La Sylphide

Black Swan (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 23:37:00 +0000

I’ve been promising to review Black Swan before the end of the year, ever since a review was requested by Sdaedalus months ago. Now, with mere hours to go, I am writing it.

The most condemning, and yet honest, thing to say about Black Swan is that it’s not a film about ballet. In fact, ballet has little to do with the story. Even though the story intertwines itself with the story of Swan Lake, it is still nothing more than a device, a backdrop, for the plot to flow over. It could easily have been a story involving, a singer, or actress, or any other performing profession. Indeed, it was this use (or lack there of) dancing that I found most disappointing about the film.

Thomas (Vincent Cassel), the character of the dance choreographer, promises Nina (Natalie Portman) a more “raw and visceral” version of Swan Lake. Well, neither the film, nor the production of Swan Lake in the film, turned out to be all that visceral. A story involving the topic of a ballerina descending into personal madness, screams for the use of abstract, contemporary, interpretive dance, and yet, no such element was present in the film. If you watch another popular ballet themed film, The Red Shoes (1948), you'll see that it is full of dance, and not some awful disembodied CGI dance either. That film includes over 15 minutes of a continuous staged version of Red Shoes, and benefits greatly from it. More dance in Black Swan would have improved it a great deal in my estimation. I swore I wouldn't mention his name in this review, but I can’t help but feel that a more accomplished director like David Cronenberg would have done a better job in this regard; capturing a synergy between madness and dance.

Cronenberg is a director who understands how movement, and not necessarily that of an actor, can be so much more communicative than any spoken word. He is also a master at developing complex, non-conformal relationships between characters. Black Swan attempts this and fails. A film by Cronenberg may have given us more. Take for example, the stairs scene in his A History of Violence (2005). Rarely does one get to see coitus in a film, with as much complexity and power reversal, as we do in that scene. We didn't get this complexity in Black Swan. The most that the viewer gets subjected to are lame attempts at tension, by physical domination; a maudlin sexual power-play between characters. Even the scenes of Thomas groping Nina are tame. If you want to see a truly frightening scene involving a dance teacher and her pupil, check out Isabelle Adjani's performance in Possession (1981), where she addresses the camera while taking pleasure in torturing a child dancer.

The director of Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky, has a history of making films with scenes involving lesbian sex. The seedy double-dildo scene in Requim for a Dream (2000) comes to mind. In Black Swan we get lapping at Portman’s crotch (although it could have easily been her belly button, such was the poor execution). Perhaps Aronofsky should just set aside a Saturday on a lazy weekend, and make himself a cheap and cheerful porno, just to get it out of his system once and for all. At the very least, he might discover how to direct such scenes in so they don’t come across so horribly fake and tacky.

What is most unfortunate about my dislike of Black Swan, is the way it has made me reflect on my original opinion of Aronofsky’s earlier film Pi (1998). For years, I have listed this as one of my favourite films, and indeed, if it were not for my viewing of Black Swan I would still be happy to have it listed there. Unfortunately though, my romantic memories of watching it through college were shattered when I rewatched it again after seeing Black Swan. It is, medicore at best. All the cool and “intellectual” stuff I thought was in it about deep mathematics comes across as nothing more than light weight number theory clap-trap, as if Aaron spent the afternoon before filming reading a pampflet on the topic. It’s still an enjoyable film to watch though, and at least in this one, Aronofsky refrains from gracing us with his lesbonic fantasies.

To give a final verdict on Black Swan, I find myself recalling stories of people killing each other while watching the it. I don’t think it’s that bad by any stretch of the imagination. It does have it’s moments and perhaps if one cares less about the dancing elements they might enjoy it more, but I still find myself thinking about the terrible CGI, the ham fisted intergration of Tchaikovsky's work into the score, the poor acting of the annoying actors playing wooden characters... If a numerical value suits the reader better, then I give it a very generous 5/10, it gained and extra mark for bringing ballet back into pop culture, and for Natalie Portman's eyebrows.

* I created "Les Cygnes et Les Corbeaux" a few days after watching Black Swan. It seems highly probable that it was inspired by my disappointment in the film.

