ballerina part 1 1/2

Just to let you all know that I will reveal the mystery of who she is.........(If you have no clue what I'm talking about I'm refering to this post: the ballerina)

The reveal is coming up on Monday, so stay posted.

I'm a little strange I know. I saw her on the bus today, and walked up to her as we both went of on the same stop. I've been curious about her ever since I took her picture, and had desided to ask her if she wanted to grab a coffee after class one day. I told her I was very curious of who she was, and everything she has done in her dance career. I think she was flattered. She really wanted to make a cofee-date, and we're up for monday. She already let me in on a tiny secret: Her name is Grete, and she is still busy doing dance jobs!!! Can't wait to hear more!

even sleep cant hide you

desperate

Ballett class was great today. The sun shining through all the windows, classical piano and a faboulous teacher. The toe was arguing a little with me at the end there, but I really didn't listen to it.

Even better, on my way way there a had a great idea pop into my little head. I'll lay it out soon, just gotta talk it over with mrs boss at the studio and get a good to go.I'm gonna spend fall break to figure it all out and make a plan. It will however involve an audition for both proffesionals and amateurs, so beware!

I got to have a surprise lunch-meeting with mr E at løkka today. We had eggs, chilli, fries and gigantic cherry-chocolate shakes over at the nighthawk diner. We talked a little about out NY plans and got a little further on that.

The idea so far is that we leave around june 1'st and stay for 4 weeks. (with the possibility of me going 1-2 weeks ahead to get started) We are trying to find a place close to central park, so we can use the park as a base for the kids to hang out and play. We are looking for a family with kids in the area to get to know and maybe hang with while we are there, and we're trying to get someone to come with us (or find someone there) to help out with the kids so we can go out to things in the evening.

We're starting up a saving account for the trip.I'll start a new post soon with all the tricks and tips on getting money saved up. I'm open to ideas to, so please help me out!

i don't feel like dancing

At least not without music....

The class I went to on monday was completely without music. It made me not want to dance. I just wanted to go home and sleep. Not inspired. So you guessed it, my inspiration in dance often (or all the time) comes from and through the music.

So the rest of the week I'm going to ballett class instead. Kinda sad, cuz I really liked the teacher and exercises....but I died with no music for 1 1/2 hrs.

Music I like to dance to can be anything and everything. It's not always a given what triggers that string in me. Classical music sometimes. Rock. Pop. Jazz. Sometimes it's the lyrics in the song that gives me an idea. Sometimes it's the melody, or one instrument. Sometimes it's just the moode in the song.

What music inspires you?

coda dance festival

This week is the coda dance festival, and to my great joy there are more classes than usual this week at Proda.Today I'm checking out a contemporary class at 10 that I'm  planning to follow throughout the week if it's good.
The teacher today is called Thomas Caley:

Thomas Caley (Stockholm)

Koreograf, danser, pedagog


Thomas Caley er utdannet ved Purchase College i NY i 1992. Fra 1993 til 2000 var han tilknyttet Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Fra 2000 til 2002 hadde Caley ansvaret for innstudering av reportoir samtid som han var tilknyttet Kungliga Baletten i Stockholm som pedagog. I tillegg jobbet han som frilans koreograf med blant andre Cristina Caprioli og Leine & Roebana i Amsterdam.


I 1997 etablerte Thomas Caley kompaniet Scentrifug sammen med Petter Jacobsson i New York. De mottok prisen Gold Mask for beste koreografi for deres arbeid med Chess The Musical. I 2000/01 skapte Scentrifug det kritiker-roste verket In nooks and crannies, en omfattende scenekunst-installasjon for Operaen i Stockholm, som inkluderte Kungliga Baletten og Operaens orkester. Scentrifug har nå base i Stockholm.


Anyone else going?

On to another subject. I have started looking into finding housing in NYC next summer. It still feels to far ahead, and to uncertain to start getting to excited, but the dream is very much alive!

nuns in disguise

Yeah, it's me and my weird ideas again. My favourite piece so far this season it by far this one. Colourful birds covered up as nuns, dancing to an old norwegian hymn rocked up by "Gåte".

Here are some photos from the first rehersal with robes.

new drums - he mele no lilo

Show season is coming up, and for those of you who didn't realize it - christmas is right around the corner! In my business we start preparing for christmas shows in september, so we're already into the the season. I'm making a " all over the world" show for my studio at Hauketo, and one of the little kids groups is doing a hawaii dance. I've got 3 crazy cute boys in this group and I've been thinking that I need to get some drums or something to use in the show. So saturday arrives, and I decide on taking the kids with me down town to go to the most amazing shop to get costumes and "gadgets" for shows.

Festmagasinet Standard

I found exactly what I was looking for in these 3 drums (boys only) and it was in fact the last three.

dreams

So, what do you dream of?

