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Hozier, Ballet and the Death of an Artist
Dance is one of the lesser consumed cultural products, and ballet especially is still seen as a niche market. While it's true that ballet is not for everyone, it hardly tries to be (so much so in fact that often certain types of bodies are actively excluded from it). Ballet and pop culture mixes are rare, and this is no accident, as ballet projects an image of being above popular culture. This is why the other day I was surprised, yet excited when I stumbled upon this video.
Released in February 2015, the video features “Bad Boy” ballet dancer Sergei Polunin teamed up with director David LaChapelle and choreographer Jade Hale-Christofi for a dance set to the hauntingly catchy “Take Me to Church” by Hozier. The video is definitely worth a watch. While some of the imagery is a little too “on the nose” for me, the sheer power of the choreography is replacement enough for any aesthetic quibbles. Just as with a sports 'plays of the week' segment, we are watching an elite athlete exercise the human body to the edge of potential, and it is a powerful experience. On top of this stellar choreography exceptionally executed, there is a bunch of juicy gossip behind this whole video as well.
How did the Ukrainian born Sergei Polunin, earn the moniker “Bad Boy of Ballet”? At the age of 19 he became the youngest ever principle dancer at the Royal Ballet in London, but sent shockwaves through the ballet world by simply walking away two years later, claiming that “the artist in me was dying”. Before leaving the company he had tweeted such thoughts as "Does any body sell heroin??? Need to bring my mood up,” pictures of himself drinking beer first thing in the morning, and apparently he spent his first night as a free man in the tattoo parlour he co-owns, increasing his tattoo count, (tattoos obviously not common among professional ballet dancers).
What causes the death of an artist? According to reports he had recently broken up with his girlfriend, Helen Crawford, who was also a dancer in the same company. Heartbreak, while famous for causing workplace drama, is only one piece of the puzzle. The articles and interviews that came in the wake of Polunin's departure paint a picture of a young man yearning for, well, being a normal young man. 19 years of intense professional training followed by two years of rigorous rehearsals and performances seem to have left Polunin craving a sense of normalcy, or at least, a bit more freedom to just live life.
Ballet is a strictly regimented world with a well established structure that displays none of the flexibility of its dancers. In an interview with the BBC Polunin explained that while he loved performing, he did not enjoy living the gruelling life of a dancer, saying “when you are finally on stage, especially when it is finished, you have so much adrenalin, so much joy in your body, that feeling can keep you in the profession.” The joy of performing, in the end, was not enough to keep Polunin at the Royal Ballet. The Royal Ballet for its part does not seem to be holding a grudge. Tamara Rojo, the Artistic Director of the Royal Ballet says “I really hope that whatever it is that he has to go through he does, and that he can come back to dance because it will be a terrible loss.”
Which begs the question: are we obliged to do something that we are good at, even if it makes us unhappy? While the dance world has not had enough of Polunin, it seems Polunin has had enough of dance. While he has been working on dance collaborations such as this video since leaving the ballet world, he says he does not see himself dancing more than six years into the future, stating that his next ambition is to become an actor. In the meantime, we can enjoy what dance he has done, and look forward to what new creations he will choose to dedicates his talents to in the future.
News for May 27th, 2015
The death toll of the sudden and catastrophic tornado that hit Mexico early Monday has been raised to thirteen, after the body of a baby was found in northern Mexico.
Students at a Toronto high school wore crop tops on Tuesday in protest after school officials found one student’s outfit inappropriate and took her out of class.
According to CTV News, high school student, Alexi Halket was offended by the incident, claiming that the school was sexualizing her outfit by deeming it unprofessional.
After arguing with principal Rob MacKinnon, Halket went home and rallied her friends into wearing crop tops to school the next day.
Principal MacKinnon went on to speak to 200 students in order to try to resolve the issue, but unfortunately, students and officials have yet to come to an agreement.
RCMP officers and the Montreal police jointly handled a series of raids in the city's East End on Tuesday.
