Pondering Hamlet

His father is killed by his uncle, who is made King - marries his mother who appears un-phased by her husband's death and all those close to him, including the one woman he loves appears to be plotting against him. Forced into a situation where almost no one is to be trusted and haunted by ghosts of his father, what started as prolonged mourning festers into deep depression, manifested in behaviours of madness. The most tragic of great tragic hero's, Shakespeare's Hamlet is a character so damaged by his family's situation that it seals his own doom. In a sense, from the outset, you know he is going to die. It's the process leading up to it which becomes so engrossing.

The most famous soliloquy that Shakespeare wrote is of Hamlet's most internal conflicts verbalized in what I believe to be one of the most beautiful monologues created in history. To be, or not to be? Hamlet ponders the meaning of life, the concept of an afterlife - whether there will be anything to "greet" you on the other side, if so, will it be worse than what one experiences in waking life? He ponders his own personal defects of being too afraid and inept to take his own life....or whether this is a product of his father's memory which haunts him daily. He ponders his great revenge - whether he is capable of killing the man whom murdered his father and whether it will put an end to all his suffering. Or is it worth ending it all completely - both murderer and victim? It's a complex monologue which weaves and wields words into such an intricate way that it requires examination and analysis to understand it, but upon understanding, it becomes one of the most profound speeches one will ever hear.

To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause: there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscover'd country from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the will

And makes us rather bear those ills we have

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprises of great pith and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action.

The reality is, Hamlet at the age of thirty experiences a meltdown of epic proportions, which one could almost liken to the maturity level of someone half his age. The issue is not that Hamlet is immature or lacking in emotional intelligence. On the contrary, the issue lies in the notion of what happens to a Prince when he is so enamoured by the image of his father (the King) that the event of his death at the hands of his own brother completely shatters the very foundations of his perceptions and beliefs of his father's infallibility. Hamlet is a son so reliant on a father figure that when it is taken away renders him completely unable to function. It's the notion that someone who is seen to be so Godly is suddenly made mortal by death. Hamlet's struggle lies in his incapacity to accept that his father is unable to supersede death. The presence of his ghost, I believe is not to be taken literally - Hamlet believes he is seeing his father's ghost and whilst this apparition's existence is confirmed by those close to him, it is rather a confirmation that Hamlet is haunted by his father's memory and the memory of his father's overbearing, powerful presence. When you miss someone so very much and to an extreme, you are haunted by their image - their memory every day and that is what Hamlet experiences. Ultimately, his only solution becomes that of revenge by killing his Uncle and it becomes his only release from torment.

Some Rooms & 3rd Abandon

Featured below are two very beautiful pieces from two different ballets, created by two different choreographers, at two separate occasions, globes apart. It is interesting to see the contrast between the two works. They are only excerpts however they are both equally poignant and beautiful. Both pieces are inspired by the notion of love.

The first excerpt is a contemporary ballet choreographed by Australian genius, Graeme Murphy. Permit me to gloat for a second as I proudly declare he is also Tasmanian (hurray for us Tassie's). Murphy once was Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company. Below is some old footage from "Some Rooms" which he created in the 1980's. The footage was shot at Sydney Opera House in 1983. It features Paul Mercurio (some will remember him from Baz Luhrmann's film, "Strictly Ballroom"). This ballet is meant to be based on the concept of relationships and the maturing changing nature of romantic relationships. The excerpt below highlights the Bedroom, which from my perspective, I see this depicting young love - the beginning's of a relationship. It is a very sweet, pure, innocent and captivating piece to watch. 

Interestingly, despite the fact that Murphy hales from Australia, across the other side of the globe the very nature of relationships and the "game of love" has been dissected, examined and interpreted ever so beautifully by French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj. "Le Parc" was created for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1994. 