North Korea Ballet

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:12:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I searched youtube for "North Korean Ballet". Not really sure why, just being random I suppose, and I came across the video above.

It's quite a strange collection of stuff, but it's an amazingly tight performance. I guess that's to be expected, given where it's being performed. Tappa, tappa, tappa....

Monica Loughman: Romantic Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:16:00 +0000

Click for larger image...

I must admit, I was a little shocked when I came across this article in The "Irish" Daily Mail a few weeks back. Monica Loughman had become a "single mother". The last I heard, she was about to get married and everything was rosey. Instead, she was sitting at home with new child, bawling her eyes out while watching the xFactor. Well, that I could understnad, the xFactor is afterall, quite atrocious. Herself and the "man" apparently weren't working out so she gave him the heave. But it seems things are looking up again for her as she has met a new foreign man at her local TESCO. Fantastic stuff altogether, and best of luck to her etc.

Please

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 04:03:00 +0000

Taking liberties with one of Vihao Pham's images, but anyway... Dancer is Joy Womack.

The Photography Of Vihao Pham

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:50:00 +0000

Over the last year a series of photographs have been making their way around the internet. These images include ballerinas posed in urban or unusual surroundings. Doing a tiny bit of searching, I found the owner of these photographs: Vihao Pham.

The most striking discovery about the photographer is his age. I was expecting perhaps a seasoned, veteran photographer of the arts, but no, Mr. Pham is still in his 20's. While his urban and juxtaposed images of ballet are as striking as they are brilliant, his studio work is equally as competent.

There are far too many images to choose from, so I can do no more than highly recommend you visit either his website or DeviantArt profile.

Parrot Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 17:31:00 +0000

It came from my brain [ ballerina ]

Les Cygnes et Les Corbeaux

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:51:00 +0000

Something I threw together on the night of the Oscars. Using footage of Sylvie Guillem, a bit of music by Christian Vander and a whole load of video effects and filters, I edited this video together into some sort of [hopefully] pleasing short featurette.

The original footage had quite a "video tape" look to it so I may have over compensated with the "film scratches" in particular, but other than that I'm happy with how it looks. Various frame rates and frame decimations were used as well as extensive frame interpolation for the super slow-mo shots that make up the backbone of the piece.

"Why No Irish Woman Will Ever Truly Trust A Ballet-Loving Man" Jacinta O'Brien

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Click for larger version...

A bold statement from The Daily Mail's Jacinta O'Brien, but she fails miserably to back it up. She offers nothing but opinion and anecdotes from her own immediate family. While I appreciate her mentioning the case of Malcolm McArthur was to highlight the homosexual sensationalism at the time in the media, he is still one of Ireland's most notorious murderers, having been incarcerated since 1982 for the violent murder of a female nurse as she sun bathed in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. To mention this man in an article titled "Why no Irish woman will ever truly trust a ballet-loving man" does seem to (by accident or not) suggest something far more sinister.

Her piece meanders all over the place (including a bizarre insinuation that women only follow sport to look at the outlines of mens genitals), but there is of course truth to some of what she has written, though not once does Ms. O'Brien say the stereotypes are wrong; not once does she suggest an effort to change public opinion. Instead she seems happy to perpetuate the idea that men are men and there is something not quite right about a man who enjoys ballet.

Christmas Presents

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 02:01:00 +0000

What I bought myself for Christmas:

Full reviews should follow at some point.

Black Swan (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:46:00 +0000

I just checked out the trailer for an up coming (21 January 2011 release in Ireland) ballet themed film "Black Swan". I must say I'm glad I didn't dismiss it as another "Step Up" crap fest. This one actually looks like it has some potential, not only in storyline but in presentation of the dance elements. The trailer makes it look like an out and out horror fest but I imagine it is probably more pyschological thriller. Although it may be tapping into some elements of Suspiria(1977). There's no news of the much bespoke remake of Suspira either. Black Swan was hardly what the project turned into was it? Hardly. I must say I'm looking forward to this, hopefully it won't be another disappointment. Films often do that you know, disappoint :)

Storyline

Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

[click here if animation doesn't show up]

[animation via]

War Wounds: Sarah Murphy-Dyson

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:13:00 +0000

Sometimes people forget that feet take a hammering...

