#northern gateway

[etherealyearning]

Tollymore Forest Park, New Castle

[rabbitcruiser]

Solsona, Spain (No. 1)

Solsona is a municipality and capital of the comarca of the Solsonès in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the centre of the comarca in the Catalan Central Depression. It is served by the C-55 road to Manresa, and is linked to Berga and Bassella by the C-26. Until a few years ago, Solsona used to be the main road used by people from Barcelona to go to Andorra.

The old town is known as the Nucli antic: it preserves a large part of its fortifications. The cathedral of Santa Maria de Solsona and the episcopal palace are in a neoclassical style. The latter houses the diocesan and comarcal museum and the Museum of Salt (Museu de la Sal), with crystals and objects made from the salt of nearby Cardona.

One of the most important events in the city is Carnaval, a pagan celebration that marks the beginning of the Quaresma. Tens of thousands of people come from all over Catalonia and beyond, to participate in the celebration that lasts almost one week.

Solsona is home to one of the oldest hunters' association of Catalonia, which held its 75th anniversary in 2015. The city also hosts the only big research centre of Catalonia located outside an urban area, the Forest Sciences Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), with around 100 people employed.

Source: Wikipedia

[ohsalome]

Today is a 37st anniversary of the Chornobyl Nuclear Plant disaster. It's hard to talk about one unprocessed national tragedy while living through another.

The Chornobyl disaster was totally preventable and it took away countless lives of people living in the region, especially in Ukraine and Belarus - both the liquidators and the civillians. Despite the very air and dust being literal poison, the soviets had not only hid this information from the people, but forced everybody to partake in the May the 1st parade - because god forbid we lose our face before the international community as a working class paradise! If not for the nuclear scientists in Sweden who raised the alarm about the dangerous levels of nuclear particles coming from northern Ukraine, who knows what would have happened. It definitely would have been swepped under the rug and forgotten by the international community, together with its victims - just like Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan is barely known abroad.

With russia constantly threatening to turn Zaporhizhzha nuclear plant into second Chornobyl, the wound caused by this tragedy is cut open again.

We all love the HBO Chornobyl series, and I genuinely am grateful to Craig Mazin for the amount of empathy and respect he brought to the series; but for today I indulge you to watch something made by ukrainians, to try to understand what this tragedy means to us and how it influences our lives even today.

For the documentaries, my favourite series by this day remains the "Dragons live here" by Your Underground Humanitarian School Youtube channel, which, unfortunately, can only offer automated english subtitles - they should, however, be sufficient.

As for the feature films, I recommend "Gateway" (you can stream it online with english subtitles here). And here is the official english trailer:

[bigboppa01]

U.S. Route 50 in Nevada, stretching approximately 408 miles from the California border near Lake Tahoe to the Utah border near Baker, is famously known as "The Loneliest Road in America." This route traverses diverse landscapes, including the scenic Sierra Nevada mountains, vast desert expanses, and remote mountain ranges. Major cities along the way include Carson City, Fallon, and Ely, each offering unique attractions such as historical sites, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, and gateways to natural wonders like Great Basin National Park. The road also passes through historic mining towns like Austin and Eureka, preserving 19th-century charm and providing a glimpse into Nevada's rich mining heritage.

Travelers on Route 50 should prepare for minimal traffic, limited cell service, and stretches with few services, underscoring the importance of planning fuel stops and carrying extra supplies. Despite its isolation, the highway offers a wealth of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, off-roading, and stargazing, particularly near landmarks like Sand Mountain Recreation Area and Lehman Caves. Celebrated for its historical significance as part of the Pony Express and Lincoln Highway, Route 50 presents a unique and serene driving experience through some of America's most striking and solitary landscapes.

[ladnkilt]

PUBUS (Latin) THE FURY FOREST PATH LEADING TO A POTENTIAL GATEWAY TO THE MASCULINE SOUL!

The Male Form...  In Photography, Art, Architecture, Decor, Style, And Culture Which Moves Beyond Mere Appearance To Reveal The... SOUL.

By LadNKilt: Earl Of Darlow, Ben Official Residence: County Antrim Northern Ireland; Main Residence: London U.K.; Second Residence: Kansas City Missouri U.S.A. LadNKilt Archive | Message Me | Submit | LadNKiltLife (Biography)

[alldancersaretalented]

Studio Switch List 2024/25

(also includes late season switches)

Link to "How many studio switches so far?"

??

-> Elite Studio of Dance

Jordyn Hay

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

B. Bernard C. Butler M. Caryl L. Caver E. Defoe K. Heath I. Lewis C. Nielson A. Peterson S. Peterson A. White

-> Kinetic Dance

Mary Anne Serpas

-> Mather Dance Company

Sally Schulz

-> N10 Dance Studios

Juliette Birchard Jonah Guzman

-> Renner Dance Company

Connell Gocke

-> The Merge (new studio!)

Leila Pitcovich

-> The Moxie Movement (new studio!)

Beeta Barkhordar Harper Fish Bailee Hill Sky White

-> The Union (new studio!)

Veda and little sister Mia Weisz-Marin

-> Tribe Seven

Cate Block

3'N Motion Studio

-> BLA Dance Academy

Molly Weber Margaux Struble Chloe Todman

4th Street Dance Centre

-> Northern Force Dance Company

Hazel Brown Olena Brown

Adage Dance Center

-> K2 Studios

Dylan Kubo Aspen Walton

Adrenaline Dance Company

-> Prodigy Dance Studio

Bellarose Ramos

AE Dance Productions

-> The Company Space

Hazel Kinnick

All American Dance Factor

-> Evolve Dance Complex

Madison Virostek

Allegro Performing Arts Academy

-> Pave School of the Arts

Lily McFarland

AM Dance

-> Studio X

Brooklyn Abrams Alana Cato Asyah Lewis Baileigh McJimson Leiyah Nova

-> The K Project Dance Company

Aubrey Davis Jaden Gonzalez Rosalyn Gutierrez

Amirian Ballet Academy

-> Royal Danish Ballet School

Emma Crawford

Apples Dance Lab

-> Evolve Dance Complex

Payten Butler Sara Wren

Artistic Motion Dance

-> Abstraction Dance Company

Giselle Pilorin

-> Devotion The Movement

Sydney Duke Sunnie Pelant

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Zoe Baker GG Mier Katie Rosa Piper Ryder Tatum Ryder

Art Of Technique

-> The Washington School Of Ballet

Kaitlyn Brandely

Augusta West Dance Studio

-> CCJ Conservatory

Zoe Lewis

Avanti Dance Company

-> CAP The Company

Natalie Jahn

-> Mather Dance Company

Hayden Goren Reese Goren

-> N10 Dance Studios

Saige Hibbard

-> West Coast School of the Arts

Eva Graziano

Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre

-> Boston Ballet II

Sophia Jones

Bayer Ballet Academy

-> John Cranko Schule

Amelia Chen

Big City Dance Center

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Alex Cyncewicz

Brava Dance

-> Westchester Dance

Emily Pierog

Burbank Dance Academy

-> ABT Junior Co

Manuela De Souza

Cache Valley Civic Ballet

-> Creative Dance Academy

Kate Baldwin Sophia Baldwin

Camarillo Academy of Performing Arts

-> Bobbie's School of Performing Arts

Peyton Root Ryan Root

Canadian Dance Unit

-> Vlad's Dance Company

Quinn Powers

CanDance Studios

-> Club Dance Studio

Preslie Ball

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Colette Stutzman

-> The Union (new studio!)

Crystalyn Chesko

Carlsbad Dance Centre

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Ansel Mullick Camille Mullick Evelyn Mullick

Cary Dance Prudctions

-> Renner Dance Company

Marlee Thomas

CC & Co Dance Complex

-> Renner Dance Company

Connell Gocke Olivia Roberson

Centerstage Dance Academy

-> West Florida Dance Company

Ava Starr Rodriguez

Center Stage Dance Company

-> JBP Entertainment

Bianca Lewis

Center Stage Dance Gymnastics

-> The Fenyx Project

Arielle Miles

Center Stage Performing Arts Studio

-> The Moxie Movement (new studio!)

