new shoes =D

bought a pair of Gaynor Minden (American shoemaker) pointeshoes... Cost a bomb, even after the student discount... but i guess, after waiting for 3 years, i thought, its bout time to get my hands/feet(actually) on them... They seemed to be the 'in' thing in college, most ppl in sch are using them, and a lot of professional dancers use them.. i am very very intrigued to find out wat so amazing about it... well, i'm not going to bore u with the details. its really comfy during the fitting, lots of cushioning. Now, let's hope that it feels just as brilliant whilst dancing in it..
They are now nice and clean... sewn the ribbons and elastic bands on them a couple of minutes ago.. and am going zonkers soon.. its 3am now..

somehow.. i feel this week.. i have immense mixed feelings... firstly.. this week, the school magazine (which will be circulated worldwide, becos of the members are worldwide), Dance Gazette, is out. It has the reviews of Chocolatism (my exam choreography piece), usually, the reviews reflect what the results of our choreography exam are. If the review are in full praise, then that particular piece of work is gonna be the top results in class... and of cos vice versa... hence i do not have a clue where my work stands... and of cos, i have my own expectation for myself, yet i dun want to tempt fate.. hence the mixed feelings...
another mixed feeling: i've finished my course of study, just anticipating the results patiently... i have not a clue what lies ahead of me. Masters? Work? or... I dunno... I am not tat unorganised and unplanned... but due to such circumstances, I have minimal options... I do really wish to come back to UK at least another year. I just feel like.. I missed out on absorbing the dance culture enough..and there are so much more opportunities for me to grow and be nurture as an individual, which back home, I can never get such priviledge and opportunities. I need 1 more year to really make the best out of it... On the other hand, there are loved ones who want/need me back, both emotionally and physically...

but do we live for ourselves, or do we live for the ones we love?

14th Twin

i found another set of twin that i know.. Rupert Pennefather from Royal Ballet is also a pair of twin, his twin sister is Alice... How scary... and after discovering this news, i was offered some cherries by a classmate, i randomly picked the stalk of a cherry, but it came as a pair cos the stalk was attached by 2 cherries, my classmate saw and exclaimed, "Hey.. TWINS!" i was like.. "erm... seriously.. i dun need this now..." it has become really eerie... i think.. from the recent encounter of twins that i have met and counted.. i think it's a sign... i think.. it may be a hint or something that.. perhaps.. just perhaps.. that i am actually part of a pair of long lost twin!!!!!!!! p/s i like lil' twin stars too.. oops...

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

headed to British Library to get hold of the issue of GQ-London, September 2003, to lay my hands on these gems... Colorcopied and have them posted here to share with you. Love it or not... it was a fulfilling day at the library seeing these dashing pictures of ed.

Weak on my knees.. how can I resist anyone, so well-fitted in a suit?

a quickie...

am preparin to get my butt out the house to get to British Library to find some "hot" stuff... will be sharin it here once i got my hands on them... well.. doesn't need much clue huh...
anyway... was totally knacked yesterday again... had teaching with Jo O'hara (my teacher). I always enjoyed working with her, and working for her. She is the sweetest and loveliest person i ever met. She is a girlish lady in a small frail frame. She reminded me of the classic Giselle. anyway, she dropped me off after the teaching practice, and as it was raining, we end up chatting in her car for a couple of minutes. We talked about Fokine, and about the way he worked even though none of us met him before, and we talked about who she used to danced and partnered with, Anton Dolin, etc. Then she assumed that I like Fokine's work, I told her that, I adore MacMillan's work. She went, "Oh.. Don't let me start on MacMillan!" with dramatic hand over forehead impression. hahahaha... and we just started spilling out how amazing each of his creations, etc... I said, "There is no work of MacMillan's is bad. I love Rite of Spring the most" Jo responded, "Oh goodness, of cos, Rite of Spring. That was such a brilliant piece." Jo was so sweet, she just went all jittery, and full of admiration throughout the conversation of MacMillan. She showed interest in wanting to watch Tamara Rojo in Mayerling, and how wonderful a dancer Rojo is. I cannot agree more.. And soon, both of us have prepared with setting dates and making plans to watch ballet together. Never had such a great conversation with a teacher like that before...I enjoyed it very much, much more than discussing such topics to a peer who do not even have a clue about MacMillan's works.
anyway... leavin u now... I can't wait to return to london in september, starting with a new fiery drive and passion in dance, and wanting to make the best out of my stay in uk.

WOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

EXCEPTIONALLY THRILLED!!!! I cannot verbally describe how i currently feel. but if you could put yourself in my position, you will understand...
I started writing reviews of dance productions in March'06 on my other blog http://www.terpsichore-museofdance.blogspot.com/. And i was reading the various professional reviews by critically acclaimed dance critics on http://www.ballet.co.uk to find out what the professional thinks, and if I agree to what they say, etc. Sometimes, there are cases where I strongly agree to what these critics or reviewer say, and sometimes i am utterly disapprove to what they say. Hence I just wanted to make my little voice heard, and I thought, appearing with a nickname, will hide my identity. However, as silly as I possibly be, I used a nick, but used my real name as my user name, not knowing that it will be used on the site, as I thought its only for admin purposes... anyway... I began posting my personal opinions on the the website. One day, as i was browsing through the reviews on Royal Ballet's Giselle, I saw my name pop out as a contributer to a post. I was alarmed and was in utter shame, i was so worried that folks in school are going to make fun of me and call me a ballet geek (well, provided that these folks actually visit the site, but clearly not). anyway, i was consoled by Donn (my ballet teacher in Glasgow), that there is nothing to be ashamed of. I was encouraged both by Donn, and the administrator who picked my work, and continued to work on more reviews...
anyway... the point of today's post is....
I wrote a review of an event at the opera house, and it was selected by the administrator, to be the MAIN review of the event. Henceforth, I got my review an OWN page.. heheee.. I never dream in a million years that my work will be chosen as a main review of a specific event.. This is the link, http://www.ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_06/may06/ct_rev_rb_0506.htm and u can read the other 'shortlisted' posts which the administrator picked under "Other Celine Tan Reviews". heehee.. i am highly vitalised with encouragement and excitment...
Oh gosh... i cannot describe the feelings i have now, i just cannot stop smiling... :)

iT'S bOUT tIME...

hmmf.. guess it's bout time to talk about ME-SELF... well.. let's talk about myself and FOOD... first and forthmost... i had my first korean meal today with Andrea. It was a sumptuous meal, was a bit costly for a student, but i used the money i earned from teaching pilates.. so i didnt feel that bad.. furthermore, it was good food, good company, wonderful ambience and for good reasons. the reasons are aplenty, was our first meal together, and she introduced korean cuisine to me, and also to celebrate an end to our hard-earned degree and the start of our 'diet'.
For starters, we had meat with vegetables in pancake. It was yummy, love the pancake, but the mustard was a killer. it was very strong, and i could feel the power of mustard hit my nose and out my ears.. hahahaha like in the cartoons... The starter was accompanied with side salad. The bean sprouts in sesame was my favourite. The kimchi style of radish, lettuce and cucumber were yummy too. The next dish we had was the barbeque dish, we had bbq meat, spring onion, oil-soaked garlic, soya bean paste and kimchi radish (at one's discreption) wrapped in green leaves. Once wrapped, one has to gobble up the entire 'package' in one mouthful. it was indeed a HUGE mouthful dish. Not to recommend for first dates, no doubt, it was my favourite dish of the evening. Apart from an interesting eat-out, my food addiction... yes.. it can be quite serious at times.. there was once, I was extremely engrossed and addicted to Carrot Cake (English Style), that i HAD to have at least a slice a day. And I could physically finish the entire 8 sliced Carrot Cake all by myself in one seating. They were very healthy, and delicious. Then one time, as I was eating my daily slice, I bit on one of the spices, and that put me off totally. That was how I stopped the carrot cake syndrome. Now, I still eat carrot cakes, but not to such extreme demands. These days, my food addiction bottoms down to my daily intake of 2 main items. First, Sponge Fingers. I have them plain and i could finish a packet of 36 pieces in a day. The are like baby's food. They are used for trifles and tiramisu... Cheap and nice.. as snack.. or a meal even.. oh low fat too.. hahaha
The other item, Rhubarb & Custard Cream Sweets, a traditional English candy. I tried them once, out of curiosity, and thought the aftertaste was exceptionally unique and interesting, I was unable to describe in words. Soon, I was addicted to this weird taste. It has a funny taste followed by a sweet custardy taste, and being hard boiled sweets, they last longer in the mouth. I first bought a small packet to TRY, it was about 3 weeks ago. I finished the small package within a week. One week passed after I have finish the first pack, and my mind has been thinking about it since, I searched the Marks & Spencer in Covent Garden for it, but there was not much luck. And yesterday, I was desperate for the sweet, i head to another Marks & Spencer in Oxford Street to try my luck, and there it was sitting on the shelves. I was pleased.
The other item that I recently like, but not exactly ADDICTED, is Fruit-tella's fruity chews with Fruit Juice. They are very sweet and juicy actually... lovin' it...
Somehow I feel i gonna get decay soon.. *oops oops*

