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Monday, May 23, 2011

Inspire Me Monday--SYTYCD and Ryan Woodward

I haven't done an "Inspire Me Monday" post in months and months, and even though every week I start with the intention of doing one, the days and weeks just always seem to get away from me--and I had pretty much come to the conclusion that it had been long enough, maybe I should just let it go.  But then I was told by my big sister that she missed them...so in turn, I promised I would try to get em going again.  :)

Probably the most inspiring thing I have viewed of late is this video from an amazingly talented artist and animator (and incidentally, a fellow Utahn!) named Ryan Woodward.  You may recognize the style--about a week or two ago Google had him design one of their little google "doodles" for their main page that celebrated a dancer.  I'd seen that and admired it, but the very next day one of my sweet brides (Kristen, who is graceful enough to be a dancer, even though she SWEARS she isn't--I don't believe her) brought this to my attention after her bridal session.  It is absolutely lovely.  It has pretty much everything in the world that moves me: chemistry, a love story, longing, motion and movement, not to mention beautifully composed figure drawing. (I've studied figure drawing back in the day as an art major.  It ain't easy.  And to make it move like that, so fluidly and realistically...its magic.)

Watch...and be amazed:



Then, when I was watching this, I remembered a dance I saw something like 5 or 6 years ago (I think) on So You Think You Can Dance.  I don't watch much in the way of reality shows because they all give me extreme anxiety, but this I did tune it for, and it made enough of an impression that I still go back to it sometimes to bask in the romance.

If you ask me, posing a couple for a photograph isn't really unlike choreography.  The end goal is the same: capture the love and tension and hope and longing and a story and convey it visually, without words or declarations of any sort.



Back in the day one of my roommates had a home video of an ex-boyfriend's college dance company doing a gorgeous ballroom number to the GooGoo Dolls' Iris.  If I could find that video, I'd post it....but since I can't (unless you still happen to have that old VHS 7 or 8 years later Tia?  hmmm?) I will just ask instead:
Are there any dances you've seen on TV or in real life that have moved you?  Leave a comment to share!

2 comments:

Carolanne said...

I remember that goo goo dolls dance too. I'd love to see it again. And that was a really cool dance, I can understand why you remembered it. And now that I've seen it, I can also see the elements of it in your photography. This is why I love these posts!

Tia said...

I imagine that video every time I hear Iris. But I did give the video back. I'm certain if you facebooked him he'd give you a copy though. He was a good guy like that :) Pretty much all dancing inspires me, the way they can let go of inhibitions and move is something I have yet to embrace.