Halston Fisher Oakley Fisher Tatum Fisher

Charliz Balicao Dance Company

-> Larkin Dance Studio

Payton Mueller

Cincinnati Ballet Professional Training

-> Alabama Ballet

Caroline Love Jenna Renfield

City Ballet San Francisco

-> Boston Ballet II

Maddie Austin

CityDance Conservatory

-> Boston Ballet School II

Lucian DeBellis

CJ Dance Crew

-> Club Dance Studio

Madi Cole MaKinley Cole

Club Dance

-> ??

Ashton Wullbrandt

-> Dance Studio C

Gwyneth Woods

-> Elite Dance Pro

Madisyn Rose Amos Kennedy Cicerelli Abby Honstad Jaida Morin Payton Stowe

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Tilly Allen Brinley Bennett Brynlee Bulbulian Lainey Bulbulian Makena Cameron Pallas Chiste Olivia Clouse Kensley Colman Charlotte Cook Sophia Dasalla Avery Dunwell Lena Funk Mia Funk Jaycee Grant Kalista Greer Kanon Greer Kaylan Greer Oakley Hill Goldie Hill Birdie Hill Alaina Igleski Kaydence Lawton Arianna Mendez Callie Mendez Harper O'Malley Dannika Ren'ee Quiroz Tatem Robinson Leslie Soto Nicole Soto Tatum Strauss Kate Valentine Aubrey Williams

-> Illusion Dance Company

Madyson Barney

-> Prodigy Dance PAC

Taeya Stosich Tinley Stosich

Complexity Dance Center

-> Vision Dance Alliance

Ava Dowling London Dowling

Concept Pavielle

-> Larkin Dance Studio

Siena Paradeau

Conservatory of Dance Arts

-> The Merge (new studio!)

Ella Andrews Sarah Blady Charlotte Dean Sophie Dean Calli Hollenbeck Lilly May Hartley Murla

Cypress Dance Project (closing!)

-> The Fenyx Project

Ahmya Tovar Jasleen Tovar

-> Tribe Seven

Avery Farris Gracelyn Harris Kyndle McCormick Frankie Miranda Mia Narvaez Tana Nickerson Evelin Peterson Lily Savarese Paislynn Schroeder Gabriella Slay Dalilah Soto Frankie Soto Kayla Tanea Abigail Wade Melody Thiel Rianna Weck Rosalie Wickman

Cypress Elite Dance Studio

-> The Fenyx Project

Charlie Mae

Dance Academy of State College

-> Evolve Dance Complex

Emma Girdany

Dance Arts Centre ATL

-> Dance Lab (new studio!)

Ryn Andersen Tarin Belizaire Izzy Bensinger Nina Kitchen Daniella Lerman Samantha Wilson

Dance Arts Centre

-> Summit Dance Shoppe

Beckett Eberhard Britta Eberhard

Dance Connection 2

-> Club Dance Studio

Claire Pistor

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Jaxon Adamson Juliette Ridenour Scarlett Ridenour

Dance Connection Scottsdale

-> The Collective PHX

Madee Richardson

Dance Deluxe

-> Club Dance Studio

Dana Homes

-> Dance Connection 2

Kamryn Arnold

-> Elektro Dance Academy

Sunday Smith

Dance Dimensions PAC

-> The House Dance Complex

Sophia Hasson Victoria Safahi

Dance Enthusiasm

-> Murrieta Dance Project

Liciana Vun

-> Phunk Phenomenon Dance Studio

Landon Indeglia

Dance Exposure 2

-> The Vision Dance Alliance

Morgan Wendt

Dance FX

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Aryanna Lafontaine Cooper

Dance Inc Company

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Lauren Allan

Dance Lab OC

-> Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy

Maggie Till

Dancemark Studio

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Katie Bishop

Dance Republic

-> Club Dance

Annabelle Greenamyer Scottie Greenamyer Abigail Patton

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Kaia Roseland

Dance Studio C

-> Elite Dance Pro -> Dance Connection 2

Charlotte Rathjen

-> Impact Dance

Maizey Miller Savannah Miller

Dance University

-> Impact Dance Academy (new studio!)

Olivia Cherpak Stella Cherpak Chiara Siragusa Mila Steven

Dance Unlimited Miami

-> Stars Dance Studio

Mila Talab

The Dance Zone

Katelyn Miranda

-> The Living Dolls Dance Factory

Olivia Martinez

Dance Unlimited Colorado

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Fiona McDonald

Dance Vision

-> Becky Nalevanko's Dance Studio

Aria Telander

DanceDynamicsLV

-> Academy of Nevada Ballet

Naya Fowler

-> The Rock

Brielle Bonas Parker June

Danceology

-> Club Dance

Kelsey Jackman Makayla Jackman

-> DC Dance Factory

Kendall Kolodge

-> Evoke Dance Movement

Vida Lemos

-> Hyphen Conservatory

Haley Bertino

-> North County Academy of Dance

Ella Nani Knight

-> Pave San Diego

Paisley Publico Polly Jo Publico

Dancers Edge

-> Club Dance

Emerson Van Houten

Dancers World Production

-> K2 Studios

Claire Zhang

Dance Vision

-> The Academy

Cece Nguyen

Dansations Competition Team

-> The Vision Dance Alliance

Brady Horne

DC Dance Factory

-> The Vision Dance Alliance

Harper Bowen

Dellos Dance Academy

-> The Academy

Kendall Krajewski

Diverse Elements

-> Dance Connection Scottsdale

Kenna Bonhote

-> Dance Connection 2

Peyton Whited

Divine Dance Center

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Kallie Niday

DMdance Company

-> The Merge (new studio!)

Kinsley Gainer Taylor Jenkins Tyler Jenkins

Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy

-> ABT Junior Co

Clara Riggs

-> Boston Ballet II

Pavel Kulev

-> Elite Classical Coaching

Summer Lily

-> European School of Ballet

Annabel Kohn

-> San Francisco Ballet School

June Freeman

-> Westside Dance Project

Fiona Poth

DNA Dance Creatives

-> Prodigy Dance PAC

Jackson Ruekert

Drapers Center for Dance Education

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Rhauri Samuels

-> The Rock School For Ballet

Samuel Gauss

Dynamic Dance Company

-> Stars Dance Studio

Victoria Crupi

Dynamic Dance Refinery

-> New Level Dance Company

Sophia Hernandez-Gonzalez

Elektro Dance Academy

-> Dance Deluxe

Alexis Gizzo

-> Eternal Dance Company

Madyson Koch

-> LA Dance

Kinsey Joan

-> The Collective PHX

Julianna Aispuro Tenley Anthony

Elevate Dance Academy

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Sidney Sullivan

Elite Classical Coaching

-> Academie Princess Grace

Morgan Ligon

-> Royal Ballet School

Izzy Keesee

Elite Dance PAC

-> Hyphen Conservatory

Lillie Lanier

Elite Dance Pro

-> Club Dance

Peyton De La Cerda Mila Michael Lucia Piedrahita Sophia Schiano River Segerman

-> Rhythm Dance Complex

Gavin Schwarze

-> The Collective PHX

Alexa Schwarze

Elite Feet Artists Company

-> Stars Dance Studio

Norah Hurley

Elise Flagg Academy Of Dance

-> Central PA Youth Ballet

Ella Wilke

Ellison Ballet

-> ABT Junior Co

Victoria Papakalodouka

Encore Dance Arts

-> The Collective PHX

Laila Faith

Eternal Dance Company

-> CanDance Studios

Alaina Martinez

-> Gateway Dance Center

Juniper Wakefield

Evoke Dance Movement

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Eleanor Bullock Lucia Jade Frazier Emmy Claire Khaiden Tayah Klimuck Dylan Schaffer Maya Steinman