To me it's the most interesting question I can think of asking someone I'd like to get to know. This will tell me more about who they really are, or should be....

I see it like this: The dreams we dream when we let ourselves be totally honest with our deepest desires, is who we are ment to be. I have a strong feeling that we all have purpose on this planet. Somehow it's so easy to just slip into some kind path that seems pretty random. But breaking it down to basics, of what people really dream of, would often lead them in a totally different direction.

It's totally terrifying off course. At least for many of us. To break out form what's comfortable, expected, needed. And to start walking towards something unknown. But maybe in the end it will be worth it?

Maybe that unknow path towards your dream is going to lead you to your destiny?

I've had so many dreams. I've seen so many of them come true. And still, I keep dreaming. So my destiny is still out there waiting to be explored.

oslo kulturnatt (oslo culture night)

The yearly event of free culture all over oslo town is coming up this friday. I'm looking at the program right now and there's just so much going on i don't know where to begin. I thought I'd pull out a couple of things that look interesting to me, and hopefully you have some opinions as to what I should attend.

Let me start by recomending the one piece that I have already gone to see. It's "Når vi døde vågner "at "vår frelsers gravlund" It's really worth seing if you didn't make it last time!

Over to me. There are two dance performances at Black box theatre that night. The first one is "Atlas" from 19.00-20.00 and the next one is " No reference land" 20.30-21.30.

The real question is how my better half is going to cope sitting through 2 hours of dance performances. Anyone know anything about these two shows, I'd be grateful to hear about it. I thought they both seem pretty interesting!
Since we in fact have a babysitter that night we can't really end the evening yet. So I thought about going to this: Fair trade fest There are concerts, stand up and fun!

For a the whole program check out oslo kulturnatts webpage: Oslo kulturnatt
Now let me know what events you are going to. Maybe I'll see you there!


Oh almost forgot this one: Messels memorandum It's at 23.00 at lille Tøyen sykehjem.

messels memorandum

no reference land

atlas

the gift of dance

That's what it is to me. A true gift. It's a very unlikely thing that I would end up making a living of dance and so I must be grateful everyday I get to do it.

Unlike my peers at the dance school I had only danced for  2 years when accepted. Most of the others had started training at a real early age. (4-5 yrs old) I always knew it would be harder for me, but it didn't really matter. At that time in life I knew there was nothing else I could ever do that would be the right thing for me.

I remember the firs time I asked my parents If I could go to ballett. I was about 7, and before that I don't even think I knew dance existed. My parents were a part of a pretty conservative church at the time, and they didn't allow dancing. So apparently I couldn't go. Through out my growing up there were several occations when the topic came back up, and each time I was told I couldn't go.

Not untill I was 15 and my family was out of that church. I was hoocked. It still took 2-3 years before I was dancing really seriously and I was getting old. At 19 I knew this was it. I remember sitting at my mums house crying. I was so terrified that I wasn't gonna get into a dance school. And what then was I going to do?? I had no real backup plan, nothing to "fall back on" (I really hate that term...I'm not going to fall back!!)

When I got accepted into Bårdar dance academy a couple of weeks later I was extatic, and couldn't believe it! The spinning spiral of joy and amazement kept me going untill the reality of being a dance student hit me.

Hard as it was, I made it through school. I made it through some tough first years of trying to make a living out of it. And now, I'm just amazed by how well everything has turned out. I have so much work I have to turn down requests! I get to teach, choreograph, go to classes, produce! I must be the luckiest girl in the world!

And I still have dreams to do more, get better, challenge myself and others. To grow in my craft, to be more inspired and create things that move people.

It's not over, the best is yet to come.

Thank you for the gift of dance!!

Rehersal weekend

As manager of the dance-compagny at vinderen dance studio, it's part of the job to create at least two pieces of choreography for the show. I've spent many hours in front of the computer trying to figure out what music to use, and what type of choreography to do.

Today was my first rehersal with both groups, and I had prepared quite a lot of material and I was teaching the first group for 3 hrs so much was needed. We got a lot done, and the girls worked very well.

Secound group was a pretty intense choreography with a kind of "fight" scene with several lifts and acrobatics. It seems like it's gonna turn out good.

My toe is pretty much killing me right now. Probably shouldn't have jumped on it...hehe. We'll it's a dancers life and I'm living it.

Planning on getting to at least 3 ballett classes this week, and get back in the game. The toe has no say. So there.....

i'm hanging out on monday, my sunday dreams to dry

black coffee
This song reminds me of early mornings in the dark winter season. Candlelights, sigaretts, coffee and cold weather.....

So it's saturday morning and a day off! Sofie has her friend over (she slept over from yday) and now they are waching cartoons while I'm on my computer.

