bones/muscles, and how they grow/shrink. This means she has the ability to appear deformed or contorted

However, these abilities have their drawbacks.

Her strength (including strength of power) is directly related to how strong she appears If she appears small, fragile, or weak because she has decreased the muscle and bone mass, it will be that much harder for her to muster the strength to grow them again. If she appears large, strong, and intimidating, her power will be very intense and difficult to control. It is fair to say she won’t know her own strength, and this could cause harm to herself or others: Common examples: When attempting to decrease muscle/bone mass from a large state to a smaller state, she could overdo it and grow abnormally lanky and weak When she tries to move around in a larger state, she may underestimate her strength and hyper-extend joints, or tear tendons, as she does not have control over these. 

Due to the ever changing state of her body’s structure, she often experiences debilitating muscle cramps and joint pain, although she tries her best to hide this.

Despite her power to control the mass of her bones, these undergo a constant change in shape or movement, making them easier to dislocate, or sometimes even break.

Member Status: Completely new

Performance Details: Dahye works both Mainshow and Sideshow as a contortionist, and may also be a good buffer between acts to prepare for the next set. She may also display her abilities of strength by lifting heavy objects, although she is more hesitant about these performances due to her strength sometimes being unpredictable.

Personality: Dahye, or “Crunch” as she is also used to being called, is a fun-loving tomboy that finds joy in physical activity and playful banter. Due to her history of feeling as though she fits in nowhere, she is very accepting and tolerant towards other people, and will be thrilled to make new friends. She feels comfortable in almost any group of friends, whether they be male, female, or anything in between/beyond; however, she is somewhat guarded towards those who show her disrespect and will approach them with heightened caution. If those she cares about are threatened in any way, she will become very cross and protective. For the most part, though, she loves to laugh and have a good time with those around her…even if it involves her acting foolish to cheer them up.

Background: Lee Dahye was the child that her mother never wanted. She was an accident, if not a mistake. Having been from a rural and conservative town, there were serious social consequences to having a child out of wedlock. Naturally, for a young woman who didn’t even know who the father might be, the pressure to simply abort the child was something of great stress. Being religious, she decided she could not do such a thing, and instead fled to the nearest city to disappear for the remainder of her pregnancy. When the time came, the woman gave birth, then took the child to the nearest orphanage. She did not name her, but she explained to the staff that she wished to apologize to the child, and told them her message for when the baby girl would be old enough. She said she never planned to be a mother, nor did she have the means to provide for the child. She feared for what the girl would go through if she had grown up with her. Lastly, she wished her much luck and happiness in life.

Dahye never knew where her name came from, but had to assume that someone from her orphanage gave it to her before she was adopted, since her adoptive parents were Americans living in Japan. They were thrilled to invite the toddler to the family, doting on her with love and affection. Dahye did not blossom so much as sprout slowly. She often complained of her arms or legs hurting, but her family decided it must simply be growing pains. This continued until she was well into her mid-teens, when she started playing sports. While her pains faded some with the activity, she discovered more concerning issues. Her weight would rise and drop dramatically, despite never looking fat, and always eating healthy meals. When she ran, the muscles in her legs would often bulge out, whereas when playing a game like baseball with her friends, her arms would seem to swell. The seemingly random increases in strength earned her the nickname “Crunch” by bullies that wanted to compare her to the Hulk. Her worried parents realized after some time that there was something special about her - something that no doctor could explain.

The family attempted their own methods to deal with the powers, and to train Dahye to control them. While these attempts assisted in harnessing them, she was still far from mastering the craft.

Four years ago, the family heard of a circus. Rumors had spread that it was the home of people with special abilities that, whether they were illusions or not, were most impressive. Dahye begged to go, hoping to find others like her, but arrived to find that the circus had been abandoned. Feeling that all hope was lost, she often hid herself from the world, practicing control of her bones and muscles. She found that she could change their shape, and even create the appearance of gruesome sights, like bones poking underneath the skin, dislocations, and contortions. When news of the circus’s return spread, her interest was ever heightened. After much debate with her parents, she decided she would rather be around those who would understand her at Cirque Du Freak, and was soon off to start a new life.

[verycleverboy]

(202) 224-3121

After the Sandy Hook massacre, I got in the habit of saying that if a meaningful reform of how the federal government approaches guns didn’t happen then, it was never going to happen. I even went so far as to say that  that the pro-2nd amendment people had been sold their own set of fears so often for so long that they didn’t realize they’d already won, because as long as our representatives on the Hill were more scared of NRA lobbying money than they were of a phone call from us, it wasn’t going to happen. Ever.

It became part of my ritual for awhile. Then I just stopped saying it altogether, because there’s only so many times you can say something before everybody you know internalizes it. Big bag of money versus us showing up. We’ve heard it. The price of freedom is knowing that you could be murdered by anyone at any given time for any reason or no reason at all. And somehow that’s part of being the greatest country in the world. It takes a Cirque Du Soleil level of contortion for all of that to make sense together. Hell of a life, isn’t it? 

