Halloween: The night before

Hereby I present myself as the Beginner, the Entry, the Novice and Tyro of Halloween!

Please don't blame me if I 'Boo' you in an inappropriate way or place. Please act like you are scared when you see me in a costume.

My first time of Halloween starts today..

Ballet Austin: Inaugural Season Opener Part III

Liminal Glam

This choreography wasn't only about the combination; the entourage, the music, the costumes and particularly the light was a big part of it. The light created a web on the floor, which was the energy field during the whole show. The web became smaller when dancers left the stage and became bigger when more dancers entered the stage.

A curtain was situated at the back of the stage, through which dancers entered and left the stage. The curtain reflected wonderful shadows and created a mysterious atmosphere.

A central theme in the music was the sound of a clock. The first word of the title was represented by these two aspects: liminal means treshold. Going in and out in combination with the sound of a clock.

The glamour part of the title was certainly represented by the costumes of both the male and female dancers. Costumes designed by Susan Branch had a glamorous touch. They looked soft and smooth but actually they were made of very stiff material. The colors of the costumes and the light fit together in every little detail.

Although this choreography was abstract, it contained a very clear beginning and end. Because of the fact that the duo-parts represented a big part of the show, it seemed easier to get an actual story-line out of this detailed and glamorous piece of art.

Cowboyhat

I did it!

I bought it!

I'll wear it!

This is unbelievable, this Dutchie finally bought a cowboyhat, now I am one of you guys..

Ballet Austin: Inaugural Season Opener Part II

Episodes

Clear as it may be, this choreography consists of different parts. These parts fit to one another as if it covers one era broken up by particular events.

It could have been the group as a whole, it could have been the couples, it could have been the contradiction represented by the dancers by wearing black and white suits. The seperate details of this show impressed me as if they were absorbing my attention in order to make their point towards the world. Although the story it represented was abstract, watching this choreography puts you in a little black and white box from which you feel you are able to get the specific meanings of every movement out of it.

How simple it may seem to get a story out of abstract and intricate movements.

Ballet Austin: Inaugural Season Opener Part I

Ballet Austin opened its season this weekend in the Dell Hall in the Long Center of Performing Arts in Austin.

According to the show I saw today, this season is going to offer a lot of variety.

The show contained three parts. The one combination I keep repeating in my head is 'Nine Frank Sinatra Songs'. Although titles of choreographies are often figurative, this one was literally true and surprisingly special.

The performance started with a shiny disco ball that lightned the whole hall in all kinds of colors, which created the exact right atmosphere; suits, ties, hats, high heels and colorful dresses. Both the choreography and the facial expressions of the dancers didn't only represent the melodies but also the lyrics of the songs in every little detail.

Figuring nine songs from Frank Sinatra, like 'Something Stupid' and 'That's Life', it came to an end with 'My Way'. Showing how every single dancer represented this thoughtful, stylish and rythmic version of Sinatra in his or her very own way.

Spoiled by technology

Although in general I am pretty punctual, I always lose my keys at the most inconvient times and I can never find the most ordinary and daily things at times I really need them.

Sometimes I wish everything was a cell phone, but without a voicemail please.

'This is the voicemail of your keys, if you want to know where we are please leave a message after the beep" would be even more annoying.

Voting is cool

Voting isn't only a right, a priviledge and a democratic pride, I think voting is pretty cool too.

I remember voting for the first time a couple of years ago in The Netherlands. A voice in my head screamed all day "You are going to vote tonight!", which felt pretty mature for a just 18-years old girl.
Although you may think your vote doesn't really count or you find it difficult to make a final decision, please vote. It will make you feel priviledged, it will make you appreciate the fact that you live in a democratic country and it will make you proud: you have a voice.

By the way, don't you think that walking around the whole day with a sticker saying 'I voted' on your chest looks pretty mature?

I wish I had the right to vote here. Can I borrow your sticker, please?