And the owner of the foot...

Promotional posters from "The Naked Ballerina"..

[All images taken from Sarah Murphy-Dyson's website:

http://www.sarahmurphydyson.com/iWeb/Webpage/Home.html]

Manhattan Skyline : Ground Zero

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:17:00 +0000

[Manhattan image : truthstands.net] [Ballerina : mjranum-stock]

نانسي عجرم - اشتكي منه

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:02:00 +0000

I quite like the song "Ashtiki Menno" by Nancy Ajram, with it's lovely little ~~"Allah, Allah"~~ "halla, halla," (thanks Anonymous) refrains. I also like this routine that was set to it by someone in the Arabesque dance group at Stanford University, practiced here by "Dania".

The audio on the original video was quite poor though. It was just recorded from the mic on the camera so it came out quite thinny sounding. I synced-up and over-dubbed the studio recording of the song to create a more pleasing soundtrack but I left just enough of the original audio to keep soundtrack sounding open and live.

Just a Bit of Silliness :-)

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 23:08:00 +0000

Upstaging The Nutcracker

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 09:22:00 +0000

When axillary dancers go bad! I'd love to know the true story behind this.

Cork City Ballet & Ballet Through The Lens

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 17:16:00 +0000

I picked up the two of these books over the last few years and have been meaning to do a post on them for some time. They're both quite nice publications; full with enough pictures, posed and candid, to entertain even the curious mind.

"Cork City Ballet: The Story So Far" focuses on the history of the company and the life of current Artistic Director, Alan Foley, while "Ballet Through The Lens" focuses on Foley's dance relationship with Irish ballerina, Monica Loughman. Some hi-res images from that book can be found here.

I picked out some random arbitrary pages from both books, to give an idea of the content contained within. I'm not sure where the Cork City Ballet book can be bought now but I picked up Ballet Through The Lens at the Firkin Crane Theatre in Cork, so I imagine that would be a good place to try.

I was inspired to finally start and complete this post by a lovely email I received recently from "Melissa" in America. I was dubious over her intentions when she mailed (so many kind words from a stranger) but she assures me she is neither a scammer or spammer :)

Ghetto Ballet (2009) - Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 10:34:00 +0000

Hmmm this looks like it could be interesting, will I ever get to see it though, that's the question.

On the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa lies the township of Kyahalitscha, a teeming mass of makeshift dwellings occupied by one of the poorest black populations in the country. In the midst of the rampant poverty that surrounds them, a handful of teenagers are pinning their hopes for a better future on an unlikely extracurricular program called Dance for All. Located in a Cape Town, a bus ride away from Kyahalitscha, Dance for All was founded in 1991 by a white ballet dancer and teacher named Philip Boyd, who wanted to bring change to the segregated ballet culture in the country, an outgrowth of the then-apartheid government. Today, Boyd and his staff teach some 1,000 girls and boys from disadvantaged backgrounds the fine art of dance: classical, modern and traditional.

Once a year, Dance for All holds auditions for dancers who display unusual talent and promise. Based on their performances, a few will be offered the chance to join the professional arm of the organization, the Youth Company. "It's a way out, a chance in life," notes Boyd. "It's a lifeline for a better future." Ghetto Ballet follows the progress of several Dance for All students - at home, at the studio, at leisure and in performance - as they set their sights on an annual audition that could lead them out of the ghetto, and into a high- profile career as a professional dancer. Among those we meet over the course of six months:

It premieres this Wednesday on HBO, because I know there are so many Americans following this blog who really want to know :)

[via World Of Wonder]

DNB Step - Irish Style

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:56:00 +0000

I've been meaning to do a post on "dnb step", as I found myself getting quite into it there for a while. If you haven't heard of it (it's big in East Europe) check out a random youtube vid. I guess this probably isn't the best way to introduce the discipline, but it is "dancing" and it (the original footage at least) is funny :)

Fair play to the man dancing, he had broken his back sometime before this apparently.