Today isn’t going to be about that message, because when I woke up this morning I had one thought in my head: That the phone number we’ve been passing around over and over again to save the ACA? The one that made certain Senators and House Reps genuinely scared of facing the people back home to the point where some of them decided not to do it at all? You can use if for any issue. And it looks like a lot of people already have the same idea.

There are a lot of moving parts on gun control, and some of them are intentionally buried. Thanks to the efforts of the gun lobby, whoever takes up the issue this time is basically starting from scratch. That effort doesn’t have a name yet, but at this moment in history, the wrong direction does: The Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act (H.R.3668). In the current balance of power, this is the gun bill most likely to pass right now, and it’s designed to loosen restrictions on armor piercing bullets make gun silencers easier to buy. You remember the pop-pop-pop in that horrifying video? This is a bill to take away that warning. This is a bill to guarantee a new national record next time.

It’s also the best indicator that this is going to be an uphill fight, but it’s one worth having. Let’s make them scared of a ringing phone again. Let’s make them scared of a ringing phone forever.

[thewidowstanton]

Romy Bauer, aerial snow globe contortionist, Circus Starr and Gandeys Circus

Romy Bauer was born in Blackpool to Kim and Max Bauer and is a seventh-generation circus artist. Having first appeared in the ring as a tiny child, she now specialises as an aerial contortionist and performs inside a clear perspex globe, while snowflakes fall from the cupola. She is currently taking a break from touring with Carol and Phillip Gandey’s Circus Starr, which has been providing free entertainment for disadvantaged and disabled children for 30 years, while also raising money for local charities.

Romy joins a huge line-up of international artists in Gandeys Circus Halloween Spooktacular show at Merry Hill Shopping Centre in Dudley from 20-29 October 2017, before returning to Circus Starr. She chats to Liz Arratoon.

The Widow Stanton: Tell us about your family background. I know your mum was a trapeze artist… Romy Bauer: I was born when mum and dad were working at Blackpool Tower Circus; my dad is Swiss and my mum is English. My grandmother on my mother’s side, Madge Summerfield [pictured below], used to do aerial as well; she did corde lisse, and was also a trapeze artist and did bareback horse riding. My grandfather, Holley Gray [also pictured], had the world record in plate-spinning and did juggling. Back in the day he was on quite a few TV adverts and things like that. My grandmother’s parents were tight-rope walkers.

On the other side of my family, my father did a Risley act with his sister and his mother, and she also did a foot-juggling act. That was my grandmother’s main act. My dad had done a few different acts with his sister; he did slack wire with the bouncy rope, and he did that with my mother as well after they met. His sister, Christine, did a cradle act with her husband and they actually have their own show now in Spain. It used to be Circus Tonelli and now it’s called Circus Las Vegas.

Have you got any siblings? I have a sister, who’s 14. She’s still at school at the moment so she hasn’t really started any training. She’s more into the singing side of stuff.

Do you remember your first time in the ring? Yes, I was about three or four, and it was in the foot-juggling act wth my grandmother. The whole family was in it; my dad, my mum, my dad’s mother, my auntie Christine, her husband, and her son, my cousin Tony, who’s in Spain with the rest of my family. So it was a really nice big act. At the end of it my grandmother used spin me and Tony round on her feet in little chairs at either end of a pole. We were so small; she used to do it with my dad and his sister but we were a lot lighter for her. [Laughs]

Did you go to an ordinary school? I first went to Brereton Primary School in Congleton for a few moths of the year when we weren’t working, and they used to set me coursework that I’d do through the year. It was lovely. They used to have a travelling teachers’ association and they’d come out to me every few months and check my progress, but it was very different with secondary school; they didn’t offer that. So I left the circus then and finished all my school stuff. I went to college for a little bit and studied fashion and textiles, I worked in Starbucks for a little bit but didn’t really enjoy it as much, and then I came back to the circus.

Do you make your own costumes? I like to as best as I can, and generally try to keep them unique. I adapt costumes that I buy, or my mum tends to make them for me. [Laughs]

Was it inevitable you’d follow your parents into the circus? Yes, but it was important that they gave me other options; I had paths to choose from. And when I was younger I also did a lot of training with contortionists and aerialists so I had the base of everything if I did decide I wanted to go back to the circus. I think I got the best of both worlds and I got to make my own mind up. I’m very happy with my choice. 

Who trained you in contortion? We had a Mongolian couple, called Zorig and Nima, who did an act on the show when we were young, and they used to train me. I’d go for two or three hours every day as well as doing my school work. As I got older, Said Debbach trained me in all the aerial stuff I do now.

Were you naturally flexible? I had a good base of flexibility but obviously as you get older, you don’t keep it forever; I had to keep it up. If you start before you’re 14, you tend to be very flexible and if that’s what you choose to do, you have to focus on it. Even when I was at school, I thought, ‘Oh, I still have to keep up my flexibility in case I do decide to go back’. It was something I had to work on.

