All posts by baba

Seasons of Love: A Spring Pops Concert @ Jordan

May 13, 2014

A musical performance by the Jordan Middle School Choral Program.  Amelia received two awards: the Jordan 8th Grade Choral Leadership And Outstanding Choral Musician Award and the Jordan Choral “Expression” Award.  Congratulations!

8th Graders
8th Graders

 

Choral Leadership Award
Choral Leadership Award

For leadership in the choir!

Expressions Award
Expressions Award

For most expressive singer in the 8th grade choir!

Divergent: A Movie Review

Date Seen: March 23, 2014

 

 

Title: Divergent

 

Main Characters:

Tris (Beatris Prior): A sixteen year old girl, born into the faction of Abnegation (the faction for those who blamed human evil on selfishness), who transfers to the faction of Dauntless (those who blamed evil on cowardice and weakness)

Four (Tobias Eaton): The Dauntless initiate training instructor, of whom there is little known about.

The Story:

Divergent, set in post-apoctalyptic Chicago, is comprised of a society of five factions, or groups of people bonded together depending on what they thought was the reason for the war that destroyed the rest of the world.

Abnegation, the faction that the heroine of this story, Tris, was born into, is the faction of the selfless.  They wear plain clothes, eat plain food, and are only allowed to look in a mirror once a month, to demonstrate a lack of obsession about their personal selves and a devotion to the good of others.  Abnegation runs the government of Chicago, as they are concerned only for the good of the people and others.  Amity, the second faction, is the faction of the kind and peaceful, for those who blamed violence on human failing.  They wear bright clothes, and are all cheerful and jolly.  They produce food and farm for the rest of the population.  Candor, the third faction, was created for those who thought lies and dishonesty was at fault.  Their most important rule is to always tell the truth, no matter how painful, and they wear only black and white, to show that the world is only good and evil, truth and lies.  Erudite, the fourth faction, was made for people who blamed idiocy and unintelligence.  They are all incredibly smart and well educated, with blue as their faction color.  They are the inventors of the serum, which is a chemical injected into your neck with transmitters in it that allow people to view what’s happening inside your head, as well as test your aptitude for which faction your personality is best suited for and as shown in Dauntless initiate training, to force you to confront your darkest fears.  The last faction is Dauntless.  Dauntless train themselves to overcome fear and weakness, first weakness of the body (physical combat, knife throwing, self-defense), then weakness of the mind (using serum to overcome your fears, to brave them).

Tris is sixteen, and it is the day before Choosing Day.  When she goes in for the Aptitude Test, administered by a Dauntless woman by the name of Tori, she is told that she must pretend the serum made her sick, that what her aptitude was got messed up.  She finds out this is because she is Divergent, something considered evil by Erudite and the rest of the factions, and that if anyone found out she would be killed.  With this in mind she goes home and deliberates which faction is best for her.  On Choosing Day, she symbolically cuts her palm and sprinkles her blood over the coals that represent Dauntless (and enforce the motto Faction before blood), and begins a new life in her new faction.

Likes:

 

Dislikes:

PBA Student Showcase 2014

March 15 & 16, 2014

“The Student Showcase is our annual school production, in which students perform a dance for each of their classes. It is our policy to use minimal class time for rehearsals, since we are a training school. We incorporate steps that must be learned as a part of the students’ curriculum into combinations, which are then joined together to create dances for the performances. In the past we have had nearly 100 percent participation in the Student Showcase by our students in Level I classes and above.”  ~from the PBA website

Spring Showcase 2014
Spring Showcase 2014

Amelia will do a solo dance called “Bliss” choreographed by Ms. Brianne.  What an honor to be chosen for this lead role among the Level VI dancers.  Besides “Bliss”, she will have 5 other dances to do for the Student Showcase.

Red Dawn Flight
Red Dawn – Flight

Red Dawn - Reflection
Red Dawn – Reflection

This is from a rehearsal photo in costume for “Red Dawn”. “Red Dawn” is choregraphed by Miss Rima.

Amelia is also becoming well-known at her school for her natural ability to mentor younger dancers.  Her ability to organize and communicate with the little ones is becoming an asset to the instructors at Pacific Ballet Academy.

 

Saturday, March 15

12:00 PM – Programs A & B

5:00 PM – Programs A & G

Sunday, March 16

12:00 PM – Programs B & C

5:00 PM – Programs C & G

 

Program A

  • Bliss – Solo
  • Red Dawn – Fan Girl

Program B

  • “A” – You’re Adorable – Leader
  • Allegretto – Demi-Solo

Program C

  • Ballerina Polka – Leader
  • Cheers – Leader

Program G

  • Garland Waltz – Garland Girl
  • Mazurka – Corps de Ballet

DVD Orders:

http://playbackmemories.com/store

 

 

Ailey School Summer Intensive 2014 Audition

ACCEPTED AND ATTENDING!

 

School:  The Ailey School, NYC

Audition Location: San Francisco Ballet School

Audition Date: January 27, 2014 @ 12:00 – 2:00 PM

The 5 week summer intensive will be held in New York City in the summer of 2014.  So if Amelia gets in we’ll need to figure out some housing for her in Manhattan.  Amelia has to be in the Junior Division.

Junior Division Summer Intensive Program

June 30, 2014 to August 1, 2014

“The Junior Division Summer Intensive is a 5-week training program for students ages 11-15 with a minimum of three consecutive years of ballet training. The program provides an opportunity for intermediate and advanced dance students to immerse themselves in an intensive training session. Students take daily ballet classes supplemented by additional modern and jazz classes.  Advanced girls may also take pointe; advanced boys may take boys’ ballet.  Students are provided the opportunity to learn repertory in special workshops, which culminate in the Summer Sizzler performances. All students are evaluated for placement by the Junior Division Directors.  During the first week of classes, the program Directors and instructors monitor and evaluate classes to determine that each student is placed in the correct level for his or her ability. Continue reading Ailey School Summer Intensive 2014 Audition

Thanksgiving Day 2013

November 28, 2013

Spending Thanksgiving with old friends and getting re-acquainted with my school buddy.  As usual Dad is doing the rib roast and hors d’oeuvres.  I’m making the salad and mashed potatoes.  The Chengs are doing the rest.

Dinner Menu:

  • Rib Roast with Rosemary and Sea Salt (4 ribs @ 9.3 lbs)
  • Yorkshire Pudding
  • Mash potatoes and gravy
  • Salad with mizithra cheese and grapes
  • Pt Reyes Blue Cheese, caviar and capers on crackers
  • Cabbage & Crème soup
  • Bourbon sweet potatoes
  • Sautéed Brussels sprouts

So nice to enjoy Thanksgiving with friends and family!  And such yummy food!  And Dad and Dennis are talking about going skiing this winter!