It's Official.

Katrina is one hell of a mood maker. xD
What was once glum immediately liftens up with her presence. She should 'join' MUEC (Magarita University of Excessive Crap), she'd be an honours' student. xD


Also, due to the Grade 5 'virus', a skid (which involved barre-grabbing due to almost 'overshooting' the mark, courtesy of Lika) was 'added' in the Character Dance.
Why is it that we always tend to mess up the silliest things during Grade 5 (and cause a racket)??
Oh yeah, the virus. xD


Li Xian came for Grade 7 today, but ended up sitting out for most of it.
Though, I managed to have a short chat with her after her class.. It's always nice to talk to her, she laughs easily. xD


Not much of a story this time, but sometimes short is better, no? ^^

Nothing New, But..

Today was a mentally and emotionally exhausting day for me, and I can imagine that it is even more so for Lika.

If you're gonna ask someone to do your dirty work for you, at least give that person some credit. Hogging all the praise and only handing over the negatives are not mature at all.
I have never mentioned anything before, but really, it's getting too much.

To have a student be cut from another person's registrar and into yours? Tell me how that sounds fair, especially when the parent went to the other studio instead?
If you can't get the kind of student or recognition you want, at least have a little responsibility in it, and have some pride in you and don't steal someone else's student. That's just wrong in so many ways.

You say you're horrible with money.
Well, either you're just extremely forgetful almost to the point of Alzheimer's, or that statement was a lie.
Try to understand the other person's situation. How would you have felt if you were in that person's shoes?
You do, you say. That's why you're more lenient with the fees of some students, you claim.
But that's just it. You're only so; slightly, I might add, with the students.
Students whom you know are having their parents pay their fees for them. Parents, whom you can't twist around your finger.

We are not ungrateful. We are well aware of the things you have taught us, the dedication you put in your work.
But.. enough is enough.

Hornbills, Penguins, Dead Ducks.. What's next??

It doesn't sound as horrible as it looks, trust me. xD

1. First, it was the ultimate 'Dead Duck' Dance, a.k.a Grade 7's Port De Bras, created by yours truly and THE ultimate partner in crime.
   
2. Then, it was Sayaka and her 'Hornbill' Dance.
3. Today, 2 new revolutionary dances were created by our very own protege.

The first, the 'process' of the death of the poor(tortured) duck mentioned in (1.) through the dance.

For the next piece of genius, I give you the equation of:

Kathrina + Holubetz = Kathrina(Penguin) x Genius originality²

                                ___________________________________

                                                 Crazy creativity

                            

                              = The Happy Penguin Dance.

That is all.

Mr Sandman is Beckoning Me...

I feel So.Freaking.Poofed right now.
Lika and I had to dance Grade 6 AND 7, to teach the girls. (And danced Grade 6 in an almost sauna-ish atmosphere; thank you, faulty air cond.)
And to top it off, I wasn't able to have a good night's sleep last night, for some reason.

All that, plus another water shortage is really doing me in.
To save water, I was bent over for about 15-20 minutes to wash my hair in the kitchen sink, then waddle to the bathroom downstairs to clean the rest of me.
(Just picture it: For once, the smell of Dove shampoo and not food, coming from the kitchen. Enter kitchen, see an akward figure, doubled up in the sink in an even more akward position, water splashed all over sink and table.)
So thanks to that, I officially have somewhat of a stiff neck now.

I didn't feel the pinch until I got back and had dinner, which was around.. 11 something, maybe?
But by then I felt like a bear wanting to hibernate or something.. Seriously, I felt so heavy and sleepy.. NOT good.

And then there's tomorrow morning, where I have to go to my old school (Afzan) for them to 'certify' my photostated copies of my SPM certs and whatnot, for my uni application.
I really hope I get it.. Wish me luck! ^^

Last Minute-ish Ms Chua Class

Ok, so today wasn't too bad.

I've experienced worse. xD

Class was meant to start at 2pm (2PM, jjang~ xD), but it started 15 minutes later.
And it did a lot of difference.
Within 15 minutes with Ms Chua, we could've already done half (or more) of barre work. So yeah, 15 minutes is precious. xD


The only thing I curse is that Ms Chua's class, twice already, had to fall on the day which was 'not my time of month', if you get my drift.
Yes, I got the dizzy spells again, and it seemed I need more iron.
Thankfully it wasn't as bad as before.


But for the most part of our class this time (which was about almost 30 minutes of our 2 1/2 hour class), we spent discussing things like our techniques and how to strengthen and improve them.
We also chatted a little about the Genee, and a tiny (not so tiny, actually) problem regarding the new Pre-Primary and Primary syllabus thingamajig.
The more senior dancers would probably get what I mean.