Comedy debute of the Presidential Candidates

"This campaign needed the common touch of a working man. After all it began so long ago with the arrival of a man known due to Oprah Winfrey as 'The One'. Being a friend and collegue of Barack, I just call him 'That One', he doesn't mind at all. In fact, he even has a pet-name for me: George Bush." - John McCain

"Of course I am especially glad to be here tonight with my distinguished opponend, Senator John McCain. I think it is a tribute to American democracy that with two weeks left in a hard fought election, the two of us could come together and sit down at the same dinner table without any preconditions." - Barack Obama

"I was send here by my father to safe the planet 'Earth'. I got my name, Barack, from my father. And as many of you do not know, Barack is actually Swahili for 'That One'. - Barack Obama

Watch, laugh and wonder about John McCain and Barack Obama

Lake Travis: Oasis

Driving my family around Austin I definitely wanted to show them Lake Travis and particularly restaurant Oasis.

Oasis is a restaurant located on a hill in front of the snake-shaped Lake Travis. Driving all the way to the west part of Austin I found, first of all, a lot of mountains that reminded me of France. The amount of green trees on the hills, the blue sky and the sun shedding light on every little detail made me not only enjoy Austin as a city but also the beautifull nature Austin should definitely be proud of.

As soon as I sat down at Oasis I felt the calmness taking over the experience. Watching the sun moving on top of the hills and shining on the lake I knew I was at the right place on the right time.

Oasis calls itself the 'Sunset Capitol of Texas' which I cannot even negate using one single argument. Watching the sunset while enjoying one of the greatest views of Austin I surely showed my family one of the most beautiful places of this city.

South Congress Cafe

In the middle of South Congress Avenue, the characteristic and somewhat chaotic street that is located as if it is the middle bone of the skeleton of Austin, Tx, you find South Congress Cafe; a restaurant that doesn't fit its name, neither its location. But leaving those aspects out of account the restaurant serves terrificly creative menus served with a slice of modern-and-tasty atmosphere bread.

Eating in a restaurant that looks really up to date and cared for feels even more luxurous when you are located between a lot of vintage and second hand stores. Although the prices are not too high, the atmosphere the restaurant creates is translated into a lot of special dishes that sound neat without even tasting them.

Here you find a couple of dishes I tried myself:

Pesto Goat Cheese Bruschetta: Being a big fan of both goat cheese and pesto I just had to try this. Although you need to spread the goat cheese on the bruschettas yourself, the plate looks really pretty and above all: the taste is perfect, not too strong, not too light.

Very Bleu Salad: Indeed, this salad was very bleu. In case you don't like blue cheese: don't pick this one. In case you like blue cheese as much as I do: eat it, enjoy it and get this overload of blue cheese untill you can't even see it anymore.

Chipotle Shrimp Quesadilla: I just need a couple of words here: shrimp, quesadilla, hot, hot, hot, but: excellent.

Crab Enchiladas: Although I found the taste of crab a little overwhelming I need to compliment the chef again.

Austin Movie Festival: Wendy & Lucy

The importance of economic decisions are a central theme in this movie. A young women looking for a job faces problems that will become crucial for the way things are working out. Losing her car diminishes her ability to be mobile. Especially when she loses her dog that actually is her friend and life-partner her inability to both pay and move become decisive.
The end shows how economic problems can affect the way you treat your loved ones.

You can visit Austin Movie Festival until October twenty-third at several cinemas in Austin, Tx. Here you find the schedule.

The House of Torment: The human chain broke

One of the few advantages of being a short person is the ability to hide. Since my eyes were totally focused on anything unexpected that could happen in front of me, I was glad I found a tall guy standing behind me to alert, calm or pacify me.

After a couple of frightful but seemingly safe minutes I felt some inhuman pufs reaching my neck and merciless shouts numbing my sense of hearing. I knew something was wrong. The human chain broke. The tall guy-little girl chain broke.

Looking back I saw his posture reflecting agony. He was slouching all the way down in order to look smaller and more fragile. Obviously, small people wish they were taller to look tougher, whereas tall people wish they were smaller in order to look more fragile.

At the end we all converged by a shiny, black hearse that was parked in front of the House of Torment, reminding us of how similar people are. Tall or short, brave or fragile.

Time

The first two months of my stay flew away.

I just dropped my mom and sister off on the airport and I realized I am on the exact half of my stay in the United States today.

On the one side I hope time will fly again so that I will see my family during christmas to tell them all my American adventures. On the other, I wish somebody could stop the clock from ticking.

Let's make this second half at least as good as the first, I'm ready!