Evolve 26

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Blayklee Balthazar

Evolve Dance Complex

-> CCJ Conservatory

Cami Vorhees

-> Power Dance Company

Maya Rogers

Evolution Dance Center

-> North County Academy Of Dance

Presley McGraw

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Casey Archibald Liv Barrelli Karisma Colyan Kirrana Colyan Ava Cucker Elyse Dueler Alli Esposito Avery Fumillari Sofia Galati Joya Garner Sofia Gorman Kendall Hensley Kaylie Koehnen Brianna Lee Isla Marshall Emma MacKay Everly McGraw Ellie Miles Avril Overlock Drew Overlock Danielle Smart Kirra Stradwiser Vivienne Tolentino Lyla Yuceit Brooke Zamoff Shayne Zell

Expressions Dance & Music

-> Tribe Seven

Francesca Casaretto Gabi Woods

Fearless Dance Company

-> K2 Studios

Marilyn Castaneda

Flashdance Studio

-> Houston Ballet Academy

Patricio Lopez

FLEX Dance and Fitness

-> The Southern Strutt

Grace Marvella

Freckled Frog Dance Studio

-> K2 Studios

Vallerina Athena

Fusion Dance Force

-> Blueprint Dance Project

Emily Deal Abigail Monahan Abby Rodriguez

Fusion Studios

-> Mather Dance Company

Brooke Kim Mariana Simoes

Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

-> Dance Deluxe

Bradley Kawa Breckyn Kawa

Gotta Dance Company AZ

-> The Collective PHX

Avah Gonzalez Gabriella Gonzalez Valencia Gonzalez

Gotta Dance Company CA

-> Stars Dance Studio

Tristan Jones

Greenwich Conservatory of Classical Ballet

-> Dance Town

Cassie Coughlin

-> Mather Dance Company

Lydon Thach

-> The Academy

Lia Turrieta

Hart Academy of Dance

-> The Academy

Lia Turrieta

Hathaway Academy of Ballet

-> somewhere in the Netherlands

Kennedy Kahler

Heart & Sole Performing Arts

-> Gotta Dance Company

Leigha Jessee

Hollywood Ballet School

-> United Ballet Academy

Isobel Lehman

Houston Ballet Academy

-> Boston Ballet

Sam Stampleman

-> Boston Ballet II

Michael Dadlez Layla Porter

Hudson Dance Academy

-> Avanti Dance Company

Melody Garcia

Hyphen Conservatory

-> Mather Dance Company

Makaela McCosar

iBallet Studio

-> Elite Classical Coaching

Aviva Brock

Impact Dance

-> Club Dance Studio

Bostyn Thomas Holland Thomas Presley Thomas

In Motion Dance Project (closing)

-> ??

Mila Bonilla Anniston Clarke Adrienne Diaz Bella Flores Mia Flores Lily Holbrook Isabella Luciano Mali Photnetrakhom Madeline Terry Joey Webber

-> Dance Universe

Ellie ?

-> Marshall Ellis Dance School

Renee Forseth

-> New Dimensions Dance

Annalee Ramb

-> Starz Dance Company

Elissa Loryn Sadie Moore Isabella Peixoto

-> Orlando Ballet School

Sylvie Rock

-> Underground Movement

Lila Blood Kristyeliz Laureano Valerie Santana Izzy Warren

-> Xplosive Dance Academy

Levi Caicco Valeria Luciano Isabella Quartaro Olivia Rock Abigail Torres Adeline Vozza

Innovate Dance Studios

-> Avanti Dance Company

Pressly Loomis

Inspire Dance Complex

-> K2 Studios

Eliana Guzmán Isabela Guzmán Cali Rucker Arrow Yarbrough

Inspired Movement Dance

-> Innovate Dance Studios

Brooke Toro

Intensity Dance Academy

-> Evolve Dance Complex

Lydia Onder Bryn Onder

Intensity Dancer's Studio

-> Dance Town

Nicole Losada

In The Spotlight Dance Studio

-> Summit Dance Shoppe

Quinn Caroline

JBP Entertainment

-> BLA Dance Academy

Ashton Kinsleigh

JDI Dance Company

-> 4PM Dance

Addelyn Muesso

Jean Leigh Academy of Dance

-> Tari's School of Dance

Stella Vince

Joffrey Ballet School Texas

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Ella Waitz

Jump Dance Company

-> Impact Dance Academy (new studio!)

Natalie Boone Reese Gilman Chloe Mullins Claire Sorensen Addison Weimann

Jun Lu Performing Arts

-> Bayer Ballet Academy

Athena Hu

Just off Broadway

-> Club Dance Studio

Kaia Erby

-> Elite Classical Coaching

Sadie Daniels

-> Stars Dance Studio

Zoe Swope

K2 Studios

-> ??

(Jessica Sutton) (Rebecca Sutton)

-> Studio X

Jeanne Garcia Zoey Garcia

-> The Academy

Kynzli Reece

Kaos Dance Elite

-> The Company Space

Taylor Smith

Kat & Co

-> Evolve Dance Complex

Anthony Labritz

Katies Dance Connection

-> Elite Danceworx

Taya Osso

Kick Dance Studio

-> The Vision Dance Alliance

Violet Kolb

Kinetic Dance

-> The Merge (new studio!)

Catherine Owen

Kozmic Edge

-> Q3 Dance Company

Angelina Mendez

LA Dance AZ

-> Dance Connection Scottsdale

Syvon Stokes

Larkin Dance Studio

-> Studio 4

Lola Boisen

-> Concept Pavielle

Grace Sullivan

-> Elite Classical Coaching

Savannah Manzel

Legacy Dance Productions

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Mckenna Gerrits

Legacy Productions Miami

-> Stars Dance Studio

Emily Pina

Lovett Dance Center

-> Hyphen Conservatory

Logan Macy

Major Productions Studio of Dance

-> Impact Dance Academy (new studio!)

Hailey Schneider

Master Ballet Academy

-> Ballet West

Melanie McIntire

-> Club Dance Studio

Hazel Silverman (also continues training at MBA)

-> John Cranko Schule

Gracie Kirkwood Lillian Rossman

-> The Rock School For Ballet

Keagan Pickett

Mather Dance Company

-> OCPAA

Mia Santiago Savy Witeck

-> The Academy

Eliana Weiss

Mekka Dance Project

-> Tribe Seven

Ainsley Scott

Meta Fair Burns Dance

-> Kinetic Dance (new studio!)

Kylie Dalrymple

Miami City Ballet Pre-Pro

-> Boston Ballet II

Olivia Santos

Miami Dancity Studios

-> Stars Dance Studio

Sabrina Lorente

Michelle's Dance Xplosion

-> Nor Cal Dance Arts

Jaxon Albano

Michigan Dance Alliance

-> Artflux Dance Lab

Mattie Mair Millie Morante

Milele Academy, LLC

-> DC Dance Factory

Eisley Beer

MJ's House of Dance

-> Blueprint Dance Project

Kiley Holgerson Ava Azzaretto Caiden Boltz Cassidy Boltz

Monterey Peninsula Ballet Theatre

-> Bayer Ballet Academy

Harper Palmer

Move By Morrelli

-> Artistic Fusion Dance

Lilianna Hales

Murrieta Dance Project

-> K2 Studios

Jaedon Diaz Kloey Diaz

MVP Elite

-> 3'Motion Dance Studio

Mackenzie Mucha Madison Mucha

N10 Dance Studios

-> ??

Ariella Truong

-> 4PM

Jordan Eskenazi

-> Dance Star Academy of Performing Arts

Avery Margarita

-> Premier Youth Dance Academy

Clara Han

-> Project 21

Annie Hu Madison Ng

New Level

-> Stars

Kenny Braga Reese Braga

NJ Center of Dance

-> The Vision Dance Complex

Bella Baldino

No Limits Dance Company

-> CCJ Conservatory

Rylie Sickles

Northern Force Dance Company

-> Larkin Dance Studio

Aria Johnson Sloane Johnson

North Shore Dance Academy

-> Dance Enthusiasm

Juliana Desilets Ellie Fanning Sophie MacKenzie Callie Wilkins Molly Wilkins

OCPAA

-> ??

