Be Open to Art

I don't typically spend time reading the comment section on Youtube because more often than not it's just a bunch of people saying mean things to each other. However I did find a comment on the video above that I just had to share.

The first person commented asking, "am I the only one that thinks this is some incredibly ugly dancing?" to which one person wrote this amazing response, "I feel like it's very naive of you to say "art must be pretty". If you feel that for you to enjoy art, you want it to be aesthetic, then fine, thats perfectly valid, but to disqualify all other forms of art or artistic expression by saying it isn't art because it isn't "pretty" is really narrow minded and truthfully pretty insensitive. Art is supposed to elicit an emotional response. Emotions aren't always pretty. Just because you don't feel something in response to a dance or a song or whatever it might be, doesn't mean that it isn't someone's art. Art basically has no rules or boundaries. As an artist myself, I don't care if you don't like what I create, just don't disregard, devalue or minimize it due to your personal preconceptions about art. That's almost like saying a woman isnt a woman if she isn't pretty."

Pretty powerful words.

-S

Once A Dancer...

Last night I was feeling anxious and just could not sleep. After tossing and turning for about an hour, I decided to open up my computer and watch some ballet. My two "go-to" videos are The Nutcracker with Macaulay Culkin (which I grew up on and it will never get old) and Sylvie Guillem's performance in Cinderella (which is what I ended up watching). I've always been amazed by Guillem's extensions and performance style, not to mention I absolutely love the Opera national de Paris' choreography. There's this really great part when she's dancing with the broom and sweeping it around in circles; I'm always mesmerized by the fluidity of the movements.

When I was younger, I was obsessed with analyzing professional ballerina's performances and teaching myself different solos. Slowly, as I grew older and realized dancing professionally was not in the cards for me, I stopped searching the internet for ballet videos. I gave up on something I was truly passionate about. Lately I've started to notice just how much I feel like I'm missing without dance in my life.

But deep down I know that dance will never really leave me. I still do pirouettes in my kitchen and choreograph dances in my sleep. When I hear certain songs, they will always flood me with memories of dancing. I was back at my old studio last weekend for a friend's Bachelorette Party and it still felt like returning home after a few years of being away. Dancing will always make me feel alive. It helps me focus. It gives me strength and hope. It makes me feel like I'm creating something positive and beautiful. Dance has always given my body a purpose. It reminds me to be thankful for these imperfect bones because despite being imperfect I'm still able to move.

Once a dancer, always a dancer. Whether I'm actually taking classes or not, I will never stop dancing.

-S

I'm Obsessed.

With Sight of the Sun by Fun.

I seriously cannot stop listening to this. It puts a smile on my face and it just makes me feel happy.

Pamper evenings (or middle of the days). Inspired by this video from Zoella. Lighting candles, playing some music from Explosions In The Sky, and enjoying a bubble bath. 

With watching this dance (and listening to this cover).

I'm getting major deja vu like I've posted about this before, but it could just be that I've watched this video so many times I can't keep anything straight about it. Just everything.

Reading ZenHabits blog. It is always motivating and informative about making positive changes in your life. Taking small steps is everything and it's really the only way to succeed long term when it comes to changing your habits.

Beauty products. I half wrote a separate blog post last week about this and I'm still debating about finishing it so I guess I won't go into too much detail. Just imagine multiple trips to Ulta and watching beauty guru videos on Youtube for an embarrassingly long amount of time. I want all the pretty things.

Beautiful and Inspiring Dance Photos

*All found on Pinterest