According to the Montreal Gazette, they issued warrants to enter homes, and were seen taking what may have been boxes of computer equipment.
An RCMP spokesperson declined to comment on why the being raids were being done.
However, unconfirmed reports say they may link to the recent arrest of ten College de Maisonneuve students at Trudeau International Airport two weeks ago.
They were being suspected of partaking terrorism-related activities overseas.
Their passports were confiscated and then released after interrogation.
Wednesday May 27th 2015
Hosted by Catlin Spencer
Stories by Catlin Spencer, Patricia Petit Liang & Saturn De Los Angeles
Produced by Emeline Vidal
Shibuya Crossing — Anime North 2015 Music and Fashion Special this Wednesday, May 27th: 2-4pm
An action-packed special edition of CJLO's international Japanese Music program Shibuya Crossing is in store as we explore the sights and sounds of Canada's premiere fan-run Anime and Japanese Pop Culture Convention - Toronto's very own Anime North.
Pouzza Fest 2015 - Seeing Pouzza Through Fresh Eyes
Photo: Simone & Annette
Simone Grenier was born in Quebec but has spent most of her life living in Corsica, a French island located on the Mediterranean Sea. Her parents made one hell of a good decision. Although the island is owned by France, it is closer in region to Northern Italy. A few years ago, Grenier decided at the young age of 18 to move back to the city she barely remembered—Montreal. This summer will be her last here, and she wanted to share with us her personal Pouzza festival experience. She is fan of punk, her favourite band is Guerilla Poubelle and in this write up/farewell she compares the differences and similarities within the North American and European music scenes.
My best friend Annette came to town from France during Pouzza Fest. This was her first time in Canada, and we hadn't seen each other in over three years. Having her here made me look at the festival a whole different way, as if it were my first time in Montreal. The normally quite busy Foufounes Électriques was buzzing with excitement as punks flooded the sunny terrace. Mohawks of every size and color, leather jackets full of pins and patches, beautiful dresses and tattoos everywhere to be seen.
We kicked it off gently with Kill Matilda and Pup on Friday. To cope with the usual heat of TRH Bar, Kill Matilda's singer Dusty took her shirt off before the other band members. My inner feminist self was pleased. I don't remember seeing a woman being so at ease with her body compared to shows in France.
On Saturday we listened to The Planet Smashers, then the band we were so excited to see: Guerilla Poubelle. My friend and I used to listen to them all the time in high school, and they were playing their one and only show to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of their album, Il faut repeindre le monde... en noir. Guerilla is one of the best current French punk bands, and most of their songs are about social problems, and rarely about girls or being too drunk. They represent exactly what Pouzza Fest is all about, a pure punk spirit, with genuine politically-engaged messages delivered in a brotherly manner.
The great thing about Pouzza is enjoying all the Saint-Laurent establishments in one night. On Sunday we danced our hearts out to The Jukebox Romantics, then caught Get The Shot and The Holy Mess at Foufs, and finished off the weekend at COOP Katacombes with The Nils. The hot and sweaty skater TRH Bar, Katacombes, and the classic Foufounes Électriques got together and created great stages for bands and the public, celebrating solidarity and singularity all at once. Alongside the outdoor Pabst Stage when we needed fresh air, the downtown area was a symbol of what Montreal always has to offer, easy-to-make friendships with bands from all around the world, and most of all, it is a flourishing platform for the whole punk scene, catering to each and everyone's tastes.
Fringe Preview Special: Champions of the Local Scene: Wed 4-7pm
This Wednesday (4-7pm), CJLO is excited to bring you a special, extended Champions of the Local Scene to preview the St Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival's 25th edition! The Fringe is happening June 1st to 21st and will feature over 700 performances by over 200 artistic groups. Events range from theatre, comedy, burlesque, music, performance art, film, artshows and much more! Participating artists include local Montrealers, as well as performers from across Canada and around the world! Saturn De Los Angeles (Shibuya Crossing & CJLO News Team) has been collecting interviews with the Fringe team- including Fringe Spokesperson Extraordinaire & Drag Races host Mado Lamotte, Executive & Artistic Director Amy Blackmore, General Manager Geoff Agombar, and Associate Producer Cam McKinnon! This has been an adventure- finding out what makes Fringe's spirit tick and exploring the passion behind it! We will also hear a bit of Fringe history as well as some special connections the Fringe has to Concordia!