Sarah Kuy

-> K2 Studios

Amelia Faizi Ella Montano

-> Mather Dance Company

Mila Malone Sierra Yen

-> Nebraska Dance

Sophia SantaMaria

-> Project 21

Reese Arkin Valeria Ochoa

-> Studio X

Jordyn Rockett

On Pointe Dance Studio

-> K2 Studios

Giuliana Bressler

Orlando International School of Dance

-> Starz Dance Company

Layla Jordan

Palm Beach Academy of Dance Arts

-> Dance Universe

Hattie Selene

Panama City Dance Academy

-> Kinetic Dance (new studio!)

Maisie-Rose Burkey

Paula Carr Dance Academy

-> Elektro Dance Academy

Eliza Gee

Pave School of the Arts

-> Evoke Dance Movement

Addyson Paul

-> Innovate Dance Studios

Quinn Briscoe

-> Mather Dance Company

Alexa Rauth Ava Rauth

-> OCPAA

Kennedy Bush

-> Project 21

Stella Fisk Liv Matson

-> The Moxie Movement (new studio!)

Kenzie Arrendondo Talia Ayumi Gemma DeSola Kinsley Dunn Kassidy Dunn Ellie Iwamoto James Iwamoto Harper Fisk Marlowe Fisk Tatum Fisk Kirsten Jeslyn Kailey Longshore Kassidy Luong Sophia Monje Alexa Paul Goli Ranekouhi Rylee Stabeck Isaiah Wang Hadley York

-> South County Dance

Hayden Calder

Perception Dance

-> Premier Dance

Madison Smith

Perfect Pointe Dance

-> Studio X

Danya Chang

Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School

-> Ballet West Academy

Carina Fulop

Platform Dance

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Arielle Michalak

Precision Dance Conservatory

-> Dance Universe

Teagan Sanchez

Premier Youth Dance Company

-> Elite Classical Coaching

Greysen Fowler-Allen

Prestige Dance Institute

-> Renner Dance Company

Kensley Phillips

Profusion Talent

-> Studio X Dance Complex

Dallas Soffel

Project 21

-> ??

Ally Choi Airi Dela Cruz

-> CAP The Company

Dillon Barron

-> CA School of Classical Ballet

Aliya Yen

-> Stars Dance Studio

Leilani Lawlor

-> Westside Dance Project

Makeila Bartlett

Project Performer

-> Pave San Diego

Nora Aminlari

Renner Dance Company

-> Club Dance Studio

Ania Siri Olivia Siri

Republic Edge Dance Company

-> Tribe Seven

Adalynn Delaney Alayna Jeneva Cali Lynch Aubrey Warren

Revolution Dance

-> Dance Zone

Kaylin Gabosch

Rize All

-> Elite Studio of Dance

Carissa Chueng Roxanna Chueng

-> Natiomas Dance Method

Ayla Polendav

-> University Cheer Force

Addelyn Skube

Rockly Mountains Ballet Academy

-> San Francisco Ballet School

Shylee Sagle

Russian Masters Ballet

-> Dmitri Kulev Classical Ballet Academy

Sheridan Stone

San Clemente Dance

-> Variant Movement

Alana Ting

SFLA Dance Complex

-> Dance Enthusiasm

Addison Parker

Skyra Studios

-> Mather

Sienna Morris

Sol Studio SSD (closing!)

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Phoebe Fatula Hayden Goebel Makenna McGrath Lily Parraga Riley Platenberg Gabby Reiss Tiffany Robinson Keira Segal

Soul Studio Dance

-> West Florida Dance Company

Callie Ludtke

South County Dance

-> K2 Studios

Paige Garrett Reese Garrett

-> Mather Dance Company

Gabby Campos

Southland Ballet Academy

-> ABT Junior Co

Alisa Xu

-> Pacific Dance

Natalie Chiang

South Tulsa Dance Co

-> Next Step Dance

Allyn Green

Stage One Dance Studio

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Katie Kim

Starstruck Performing Arts Center

-> Perception Dance

Jacey Erwin Kinley Winn

Steps N Motion Dance

-> K2 Studios

Aspen Roberts

Studio 1 Dance Academy

-> Club Dance

Hadley Taylor

-> The House Dance Complex

Lyla Martin

Studio 4

-> Larkin

Elle Boudewyns Reese Ottney Leah Pribyl Vera Souvannavong

Studio 19 Dance Complex

-> Elite Dance By Damian

Alexis Crystal

-> Evolve Dance Complex

Carina Simone

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Kaitlyn Allen

Studio 702

-> The Rock

Peyton Nowacki Addison Price Hailey Stuck Taylor Stuck

Studio Bleu Dance Center (closing!)

-> ??

Kristin Mitchell

-> Art of Technique

Abigail Daisy Olivia Rosiek Chloé Le Pettigrew Victoria Zhang

-> Cerdafied Dance Studios

Nick Shalin

-> CityDance Conservatory

Kennedy Thompson

-> Dance Academy of Loudoun

Madelyn Cuttin Addie She

-> Enchanted Stage

Lily Mendoza Ellie Myers Mina Oemler

-> Ignite The Light Performing Arts

Zion Landis

-> LM Premier Dance

Grace Wright

-> Mission Dance Project (new studio!)

Lily Carmello Ava Doell Aubrey Franklin Kayleigh Jo Ellie Myers Brianna Norgrove Emily Parinello Brooklyn Smith Stella Tullio Jessica Zhang

-> NOVA Elite Dance Alliance

Nicole Ocean

-> Rise Dance Center

Kennedy Mirabella Maddy Mirabella

-> TDC Dance

Ja Pelle Nayeli Wilder

-> The Dance Lab VA (new studio!)

Leilah Bell Lily Rae Bolno Audrina Brudner Bellatrix Castillo Isabella Plotczyk Ashlan Scheide Mina Terry Gina Zhang

Studio G Dance Company

-> Art In Motion Conservatory of Dance

Madilyn Rexrode

-> Artistic Edge

Devin Dalmolin

Summer's Danceworks

-> The Union (new studio!)

Cienna Fernow Ellah Perry

Summit Dance Shoppe

-> Concept Pavielle

Gabriella Maggitt Carrigan Paylor

-> Larkin Dance Studio

Lucy Mae Dunn

Synergy Academy Utah

-> Center Stage Performing Arts Studio

Corra Blake

Tapio School of Dance and Gymnastics

-> CCJ Conservatory

Landry Leon

TDA Prep

-> Exhibit 3 Dance

Avery Maycunich

Temecula Dance Company

-> K2 Studios

Bailey Dalton

Texas Academy of Dance Arts

-> Tribe Seven

Gatsby Lasala Quinlyn Lasala

The Academy

-> Evoke Dance Movement

Ella Carlson

-> K2 Studios

Laci Stoico

-> Mather Dance Company

Bella Puskar

-> The Next Big Thing Academy

Peyton Barron

-> The Platform Dance Studio

Malia Williams

-> YYC Dance

Kinsley Oykhman

The Art of Classical Ballet

-> Hollywood Ballet School

Kya Massimino

Theatre Arts

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Hallee Francisco

The Ballet Clinic

-> Russian Ballet Academy

Sarina Rosenblum

The Center Stage Dance Studio

-> YLAB

Blakelyn Scifres

The Collective PHX

-> CanDance Studios

Sasha Landreaux

-> Club Dance Studio

Ellie Laird Zoie Laird

-> Elite Dance Pro

Alivya Alfonso

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Breckyn Kawa -> Dance Deluxe Bradley Kawa -> Dance Deluxe

-> Russian Ballet Academy

Mila Hiatt

-> The Union (new studio!)