I expect your schoolfriends were pretty impressed by you… Yeah, they were, [laughs]. I used to do cheerleading as well, just to keep me, you know, interested in all the physical side of stuff, because it does tend to slip away in secondary school. Your thoughts are of the future and you’re just kind of focused on school work and socialising. [Laughs]

Do you do any other aerial acts? Yes, I do aerial hoop and I’m training static trapeze at the moment. It’s gonna be a contortion static trapeze, so I’m really looking forward to that. It’s pretty; I’ve been looking at some tricks on the internet and just trying them out. I need to spend some time with Said to get it really good.

So what drew you to aerial initially? There was always something about it when I was young, I always wanted to… but obviously my mum and dad wouldn’t really… They’d let me have a look at it, but they wouldn’t let me go too high because of safety. You know what parents are like! But there’s always been something that’s just wowed me about it. We used to have a Russian artist on the show called Victoria Antipova, who does aerial rope… You just look like you’re flying and you’re a beautiful star in the sky… I just always wanted to do that.

What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to someone starting aerial? That they need strength, definitely, and not to be scared. If you’re scared then you will automatically get something wrong. You have to be positive all the time. If you think, ‘I’m gonna fall, I’m gonna fall’, you probably will, so don’t think about it. And don’t go ridiculously high if you’ve never done it before. Stay low, get the basics, get a feel of it, and then you can start to go higher.

Where is the main strength in your body? I have mainly core strength. Because of the contortion I can’t be overly strong because I have to remain supple. I got my muscles from my dad so my natural physique is quite muscular but they’re not that useful really. [Laughs]

You’re usually with Circus Starr; what can you tell us about it? It’s a non-profit charity organisation and we give disadvantaged and vulnerable children the chance to see a live show where they can feel comfortable in their environment. We have a lot of children with autism and we have an app called The Show and Tell App. It gives them like a preview of the show, so in their heads they can get an idea of where we’re going, what it looks like inside, what the people look like, what will actually happen.

And we’ve just started a thing called The Touch Tour and audio description in our shows. We open before the show for the partially sighted and blind children and bring out all the props and wear our costumes so they can come up close and feel what they are like. Some of them can see really close up so they can get an idea of what’s going on. During the live performance they have an audio describer from VocalEyes describing what’s going on and because they’ve just felt the props they can understand what things look like. It’s really lovely; really lovely, and a very important thing to do. Sometimes we visit the local children’s hospitals. Working for Circus Starr is amazing and makes you see everything differently.

Have you worked abroad at all? I’ve worked in Spain and I worked in Hong Kong with Gandeys for four months two Christmases ago with Royalles British Thrill Circus. That was amazing. It was such a different culture. I loved working there. It was very, very nice, but after four months I found the food very difficult. I was a vegetarian a few years ago and I’m a bit funny about meat. It’s not for me. [Laughs]

Did you ever appear in the Gandeys’ wonderful show, Cirque Surreal? Yes, we did it at the Lowry in Manchester two years ago.

You must like working for Gandeys having stayed so long… When I was four years old my parents started working for Gandeys so I’ve basically grown up here. My dad is still with the company and is the tent master and general manger of the shows. Sometimes he’s managing The Ladyboys of Bangkok, most recently he’s been on Gandeys Circus. Phillip and Carol are like my adopted parents; they’ve always looked after me and made me feel welcome. Carol frequently introduces me as her fourth daughter, so they’re family to me and I just love it here. There’s no reason for me to look anywhere else because everything I’ve needed is here.

If not circus, what else might you consider doing? I really haven’t thought about it but I think I’d enjoy doing fashion. I’d probably try to make some costumes and sell them on. I’d be interested in that and might do it when I retire from the ring. That would be lovely and I’d still feel involved in shiny stuff; it would be very shiny! [Laughs]

Can you pick out a few highlights from your lifetime in the circus? Well, when I was younger on the show, that was amazing! I got such great experience here and I had a friend with me, a young boy, and we used to play all day, in the fields or in the park and that was always fun. We’d go to so many different places, which was amazing. Hong Kong is another big highlight. And performing again after having such a long break at school was the best feeling as well; just to be back in the ring was amazing.

Romy will appear in Gandeys Circus Halloween Spooktacular at Merry Hill Shopping Centre car park in Dudley from 20-29 October 2017, before returning to Circus Starr.

For Merry Hill tickets click here

Circus Starr tour dates

Romy on Facebook

Twitter: @romybauer @gandeyscircus @CircusStarr

Follow @TheWidowStanton on Twitter

See our interviews with other artists from Gandeys Circus: Nikolay Karakolev and Las Chicas Morales

[noticeabsolutlynothingimportant]

Ovo Review

I guess there only needs to be one, small, disclaimer before I start. When I talk about some of the errors or mistakes or how it was “unpolished” I don’t mean that it was unenjoyable or that the quality was lower than the other shows that I’ve seen; ‘cuz that’s not true. I just mean that the artists made mistakes on stage. They’re human, it’s totally natural and fine, but it made the show seem more human that the other’s I’d seen which were more otherworldly. 

Alright, a lot of people end up fixating on the costumes with this show. This is for a good reason. The costumes for the bugs were definitely a highlight of the show. Grasshoppers, ants, and the butterflies stand out both as creative colorful costumes and as brilliant representations of the bugs being portrayed. A few of the other costumes blended into the background too much or were clearly a stretch to get us to understand what the insects were. But most of the vibrancy of the world was brought in by the costumes themselves.