Throughout this special, we'll be showcasing a selection of the extensive live music that will be offered at Fringe- curated and co-hosted by Joana Cumo (Je Suis TBA & Asst. Promo Director)! These tracks will range from artists playing the Fringe Beer Tent (located at Parc des Ameriques)- such as Fringe Pop (June 20 & 21), CJLO's own Fringe Tunes (June 19), or Piknik Electronic Day (June 13)- to the Indie Montreal Fringe Concert Series happening at Divan Orange (June 4-20). Tune in for these audio treats! Listeners will have the chance to win tickets to any Indie Montreal Fringe Concert of their choice as well as a much coveted Fringe Festival Superpass...(AKA all-the-shows-one-can-see!) See CJLO's Facebook for contest details!
Additionally, at 5pm we will have a special comedy preview with Jacob Greco (Don't Mess This Up, Jacob: every Thursday at 1pm) who will interview this year's 13th Hour host Al Lafrance. Al is currently the Director of SOLOS Festival and is last year's recipient of the Just For Laughs Fringe Comedy Award for his show The Quitter! The 13th Hour is a live variety show that happens every night of the Fringe from June 12 on! This year it will be happening at Petit Campus and we will do our best to pry some top secret #Fringebuzz from Al- it may not be easy! We will also hear a sneak preview of Jacob Greco's Fringe show- Legitimate Investment Opportunity- happening June 10 to 21st at Theatre Ste. Catherine.
Finally, to embrace the spontaneity of Fringe- we will invite any local Fringe artists to call in and tell us a bit about their show- the first chance being around 5:30! Patrons of the Fringe are welcome to call in as well with any special memories or Fringe tales from over the years (call 514-848-7471)!
All of this is happening this Wed, May 27 (tomorrow): 4pm to 7pm! Tune is as we get pumped for FRINGE 25- kicking off June 1st with the FRINGE-FOR-ALL at Café Campus! #fringebuzz
(photo: Mado Lamotte w/ Saturn de Los Angeles- post-press conference interview)
Pouzza Fest 2015 >> Photos
The fifth edition of Pouzza Fest, Montreal's punk music festival, kicked off the summer festival season. Or should I say, slammed and surfed over the Victoria Day weekend. Taking place at several locations spread out through downtown Montreal and the red light district. Headlining the festival was Municipal Waste, and this year the outdoor stage featured more bands than ever, with such notables as The Bruce Lee Band and The Planet Smashers. For those thinking outside the box, there was punk yoga Saturday morning, a comedy show barbecue at the Katacombes Saturday afternoon, and to close off the fest Punk Rock Karaoke at the outdoor stage Sunday night.
Drag The River at the outdoor stage
Pup rocking out at Foufounes Électriques
Pup ends their show at Foufounes with a bang
Chris Farren of Fake Problems
Derek Perry of Fake Problems
Going for a ride during the Teenage Bottlerocket show
Pup at Foufounes Électriques
The Bruce Lee Band brings some ska to the outdoor stage
The Planet Smashers at the outdoor stage
Balloons were launched for the Planet Smashers hit song, "Surfin' In Tofino"!
Love the shades! Trombone player Gerry Lundquist from The Bruce Lee Band
Matt Collyer of the Planet Smashers goes surfing in Montreal
Dan "Mr. Precision" Wleklinski of 88 Fingers Louie
Singer Denis Buckley (far right) of 88 Fingers Louie
Wayfarer at Théâtre Sainte-Catherine
Having a good time at Pouzza Fest
Arnaud of Les Sales Majestés
Jean-Philippe Lagacé of Get The Shot
The Holy Mess bass player Steveo Niemoczynski
The Dwarves singer Blag Dahlia
Tony Foresta of Municipal Waste
Municipal Waste at Foufounes Électriques
The big finish! Teenage Bottlerocket
--Don't Fret! Brave New Jams is on the air every Saturday at 10:00 PM to midnight with your host Clifton Hanger, only on CJLO 1690AM in Montreal.