Addy Gaffney

TheCREW

-> Studio X

Kinley Cunningham

The Dance Academy of Puyallup

-> The Company Space

Isabella Scandale

The Dance Centre NJ

-> The Vision Dance Alliance

Savanna Grae

The Dance Complex

-> Larkin Dance Studio

Maddyn Bauermeister Henley Raak

The Dance Institute

-> Stars Dance Studio

Maribel Weishaar

The Dance Scene

-> Studio X

Desi Alcala

The Dance Space

-> Tribe Seven

Penelope Church

The Dance Spot

-> Danceology

Alessandra Escobar-Moeller

-> Mather Dance Company

Kennedy Molino

The Element Dance Center

-> The Academy

Sunnie Stanley

The Living Dolls Factory

-> Legacy Dance Studio

Lilliana Gonzalez

The Movement Complex

-> Stars Dance Studio

Victoria Reich

The NINE Dance Academy

-> Canadian Dance Company

Shaunaughsey Meagher

-> Vlad's Dance Company

Evelyn Rego Ivy Mae Rego

The Platform Dance Studio

-> CCJ Conservatory

Kaydence Mardis

-> Dance Connection 2

Jordyn Castle

-> Gateway Dance Center (new studio!)

Clara Lawless Lily Lawless Stella Lawless Arielle Michalak Charlotte Reese

The Rage Dance Complex

-> Studio 1 Dance Academy

Tennasyn Faith Giselle Miranda

The Rock Center For Dance

-> ABT Junior Co

Crystal Huang

The Southern Strutt

-> CCJ Consevatory

Annsley Huff

The Talent Factory

-> K2 Studios

Ileana Cruz Sienna Legitt Natalie Pan Quinn Pan

The Vision Dance Alliance

-> New Jersey Ballet Company

Kennedy Anderson

The Why Movement

-> Tribe Seven

Grace Gerszewski

Titanium Arts Lab

-> MDC Bridge Into The Industry

Julliana Gould

Trademark Dance Academy

-> The Vision Dance Alliance

Braelynn McKenna

Variant Movement

-> New Level Dance Company

Gabby Terschluse

Way 2 Move - Dance & Movement

-> Dance Town

Alexa Oviedo

West Coast Dance Complex

-> Pave San Diego (new studio!)

Emily Bach

West Coast School of the Arts

-> Hyphen Conservatory

Rebeca Gomez Garza

West Florida Dance Company

-> Stars Dance Studio

Ella Dobler

-> The Southern Strutt

Macey Strickland

WestMet Classical Training

-> Sarasota Ballet School

Madelyn Murphy

Westside Dance Project

-> ??

Diana Kouznetsova Isabella Kouznetsova

-> European School of Ballet

Annabel Kohn

-> Hyphen Conservatory

Esme Chou Olivia Marquez

-> San Francisco Ballet School

Izzy Howard

Woodbury Dance Center

-> Larkin Dance Studio

Kylie Roach

Xtreme Dance Studio

-> The Rock School

Blake Metcalf

YLAB

-> Project 21

Emma Walters (also continuing training at YLAB)

Your Haven Dance Company

-> West Florida Dance Co

Kylee Kay

Youth American Ballet Company

-> Boston Ballet II

Natalie Cardona

[dark-corner-cunning]

Embracing the Northern Road: Welcoming the Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice blessings, seekers of the hidden paths. As we step into the season of stillness and shadow, we walk the Northern Road—the sacred direction of Winter, midnight’s embrace, and the black spirits of air. This is the realm of haunted winds, the whisper of spirit, the curling smoke of offerings, our breath upon the icy air, and the resonance of the voice that calls from the depths of the unseen.

The Northern Road is the domain of Old Mother Black Cap, embodying the Crone’s energy—wisdom distilled through experience, transformation born from the dark soil of the soul. The familiar spirit of this path is the black crow, a sentinel of the liminal. The crow, perched between realms, offers us a mystical gateway to the spirit world, where the rational mind falters, and the mysteries unfold. With the crow’s guidance, we are invited to explore the unknown, to see the unseen, and to trust the revelations it offers. The crow’s magic teaches us to dance with life’s mysteries and cultivates a sense of curiosity about the depths within ourselves and the world.

As the Winter Solstice dawns, marking the longest night and the return of the sun’s journey, we are reminded of Winter’s sacred purpose: transformation. This season, cradled in the arms of the Northern Road, is the birthplace of revolution and evolution. Winter is a time of introspection and integration, calling us to confront our shadows and embrace the darkness that holds the seeds of our potential. Through this embrace, we align with the cycles of the earth and prepare to sow the intentions that will sprout with the awakening of Spring.

The Northern Road speaks of balance—the ability to wield both the light and the shadow. Under Old Mother Black Cap’s watchful eye, we learn the power to cure, bless, and charm, as well as to curse, blast, and bind when necessity calls. This path reminds us of the duality within all things and the wisdom required to discern the appropriate actions in alignment with our deeper truths.

Workings under the Northern Road’s influence are potent and transformative. Air & Spirit magick thrives here, as do practices of atavistic communion—connecting with ancient and primal energies within ourselves and the land. Expansion and transformation are key themes, as are the arts of binding, blasting, and wisdom-seeking. The airy nature of this road encourages communication—not only with others but with the unseen forces and whispers of the spirits that guide us.

As you welcome the Winter Solstice, take a moment to stand still beneath the northern winds. Feel the breath of spirit on your skin, hear the crow’s call, and allow the Crone’s wisdom to guide you. Embrace the mysteries of this season, for Winter is not an end but a sacred pause, a time to honor the darkness within and prepare for the light to come. The Northern Road is yours to walk—boldly, wisely, and with the strength to wield all the power it offers. Blessed be. 🌒🖤🪶

“To the spirits of the north, keepers of the air, and the crow's keen eye. Hear our call, awaken, and arise.”

Artwork by my witch sister - Kay Reid

[canisalbus]

Does Machete (or Vasco) speak more than one language?

Machete is reasonably quick at absorbing new languages, which has been beneficial for someone in charge of Vatican's foreign relations. He has a good grasp of the various Italian languages and dialects and his usual way of speaking is formal, as accentless as possible and doesn't reveal much about his place of origin. His native language is Sicilian, but I assume he's lost most of it due to lack of use. He's fluent in Latin, as he should be, it's the official language of the Catholic church and all it's services. He knows Greek but practically never speaks it, it's mostly a gateway for him to get a better access to a variety of academic literature. His Spanish isn't perfect but it's sufficient for average use, and he's picked up a little bit of French but not nearly enough for him to rely on it alone.

Vasco's Florentine origins are evident in his speech, but like Machete he's had enough exposure to other Northern and Central regional languages that he can understand and speak a few of them at least passably. He knows limited Latin and a smattering of Greek, thanks to both being used extensively in higher education at the time, but he wasn't the most dedicated student and started to forget them quickly after dropping out.

[azalearanger]

*puts on conspiracy theory hat*

I know it is written somewhere that jrrt never intended for Gil-galad to be the son of Fingon, but I have found something that made me reconsider it:

So i'm reading Beren and Lúthien, and theres this small section (part of an excerpt from the Lay of Leithian) describing the northern landscape approaching Angband:

" Once wide and smooth a plain was spread, / where King Fingolfin proudly led / his silver armies on the green, / his horses white, his lances keen; / his helmets tall of steel were hewn; / his shields were shining as the moon. "

And who is Fingolfin? That's right, the father of Fingon.

Now you might already be seeing what I was seeing, but I when I read this, I was like hmmmm why does this sound familiar??

So we all remember the poem "The Fall of Gil-galad" yes? The one Bilbo translated into common speech and that Sam recited on Weathertop in Fellowship? Here's the second stanza:

" His sword was long, his lance was keen. / His shining helm afar was seen; / the countless stars of heaven's field / were mirrored in his silver shield. "

Am I going crazy? Maybe! But there sure are a lot of similarities in the language here....

UPDATE: after writing all this above, I peeked at the Tolkien Gateway Wiki and discovered that Tolkien did in fact recycle phrasing from the Lay for the poem in the Fellowship, so my point may be moot BUT we go on:

I don't think there's an "in-story" author for the Lay (is the Lay as a text/poem canon within legendarium/tolkien universe? Like is it something the characters know?), other wise I would have just said the in-story authors of these two poems were probably just Gilgalad son-of-Fingon son-of-Fingolfin truthers.