 I wrote a review on "Le Parc " last year when I got my paws on a DVD featuring Isabelle Guerin from the Paris Opera Ballet (old footage). "Le Parc" is a very sensual ballet and it explores with great depth the idea behind the games of love. The final Pas de Deux has always enraptured me and I still find this to be one of the most (if not the most) touching Pas de Deux's I've ever seen. To see this live would be so superb words couldn't describe. The footage below features the epitome of French beauty, Aurélie Dupont with the insatiable Manuel Legris as her lover - both from the Paris Opera Ballet. 

Comparatively, the use of space and costuming is quite similar to Murphy's "Some Rooms" but it's more interesting how both choreographers leaned towards traditional scores for their respective Pas de Deux. Mozart is utilized quite frequently by Preljocaj, whilst for the Bedroom Pas de Deux Murphy has utilized an extract from Chants dáuvergne. Nevertheless, both ballets are completely different in their make-up - but the motivation seems to derive from a similar source.

Two separate times, two separate genius, two different interpretations derived from one common concept - love.

Stunning.

Beautiful Tasmania

Here are some beautiful shots of my home, Tasmania...

Early morning...

A view to the paddock...

The long gravel road...

First light

Turn the corner...

Turbo chooks!

A legend's birthday~

A birthday wish to someone who will forever remain legendary,

the incomparable,

Dame Margot Fonteyn

Ladies' Luncheon

...because I love food and because I was so pleased with my meal today at award-winning Tasmanian restaurant Stillwater, here are some photos I'd like to share....

Honey brown mushroom and Jamon Serrano bruschetta ~ it was heaven

If ever anyone is in Launceston, Stillwater is a must on the dining to-do list! This restaurant has won 2010's Tasmanian Employer of Choice, as well as Restaurant of the Year and AHA's Best Contemporary Restaurant...

Stillwater at Ritchie's Mill

Whether you are enjoying a brisk early morning breakfast, or a long, lazy, ladies' luncheon, or a business dinner, or even a romantic evening for two, Stillwater provides the ideal venue that exudes elegance, sophistication with just that right personal touch which hints at the very pleasures of home. I only ever come away feeling wonderful from this restaurant - therefore, what better way to show my appreciation by telling everyone and anyone that they must experience this for themselves!

Home

Self-portrait Nikon-style

There is something about returning to your old stomping grounds. It always feels like home and no matter how far or how long you have been away, in some ways, it feels like you never left. That's how I feel about my old ballet studio - or the school which taught me so much...Every time I come back to visit, I instantly feel like I've stepped back into my old bedroom, or a part of my house. It is true I practically lived there. My teenage years were spent stretching at the barre, pushing my stiff ankles onto pointe and contorting my body into positions that it just didn't naturally want to make. The studio has been a place where I have experienced so many things, so many emotions and have learnt so many things...about life. It's true - blood, sweat, tears - sometimes many tears, all the time a lot of sweat and every now and then...blood - it has all happened there. Returning, I am always met with mixed feelings - some are sad, because I get that hint of nostalgia when I look at that long rail mounted on the wall and remember the times I'd stand there transfixed at my own reflection in the mirror on the other side and force my feet into fourth position which always hurt, or fifth position where I never felt stable; but most feelings are happy, or to be more precise - an overwhelming sense of joy. When you go away you feel homesick, but when you come back, you remember and realize just how homesick you have really felt all along. It's very bitter sweet.

Home sweet home

I've learnt, as I've gotten older that, that is the feeling I experience when I teach, or every time I get to dance (which lately....if I'm lucky is once a week with my new friend). Today I had the opportunity to teach. Admittedly when I was asked if I wanted to take some classes a month ago, I had a minor freak out....I panicked. I said yes instantly of course, but as soon as my answer was whisked off through cyber-space in my email I panicked - can I remember to teach? It sounds ridiculous, silly, stupid, absurd. You can never forget to teach. But for a moment I really was scared! Sitting at my desk I thought to myself....if I can't demonstrate what I can't verbalise I will be such a failure and I'll let my girls down! So for every week leading up to my trip, I made sure to do a ballet class and I made sure I kept up with my pilates. I even bought myself a roller to practice at home! It's funny...because I was preparing myself for one day which could be anywhere between one hour or four hours of teaching. But it was integral - it had to be done, otherwise I wouldn't get that peace of mind and I wouldn't be able to sleep. It's definitely something that has come from my dancing days where preparation was (and still is) everything. It didn't matter if I did three classes leading up to a performance it was still three classes too little. There is never enough and you can never be over prepared.