Presidential candidates changed ties

Tonight the political tie color-rule is definitely broken. I noticed that in the last couple of months Obama was predominantly wearing a blue tie and McCain was wearing a red tie. Tonight during the last presidential debate they both broke the rule. Namely, Obama was wearing a conservative-red tie and McCain was wearing a quite liberal-blue tie. Pretty confusing for the last presidential debate, for the last chance to make your point and to be as clear as possible.

The only one that sticked to the rule tonight was the moderator of the debate: Bob Schieffer. He was as neutral as a moderator needs to be, wearing a blue-red striped tie.

Rejection of Apologies

Forget my previous post. I totally reject my apologies.
Everything I saw this afternoon pointed out that I definitely need to reject my apologies for today’s weather.
What I saw was unbelievable, at least, for me.

People were dancing in the rain. They opened the door and ran outside with big smiles on their faces. I even saw somebody taking pictures of raindrops.

Apparently I was the only one feeling sorry for the fact that these huge and wet raindrops were attacking Austin today.

My apologies for this rainy weather

Everywhere you go you always take the weather with you

Everywhere you go you always take the weather, the weather with you

- Crowded House

Driving on the American Highway

Seeing the wide roads and huge cars, I craved for driving a car myself on the American Highway. This might sound pretty desperate, but honestly, I was.

All students in The Netherlands get a free public transport card, which is why I am used to using the subway, trams, busses and trains every day. I can't even image what Amsterdam would be like if every student would have its own car. It would be far too crowded.

While I drove my mom and sister around in Austin in such a big, black, American car I felt pretty firm. Maybe this is the feeling American students get every day; driving to school in their over-sized, automatic cars that make a funny sounds when they lock it. While at the same time, all Dutch students fall asleep on the backseat of the train.

Buffalo Exchange

Would I call myself a 'tourist' in Austin? Maybe..

But I would definitely call my mom and sister 'tourists' in Austin.

They are coming over for one week. This weekend I started my objective for the coming seven days; showing them the most beautiful and overwhelming places in Austin. But also, showing them the most 'Austinite' places in Austin. Obviously, I had to show them Buffalo Exchange.

Besides buying some clothes I think we did something else too; we were part of the process.

Buy it, wear it, sell it, buy it, wear it, sell it. Not only in Austin, but all over the world.

French Movie Night Part III: Le Fabuleux Destin d' Amélie Poulain

Growing up in a world as big as her own house, Amélie Poulain creates her own world of fantasy and imagination. During her job in a restaurant called 'Les Deux Moulins' she observates people and finds ways to increase their happiness.
By enjoying things other people wouldn't even notice, like putting her hands in sachets of grain or watching the faces of people sitting behind her in the cinema, she creates her own form of happiness as well.
Though, real prosperity, wisdom and succes are about to enter her life from the moment she finds a binder with photos on a streetcorner. Encouraged by a painter that unconsciously and figuratively paints the personality of Amélie, she is ready to enter a whole new world.

Efficient language

"The miraculous city ontwaakt terwijl tout le monde se réveille. Het licht gaat aan et je realise que me gusta la vida; ein neue Tag fängt an."

Some words just sound better in other languages.

Ever heard of 'verschikkelijk' ? Be blessed because 'horrible' makes much more sense.

Also, 'magnifique' sounds way more magnificent than 'wunderbar' does.

It may not seem efficient to use different languages in one sentence, but sometimes there is just one word that perfectly describes what you feel and what you want to make clear. It is about the way it sounds, the atmosphere it creates.

Vienna

Vienna; the city of old-fashioned opera and ordinary Wiener Schnitzels, historical buildings and modern night clubs.

Vienna is certainly a nice city to visit for a couple of days, but don't stay for too long.
The romantic entourage will only look magical for a couple of days, until the point that you get used to walking through a fairy-tale scene, hearing stories about Princess Sisi and seeing carriages with horses on every street-corner.

Not staying too long will make you want to go back to the feeling of being the main person in the Austian fairy-tale.

Chaddick Dance Theatre Part IV: Six Passing

This choreography, made by Kathy Dunn Hamrick, seems very cheerful and lighthearted. Six dancers are passing the stage in colorful dresses and with lively smiles on their faces. It seems like they are friends and having fun together all the time. The choreography contains a lot of different solo and duo pieces which makes it look very alternating.