Characters: 

Master Flipo....To be honest, I didn’t even know what or who this character was until I saw the wikipedia. He didn’t seem to do much outside of one clown routine and the very beginning of the show. 

Foreigner: So he seemed like a central character, one of the lead clowns and the catalyst for the show. He brings the egg that starts off the entire conflict between him and the rest of the bugs. But I didn’t really understand him and apart from some impressive leg jitters, I didn’t see what he added to the show. I guess the physical comedy wasn’t my type of humor, but I wasn’t a fan. 

Ladybug: Hoooboy, I wanted to like her. I really did. But the romance between her and Foreigner was really forced. I was hopping there’d be a scene where it was cute or at least funnier. Cirque’s romances tend to be adorable at the very least, but that wasn’t the case and her character didn’t really branch away from love interest.

Acts: 

Intro: Okay so it’s not technically an act, but as the show starts there’s a few, and forgive my lack of technical circus equipment knowledge here, bendy sticks. Some performers stand on top of the sticks and sway back and forth around the massive egg while the message about not using flash photography plays. So the best thing about this is that while the performers are rocking back and forth, nearly running into the ground, they’re gesturing along with the welcome message. It’s a small detail, but it was impressive and the grasshopper in my line of view made me laugh multiple times. 

Opening: not much to say. The bugs woke up, it made almost no sense to me and had very little impact on the energy of the audience, which isn’t what an opening act should do. I guess it’s not a good idea to start a show off with a lot of people yawning. 

Ants: I love these women. This act was great, it was just weird enough to settle us fully into the world and the strength of the foot juggling was incredible. The performer’s were completely synchronized, which they showed off multiple times. There was one small mistake where one of the performers had to catch one of her eggplant slices with her hand, but it just showed exactly how difficult foot juggling really is and how easy it is to miss your own foot. Which then made the rest of the act even better. 

Aerial straps: There aren’t enough good things to say about this act. It was gorgeous and in some ways a lot better than my favorite straps act --which, until I’d seen Ovo, had been the act from Varekai. It’s the first male/female straps act where it didn’t just focus on the grace of the female and the strength of the male. They support each other physically and artistically. 10/10 wish someone had taken a video and posted it on youtube.

Diabolos: This was by far the best diabolo act I’ve ever seen. The performer had the personality of a juggler which served him well as a solo act. When the artist starts the act by letting go of the handles and the diabolo and letting them soar in the air before catching them without looking, you know you’re in for a treat. 

Aerial Cradle: Okay, so remember when I mentioned things being unpolished? This was an act with a major moment of that. No one fell, but before one of the tricks, one they’d been building up to for a while, the flyer didn’t have the momentum she needed to complete the trick. Which meant that we got to see the artists have to communicate on stage and adjust the act. I guess my only other qualm with the act is that the costumes were so, well bland is the wrong word, but after the brilliant colors of the other bugs, the scarabs seemed to blend in. 

Contortion/spiders: I wish this act had been two separate acts. It felt like they were sharing the stage but it wasn’t one act. They didn’t build off each other as much and it seemed like they were just waiting for the other half of the act to finish a trick before they could perform theirs. 

Slackwire: This man. How? how is his balance this good. It was incredible, though the act did get a little repetitive rhythmically because the motions were really similar. The wire would lower, he’d get a new prop, he’d balance on it, the wire would raise, he’d balance or move forward and then back, repeat. I don’t really have that much to say about it negatively, but I guess it could have changed up the motions a bit more. 

Legs: What even was this. Why? 

Powertrack, Trampoline Wall: I think the biggest issue with this act is that it didn’t feel like it was building to something. Especially after seeing La Nouba, I was a little disappointed at how disjointed this act felt. It doesn’t help that the really impressive parts, the spiders and scarabs hanging onto the wall upside down for the entire act, weren’t the focal point; or, in the scarab’s case, blended into the background of the set so well she disappeared. I guess I was just hoping for a better finale to Ovo. 

I know this review ended on a low note, but I did really enjoy the show. I took my dad to this show for his birthday and it was his first Cirque. He has only good things to say and repeated the sentence “every act was the best circus act I’d seen at the start of the act,” anytime I asked him about it. So was it less polished than Kurios or La Nouba? Yes. Does that make it less incredible? No, no it does not.

[just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi]

I just looked up what Lee was doing on the [best of contortion cirque] and ouch. That looks like it’d snap your spine in half. Contortionists are the coolest.

oh for sure. Poor Lee. 

[marshamcourt]

What to do Bournemouth in this Winter?

Hi everyone,Winter is here and so are hot chocolate, cozy nights and frosty mornings. Even though you can’t tan on the beach, Bournemouth still has a lot planned for this season. Below you can find a list of some of the events that will take place over the next three months:

DECEMBER

Cirque Du Soleil in Virtual RealityPavilion Theatre, 6-15 December 2019Dive into the surreal world of acclaimed circus troupe, Cirque Du Soleil, through the wonders of virtual reality. Enter Limina Immersive’s unique VR theatre to immerse yourself in three thrilling VR films that will transport you to vibrant lands, rich with strange spectacles and illusions, where fire and water dance and mystical beings roam. With oceanic acrobatics, breathtaking battles, snake-like contortions and astonishing aerials, this spectacular journey of the senses is not to be missed.Get your tickets

here.