I must admit that my panic attack was an over-reaction....

Today, I felt like I never left. It was as if I was here teaching yesterday and I never left home. It was like slipping into an old comfy pare of slippers. Knowledge I thought I had lost in the abyss which is my crazy/manic brain re-emerged! Ideas re-emerged. My arms and body were demonstrating things I thought I had lost completely. Almost an out of body experience - but not quite. I've had one of those before (out of body experience) and it was during a Championship on stage - it was the coolest experience I've had on stage.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I think the girls did too - I hope they did. I always want to make sure that my students walk away feeling as though they have achieved two things: learned something new and most importantly, enjoyed themselves. I will always miss them and I will always miss teaching them - but whenever I get a chance to slip into my old "teacher's shoes" it's beyond enjoyable and it's beyond enjoyable spending time with my girls. Teaching, for me, is truly fulfilling and I know now, its a kind of feeling that I cannot replicate anywhere else. It's something on its own and its something very special...and it's something that I can keep for myself - that feeling, the memory of that feeling and beyond everything else, that moment (or those moments) I have with my girls.

Princes Square in Autumn

Here are some beautiful shots of one of my favourite spots in Launceston, Tasmania...

Up in the air

There's something about air travel - going to the airport, checking-in, going through duty free or checking out all the airport boutiques and then waiting in the departure lounge. Love it. I think going through that whole process its like a ritual of some sort and no matter how often you do it, it never gets old. Until something changes that process and throws a proverbial spanner in the works. I'm talking about the sudden emergence of computerised self-check-in, which even now extends to you checking-in your own luggage.

I wonder how it works for international travel? Lately all my travelling has been domestic and the computerised self-check-in system was always optional up until yesterday at Melbourne airport where I was met with a rude shock....and not a pretty smiling human being in Qantas attire to assist me out of my malaise. It suddenly dawned on me that there were these machines every where and I kept searching for that bright lady at the front desk where check-in luggage would get processed. No chance. Disappoint.

The self-check-in bag drop that I was met with...

I had to seriously question after the whole process - was I disappointed or annoyed because I was another lazy traveller that prefers to have everything done for them? Or did I feel like this because I was slightly "put out" for having to do something for myself? Or was it the lack of human contact and that personal touch that was once accompanied with air travel? I believe it was a combination of all those things. I was struck by how impersonal travel has started to become. That was one of my highlights truly - arriving at the airport and standing at the desk whilst I was catered to by a nice lady (or a nice gentleman) whom wished me safe travels once the process of taking my suitcase away from me was complete and then from that pitstop moving on to the security section with a slightly bubblier mood. Now it seems, airlines are moving away from that and I guess as a move to cut costs with the excuse of "modernising" the process (or speeding up the process) are implementing these self-check-in systems in our airports so that the responsibility of getting oneself prepared to board the plane is entirely your own. So who do you scream at when you miss your connection because the flight you just got off was 2 hours delayed? They will have to keep at least one desk as a service desk surely? Or will they do away with that too and just have a telephone hotline? Can you imagine? You come off a ten hour international flight that was delayed by three hours due to technical difficulties and so you miss your connecting domestic flight, also your luggage has gone astray and you are met not by a human being who can understand and empathize with you but a cold, heartless, soulless telephone???? Can you imagine????

Needless to say, besides that slight change of routine at Melbourne airport I got off alright to my final destination and my suitcase met me at the other end (thankfully....as I was slightly concerned that I had to check that in myself.....and stick bizarre stickers on it myself - I'd only have myself to blame if it didn't spit out the other end). The joys of travel...

