Burlesque

Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

During the weekend I watched the movie Burlesque and I found it interesting.  The main character wanted to be a dancer and singer at a club called Burlesque and do what she loved to do- and that's exactly what she did. 

 Here is the trailer to the movie Burlesque: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2r_8l1c2nQ

This movie relates to humanities by the movie being influenced by the time period of the 1860's to the 1940's.  Dancers danced and based dances as a joke to make people laugh.  These dances were danced in clubs, bars, and theaters.

 

Burlesque made girls dance and have fun on stage and also made them popular.

Burlesque in the 1800's, and as seen in the movie, consisted of three major parts.First there are songs and skits preformed by comedians, then male acts preforming acrobats, singing, and magic, the the last part is when the girls dance burlesque and take over the stage with their talent.

This dance was extremely popular back in the 1800's and 1900's.  Many composers in this time period composed pieces based/for the art of Burlesque. One composer by the name of Max Reger in 1901 composed  Six Burlesque with the piano and also Richard Strauss composed a piece for his orchestra.

Here is a link to Richard's composed piece named Burleske:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Richard_Strauss_-_Neal_O%27Doan_-_Burleske.ogg

To many, Burlesque isn't just dancing it is also art. Many people express themselves by dancing and wearing costumes and such.  They feel comfortable in their own skin and have a blast doing the dances they rehearse.

I think it is amazing that events from the past are being reintroduced in the recent time periods.  This shows that dances and old events are still recognized, acknowledged, and appreciated.  Burlesque was a major form of entertainment in the 1800's and 1900's and is still proudly shown today.  It shows how hard people worked for this form of entertainment and that its not only dancing but also hard work and commitment to what is being done.

Here is a link  from a dance scene in the move Burlesque to show what the dance is:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDPR5EoYqOs


I recommend people to watch this movie because it portrays how dance was back in the 1800's.   Many events including Burlesque is still shown and acknowledged today in present time.  Many people also use themed parties today for Burlesque, 1990's parties, and parties where girls dress up like flappers, or 80's parties where girls wear poodle skirts.  Many events are still going on and appreciated in today's modern world.

Not only is events and such acknowledged, so is music! For example Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, and such.  If it wasn't for the radio or the people today that still bring these old era events to the present time , I would know nothing about it.

Kings County Legion Headquarters Band

This afternoon my friends and I went to see a band performance of the Kings county American Legion Headquarters Band.  I went to this performance because Mr.Liccardi , my band teacher, told us that he would be conducting and performing in this get together on 18th avenue and 84th street.

It was interesing to see how influential music really is to society. Irwin Meyer, a 92 year old conductor, grew up aound music all of his life.  His sister was a rockette and his family was  into classical music.

Irwin contributed to society by serving in World War Two and saw action in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific theaters and participated in four "D" Days.

Irwin has lived a long life and is conducting a volunteer band.  Music brings him enjoyment and is extremely important to him.  Along with him, many people in this volunteer band contribute to sociey and our community by bringing the joyness of music to everyday life.

Seeing the commitment and the effort the poeple,especially Irwin, puts into this band inspires me.  I saw the percussion section , the section I play in at band, act free and enjoy the music they play. This inspired me to love the percussion section even more.

Here is the link about the performance today:  http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=31&id=41824

This band pertains to humanities because Irwin, along with the rest of the band, contributed music, effort, and inspiration to society and to the community.

 This band also wanted to inform friends and family the history and significance of the old town of New Utrecht and it's landmarks.  These landmarks consist of the New Utrecht Reformed Church and the Old New Utrecht Cemetery.  The landmarks were very important to the community and this band wants to rejuvenate these buildings.  They asked for donations and all of the proceeds will go into the reformation of the church.

This band is not only about playing music they love but about the people in the band that make a difference to humanities.  The performers are once again volunteers who grew up with music around them, fought in the wars to help society, police officers who help defend our nation, bring the community happiness with their instruments, and restoration and care to society.

If this isn't inspirational...I don't know what is?

Piercings and tattoos- a form of expressing yourself or mutilation?

Piercings to many people are a way of expressing themselves. Many people in society especially teens have many piercing throughout their body. Piercings and tattoos are a controversial topic to many people in society.  While many people believe piercings ans tattoos are a form of art , many also believe that that this "art" ruins your body and damages your body for good.

According to Yasmine Blackman, tattoos and piercings is not mutilation:

"Would the literally millions of people all over the world, from different countries, classes, genders,cultures and sub cultures have them selves pierced or tattooed if they thought it was mutilation? The answer, put simply, is a resounding NO."

Link for more details^:http://www.helium.com/items/1020213-tattoos-and-body-piercing-art-or-mutilation

I agree with Yasmine!  Many people have their eyebrow, belly button, ears periced and many people disapprove and judge people because of them.  IF YOU DON'T LIKE PERICINGS OR TATOOS DON'T LOOOK!