Tomorrow it's back to work. I'm teaching 4 1/2 hrs at vinderen. The company has rehersals this weekend and I'm choreographing two different pieces. It's my first rehersal with both groups so I'm excited to see how well they work!

Enjoy a day in the sun!

my home is where you are....

Inspired by  "Home is where you are " Alexander With (you can listen to parts of the song on his webpage or buy it on itunes)

This is my favourite song by this artist. I use it in my class for stretching sometimes, and after hearing it this week it's been stuck. So I thought I'd use it to post a little something about my home. I love my home. Not because it's renovated, modern, or even well decorated. But it's my home. It's where I feel at peace. It's where my family is. It's where I have my favourite things, and moments. I'm not really a "homey" person. I like to go out of the hous a lot. But some days, like today, I have "home office" and I lock myself into my own personal space and get really creative. I've lived so many places. In different countrys and cities. After a while all these places felt like home to me. Because I believe I was at the right place at the right time! Just like my house now really feel like home to me. This is where I'm supposed to be at this time in my life.

sun rose

I see you float downstream Slipping out and in between The winter and the spring Such a dying stubborn thing Before the sun rose As the world froze Goosebumps on her skin As the morning pulled her in

garden angel in the world outside

Gone to the world outside Such a place to hide Such a place to hide

I saw myself home I saw the willows all grown And the grass tall and still And an empty yard to fill I saw the cars shrink Changing colors as I blink But the road stayed the same Went back from where I came

my corner my home

Hopeful of the change Weary of the range ´Cause my home is where you are ´Cause my home is where you are Doesn´t matter where you are My home is where you are I rest only where you sleep My comfort, only where you weep together with the devil I creep Under covers in a bed so deep

under covers

Back on solid ground A tangled road unwound Lead me to our winter white And a starry starry night

my stars

Dark as ashes black Our footprints walking back To our castle and our keep In our love so deep Such a place to hide such a place to hide

love so deep

My home is where you are My home is where you are No matter where you are Home is where you are I rest only where you sleep My comfort, only where you weep together with the devil I creep Under covers in a bed so deep

made by my grandfather

the year I was born

family

dance is a feeling

dans er en følelse

Dancing with my jazz 3 girls at vinderen today I totally got it. The feeling. The feeling that makes me LOVE my job. Inspired.

We started working on this one: litle fuglen The concept is that we are dressed in black robes (like priests/nuns) but underneatht the robe there is a colourful bird waiting to be set free. We dance with the robes, and then dance them off. The song is an old norwegian hymn, so it's pretty apropriate with the priest theme.

I had so much fun executing this idea, and see it start to become more than just my thoughts. It''s gonna be a nice one I think!

you give me butterflies

Some days are weird. You wake with a strange expectation of something unknown. Today was like that. Maybe It was a dream that stirred me, or maybe today is a day when something unexpected happens? The butterflies in my stommac is keeping me on my toes for sure.

Speaking of toes. My foot is definately getting better, and I'm teaching all my classes today. No ballett/jazz class for me this week, but hopefulle I'm back in the game next week.

Staying home a bit more than usual I have managed to make lots of choreography this week. I'm doing a bollywood routine, to numbers to "gåte" and a chineese dance with marshal arts in it. As you might have figured by now the theme has something to do with "the world".

Almost time to go teach my first class of the day...."sees"

moon on their wings

You know sometimes when you see somthing you like in a store and you feel like you have to get it. Like it somehow has your name on it or something. That's what this was like. I'd been looking for some kind of a crusifix-type neckless for over a year. I really hadn't been able to find anything I really liked at any price in any store. I had actually given up. I had one small cross that I got when I was baptized as a baby, but it seemed so small and "pretty". I wanted to get something that had a different feel to it. When I saw this one I knew it was the one! But I was kinda broke, and thought I didn't need it. Thank goodness my frend Maria was there to tell me to buy it! I'm so incredibly thankful for it, and I've worn it almost every day since I got it. It's beautiful but not "pretty" and it's uniqe. It even has a story:

My earring tree. It's just so practical and cute. Somehow I'm not so great at puting the earrings back after using them, so as you can see it's looking a little empty at the time. I'll put up a picure later with all my favourite earrings on there. I got this in NY too.

My perfume: Lola by Marc Jacobs. Gift from E for my birthday last year. He found it all on his own and I digg it! The bottle is superflashy and decorative and the smell is fresh, flowery but light enough for a small girl like me.

All done with favourites for today. Later.

these are a few of

My favourite coffee-flavour: Hazelnut. I started drinking hazelnut coffe when I lived in Columbus Ohio at 18. I used to get it at bruegers bagels, or at the cappuchino cafe. At the bagel shop I got a large mug for 1 dollar. I almost forgot about it completely untill I went to NY this summer and they had it everywhere! Simply LOVE it!!



