I need to travel the world.
June 2013
12 posts
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (via riahhf)
Advice on getting performance bookings →
brisfestpoppy.wordpress.com
This is advice designed for bands booking festival gigs but the point have appkications for any performer, i think! Worth the read!
Play
What if oxygen is poisonous and it just takes 75-100 years to kill us?
When people hear good/bad things about you, they will either go with it, or reply with "Are you sure? That doesn't sound like them"...
It has happened a lot recently when someone hears some news about someone and their reaction will completely depend on their perceptions of that person whether they actually know them or not! It then hit me how powerful a picture you paint for yourself through your actions and inactions, the promises you keep, the ones you dont, the things you stand for, and the things you will let slide! It would be a test of character and an eye opener if we could hear how people describe us to others based on what they know of us, what they dont, and what they just assume!
May 2013
30 posts
My recent popping freestyle video on xlmiddleton.com! →
xlmiddleton.com
Hopefully you saw my recent popping freestyle video to You Cant Train Me by XL Middleton and Moniquea? Guess what!? XL Middleton got in touch and added my video to his page! Have a look!
Who battles, anymore?
What is given the title of a battle, to me, is a contest, these days! Or better yet, an important exam which, in order to pass it, you need to answer certain questions correctly.
The questions and the keywords that marks are attributed to, however, are dependant on the examining board and the examiner marking your paper. For example, in a science exam, you may know how everything works in a car, in the sky, or in the ground, but if the question is about the sea, you may not get that mark. It can be like a fish being judged on its ability to climb a tree, leaving it feeling inadequate!
The first things is to acknowledge the difference between a battle and a contest/competition.
To me, a battle is when there is something personal to resolve between individuals. In the past, it may have been to decide who gets to keep a name if two people have accidentally chosen the same alias for example, but today it could be anything! Who is better? Who can last the longest? Who gets to keep their shoes? Anything where the content is between the two of you, and that requires no judge. You keep going until deep inside you, you both know who won, and you honour that by fulfilling whatever stakes were set!
In a contest, however, there is no personal reason to be dancing against an individual - your names are effectively picked from a hat! And being better sometimes doesnt mean you win, as the “examining body” has an opinion thats based on preference. One judge may prefer the dynamic difficult movements of a dance, while another may prefer to see someone’s actual dance, and their ability to stay beat! Then they simply point in the direction they prefer. Even with a point system, the mark they give for each category will be given according to their opinion!
Therefore, just like in life in general, to do well is not just about your ability, but how you ‘anser the questions’! Find out if there is any criteria for the battle you are entering, and keep to it by spending time training on that! If it’s a toprock contest, power moves are useless and can even have you marked down! If it’s a popping battle, make sure you’re popping and covering styles that fall under that umbrella etc! Find out who the judges are to make sure you dance the way they like to see people dance. This one may seem strange but theyre human and are more likely to mark higher for things THEY like, especially for two people are of similar levels, but even if not!
With all this in mind, dont take a contest too seriously. Its like the education system. There has to be a way to monitor progress and tests are one of them, but not necessarily accurate. You get a zero if you remember the answer after you’re asked to put your pen down but doesn’t mean you don’t know it! In real life, there is often no time limit and you can use internet, books, or even ask people for the answer!
Therefore, losing a battle doesnt mean you’re not good or have no future in it (as some may feel if their name isnt called again), but just that the other person ticked more of the judges’ boxes than you on this occasion! That’s it!
Dont let the arena take away from the enjoyment of this thing we call dance!
Good luck, much love, and God bless
#WordOfTheDay: #Integrity
in·teg·ri·ty (n-tgr-t)n.
1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. The state of being unimpaired; soundness.
3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness.
A Letter From Your Dance Teacher - The Huffington Post →
huffingtonpost.com
Replace the ‘dance’ in the title with the name of your profession, especially if it is based in any of the arts! So very true!
#PhraseOfTheDay: #FirstImpressions
“The people crazy enough to think they can #ChangeTheWorld are the ones who do”
—Unknown
Play
Play
“I concluded long ago, when life isnt awesome… it’s amazing!”
—Dré Ferdinand
“‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.’ We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
—@MarWilliamson
Concept Video - Down The Road | Facebook →
facebook.com
Open invitation to anyone who would like to be a part of my first ever concept video shot by J Torres Productions - details are on the link! Please also like my page for news on future videos and events you can be involved in, and keep updated with my journey!
Whatever you do, do it well
Sophia Stewart, The Real Creator of ‘The Matrix,’ Wins Lawsuit →
africanglobe.net
AFRICANGLOBE - This little known story has met a just conclusion, as Sophia Stewart, African American author of The Matrix will finally receive her just due from the copyright infringement of her original work!!! Stewart filed her case in 1999, after viewing the Matrix, which she felt had been based on her manuscript, The Third Eye.
Time to be seen →
facebook.com
Im finally at that point where I feel i’m ready to put my work out there! so far I have worked with different groups and represented different movements in the commercial and underground dance scene but noone has actually seen what Andre Bright can do! So like my facebook page for updates on concept videos, blogs, choreography and freestyles, and my dance journey in general! It’s time for you to see MY creativity! :D
Word Of The Day
Intention
Striving to maintain a high level in all i do
It is settled
My #children will be exclusively #raised to #funk, #RnB, #jazz, n #African #HouseMusic… this party is goin OFF!
Small gestures of kindness can go a long way!
If you know something you do would be appreciated, don’t hold back
“#Happiness for a #reason is #unstable, like shifting #sand”
—Unknown
Listen to your body
Sometimes, you have to #listen to your #body!
So to all those going to the #BreakinConvention #AfterParty at #MadameJojos tonight, have fun without me - Im having an #EarlyNight with #Disney’s #TheLionKing! Like a BOSS!
See you all tomorrow at the park jam and the last show of the weekend, but for now, its time to recharge the batteries!
#Peace!
Question of the day
If you could wake up tomorrow with one less flaw which would you choose to leave behind?
#FirstThoughts: #Planning is to your #goals what a #route is to your #destination. Seems #obvious, but many try and #MakeIt with #NoIdea #how, or #why!
“Lets take
A long walk
Around the park
After dark…” —Jill Scott
A long walk
Around the park
After dark…” —Jill Scott
April 2013
37 posts
The best things in life... are worth it.
The older I get, the more beauty I see in others
#Balance is #Key
That Moment When...
…you have to update your CV before you forget all the things you have achieved recently! :)
TELESCOPE VISION: #FoodForThought See I’m passionate about stories….paint a picture in... →
drtvision.tumblr.com
#FoodForThought See I’m passionate about stories….paint a picture in my mind that will leave an impression…don’t just talk to me but use your voice to punctuate the pressure of your tongue as it weaves a tale…whether truth or fiction, dance or poetry, acting or reality….we’re all stories…so when I…
Dancers Tips
Always have #BusinessCards on you that say who you are, what you do, and how to get in contact with you
It’s funny how much we assume about people, based solely on their appearance
#FoodForThought: What would the world be like for future generations if they lived not by your words, but your actions?