Bournemouth Christmas Tree WonderlandBournemouth Town Centre and other locations, 15 November  2019 – 2 January 2020This Christmas you will be able to enjoy a unique festive trail featuring spectacular Christmas trees from around the world.Explore everyone’s favorite Christmas Market and skate under the stars in the Victorian gardens. Enjoy live music, entertainment and illuminations around the resort. Bournemouth is an ideal place to spend Christmas with your friends and family. Read more about the event

here.

JANUARY

Sleeping BeautyLighthouse Poole’s Centre for the Arts, 15-16 January 2020Under the expert direction of Marina Medvetskaya, Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet combines classical training and technique with the best-loved Russian ballets, outstanding soloists and full orchestra, to entertain audiences in breath-taking style.This brand new staging of The Sleeping Beauty is perfectly enchanting; Tchaikovsky’s glorious music sets the scene for the traditional fairy tale. The Nutcracker is the perfect introduction to ballet, as Clara is whisked away on a magical adventure by her Nutcracker Prince, accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s delightful score. Find out more

here.

Sandi Toksvig Live! National TrevorLighthouse Poole’s Centre for the Arts, 17 January 2020Sandi Toksvig is touring her new, one-woman comedy show.  Sandi realises some people harbour an ambition to be a National Treasure but following a misunderstanding with a friend has decided instead to become a National Trevor – half misprint, half Danish comedian, novelist, actor and broadcaster.Expect tall stories, fascinatingly funny facts, really silly jokes, a quick fire Q&A and a quiz. Don’t expect tap-dancing, leotards or a forward roll. Read more about the event

here.

FEBRUARY

Circus of Horrors 2020O2 Academy Bournemouth, 7 February 2020The new Circus of Horrors show will be an immersive celebration of it’s astounding 25 years.  It will include an amazing amalgamation of acts, driven by a rock n roll sound scape, a show that will have you sat on the edge of your seat when not falling off it with laughter.The almighty cast that stormed into the finals of Britain’s Got Talent is now a West End & World Wide Hit and will take you on a rock n’ roller coaster ride of Unbelievable, Bizarre & Beautiful acts. It is a circus like no other and a show you simply can’t afford to miss. Don’t wait, get your tickets

here!

Light Up PooleVarious locations in Poole, 20-22 February 2020Light Up Poole, the annual festival of digital light art, is set to return in February with three nights of extraordinary light spectacles and community events that will transform the town after dark.More than 40,000 visitors experienced last year’s incredible displays and for Light Up Poole 2020 organizers are extending the light up time and expanding the programmed with talks, workshops and ticketed events including a family rave. Visit the Festival’s website

here.

Looking for more inspiration and events? Visit www.bournemouth.co.uk for a detailed description of every single event happening in Bournemouth and surrounding areas. Additionally, keep a close eye on our blog for more local information as we always deliver the important news straight to you.Some More Activities..

Family Hotels Bournemouth,

Pet Friendly Hotels Bournemouth

Wedding Packages Bournemouth

[theriteofdance-blog]

OVO • Cirque du Soleil

Performance Details

March 2017 at the Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas

I had seen little ad inserts online for OVO when I was buying tickets to other Cirque du Soleil shows on their website, and from those gained a very rudimentary idea of what it would be about. It seemed buggy, with little tufts of grass and insect antennas taking up most of the ad space. It was simple and I didn’t question what I thought to be the theme of the show. It was enough imagery to tide me over until I was able to attend the actual show. Let it be mentioned, however, that I did have some skepticism about how much I would enjoy the show since I absolutely hate bugs and insects. I reasoned with myself that it was a Cirque du Soleil production, and usually the group’s shows are beyond amazing. I entered the venue with some doubt, but thankfully I was more wowed by the performance than put off by the theme.

Right off the bat, just from taking my seat and seeing the stage setup in all its stillness, I was impressed. Perched on a circular raised-floor stage was a massive egg, behind which was a wall that held a computer-generated image of natural scenery. In front of the circular stage positioned among the front-row folding chair seats were two rock-like mini platforms on either side. What can I say? It looked pretty cool, even if it was confirmed in my mind that this show would involve a lot of bugs.

I was right to some extent. There was really nothing but bugs in this show, with the exception of the woman who appeared on and off stage to sing in what appeared to be a more indigenous costume, and a few bug catchers who were swinging their nets around before the show started to get peals of laughter from audience members who had the net come down over their head. I tried in vain to identify each bug that came out in the show; ants juggling their kiwi and corn tidbits on their feet, a fly swirling and maneuvering magnificently on a spiraling vine-like pole, the comedic ladybug and what I took to be a mosquito, the spider in her light-patterned web with a contortion act that really agreed with her role, the grasshoppers who very characteristically had jumping choreography on the trampolines, and the butterflies who soared above the audience in a dazzling aerialist display of grace and fluttering ease. There were plenty of insects that I couldn’t place specifically, like the tightrope walker and the juggler.