At the end of the class, the 3 of us discussed phones for a while before the Grade 3 class started, and Ms Chua left not long after.
As Michelle (or Couper, [not Miss Couper, just Couper] as Lika liked to call her,) came in the class, I casually asked if she missed me.
She said yes, and to my surprise, she hugged me. =B


Then came Grade 5, and Sayaka confessed to me that she hadn't practised her 'Hornbill'.
I stopped, looked at her with raised eyebrows, and repeated, "Hornbill?"
She went on to ramble about it, showing me the steps, when I stopped her and asked, "Do you mean Holubetz?"
That was it. The entire class burst into fits of laughter.
And as of today, Holubetz will be officially known as Sayaka's Hornbill Dance. xD



About nearly 5 hours later (almost 1am; now, to be exact), my brain is so exhausted and foggy I can't think straight.
Which explains this (rather) short post.


And I think I feel a cramp coming on too..
Damn.

Carmina Burana

If you haven't already figured out, I tend to be extremely bad/slow at catching up with things; terribly so, in fact.
So is it any wonder that I've only grown to completely understand and relish the meaning behind the song recently?

I first got to know about this song through some car commercial some lightyears ago.
I loved how that song got my pulse racing for some reason; and gave me an adrenaline rush.
But all those times, I never knew the title of the song, nor the composer.


Then 11 years ago, I heard that song again.
It was used for one of our (ok, not mine, technically,) ballet concert recitals; Min Li's group.
I fell in love with the song again when I saw the dancers dancing to that song (thanks to dad, I still have it on tape ^^), and at one point, even tried ashamedly to learn the steps from watching the taped video.
And failed, of course. >_<
But I was only 10 then, and had little to no 'computer time', so yet again, I never got to look it up.


It was only a few years ago that I learnt the name and composer of the song, and downloaded it.
But I still had no clue of the meaning.
Until very early this morning.


I was in the 'Classical' mood, listening to S.E.N.S' songs (a Japanese new age instrumental group formed in 1988, and stands for 'Sound, Earth, Nature, and Spirit'), and decided to look up for the translations online.




Here's the lyrics - and translation, in case you too, like me, never knew the meaning of this piece of work before this. 

FORTUNA IMPERATRIX MUNDI

1. O Fortuna (Chorus) (O Fortune)

O Fortuna	O Fortune,
velut luna	like the moon
statu variabilis,	you are changeable,
semper crescis	ever waxing
aut decrescis;	and waning;
vita detestabilis	hateful life
nunc obdurat	first oppresses
et tunc curat	and then soothes
ludo mentis aciem,	as fancy takes it;
egestatem,	poverty
potestatem	and power
dissolvit ut glaciem.	it melts them like ice.
Sors immanis	Fate - monstrous
et inanis,	and empty,
rota tu volubilis,	you whirling wheel,
status malus,	you are malevolent,
vana salus	well-being is vain
semper dissolubilis,	and always fades to nothing,
obumbrata	shadowed
et velata	and veiled
michi quoque niteris;	you plague me too;
nunc per ludum	now through the game
dorsum nudum	I bring my bare back
fero tui sceleris.	to your villainy.
Sors salutis	Fate is against me
et virtutis	in health
michi nunc contraria,	and virtue,
est affectus	driven on
et defectus	and weighted down,
semper in angaria.	always enslaved.
Hac in hora	So at this hour
sine mora	without delay
corde pulsum tangite;	pluck the vibrating strings;
quod per sortem	since Fate
sternit fortem,	strikes down the strong man,
mecum omnes plangite!	everyone weep with me!

2. Fortune plango vulnera (I bemoan the wounds of Fortune)

Fortune plango vulnera	I bemoan the wounds of Fortune
stillantibus ocellis	with weeping eyes,
quod sua michi munera	for the gifts she made me
subtrahit rebellis.	she perversely takes away.
Verum est, quod legitur,	It is written in truth,
fronte capillata,	that she has a fine head of hair,
sed plerumque sequitur	but, when it comes to seizing an opportunity
Occasio calvata.	she is bald.
In Fortune solio	On Fortune's throne
sederam elatus,	I used to sit raised up,
prosperitatis vario	crowned with
flore coronatus;	the many-coloured flowers of prosperity;
quicquid enim florui	though I may have flourished
felix et beatus,	happy and blessed,
nunc a summo corrui	now I fall from the peak
gloria privatus.	deprived of glory.
Fortune rota volvitur:	The wheel of Fortune turns;
descendo minoratus;	I go down, demeaned;
alter in altum tollitur;	another is raised up;
nimis exaltatus	far too high up
rex sedet in vertice	sits the king at the summit -
caveat ruinam!	let him fear ruin!
nam sub axe legimus	for under the axis is written
Hecubam reginam.	Queen Hecuba.

Wow.

Now that was deep.

My First 'Review'? ^_____^

*Bounces in seat excitedly*
So, my first informal 'review'.
After all, if you've been reading my previous entries, you would know that the term 'formal' doesn't really tally with my blogposts.

