A Sea of Ink

Happy World Ballet Day! For those of you unfamiliar with the annual event, World Ballet Day is a holiday which celebrates the love and sharing of dance with an all-day livestream including classes, rehearsals, and interviews from the world's top ballet companies-- the Bolshoi Ballet, the Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, the Australian Ballet, the National Ballet of Canada, and other, smaller companies like Ballet West! The dance community worldwide is unified in one joyous celebration, beyond all boundaries of language and country. Ballet is one thing that brings me great joy--dancing it, watching it, creating it...ballet is a key part of my personal culture. Had the stars not misaligned against me, I'd be enrolled in classes now. Unfortunately, I suppose I must have a different purpose in life--but that will not keep me from enjoying the art. In honor of this occasion, I'd like to share my favorite ballet class warmup trends, all of which I have seen worn by dancers...

I am extremely pleased to finally announce the launch of my fashion blog! Check out my newest project,  Chicer Than Sneakers . The site will explore ways to stay trendy on a budget, style tips and tricks, fashion alerts, and more! I've thoroughly enjoyed working on the website so far, and I hope you all will enjoy and be able to learn from it. (I will still be working on posts for A Sea of Ink, even as I build Chicer Than Sneakers. No need to worry about inactivity on this blog.) Have any requests for either of my blogs? Let me know in the comments below! Thank you, as always, for your readership.

So, I've discovered French rock opera. Sounds like a lot of chaos, doesn't it? You'd be correct in that assumption. However, the French can wrangle that chaos and turn it into something beautiful like no other. We think Hamilton is original? I love Lin-Manuel Miranda and his work [kind of on an obsessive level, actually] but, man, are we Americans behind the times. The French have been doing jamming history musicals [ les comédies musicales ] for years! For example: "Mozart, L'Opéra Rock." I watched the entire 2010 production on YouTube (with English subtitles) and the music and costuming are both FABULOUS. [Plus: it's already helping me improve my French!] The production first premiered in 2009 in Paris. With music by Dove Attia, Jean-Pierre Pilot, Olivier Schultheis, William Rousseau, Nicolas Luciani, Rodrigue Janois, and Françoise Castello, lyrics by Vincent Baguian and Patrice Guirao, and a book by Dove Attia and François Chouquet, the musical is...

Today marks the 88th anniversary of the birth of Audrey Hepburn, on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She passed away on January 20, 1993. Audrey Hepburn to me is a beacon of inspirational light. She was not just a movie star: she lived through World War II, fighting the Nazis with the Dutch Resistance by carrying messages and putting on secret dance concerts in order to raise funds, and came close to starvation prior to liberation by the Allies. She gave up stardom in order to be the best mother she could; she put her family and other first, before her own agenda. She dedicated her final years to UNICEF, traveling to struggling countries such as Somalia to raise awareness of starving children's plight. She used the fame she was blessed with to do good and change her world. She was not traditionally beautiful, never thought she was attractive, and created a whole new genre of fashion for unconventional beauties. She remained humble while in the public eye, maintained a polite att...

Roman Holiday : Exploring the Fashion of a Princess Gone Rogue           The popular film Roman Holiday , starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, has long been considered a classic in the world of film and cinematography. The story of Princess Ann—young, wild, and full of dreams—takes the viewer on a journey of self-discovery, rebellion, and the experimentation of new things. Though the plot is clearly explained through dialogue and action, the costuming of the movie is often under appreciated; Miss Hepburn’s wardrobe itself tells the story of her character’s development as the princess’s clothing and style gradually change and develop over time.           The first seven and a half minutes of the film show a young girl full of sophistication and class. Ann is calmly waving to throngs of people, she is visiting with fellow royals, she is dedicating buildings, christening ocean liners, and negotiating trade relations; Princess...