As much as I do not like the insect theme in a general personal preference, I have to say that the show really delivered visually. The costumes were amazing and were used in interesting ways that at times interacted with the staging. The grasshoppers were fascinating to watch because of the protruding angle-bent legs that were sewn into the design. Every time the performer lifted a leg or simply walked, it moved the angled cricket-legs and completed the whole illusion that the performer was indeed a grasshopper. My personal favorite, the butterfly, made a stunning entrance using a mix of costuming and set interaction. A rope was lifted from a hole that had opened up in the stage floor, and as it lifted it pulled up a white cloth-covered person. The best description I have for the imagery here is perhaps to imagine a much looser, thinner, and longer body-bag. The performer within pushes against the fabric incessantly until we see an arm pop out from the top of the cloth, it disappears into the bag again only to reappear seconds later accompanied by the other arm. A leg, the head, the torso… one by one body parts emerge in what is reminiscent of a butterfly escaping its cocoon. I was enthralled by how beautiful it was, how the human body could capture the nature of such a creature. I think I might have let out a gasp when I saw the butterfly-perfomer completely free itself of its cocoon only to lower herself down midway on the rope to the fallen material and use it to give the impression of having and flapping wings. Here, I think it was impressive how the performer used part of the set as an interchangeable part of costuming. It definitely upped the artistry in my eyes.

OVO was about bugs, yes, but it did have a vague storyline. Most Cirque du Soleil shows are set around storylines that can come across as interpretive to the audience, and I felt that OVO was no different. The storyline seemed to revolve around the romance between a ladybug and a mosquito, simply and bluntly. For the most part the ladybug, mosquito, and bug leader were all comedic relief characters. They rarely took on serious notes, or added to the powerful athleticism that the other bug-performers brought to the show. Truth be told, I immensely disliked all the slapstick-like comedy from these characters for the first 20 or so minutes. I wanted to see a performance, choreography that dazzled, acting that spoke through gesture, but I was getting rudimentary comedy. However, the comedy bits became funnier the longer into the show we got, so I started to enjoy them more. Thinking on it now, I realize it might have employed so much comedy because of the children-friendly, city-traveling nature of the show.  

Part of what was so captivating about the show was the way the performers committed to their buggy roles. I noticed subtle movements like the abrupt tilt or turn of a head that really captured the finicky and sudden movement of bugs such as crickets. It helped that the costuming took on bug antennas and made it so that they jiggled and wiggled every time a performer did. For the ants, there was a lot of scurrying and following in groups that the actors managed to act out incredibly well. The spiders moved very slow and deliberately, but could amp up their speed without sacrificing the flexibility of their traveling movements. For this show, I think the acting really came through in subtle movement qualities that are associated with bugs and managed to engage the crowd visually.

In all, OVO was definitely an artistic work as much as it was an incredible showcase of ability from its performers. Everything from acting, movement quality, choreography, costuming,  and staging was pretty superbly done. However, I could recommend that the giant egg that appears throughout the show be better included in the storyline. It almost seemed as though the egg was just… an egg for the purpose of having an egg in the show despite how often it appears in promotion ads.

[thewidowstanton]

Korri Aulakh, swinging trapeze, dance trapeze and straps artist

Korri Aulakh started on flying trapeze at 12 years old with the London Youth Circus at what was then the Circus Space, now the National Centre for Circus Arts in London, building on his background in gymnastics and competitive trampolining. He was later accepted on to the NCCA degree course and specialised in swinging trapeze, acrobatics and dance trapeze. After graduating, Korri spent three more years training with the highly respected Russian coach Victor Fomine at the National Circus School in Montreal, and since 2015 has worked internationally on swinging and dance trapeze and also aerial straps and pole.

When we saw him appearing in the London Youth Circus show Outfoxed in 2016, his exceptional skill level and the sheer quality of his movement was clear. Korri is participating in the 38th edition of the Cirque de Demain festival in Paris, which runs from 26-29 January 2017 at Cirque Phénix. He chats to Liz Arratoon from Montreal, where he is in training at Victor's Studio (École Léotard).

Do you go to Victor's Studio quite often to train? I haven't been since I graduated from ENC, and then I was working for Celebrity Cruises, on Celebrity Eclipse for eight months until June 2016. Then I came home, back to London, so this is the first time I've been back to my old coach and back to the school. It's been really nice.  

How does the studio work? It's private training, so you go and and either train with him in a private class or go there and free train, which is nice because you don't have to book, you can just go and train.

Are you a Londoner? No, I'm from Essex. I live in Chigwell. My parents were both born in London but on my mum's side my grandparents are Jamaican and my dad's side are Indian, from the Punjab.

When did you start gymnastics? I was maybe about six or seven… but I didn't do it for very long. I did it recreationally just for fun and then I did it a bit more seriously for maybe a year or two. Then I switched to trampolining when I was 11. That was what I did competitively, that was what I loved to do. And I think it's what gave me a good foundation for trapeze, because I knew where I was twisting and how I was somersaulting. But over time, I gradually stopped trampolining and went into circus.