SO...~!
Who's interested to hear me blab?
*Looks*
No one?
Oh well. I'll blab anyway. *grin*

It is times like these that I thank my job for enabling me to grab opportunities like these.
And also to my boss, who, in this case, gave me this assignment because he knew I was interested in Performing Arts. ^^

To be honest, I never really knew who the Footstool Players were before this, and if it's one thing I regret, it's this.
I must admit I was rather skeptical when I heard that they won an award. Not to be 'countryist' or anything (my term of 'racist' in the country form), but in my opinion, most (though not all) Malaysian productions seem a bit.. lacking, most of the time.
Maybe it's due to the fact that I've watched too many internationally acclaimed plays that I've grown unappreciative of our local plays.
Whatever the reason may be, I realise that more often than not, it is of my own doing.

The second thing I thought of was what a weird name 'Footstool Players' was.
Other people, whom I told about this play, would first either ask or exclaim "When did you like football?", "Yeah, I know futsal's great," or something along those lines.
I had to refrain from rolling my eyes, before reminding them that it was Footstool Players, not Football Players or Futsal Players.
Of course, I didn't know what it meant either, since I'm a Buddhist; though closer to a free thinker, to be exact.
But I decided to give it a go anyways.
What have I got to lose?

I arrived at Kuantan Chapel, and already, I started noticing a few familiar faces.
Well, I guess that ruled out the usual dread of being all alone in an event. ^^
I sat next to Erina and Burney in the.. 4th row, I think, and waited patiently for the play to begin.
The church was small but had a homey feeling to it; and the stage, even smaller.
I remembered wondering how the Footstool Players would be able to perform using such small space.
Because for the two years that I participated in my school's drama, we did complain about the size of our school's stage, though it was much bigger than this.

 Be Real, the first sketch in the first act.

Before the play began, Ann gave a sort of welcome-cum-regulation speech, and from then on, I began to feel less skeptical about the play I was about to witness.
Ann was funny and witty, and immensely friendly with the audience.
And then the play began.

The first few acts were nothing short of funny, and I remembered comfortably enjoying the show, and slowly began my admiration for these actors.
I found myself relating to the skit titled 'Whatever', which, as it's title suggests, revolves around a couple's indecision to do something.
It kinda reminds me of Ashley and I whenever we had to make a decision on where to eat, whenever we were about to go out for a meal. xD

Although ALL (and I mean all) the acts were performed unbelievably well, the one that stood out most for me was 'Word Picture'.
Sure, I've said that the climax of the Beauty & The Beast musical in KL almost moved me to tears, but that was different.
The acting was so intense, so emotional, that I couldn't help admiring the two actors (Adrene and Soon Wei) for putting up such a front.
My eyes were almost out of their sockets; my heart beating like I've just ran a mile.
Adrene's desperate pleas and Soon Wei's roar of anger almost brought me to tears, but of course, I held it in.

Because I'm a wimp that can't shout like that for the life of me without bursting into tears. >.<

 'Word Picture'

By the end of the entire play, I felt a newfound respect for the actors. With me, whenever I watch a movie or play, I would sometimes imagine myself as one of the characters and think "Hmm, I can do that," or "It would be interesting to play that character, since it's the total opposite of me," . But after watching Crazy Little Thing Called Love, not once (okay, so maybe there was a thought here and there in the more humourous acts... xD) did I imagine myself to be able to act out those roles.
They were so emotionally powerful, so heart wrenching, that it would take me ages to put forth emotions like that, if I ever did challenge myself to it.
To be able to switch emotions just like that, and slip in and out of a character so easily, now THAT's a true actor.

I've never questioned myself at being a dancer - I know for sure that it's what I want to do forever, no matter what kind of dance it may be.
But I'm now starting to question my potentials in acting.
The wimp side of me is wondering if I'll ever be that good, and to be that courageous to get so into character, as if it was a second skin.
But the other part of me is determined that I must try harder, to strive to at least reach their level in acting.

'Impasse'

'Billy'

I've never been so glad to be proved wrong from my misconception before.
And as I interviewed them after the performance, I found they were all a sporting bunch.
Sean was literally as hilarious as the character he plays, Colin is probably a genius for coming up with ideas for plays such as these (and equally humourous, though in my opinion he had the kind of fatherly aura about him too, like he was the father and took care of all his 'kids' in the team), Adrene, Ann and Linora were so sisterly and funny, it was as if they were real sisters. Soon Wei, though not as dorky as his character in 'Be Real' nor as fierce as his character in 'Word Picture', was funny in his own way.

After I finished interviewing them, they decided to team up, (Colin and Ann excluded) turn the tables around and throw the same questions at me that I gave them, namely;

"How do you prepare yourself before an interview?"
"Don't worry, it's all easy questions."
"Are there any special preparations you do before you write a report?"

xDD

Too bad it was their last performance, I would have really loved to see these bunch of people again in the future.^^

The awesome gang, and a performance I'll never forget.^^

Sean(back row, left of all) and (anti-clockwise from Sean) Colin, Soon Wei, Ann (Red shirt), Adrene and Linora, with the crew of FP.

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Once a late bloomer, always a late bloomer. Dx

Isn't it pathetic and sad how after almost 15 years of ballet, I'm only starting to take splits seriously NOW?