News for May 25th 2015
by Tom Matukala
The Patients at the Montreal Children's Hospital moved into their new location at the MUHC's Glen site on Sunday.
CTV news reports that the transfer was a complete success, and that it took the MUHC a total of 3 hours and 57 minutes to execute.
In total, 66 patients were relocated.
The hospitals new Emergency Room is now open as well.
Medical director of the pediatric emergency services, Dr Harley Eisman says countless hours had been put into making the move a success and it truly paid off.
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by Saturn De Los Angeles
An internal government memo reveals that Japan has lost interest in seeking a potential free trade deal with Canada.
In a report by The Globe and Mail, Japan would rather focus on building economic partnerships with neighbouring countries across the Pacific.
A deal that would potentially bring up to 3.8 billion dollars in annual profit for Canada, Japan turned down two proposals by the Harper government to host trade talks since 2012.
Trade Minister Ed Fast says that the two countries are still setting a date to resume talks after the G7 summit in Germany next month.
The Harper government has been aggressively trying to secure trading deals in Asia, seeing the continent as a hungry market to sell its energy products.
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by Patricia Petit Liang
Gay marriage was approved in Ireland on Saturday with 62 percent of citizens voting in favour of it.
According to CBC News, the Justice Department confirmed on Sunday that this week a marriage bill will be drafted in order to allow gay marriages.
However, the bill will guarantee that no church is obligated to perform gay marriages, as demanded by Ireland’s Catholic, Protestant and Muslim communities.
The bill is expected to become law in July and the first gay weddings will take place in fall.
Monday May 25th 2015
Hosted by Danny Aubry
Stories written by Tom Matukala, Saturn De Los Angeles + Patricia Petit Liang
Produced by Al Gore (aka Catlin Spencer)
Beat the World talks Black Fashion Week Montreal with fashion designer Adama Paris- today at 1:15pm!
Today on a special Beat The World, Senegalese designer Adama Paris will come by to talk Black Fashion Week Montreal. Black Fashion Week Montreal is happening May 28th to May 30th at Saint Jean Baptiste church, where designers from around the world will convene with their collections presented to the musical talents of Dj Kondo (Montreal), Dr. Mad (Montreal) and DJ Double D (Toronto).
Adama Paris was recently named one of the 15 most powerful women in Africa by Madame Figaro and RFI, and founded Black Fashion Week in 2002 to bring the trends and innovations of African fashion worldwide. With 11 years of experience with Dakar Fashion Week and an edition of Afrika Fashion Awards, Adama Paris and her team launched the Black Fashion Week in Paris (2012), in Prague (2011) and in Montreal (2013) and will expand to other major cities in the world and stand as a “rendezvous” of fashion. The purpose of this event is to promote black fashion beyond African borders and compare different aspects of haute couture in big cities.
The runways of Black Fashion Week Montreal 2015 will feature: Adama Paris ( Senegal ), Ralph Leroy (Haiti), Martial Tapolo (Cameroon), Sweet Secret (Gabon), Cherise o ( Republic of Congo) , Uniquebyreelia (USA ) , Fawzi Nawar (Tunisia), Zacometi ( Haiti - France ) , French Couture Box (Toronto- Ivory Coast ) , Kine Dione ( Senegal - Italy) , Indra Libong (Belgium) , Vala Bella ( Haiti - Quebec), Dominique Ouzilleau (Quebec). The week will present not only fashion shows, but also networking events and a Black & Gold party. For full programming and tickets, visit Black Fashion Week Montreal's site.
Beat the World is pleased to bring you a special preview of this international event that is certainly setting trends in art and culture! Tune in at 1:15 to hear how stylish radio can be!
*image from Adama Paris' Collection.
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