What level were you at? I competed nationally, but I quit. I didn't like competing. I loved trampolining but I just hated the competitions. It was quite ironic. My mum was like: "I don't understand why you don't like competing because you always do so well in the competitions." I always won something but I just didn't enjoy it. It was too much pressure.

When did you first become aware of circus? We went to Jamaica to visit my grandparents and stayed in one of those resorts that has a flying trapeze rig, basically, and like, a little circus show. The children come and do classes and try the trapeze and take part in the circus show. I was a gymnast, my cousin was also a gymnast and he went with me to train. My others cousins were dancers so there were four of us and we thought: "Ooh, this will be fun." We ended up all doing a contortion act together, which was so funny [laughs] and that's how I got into it. I tried the flying trapeze, that was 2001, and from that day I just thought, ‘This is what I wanna do'. I came back from holiday and was Googling flying trapeze and that's how the Circus Space popped up. From there, I called them, went in for an audition…

So flying trapeze, not swinging trapeze back then? I started with flying trapeze [laughs]…

As a flyer? I was a flyer and I'd also catch the girls. That's what I did, cradle and flying trapeze and I did it for six years on the Youth Circus. I didn't try swinging until I started the degree programme at Circus Space when I was 18.

What made you swap to swinging? With flying I needed a troupe of people or if I did cradle I needed someone else, and at the time there was no one there who wanted to do flying or cradle so it was either straps, acro or swinging trapeze. I loved swinging and I still felt I could train other stuff alongside it because I'd been training through Youth Circus. I'd done straps then and static trapeze, so yeah.

It's not exactly an easy act to drop into a cabaret… It's so difficult. It's a bit of a pain in the bum, to be honest. [Laughs] That's the thing cos it needs so much space, and the rigging as well gets a little confusing and difficult. You might get a place has the space but then you need four floor points to make sure it's all stable and fixed and it doesn't move. It gets really difficult but that's why the festival is perfect. There aren't many festivals that have a big enough space that allow me to swing.

There was an artist, Emma Stones, swinging in Wiesbaden, at the European Youth Circus Festival, so that's a possibility… Oh Emma, she's a really good friend of mine. She was two years ahead of me at Montreal.

But dance trapeze gives you more options… Literally all I work with in London is dance trapeze and straps and some acro stuff. On the ship I did dance trapeze and straps, I did pole, silks, hand-to-hand, I danced. It was like: "What can you do? We need it all." [Laughs] I was supposed to swing actually on the ship but something wasn't finished so it didn't happen. I love dance trapeze just as much as swinging. It does just give me an option to work more.

Have you considered traditional circus? It's a bit of a different life. Yes, I have actually.

Let's just go back, why did you want to go on to Montreal after Circus Space? Victor! Victor was there and for swinging that was kind of the best option, the best thing to do if that was something I felt strongly about and wanted to work with as much as I could. The training I would have needed to compete against other swingers, Victor was the option. There's another guy, I think in France, who also worked with Victor a long time ago. It was also the time when Lyndall Merry went to Montreal to train with Victor, swinging, and he came back to London and started swinging at the Circus Space again – I think I was in the first year – and I saw a kind of new technique that he'd brought back. The stuff that he was doing was what I wanted to do. He gave me that push to actually go and pursue it and find a way to get over to Montreal and train with Victor. I'd always heard his name from other circus people, just for swinging, but he also teaches a lot of straps; that's his gymnast's background.

Does Victor (below) still teach at the school or just in his own studio? He teaches at the school in the mornings from, like 8.30am until about 1.30pm and then gets to the studio for 2.30pm and teaches until 9pm. It's ridiculous.

How hard did you have to work in Montreal? School was really, really, really difficult. It was the best and worst thing, kind of. I was always so tired, I was always so sore and then you have to do it all again. I'd be at school from 7.30am until 9pm most days because obviously Victor only teaches in the mornings so a lot of my classes were at 8.30 in the morning. So I'd swing for an hour or two hours, depending on what day it was, but I'd get there at 7.30am to get ready and warm up. Then school would finish at about 4pm or 5pm and then we'd have night classes from 6pm to 9pm, which was either a French class twice a week or intro to circus arts, or rigging, or lighting or stuff like that. It was really, really difficult; really difficult.

Looking back, I don't know how I managed to get through. I remember when I left school I just chilled out for a month before I started the cruise contract. I needed that time to kind of let my body realise what had happened to it for three years. But it was great, I loved it. It gave me everything that I needed and they give you like, hours and there's so much support. I feel there's a lot of expectation still, a standard of what's expected, and that standard can be a little bit too much, but they really do push you and they just want the best for you and they want you to be the best that you can be. They just try to squeeze it out of you [laughs].