Plain and simple its someone elses body not yours!

Also, according to Yasmine Blackman:

"Tattoos and piercings can represent so many things, they can represent milestones-consciously or sub consciously and represent where people are at a certain time in their lives. They can become tributes, or memories. They can be anything the modified wants them to be."

Many people have tattoos to represent their life such as a family members name or a picture such a butterfly that might symbolize something special to the person getting it.  According to some people TATTOOS ARE A FORM OF ART!  People express themselves from piercings to tattoos and feel good about getting them.

According to a Peter from Peicing Forum:

"I myself have several tattoos, and too many piercings to count. My family says that both are mutilation & that the body should remain “unmarked” . I say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder…"

Many people get judged and even bullied because of the excess piercings and tattoos that they have on their body.  Who are people to judge?! (this also ties in with bullying-my previous blog)

HOWEVER

According to Lawrence Rubin and Michael Brody  :

"The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry released a statement in 1999 in which they listed tattooing and 'excessive piercing' along with picking, burning, head-banging and cutting as possible forms of self-injury."

Link to the quote above : http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/popular-culture-meets-psychology/200907/tattoos-and-body-piercing-adolescent-self-expression-or
 
Tattoos and Piercings to many people are a sign of art..art is humanities  =)

I say who cares what people say?!   In my opinion i do not think Piercing ans tattoos is  self mutilation--I know what i am doing to my body--why do you care?!

If people wan to to get inked up and get pierced i say do it!  I say express yourself, its a form of art, it's a part of YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

People feel more confident and good in their skin if they do these actions-do it!

Bullying--why do it?

Bullying has been going on in schools and even in families for many many years. Bullying affects students lives in a major way.  Children get beat. mentally harassed, physically harassed, and verbally abused.  Others break other kids down and its hard for them emotionally to get back up.  

A student by the name of Asher Brown from Cypress Fairbanks Middle school in Texas was effected so much due to being victimized by others that it led to a horrific tragedy. According to the New York Times newspaper:

"Asher, an eighth grader at a Cypress-Fairbanks middle school, shot himself last fall after what his parents said was two years of harassment for his small size, religion and perceived sexuality. "

Asher's death gave people the courage to make groups and laws about bullying and how to prevent it.  Theses groups are the Anti -Defamation League and the American Civil Liberties Union.

“It’s like passing a law that says you shall be nice, and then trying to define nice and requiring school districts to report when they deem someone not to have been nice,” said Mr. Smith, who sits on the House Public Education Committee."

 Also, according to TIME, many students are harassed everyday and some also commit suicide because of it.

In the past few weeks, at least three teenage boys — one in Houston, one in Greensburg, Ind., and one in a small central California city called Tehachapi — have committed suicide after being bullied.

I think it is RIDICULOUS that children abuse and harass others especially those who are weak and can't handle it.  Just because someone is a different religion, ethnic group, or sexual preference than you doesn't make them non human!  STOP THE ABUSE! Many families are loosing their children daily because kids want to abuse others greatly. According to the TIMES:

"And, on Sept. 22, a freshman at Rutgers University, Tyler Clementi, threw himself from the George Washington Bridge in New York City. His roommate had secretly recorded a video of Clementi kissing a guy; the video went up on YouTube. On Facebook, Clementi offered a final status update: "jumping off gw bridge sorry."

 <------ Why should we let kids get beat and loose their confidence everyday?!  Why don't we try harder to prevent it instead of just putting a "a no bully free zone" on the wall of a classroom like that is going to help?   

The famous question is that many people ask is; "If you see someone getting bullied would you help the victim out?"  To be honest i really do not know what i would do myself.  I say this because it is really non of my business and i do not like to get involved in things and situations.  HOWEVER, If i see a kid getting beat or abused in front of me and  I know the victim cannot speak up for themselves because they are weak and afraid, I would definitely speak up for him/her... I don't want the child being harassed to kill themselves or to grow up to be a mass murder from all the messed up things that have been done to him in his/her lifetime.

What kind of society do we live in that even kids are afraid to walk to and from school by themselves?! 

According to the New York Times: 

 “People don’t mess with groups of people,” he said. “But they see someone walking by themselves, and there’s no fear there.”

 I agree with this quote by the New York Times 100%. People do pick on a kid when no body is there to protect or defend the victim so they can abuse him to the full extent.  I think no matter how many groups , signs or lessons that schools and such have on bullying, harassment is still going to happen and there's no way of stopping it.

Bullying is not just physical.  Children get teased because of their height, appearance ,and much more!....I think people should come together at schools and bring this teasing and bullying to and end. Even though ,in my opinion, bullying will never go away because many people judge and criticize people's every move, there is still hope!....nobody wants another child dead...or mentally messed up in the future.