Happy Birthday ~

ELENA GLURJIDZE

Principle Dancer

English National Ballet

The blood is the life

Regretfully I must admit that since the Twilight series burst onto cinema screens people just can't get enough of Vampires. There's been a sudden flux of Vampire related television series and films recently - not all good....in fact....majority all rubbish really - Twilight included....(and there goes probably half my readership....sorry fans of the Stephanie Meyer series - I am definitely not a fan). 

I think what the Twilight series successfully achieved however, was the debate (which seems to be ongoing) as to what constitutes a legitimate Vampire. I guess with this folklore and myth it will forever be subjective - like witches, warlocks, goblins and elves. There are of course those tell tale characteristics that one must never deviate from when classifying a "Vampire" - those are your fangs, iridescent white skin and the concept that you are dead but walk the earth. Other finer details such as exposure to the light, stakes through the heart, crucifixes, garlic and such I guess get tweaked from story to story. What is evident however is that there is definitely two schools of thought with this folklore. 

Traditionalist view of Vampires ~ a scene from "Bram Stokers Dracula"

You will forever have your Traditionalists which believe that Vampires must only walk the earth at night, drink the blood of mortals and will die if ever exposed to sunlight. Traditionalists also adhere to the adage of crucifixes, garlic and the token stake through the heart and final cut of the head to destroy these immortal beings. Christianity and belief in God is your only saving grace. 

Then you have your Modernists whom are more along the lines of Stephanie Meyer's ideological view of Vampires and I'm sorry....but they happen to paint Vampires to be quite sissy and pathetic beings that sparkle in sunlight, are extremely "attuned" to their emotions - more often than not its angst, regret and self-loathing...oh and they are basically indestructible in that crucifixes won't do a damned thing, garlic will be laughed at and good luck trying to put a stake through their heart - basically they just don't die. They fly in the air and run really really fast but with straight backs with legs moving in a circular motion almost like a character out of Loony Tunes. Oh yes....they hate Werewolves and they are their arch enemy.

Mina drives a stake through her beloved Dracula's heart ~ the final redemption

So needless to say, I propose a third school of thought - which will lead into basically what I was hoping to get at with this post (films) but somehow veered off course (sorry folks) and that's Neo-Traditionalist. Neo-traditionalists pluck concepts from age old tradition and add a modern twist to it. I adhere to the Neo-Traditionalist thought where Vampires are in fact dead yes and they do walk the earth at night, however, they are not infallible and can incur significant harm under sunlight (even death). Their skin blisters under UV Rays and if they stay out there long enough they'll melt as if their skin had acid poured over it. They are however, very quick and intelligent predators. Adhering to Traditional schools of thought that painted Vampires to be very seductive predators it would not be uncommon to find them seducing their prey before eating them. It's almost like cats really huh?-Cats toy with their prey before they kill it. Vampires as a result are beautiful but deadly creatures. Neo-Traditionalists, like Modernists believe, vampires are not deterred by garlic and crucifixes are not really their kryptonite. Christianity and praying to God won't do a damned thing - good luck with that "Holy Water" too. But definitely, driving stakes through hearts and beheading is in order if you want to destroy them (or you could always set them alight).

A scene from 'Twilight' - I have never seen something so ridiculous in my life....