But since the Ley seems to just exist as an external narrative (as in, it doesn't seem to be a text that exists within the story like the Fall of Gilgalad does), that tells me it kinda reflects what Tolkien himself was thinking. So maybe he just recycled the phrasing because it sounded nice, or MAYBE he recycled it because he was considering the link between Fingolfin and Ereinion Gilgalad.

UPDATE UPDATE: A few pages later in Beren and Lúthien we get this:

" In that vast shadow once of yore / Fingolfin stood: his shield he bore / with field of heaven's blue and star / of crystal shining pale afar. "

AGAIN the word similarities with the second stanza of TFoGg, but also with the last two lines of the third stanza:

" for into darkness fell his star / in Mordor where the shadows are. "

Well, if you've read this far, thank you for following my conspiracy theory literary analysis. Am I a Gil-galad son of Fingon son of Fingolfin truther? Maybe! Who knows??

[ratatouillewastakendammit]

Pairing: Dabi x reader

Summary: a fic for this blurp;

Warnings: slightttt smut/mentions of smut; language; teasing;

Word Count: 3.5k

(I kinda want to write a full multi-chapter fic for this so let me know if anyone here would enjoy that!!)

You felt sick.

The bubbling cloud in front of you matched the contents of your stomach, the writhing horde of violet and ebony swirling in turmoil. A soft rumbling seemed to emit from the portal, a warning to surrender and run.

Giran, the League's silver haired broker, raised an arm, ushering you into the mass. A cigarette hung between his lips, the smoke leaving an unsavory odor in his wake. He offered you a sickly saccharine grin, the cigarette falling into the empty slot in his piano-like smile.

The man did nothing to settle your nerves. Still, your expression remained complacent; a mask that easily covered the anxiety bubbling underneath. 

Thoughts of caution gnawing at your train of thought definitely didn’t do anything to help, little reminders that whatever was on the other side of that shimmering gateway was ten times worse than the broker and his creepy persona. 

You had gotten the mission last week. It wasn’t particularly surprising, your status as one of the more covert pros amongst hero society meant that you were no stranger to undercover work.

Still, the word coming from your superiors that you would be infiltrating the League of Villains definitely didn’t fail to leave you shaken.

Their preferred strategy left you feeling even worse. 

Most female heroes were no stranger to using emotional manipulation, such as flirting, a tactic that you had used multiple times and had no issue with. 

Usually. 

Doing so with Dabi was well above your pay grade.

According to your higher-ups, the infamous fire wielding criminal had been spotted crawling around a bar in the northern side of the city, one that you had coincidentally utilized in the past for other missions. According to them, this made him vital to your mission for information on the League. 

He was your way in. 

Whether you wanted him to be or not. 

So you had taken a day or two to prepare, allowing the ambush of whisky and smoke to wash over your senses as you entered the bistro. The bartender, an undercover cop working to take down a drug ring leader, was someone you were well acquainted with, making the arrangement of your temporary employment go by without a hitch. 

It was a few days before he actually showed up.

The room had been bustling with noise, whether it be the shouts of remaining drunken patrons or the soft crackle of the fireplace in the corner, the glowing embers crying out with their final bouts of life. 

And then everything fell quiet. 

You turned from the wall of liquor you had been organizing, gaze falling over the figure dressed in black.

Locks the same shade of ebony as his jacket and skin pale enough to provide a sharp contrast to the scars painting his body, the man seemed to emit some sort of repellent, the customers slouching away in fear, gazes locked on the wooden flooring.

Smoke wafted through his fingers, dancing among the digits before fading into the night air, already infected with the scent of harsh liquor and cigarettes.

Unfortunately, you had met before, although he wouldn’t have any way of knowing that. He had been leading an unsuspected attack near Endeavor’s agency. Being one of the nearest heroes on the scene, you had been in charge of getting any civilians caught in the crossfire to safety.

Not all of them made it. 

The memories of those lost had kept you awake for days, nightmares plagued by their cries of pain and misery that seemed to haunt your every step.

In all honesty, the thought of looking at Dabi made your blood boil, the concept of even pretending to like him so much more horrific, a feeling you had spent the past few days attempting to push away.

Still, remnants of anger and displeasure left a sour taste in your mouth and a snarl that begged to tear at your lip, both you which was forced away with a swallow before continuing to work. A minute or two passed before you faced him, forcing a polite smile and picking up a few napkins. 

“Hi there, can I get you something to drink?”

When he turned your way, the look of pure irritation gracing his features made you almost positive he was going to tell you to fuck off. When he took you in, though, he paused, expressionless for a moment before allowing a grin to wash over his face. “Whiskey. Neat.”

The smile sent a shudder up your spine, but you nodded and grabbed the bottle.

Dabi watched you work, those turquoise eyes scanning your every move. “I haven’t seen you here before.”

“I’m covering for my friend this week.” You handed him the drink with a small laugh. “This place doesn’t make enough money to be a stickler for employee regulations and I owed her a favor.”

Leaning forward, he casually cradled his face in his hand. “Is that so?”

You had gotten closer throughout the later hours of that night, telling him some sob story about hating hero society and the ideals they stood for. 

And when you felt him just dangling in the palm of your hand, you had asked about the League.

What you failed to notice, however, was that he did recognize you.

You had been a surprisingly annoying pain in his ass, rescuing the office workers with surprising vigilance.

He hadn’t seen your face, sure, but he had heard your voice, sure and steady as you led those around you to safety. Additionally, he had managed to spot a bit of your eyes through the rip in your mask, broken in the fray of the fight. And it was that mannered tone and stare that gave you away tonight. 

In complete honesty, he thought about turning you to ash right there. It wouldn’t be something new, especially for this establishment. 

Yet, despite the fact that he was practically positive this was some scheme, the way you approached him, eyelids fluttering and that amorous lilt to your tone, sparked a curiosity that he didn’t think he would mind fixing. It also definitely didn’t hurt to have a hero, especially one as pretty as you, wrapped around his arm for a while. 

It would be all the more exciting to watch you crack.

So he called Giran the next day, dropping your name along with the time and place to meet up.

And so here you were.

Taking a breath, almost like the indigo fumes would suffocate you with their potency, you stepped forward, trying not to gasp as a weightless feeling overtook your body, prickling at your limbs and fingers for far too long. It couldn’t have come soon enough when your foot hit solid ground, that nauseous feeling dissipating with the writhing mass around you. 

Body still undergoing the effects of such an odd journey, you tried desperately not to fall over, fingers shaking just slightly as you took in the room around you.

Darkness filled most of the space, dim lamps and ceiling lights filling in the gaps. You recognized most of the faces in front of you, whether it be from mission overviews or wanted posters.

The one sitting at the bar was the only one you'd had the displeasure of meeting personally.

Posture screaming indifference, Dabi rested his scarred face in the palm of his hand, a lazy grin sinking over his features.

“Hey there, doll.”

Disgust jumped in your stomach, a sensation that you quickly wiped away with a smile of your own. "Hi."

Most of the group met you with an excited sense of immediate camaraderie. You didn't fail to notice, however, the glare Shigaraki kept giving you, knotted with distrust.

Thankfully, he seemed desperate for allies.

With one of the League's top players by your side, and your own personal skills, made the initiation process fairly quick and easy.

The next few days?

Absolutely not.

Time didn't seem to make your mission any less bearable, the flirting just as nausea inducing a week later as it was on day one.

You spent half of your time pretending that you liked the League and the other half hating yourself for doing so.

Giran had made sure you didn't have any form of communication upon entry, whether it be a phone or a tapped wire, effectively cutting you off from the rest of the world.

It wasn't just lonely, but completely humiliating.

Your target had been surprisingly responsive to your courting, regardless of the usually solitary persona talked about in the tabloids, making it increasingly difficult to make sure nothing actually happened.

Dabi, on the other hand, was enjoying himself immensely.

He would let you do away with those sweet smiles and fluttering eyelashes, watching in amusement as you attempted to break through his walls. It was easy to ignore how easily you might've done so if he hadn't known your true identity, that sure sense of control he held over you made sure of that.

Contrary to what he had planned when you first arrived, he had come to the resolution that you would not be killed when this shit all blew over.