Coffe needs to be frenched pressed as far as I'm concerned. I still remember the two first times I had it. The first time was with my dad at his friends house late one night when I probably should have been in bed already. I remember the smell, the flavour and the fellowship. The second time was with my ohio friend Julie at her house. Reading poetry on the floor in her room.

My french press isn't exactly new or very beautiful, but I absolutely love it!

City: New York! For me it's just a place packed with inspiration. There is so much dance there it's overwhelming. I'm sure my expectations were high going, but NY was much more than I tought it would be. A few higlights were shakespear in the park tickets , the lion king on broadway lion king and classes at steps dancestudio Steps. More than the actual things we did and went to see, was the atmosphere and the spirit of the city. I was taken by surprise by what it did to me. It made me less scared, more confident and a lot more giving. It's funny when you feel like that you also want to lift others up. So many times I had to go up to people in class and tell them how amazing I thought they were. And without exeption they were always really thankful for it.

Movies: I have two. Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Moulin Rouge (2001) and they are both, not suprisingly, directed by Baz Luhrman. So even though I really know wery little about directors, I'd say he is by far my favourite!

Romeo + Juliet came out when I was 18. I went to the theatre twice to see it. Both times I was just blown away by the beauty of it. What captured me the most I think was the language and the music. I was at the time studying shakespear in school so there was already a fasination there, and this movie brought it to a whole other level. The tone of speach almost sounds like singing and it stands as a brutal contrast to the imagery and the roughness of other parts of the film. It  is simply genious. The music underlines, defines, bring out the contrast and the emotions. "kissing you" and "when doves cry" are two of my favourites although it seems almost unfair to take these two out of a whole. I got this soundtrack as a gift when I was leaving Ohio (I had gone to school there for 1 year) and I still have it to this day, and still listen to it, and dance to it. I have done shows from two of the songs. "when doves cry" and "whatever" (I had a dream)  If you haven't seen this film...stop reading and do it now.

Moulin Rouge is fireworks. It's circus. It is LOVE at it's best and at it's worst. Somehow this movie resembles something I've felt. When I see it I feel that way. I can't even begin to explain it. It's kinda strange. There's no real likeness, only in the emotions.

The greatest gift you'll ever learn is just to love and to be loved in return! Nature boy

This list keeps getting longer, but I really have to go, so I will add to it later. See you when I see you!



morning after dark

waynes coffee

I finally got to have a morning meeting with Ragnhild yday. We've planned on it for a few weeks but life's been busy lately. Now since I really cant go to class anyway we sat down at st.hans haugen/bislet at a sidewalk cafe'. Ragnhild is one of my favourite people to work with. We make a pretty good team i guess. We're gonna do some more projects together, but it's still a bit of a secret so I'm not gonna lay it all out quite yet. But I gave her some food for thought on an idea I've had, so now I just wait and see what will come of it. Now it's off to the office to set up the scedule for this weekends compagny training

dalsbergstien

sweet friend

.

my favourite things

First  of all you should turn this song on while you're reading. It's my favourite version of the sound of music classic.
"my favourite things" by big bang

This song has been stuck in my head for a few days, and I thought this was a perfect use for it. My favourite things. My kids. They have to come first. They inspire me in more ways than I thought possible. They have more emotions and bigger range then most grown ups I know, and they remind me of what life is all about. I love the smell of them when they've just had their bath and are sitting on my lap waching cartoons. I love it when Isak wants to hold my hand on out way to the car. and I love waching Sofie coming down the stairs after dressing herself. She puts together outfits so well and she's just 4! And they are pretty. I like pretty things. In fact they are the most beautiful kids in the world. Said like any true mom.

Sunday-best

My watch. It's big white and plastic and I simply love it! It's a nixon vega that Espen gave to me when he was in the hospital. Yeah, I know. I should have gotten him a gift and not the other way around. He came home for a weekend-leave and had gotten me this watch on his way home! I barely ever take it off. And it kinda, oddly, goes with everything.

nixon vega

I just about now realize I'll never finish this today. There are so many things I need to add to this list, and so many things to take pic of. I'll keep this one going for a few days.

Let me know what your favourite things are.....

grandmas livingroom

pink roses are my favourites

No it's not my grandmothers livingroom, but a venue in Oslo. The name of it, though is "grandmas livingroom" and it's so beautiful. We were there at a "konfirmasjon" and I was captured by the spirit of this old fashion authentic place.....

people of other times

in your hand is my time

sofa-room

chandelier and mirror

This venue is up for rental for weddings and other parties. It's at Lovisenberggaten 15 A. Stuene på Diakonissehuset.