All the representations over the past three years of Vampires in film and television have mostly adhered to Modern schools of thought. It's quite irritating. Also part of the Modern school of thought on Vampires and Vampirism is that they have their own social dramas and feel all sorts of emotional battles, and heaven forbid they get involved romantically with a mortal then it causes all sorts of complications. I mean come on....that's where I draw the line and the reason why I have not watched: True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, Van Helsing, Underworld (or any of its sequels) or ANY of the sequels to Twilight because they showcase vampires as sissy, brooding emo's on overdrive with Days of our Lives sagas which become beyond cringe worthy. I tried very hard to get into this new television show The Gates, but felt all that neighbourhood slash Desperate Housewives take on the supernatural became a bit naff and exhausting to accommodate. Yes Vampires are sexy, yes they are hip, but don't bastardise the concept by denigrating it or popularizing it by cutting out what makes them so very intriguing in the first place. They are meant to be scary and they are meant to be intimidating. I think the problem lies in the modernisation of Vampires. Somehow....they just don't seem to fit in modern society - or they just don't look right.....I don't know....it's something about leather jackets, denim and suede shoes that don't look right on a male Vampire? On further thought....I don't think that's it either. It can't be just down to fashion as to why I fail to subscribe to all these modern television shows. I think it's the fact that these shows target a teenage audience is why I struggle to accept them. Maybe I need to dust myself off but then there have been other films that have come out recently which I did enjoy and yes they did have Vampires lurking in modern day society - but for some reason or another I was able to subscribe to their stories because the subject matter wasn't cringe-worthy and well....quite frankly, they still painted vampires to be predators - which is singularly what they were bred to be. I enjoyed the films listed below because they were made for adults. Not children.

So my top vampire flicks?

1. Interview with the Vampire

Count Lestat - personification of loneliness

Released in 1994, based on the novel by Anne Rice this brought vampires into modern day society HOWEVER through the skilful art of telling the life story of a vampire through the centuries. It was excellent because it had all the Traditional elements of what constitutes a vampire. They incinerated under the sun, they slept in coffins, they drank copious amounts of blood and they even hunted in packs. What was so brilliant about this film (not just the actors) was the fact that the theme itself was not just about the myth of the vampire, but it explored areas such as longing, loneliness, companionship and meaning for life. These things are mortal attributes in fact. We all long to be part of a group or part of a couple, or part of something social, we deplore loneliness and we all seek a meaning for our lives. It was brilliant because it demonstrated a deeper meaning to myth of the Vampire.

2. Bram Stokers Dracula

When the demon takes Lucy...

Released two years earlier than the latter (1992), this was based on Bram Stokers infamous novel. If you are looking for the purest Traditionalist take on Vampirism then look no further. This film is brilliant. All elements relating to the myth of the Vampire which are purely based in tradition so that is all your garlic, crucifixes, the coffins you will get in this remarkable story. It tells the story of the first Vampire - Vlad II Draculea, from Transylvania and how through his undying love for his deceased wife renounced mortality and vowed to walk the earth until the end of time so he could reunite with her. It is first and foremost a love story. The driving force behind the myth in this story was the power of love and how it could destroy, but also, how it could act as a source for redemption.

3. Let me in

A scene from "Let me in"

I only saw this one last weekend actually and was struck by its content. A remake of the Swedish film Let the Right One In, it was touted as one of the most controversial horror films to be released recently. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that its protagonists were children and how dark the story was. It displayed the brutality of school yard bullying to a degree to which I've never seen and this was coupled with the incredible sinister nature of the boy's neighbour - a young girl with a very dark secret. I didn't enjoy this purely for the bloodshed - however, the depiction of Vampires in this film was paramount. It's probably one of the only very few films I regard highly for depicting Vampires in the modern world, because they don't trivialize them by making them more human. 

4. Daybreakers

Modern day Vampires...

This film was no Casablanca but it was a hell of a joy to watch. Probably the only action film that I enjoyed with Vampires in it. Set in a time beyond which we know today, everyone is basically a Vampire and the problem is that human blood is running out. What do you do when there's no more food left? I relished in the fact that through this modern twist of the myth of Vampirism the storyteller was able to create a creature that even terrifies Vampires themselves - a morphed demented version of themselves. It was very clever and very fun.