Oh, no. He found himself increasingly content with the idea of keeping you for his own instead, making sure that you kept faithful to all those untruthful promises made with honeyed words.

The way you always seemed to dodge his advances before going too far was annoyingly impressive, sure, but he'd let you believe that you had the power here.

It wasn't like it would be that way for much longer.

At first, you might find it difficult to live under his command, a future Dabi was excited to see. The soft obsession brewing for you did nothing to quell the masochistic desire to see you struggle under his hand, it seemed. Regardless, he could easily imagine a future where you grew to follow his lead, a little toy to play with at his beck and call.

Just like you were now, rifling through bottles of alcohol at his request. You plucked out a bottle of whiskey, pouring the caramel-colored liquor before sliding over the drink and moving to occupy the seat next to him.

"Driving somewhere tonight?" he asked, taking note of the lack of alcohol in your own cup, the dusty glass filled with tap water.

“Can’t make it that easy on you, right?” You tossed a wink in his direction. “Or are you one to back down from a challenge?”

“Definitely not.”

The response had you suppressing a shiver. It didn’t feel so much a response as it did a promise, a vow that coupled with that ardent blue stare to make a terrifying duo.

You had never been more thankful for Shigaraki’s presence as you were now, him slamming the door open and easily harnessing the attention in the room.

"Get over here. We're discussing tomorrow's mission." he motioned to Dabi, gaze swiveling in your direction. "You, out."

"She won't be a problem?" The man next to you threw an arm over your shoulder, hopefully missing the slight flinch running up your body as his did so. "Will you, doll?"

You were ready to shake your head in agreeance, but the sneer Shigaraki sent you had you rethinking. "It's okay, I'll just see you guys tomorrow."

Their leader's dismissal didn't have you worried. As long as you asked nicely with faux thoughtlessness, Dabi had been surprisingly satisfied to give you any information that you missed out on after meetings and you were certain this one wouldn't be any different. The fruits of your labor had definitely been helping you in cases like this.

The prospect of taking a moment alone to shake off Dabi's words was also tempting.

He gave you a nod as you gave a small 'see you later' and walked off to your room, trying your best to ignore the scarlet glare piercing your skin.

Shigaraki was suspicious of you, and for good reason. You could only imagine how pissed he would be when he figured out who, or what, he had let into his precious hideout.

Oh, well.

You’d be gone by then.

Night fell over the city, a blanket of angry clouds covering the navy sky, bullets of rain threatening to drop from their ashen, puffed confinements. An hour, maybe two, had passed before your door creaked open.

It didn't matter that Dabi lacked the basic decency to knock; you refused to allow yourself to let your guard down at any moment here anyway.

"I hope the meeting went okay. Shigaraki seemed bitchy-er than usual."

You didn’t miss the small smirk earned at your comment. "Fine. He's stressing about attacking those U.A. brats again."

Blinking in surprised, you watched Dabi lean against your doorframe in a seemingly unbothered daze. "No offense, but isn't their security... really good? I'd doubt they'd let someone slip after what happened a few months ago."

The attack on USJ had been all over the news for weeks. Apparently, half the class had barely survived it. The idea of another ambush had your chest hurting for the children.

But there’s no way the teachers would let anything like that again.

Right?

"They're at some stupid summer camp thing or some shit,” he replied, taking note of the skepticism still overtaking your features and cracking a mock grin. “Aww, is someone worried for me?”

“You wish.”

Worried about you?

Sure.

Worried for you?

Different story.

“Don’t know if I believe that, princess,” he chuckled, walking over to your side. “You’ll be happy to hear that it should be easy. Especially with one of those dumbasses telling us where the kids will be and when.”

At this point, it was obvious that you were quite the actress. He barely even noticed the surprise and horror glazing over your features when he revealed that the League had a spy. If he didn't know better, he might have thought you didn't care.

Now, he could basically see the gears in your mind turning, the veins running up and down your arms practically quickening with the beat of your heart.

You had what you needed, but he wasn't worried.

There wasn't anything that he could tell you that would actually be consequential.

It wasn't like you were actually leaving with any of this information anyway.

"Anyway, see you tomorrow, doll."

A small goodbye was all you offered, the meager farewell leaving Dabi nothing if not amused. He had no doubt that you were stewing in your own shock right now, a theory that was evidently true.

The room was quickly closing in on you now, the space far too confined for the magnitude of the secret you just discovered. At this point, you had what you needed, but the direct orders you had been given at the prospect of a certain attack rang through your mind as well.

Take down as many as possible.

No matter how much abhorrence you felt for these people and the things they did, you had never killed anyone, quietly living under the belief of redemption for all, one way or another. Your heart felt like stone, heavy with responsibility and cold with hatred.

Still, you knew what you had to do.

You could get Dabi, then maybe take care of one or two of the more trusting members before slipping away and into the night.

“Actually,” you cleared the fear from your voice, attempting to play it off as shyness. “Would you want to stay?”

He paused, hand motionless on the doorknob. For a moment, you weren’t sure if he had heard you correctly.

Then he turned, eyes glimmering in the darkness. “How could I say no to that?”

And he couldn’t have.

With upmost certainty, he knew what you were planning.

Still.

The simple look you gave him would’ve been enough, a delicious blend of lust and innocence concealed by a lidded gaze.

But your position may have been what did it, knees folded underneath you in submission and the neckline of your silk top falling slightly askew to reveal your shoulder.

So, no, Dabi would not have been able to deny you.

Which is precisely why he came prepared for the occasion.

You were quick, sure, but he knew about the kitchen knife you had hidden under your mattress, the one you had weighted in your hand to figure out how much force it would take to jab it through his throat without hurting yourself.

You, on the other hand, had absolutely no clue about the chloroform-soaked napkin in his back pocket.

And that ignorance, which he found oh-so adorable, was what ultimately led to your downfall. He watched in sick glee as the emotions washed over your face, first surprise, then fear, then soft acceptance as the world grew dark.

~

It could have been hours.

It could have been days.

However long you had been asleep, you weren’t sure.

The only thing you could really focus on was the blinding headache ripping through your skull.

Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any windows in whatever room you were in, but the soft lightbulb flickering above you was enough to make you squint in irritation.

A few minutes passed before the stinging subsided, allowing you to slowly take in your area.

Concrete surrounded you on all sides, the dark grey patterned with cracks and stains that made your stomach lurch at the thought of.

Hand cuffs entrapped your wrists, each bracelet connected to a large chain. Your eyes followed their lead up to the ceiling, where the links conjoined into what looked like a pulling system, connecting into one and falling onto the ground on the other side of the room.

The device would allow your captors to haul you up or down at will.

You were resting pretty on the floor now, sure, but they could leave you hanging here for days if they wanted to, arms crying out in exhaustion before ultimately giving out, tearing apart at the joints.

You tried to harness your quirk but the soft hum of power singing through your veins fell quiet, silenced by whatever materials they put into these cuffs.

A few minutes of trying to remove them passed before the door opened.

“What are you doing?” You asked, tone laced with feigned confusion and tangible fear.

Dabi cocked an eyebrow, fingers curling around the chain before giving it a hard pull. The tug had your body launching upward until you were eye level with him, shoulders throbbing in pain at the sudden jerk. “Still playing dumb, huh, little hero?”

Your heart plummeted, the emotion clearly showing on your face if the immediate grin on his was any indication. “I don’t-“

“Ah, come on, doll. Give me something to work with.” He grabbed your chin with a free hand, watching in delight as you struggled to remove yourself from his hold. With your body suspended in air, toes barely grazing the floor to keep the burden off your arms, it was a lost cause. “What? You were practically begging me to touch you like this yesterday. Done playing whore? But you do it so well.”

“Fuck you.”

He clicked his tongue in mock disappointment.“What a pretty girl for such a dirty mouth. Wonder what else it does.”

“They’ll come for me.” The threat sounded disgustingly pathetic.

“Who? The same people who sent you into this hellhole?” The malice in his cackle made you want to vomit. “They don’t give a shit about you, sweetheart. You’re not going anywhere. Besides I think I might just wanna keep you.” The words sent ice shooting down your veins.