Klaxons - Golden Skans

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:53:00 +0000

I guess this has been long over due, but here it is anyway. I rarely find myself liking the auld modern pop music thing, but I was drawn to this song when it came out. I liked it, it was just one of those things. Then I saw the video for it and instantly fell in love. It was amazing! There was just so much "ballet" about it; the costumes, the setup, the performance... There was also a great "Jackson 5 - Can you Feel It" vibe about it with the way the sound effects were added just for the video. Yes it was homoerotic, but I guess one could say that about any ballet involving only men.

I later came across an alternative video for the track(embedded above) which goes even further along with the homoerotic ballet imagery. I'm not sure if this is an official edit, it looks "fan made" but I'm at a loss as to what the original footage would be from. Either-way, I love this version also. The whole "gay-thing" might be too much for some people, but I doubt they would have the same problem if it were two women :-\

Look past your prejudices and become a better person.

My Current Desktop

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:45:00 +0000

Even heathens must surely appreciate this image for what it is.... awesomeness! And check out the hi-res version. Theres so much detail, you can clearly make out how the male danseurs tuck themselves up in their dance belts.

The image is of Yuan Yuan in the principal role of The Firebird and it's a photograph Erik Tomasson. I found it via google images months back while doing a search for god knows what. Rediscovered it again today. The image was located on Rachel Howards blog (author and dance critic). There are so many wonderful hi-res images there, it's well worth a look. She doesn't update her blog much but there is plenty of past content to keep you reading through :)

A few more fine images by Erik Tomasson found at her blog...

Kimberly Kurz - Diddlyi.com

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:09:00 +0000

Not really into the "diddlyi" dancing in general (being Irish means nothing), but I love this pic of German Irish-dancer, Kimberly Kurz, taken on a beach in Dubai. There's actually a lot of nice pics on her diddlyi.com profile page. She certainly manages to get up quite high :)

[Original image page]

Ballet Chancers: Episodes 1- 6

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:07:00 +0000

It's taken me a while (too long!) but I've finally uploaded the rest of the episodes of Ballet Chancers.

I've been plagued with problems surrounding these files but I finally got the finger out and packaged them up for people to see. These arent presented as nicely as the first episode as A) I didn't have the time and B) the audio has errors, which I fixed in the first episode by recording the audio track directly off the video on the RTE site, but these videos have since been deleted.

The files are in their raw RealMedia state. You should be able to get these to play on your machine with a little bit of effort. I abhor the use of Real Media, but if all else fails for you, you can get the official player here. Each file is individually wrapped up and compressed in a Zip file which should be natively supported by the operating system on your machine, which is why I didn't confuse the situation further by using rar files etc.

Links in the comments section!

Note: If I get a request from anyone involved in the production of Ballet Chancers to take the links down, I will. The quality of these videos is quite poor and they are only intended to let those who missed the show the first time around get a second chance to watch it.

A Chance for Ballet Chancers

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 22:40:00 +0000

I'm not promising anything, but I may be able to put up all 6 episodes of Ballet Chancers soon.

Flashdance - Love Theme - G.Moroder

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:11:00 +0000

I did this years ago, just felt like putting up something a bit gentler. Production is whack but I did transcribe it by memory, which which made me feel kinda happy at the time :) I know the ending is wrong but I didn't want to go back and listen to the original at the time. Done with synth-action keyboard, hence the random key velocities. Go on, give it a listen, it's only a minute and a half long. My version might be crap but the beauty of Moroder's original composition shines through.

Love Theme by Gamma Goblin

[Flashdance: Movie : Album : Dancing]

Michael Jackson: 1958 - 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Gammagoblin) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:24:00 +0000

I wasn't going to post anything, since all I could really post is just another youtube video (like every other blog on the planet!) but I figured I should post something about Michael Jackson as he probably was the first dancer I watched as a child after all. The moonwalk at 4:42 in the video NEVER fails to amaze me O.O

[UPDATE 08.07.09] Much like Michael himself, the video is now gone.