With any myth there will always be different interpretations and ideas spawned from the foundations of its inception. I guess not everyone will subscribe to my selection of films listed above and Stephanie Meyer fans will probably forever crucify me for blasphemy by criticizing their view on the folklore. Nevertheless what I do hope, is that if they decide to keep going with this Vampire-fad that they start making some more thought-provoking stories and less trivial mainstream garbage that gets pumped out like rocket fuel. You never want to bastardize something so great - but if Hollywood is not careful....they will do a great job of it.

Happy Birthday!

Michelle Wiles

Principle Dancer

American Ballet Theatre

A fly in Paris Opera...

I got my paws on Frederick Wiseman's latest ballet documentary, "La Danse" recently and with great excitement hit play on my DVD player. It did not disappoint. If anything, this fly-on-the-wall approach to documenting the daily happenings of one of the most elite ballet companies in the world was superb and quite fitting. "La Danse" is an observation on the Paris Opera Ballet. Rather than traditional documentaries that stream a "story" through narration or inserts of interviews, this was shot purely in the attempt to capture the company albeit the theatre as a whole move through its routine uninterrupted. It was as if you yourself were in the room participating in the rehearsals, the meetings, the premiers. I loved this method that Wiseman used. 

A very long film, for those that are not keen ballet enthusiasts I can imagine that it would be a bit of overkill - it's an indulgence of nearly two-and-a-half hours which for someone who appreciates ballet and who loves the POB dearly, for me, it was two-and-a-half hours not long enough!!!! It is hard to capture everything about the ballet world in that short amount of time, but Wiseman did a fantastic job. I probably should state that it's not just a collection of rehearsal and performance footage strung together to paint a pretty portrait of a top ballet company. On the contrary, Wiseman documents the goings on of the costume department which work tirelessly to create stunning tutus and those ethereal looks for the stage. Also documented are the stage preparations - stage crew running their lighting tests, which I found fascinating. In between this, snippets of POB's Artistic Director Brigitte Lefévre conducting meetings with key stakeholders as well as government officials and even career meetings with her dancers served as eye opening insights. This woman knows her stuff and runs this company with quite the business acumen. 

Wiseman also features the theatre as a living organism. Very cool. He has many shots of the theatre's halls, staircases, basements and little secret compartments - even the roof where a beekeeper oddly enough tends to his bees?! That was interesting. I think the overall affect was to highlight that POB is not just a ballet company alone in a grand old theatre. It is in fact part of a wider facet of the history of the theatre. If anything, the protagonist is not the dancers of the company but in fact the theatre itself. 

The documentary demonstrated the very reasons why I love this ballet company so very much. POB whilst steeped in tradition and hierarchy is very modern as well. It's that strange combination of old with new which I love. The dancers all know their place and there is a format to casting dancers in roles and to going about things in the company. In saying so however, the repertoire is not just comprised of traditional pieces but has many contemporary works and new works at that. Wayne McGregor is one of the choreographers shot in this documentary working with the company. POB's contemporary and modern works are very cutting edge and can be very "out there" (dancers talking albeit screaming on stage) - which juxtaposes with its more traditional classical pieces (a lot of them are Nureyev works). What is evident is that Rudolf Nureyev through his time as Artistic Director revamped the company and revitalized it by encouraging it to seek out new things and this approach is still being adopted today. POB continues to be challenging, provocative, dangerous, exciting, exhilarating and entertaining simply because it continues to present to the public a combination of works which are not just dusty reruns of "Giselle" but are modern and force the public to engage and be challenged.

Two Étoiles that were showcased in this documentary were Laetitia Pujol and Marie-Agnés Gillot. What was evident however, was that Pujol seemed to be the favourite at the time of this being shot (or the most available) as she was featured in a lot of rehearsal footage. Favourites such as Aurélie Dupont, Agnés Letestu and Dorothée Gilbert were not in many shots which was a disappointment. It was great to see the Amazonian Gillot in the spotlight however as she is a true representation of athleticism and strength. 

Overall however, this film was brilliant and truly for any ballet lover a must see!!!!! Or if you are one whom collects ballet DVD's it is definitely one to own!