Slowly releasing your face and backing away, Dabi let go of the chain, sending you hurdling to the floor, knees now bloodied and bruised from landing on the concrete.

Still, you lunged forward, bindings catching your wrists and forcing you in place, just inches away from being able to claw out those glowing cerulean eyes.

Dabi watched you struggled, arrogance lacing those sharp features in a way that made you want to scream.

“I’ll tell the pros you say hi when I see them later,” he turned, waving a mindless hand in your direction as he opened the door. “I’ll be back in a few hours. Don’t miss me too much.”

Your muffled screams of frustration followed him down the hall, nestling into his brain to be savored later, preferably in his room or with a hand wrapped around your throat.

Either way, he didn’t really mind.

As long as he had you.

[manessha545]

Puerto Madryn Cruise Port, Argentina: Located on the northern coast of Argentina’s Patagonia region, Puerto Madryn is the gateway to Valdes Peninsula. Puerto Madryn is also a jumping-off point for exploring Punta Tombo, Argentina’s largest colony of Magellanic penguins. Travelers arriving at the Puerto Madryn cruise port often head out on a full-day excursion to the Punta Tombo Penguin Preserve.. Puerto Madryn is a city in the province of Chubut in Argentine Patagonia. Wikipedia

[beemovieerotica]

California’s Yurok Tribe, which had 90% of its territory taken from it during the Gold Rush of the mid-1800s, will be getting a slice of its land back to serve as a new gateway to Redwood National and State Parks visited by 1 million people a year. The Yurok will be the first Native people to manage tribal land with the National Park Service under a historic memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday by the tribe, Redwood National and State Parks and the nonprofit Save the Redwoods League. The agreement “starts the process of changing the narrative about how, by whom and for whom we steward natural lands,” Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League, said in a statement.

[mutant-distraction]

Rob Little

U.S. Route 50 in Nevada, stretching approximately 408 miles from the California border near Lake Tahoe to the Utah border near Baker, is famously known as "The Loneliest Road in America." This route traverses diverse landscapes, including the scenic Sierra Nevada mountains, vast desert expanses, and remote mountain ranges. Major cities along the way include Carson City, Fallon, and Ely, each offering unique attractions such as historical sites, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, and gateways to natural wonders like Great Basin National Park. The road also passes through historic mining towns like Austin and Eureka, preserving 19th-century charm and providing a glimpse into Nevada's rich mining heritage.

Travelers on Route 50 should prepare for minimal traffic, limited cell service, and stretches with few services, underscoring the importance of planning fuel stops and carrying extra supplies. Despite its isolation, the highway offers a wealth of recreational activities, including hiking, camping, off-roading, and stargazing, particularly near landmarks like Sand Mountain Recreation Area and Lehman Caves. Celebrated for its historical significance as part of the Pony Express and Lincoln Highway, Route 50 presents a unique and serene driving experience through some of America's most striking and solitary landscapes.

[whencyclopedia]

Caesarea Maritima's Role in the Mediterranean Trade

Caesarea Maritima was located on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Built from the ground up in 22-10 BCE by Rome's client king, Herod the Great (r. 37-4 BCE), its location in relation to ship traffic and proximity to historical trade routes indicates a purposeful plan to capture income, making Caesarea a commercial gateway to the West.

Roman Harbor Scene

Carole Raddato (CC BY-SA)

Major Players

The context for Caesarea's existence lies in Rome's rivalry with Parthia: Rome's ablest competitor. With the defeat at the Battle of Carrhae, 53 BCE, and retreat from Media in 36 BCE, the failure to take Parthia's lucrative northern silk routes through Mesopotamia caused Rome to sue for peace in 20 BCE. As a result, Rome's efforts to round out its dominance in the Mediterranean Sea and the Near East took on a commercial tone. In an attempt to control the lucrative southern east/west trade routes through Arabia and the Red Sea, Caesarea would serve as the springboard. As a key hub in the Eastern trade network of ancient Rome, Caesarea's connections to major players in the early centuries of the first millennium would include Gaza, Petra, Sidon, Tyre, Alexandria, and consumer cities like Bostra. Further afield were the commercial centers of Antioch and Patara.

As a major commercial center in the northern areas of the Mediterranean, Antioch benefited from its location at the western terminus of the Silk Road of Mesopotamia. Besides being a major center of wine and olive oil production and the fulling of cloth products, Antioch played a major role in the distribution of silk from China, lapis lazuli from ancient Afghanistan, dye-works from the Levant, and weaved silk from Damascus.

West of Antioch, on the southern coast of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), was the coastal city of Patara, providing export service. As evidence for the traditional production of agricultural goods and animal husbandry in Anatolia reaches back to the first centuries of the 2nd millennium BCE, the production of Anatolian copper, gold, silver, iron, and lead was documented by Pliny and Strabo. As James Muhly adds:

Anatolia is a land blessed with abundant natural resources, including a wealth of mineral deposits and abundant forests, the two elements necessary for a major metal industry. Recent calculations provide the following figures: 415 major copper-rich zones, more than 136 complex lead-zinc-copper ore deposits, and almost 200 silver-lead deposits, as well as numerous deposits of gold, zinc, antimony, arsenic, and iron. (858-59)

Modern surveys also confirm that, from 3000 BCE to the Ottoman period, Anatolia was an important producer of copper and possibly tin, essential ingredients of bronze.

Then, sharing the eastern coast of the Mediterranean are the two Phoenician city-states of Sidon and Tyre. As Caesarea was built over the ruins of Straton's Tower - named after King Straton I (r. 365-352 BCE) of Sidon - Strabo reports it had its own "station for vessels" (16.2.27). With its location in the midst of shipping and trade routes north of Alexandria and 120 km between Gaza and Sidon, Straton's Tower reflects Sidon's scale of commercial influence. Once providing ships and goods for Persia, Sidon was also an important manufacturer of luxury goods such as glass, dyes, and embroidered garments. Just south of Sidon, the island of Tyre was also a commercial powerhouse. Besides its famous purple-dyed cloth, according to the biblical account in 1 Kings 7:13-45, Solomon sought help from Tyre to manufacture and furnish bronze finished products for the temple.

Roman Rule in the Levant, c. 200 CE

Simeon Netchev (CC BY-NC-ND)

Though their spheres of commercial influence were reduced with the control of the Phoenician coast by the Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE), then by the Romans, Sidon, and Tyre would continue to play a part in the overall network of trade in the Eastern Mediterranean. Conversely, while Tyre and Sidon were known for their finished products, west of the Nile on the northern coast of Africa, Alexandria shipped goods from Egypt. Besides the bulk manufacturing and export of textiles and papyrus, with Rome as its main consumer, Egypt commonly shipped its oil and grain products aboard the famous Alexandrian ships. One such ship, the Isis, as described by Lucian, had a length of 55 meters (180 ft) and a beam of 14 meters (45 ft); with a cargo hold depth of 13.5 meters (44 ft), it could carry 1200 tons of product.

Finally, within Caesarea's direct orbit were the important cities of Gaza, Petra, and Bostra. Gaza served as a conduit to Western markets, receiving goods from Africa, Arabia, India, and Indonesia, the most lucrative of which would have been pepper and frankincense. Gaza was one of the first cities to come under Caesarea's direct control when Augustus (r. 31 BCE to 14 CE) granted it to Herod in 30 BCE. However, as the Nabateans of Petra were major traders and middlemen for goods coming from the East through Arabia and the Red Sea by way of their port Leuce, Roman interest in Gaza, Petra, and Red Sea connections would be fully realized when the Roman emperor Trajan (r. 98-117 CE) annexed the Nabatean Kingdom as the Provincia Arabia in 106 CE. In addition, important consumer cities within Caesarea's regional neighborhood would include Jerusalem, Samaria, and Bostra. For Rome – perhaps to cut out Nabatean middlemen – Bostra's commercial importance would be elevated when it later usurped Petra as the trading center of the region to become the Roman capital of Arabia, after which a road was quickly constructed to connect Bostra to the Red Sea.

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