Although, analysing the choreography from a closer viewpoint made my mind change.

Sometimes having a friend is a temporary thing. People come and go. Meeting new people often goes hand in hand with ignoring people that, in your opinion, don't suit your personality that good. Group forming is a human process too. Some people may fit in a social group, others will be kicked out of it.

Kathy Dunn Hamrick shows this process by presenting ' Six Passing'; six girls discovering friendships in a both delighted and rude, but human way.

Chaddick Dance Theater Part III: A Gambit

'A Gambit'. Although the title doesn't give anything away of the story represented by this choreography, the dance itself has a very clear theme: rivalry.

Three women are trying to beat each other in terms of beauty and attractivity. The three main characters all have a different personality but are showing off their equal obsessions for beauty by wearing the same striking and colourful skirts.

At the end, two of the three girls show that beauty isn't the most important variable by taking off their skirts. By doing this the real figures and curves of their bodies become clear which gives this story both a literal and figurative dimension.

French Movie Night Part II: Avenue Montaigne

"There are two kinds of people in the world; those who answer
the phone and say "Who the hell's that.." and those who say "Hey!"."
- Jessica, played by Cecile de France.

After hearing her grandmother's stories about the purpose of life Jessica is more than ready to start her new life in Paris. Getting a job at the theatre bar gives her life a new spin; she meets all kinds of people and she jumps into the world of art, theatre and audiences. This kind of world seemed like an utopia on the beginning, but turned out to be a scenery of secret relationships and depressive realities. Her optimistic, curious expressions and her exciting appearance make Jessica look like a naïve but reasonable girl.

It seems like the expression "the grass looks greener on the other side" is applicable to countless situations.

French Movie Night Part I: La Haine

La Haine - Hate in the suburbs of Paris.

A whole different approach to the capital of France. No proper language and romances this time.

The fact that this movie is in black and white totally emphasizes the contradictions in within the story. Truth and lies, friendships and assassinations, unusual guns and daily groceries. Different races are exploited until the point of death. How far can you go?

Chaddick Dance Theater part II: Flights from Reality

Living now sometimes makes you crave for a life in the past.

The performance starts with a couch in the middle of the stage. A man is watching TV and eating chips. His wife is reading a book. Not just a book. She is reading a ridiculously old-fashioned romantic book. And yes, she is reading it out loud.
On the background, two couples of dancers are wearing traditional clothes from the Shakespeare era. While the woman reads the book the couples are figuring the story in their movements and gestures towards each other.
The contradiction between this couple and the actual couple sitting on the couch gives the whole choreography a funny touch but it made me think too. Reading the book made the woman escape from reality, but at the same time she fell asleep on her husband’s shoulder. On her - TV watching - chips eating – bored - husband’s shoulder.

Chaddick Dance Theater part I: Bridgeboard

Hidden messages all over tonight at AustinVentures Studio Theater.
I am a big fan of both dance and theatre. It makes my day when they are subtly combined. The show called ‘Second Wind’ by Chaddick Dance Theater’s and Kathy Dunn Hamrick was a mix of movements, emotions, stories and lights that made me want to discover every little hidden message.

The first dance performed tonight was ‘Bridgeboard’ by Cheryl Chaddick.
The dancer was covered in a black and white suit. The bright spotlight made the white even lighter and the black even darker. This contradiction wasn’t only represented in her clothes but also in the story told by her body and by both sides of the dance floor.
Namely, the character had to make a choice. All of a sudden she started waving; she had to say goodbye to someone she loved. At this point her new life started. During aggressive or sad moments she was dancing on the left side of the stage, and during bright and relieved moments she was dancing on the right side of the stage. After wondering if she prefers her old or her new life, the left or the right side, she realizes she can’t go back. She starts waving to her old life.

For those who have met the empty nest or made a dynamic choice.

These days..

These days without inspiration, not a single sentence, not a single word. No story flowing out of your head into your fingertips; the keyboard stays untouched.

The Kooks - Seaside

"Do you wanna go to the seaside?-

I'm not trying to say that everybody wants to go-

But I fell in love at the seaside-

I handled my charme with time and slight of hand."

Listening to this song makes my toes tickle; sand, sun and water.

Even when the beach is far away; the seaside comes nearer and nearer.