And it really paid off! What's the hardest trick you do? The hardest… I haven't done it since I graduated. I did it for my final presentation and then I never did it ever again. It was, 'I did it, I did it, I did do it, it's on video, I've got it'. It's a triple twist…

Like a pirouette? Yeah, and then I finish upside down in ankles, in the ropes. No one else  does that. I managed to get it and I performed it but then it was like, just so much stress, and I was like, 'I can't, I can't do it'. That's the hardest thing just cos you have to do it perfectly for it to work… I didn't always do it perfectly so I was always landing kind of on the side of my leg or up in my ribs. I didn't want to injure myself anymore, you know.

Talking about injuries, what does swinging do to your hands? It does take a toll but they're OK at the minute…

Do you wear any hand guards? No. Obviously the more I swing, the more I train, the more callused they get, but I have to be careful because if the calluses get too big, that's when they can rip off. That happened during the Youth Circus show… I had tape on my hands for that show because my hands ripped in the dress rehearsal. It was awful, the worst thing and then having to go and do the four shows I actually had to change my routine because I couldn't hang on the bar too much or do one of the tricks I wanted to do at the end, a somersault, because it was just too painful.

I'm trying to be really careful with them now. It's difficult to balance the amount of training. I want to be as prepared as I can be but I know when I need to stop because if my hands rip before the festival it's gonna be horrible. I guess that's the bain of aerialists' lives, our hands.

Gymnasts wear… They wear leather hand guards. I keep meaning to buy a pair online because I used to use them and they do help but I'd only use them if my hands got really sore, because ideally, because of the saltos and stuff that I wanna do I really need to be able to feel where I am on the bar and be able to let go easily when I need to. It's just one of those things that I have to deal with and just get on with.

How much fun was it to go back and appear with the Youth Circus kids in Outfoxed? It was a lot of fun and to be there with Nathan and Arthur… Nathan I'd been with at Circus Space since I was 11. I'm 24 now and it did make me think, ‘Oh my god, I can't believe it's been ten years’. It was really, really good and to work with Jack [Horner] as well, who was one of my Youth Circus teachers and he was a swinging trapezist as well. Outfoxed was great and I got to do hand-to-hand with Nathan and Arthur… if I weren't a swinging trapezist, my dream would be to be hand-to-hand flyer.

It was great to work with the circus students and to see some of them move on to the degree course. I see them there now and they always come to us for advice. I tell them, 'You need to love what you pick to specialise in'. The thing with swinging is that I love doing it. I've accepted that I might not always be able to continually work contract after contract with it but if I can do dance trapeze or straps or whatever and then do a contract with swinging I've come to terms with it. People ask me about it; swinging is like, really difficult. I wouldn't advise doing it unless you really, really love it and you know from the get-go that this isn't something you'll have contract after contract with, literally because of space and rigging.

Do any of your cousins do circus now? Not circus but my cousins are professional dancers. They're in musical theatre. One's in Kinky Boots at the minute, he's one of the angels. I've seen it a lot. We've got a very athletic family. My dad was a black belt kick boxer with my aunt, my mum was a runner, a hockey player… my brother… we're all sporty and athletic in some way. It's great because I have such love and support from my family, not just my mum and my dad and my brother, but my aunts and uncles, my cousins, because they all understand that it's difficult, the life of an artist, not necessarily knowing when your next job is. They always come to watch me perform and they're coming to Paris. It's really nice to have that support. A lot of people don't have that because people don't see it as a real job, and I appreciate it so much.

How do you feel about appearing at the Demain festival? I feel pretty good right now, pretty calm and collected [laughs]. That might change once I'm in Paris. When I first found out I was terrified, absolutely terrified. I called Lj [Marles, who is also taking part] and we both freaked out. I was so happy… but oh my god, OK, we have to perform on that huge stage in front of all these people…

But you're both so good, all you've got to do is do what you always do. Exactly. I've had some really good chats with some people. I spoke to Joe Pinzon recently. He's worked a lot and done a lot of things. I know this anyway but he said: "Just do what you do. It's just another performance like any other." I know what I'm doing, I'm in control, it will be fine. I spoke to Ugo Dario, he did the festival a few years ago, he's in Machine de Cirque now, and he said: "Just have fun. Just have fun with your friends there and you'll have a great time." Lj will be there and I have some friends from my year in Montreal who will be there, too.

Do you know Masha Terentieva? She’s going. Yes, I do. There's a good bunch of people and I'm really excited. I feel really good at the minute because I've been training, I've been running my number and yeah, it's getting there.

Have you had a career highlight yet or might this be it? Do you know what, I actually think this might be it. I get to swing and perform in front of all these people and all these incredible other artists in this beautiful, amazing tent. Five years ago this week I auditioned there for Montreal so I know what to expect. I think this will be it; this will be it.

Korri takes part in the 38th edition of the Cirque de Demain festival, which runs from 26-29 January 2017 at Cirque Phénix in Paris.

Picture credits: Roland Lorente; Bertil Nilsson; Warren Zelman 

Twitter: @korblimey @cirque2demain @Freeze_Pop @cdenigremont @NationalCircus @YouthCircus

Follow @TheWidowStanton on Twitter

Read our interviews with Cirque de Demain MC Calixte de Nigremont and participants Lj Marles and Masha Terentieva and Outfoxed director Jack Horner