UP*CLOSE

Gotten tickets to watch Royal Ballet's In Good Company on the opening night (19th May) and the last performance on (21st May). Its one of the many events to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Ballet. This particular event brought together dancers from Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, and The Australian Ballet.
On the 19th May, the response was very good, I only managed a seat in the 2nd row in the Linbury Studio Theatre at the Royal Opera House, in other words, i am just 3 meters away from the stage. Linbury is a much smaller auditorium, henceforth, one can literally see the dancers extremely CLOSE-UP, almost being able to see the leg hair of the female/male dancers :p. Anyway, to summarise my evening, Ed performed with Leanne Benjamin in a duet. When he took his bow, he stared at me, I freaked out at that instant, and looked away. I had a sudden sense of guilt, that i had to hide my face in shame from him. Very odd feelings. anyway, how did I know he was STARING at me? well, to begin, i was situated smack in the centre in the 2nd row, only3 meters or less, directly from where he stood, and I was the only oriental person in the first 5 rows. and I was looking at him as I applaud and as he bow, when he recovers, he turn towards my direction, looked me in the eye (assuming that i may look familiar to him, as we met each other just about 2 months ago). Anyway... tat was that... after the performance, I was the last in the audience to retreat in the foyer. The foyer was packed with well-wishers and people. I came out of the auditorium and saw a lady just about 5 meters away from me, I knew her from when I was working at Giorgio Armani. And I always wish to meet her at a ballet event to say hi, for she is such a lovely lady. I was so pleased to see her standing right in front of me, as I was about to advance towards her, I noticed she was talking to somebody, and i thought it will not be nice to interrupt... and I just looked over to see who she was chatting to, in which this person had the back towards me. Well... well... guess who.. yes.. indeed.. Edward Watson. I was like, "oh... shit!!! Damnz". I hang around for a bit to wait till their conversation has ended. I could have just waited beside her to say hi, instead, as I cannot bear to see Ed's face (for i know i probably feaked out, its weird, cos now when i see him LIVE... he sends chills down my spine... not sure if its FEAR hmmf), i waited patiently about 5 meters away. She gave Ed a friendly pat on the back, literally, and walked off as her husband continued chatting with Ed. I hurried towards her, caught up with her and spoke to her.
She is such a dear lady. She was very happy to finally see me, as I was feeling the same too. And we exchanged contact details. Both she and her husband did not have any air in them, and seemed to be the warmest people I have acquainted. I was very pleased that evening, for, I got to watch Ed danced, and to exchange contacts with the lovely couple.
And today, I went to watch the similiar event, reviews can be read from: http://www.terpsichore-museofdance.blogspot.com/ and amongst the audience, there were a handful of Royal Ballet dancers, Rambert Ballet Company and Wayne McGregor (WOOOHOO) This genius is out-of-this-world! He is highly charged with creativity and innovation. A master in choreography and movements. He is the first artist that has inspired me to choreograph, and to enhance my interest in analysing choreographies. The best part of it, his company, Random Dance Company, is currently rehearsing in my school. WOOHOO WOOHOO!!! am looking forward to a duet of his, being performed, by Ed & Leanne, Laura and Ricardo of the Royal Ballet, in 2 weeks time. Cunt Wait!!!

pure*INDULGENCE*

ooooo.... YES... YES... YES!!! (re-enact the scene from When Harry Met Sally, when Sally fake an orgasm in the restaurant!) hahahaha...
i was casually surfin the net, and came to a site which i frequent visit for gorgeous pictures of the royal ballet (taken by the genuis, Johan Perrson), and was wondering if there are any new pictures of Sleeping Beauty (since its the current production on the main stage at the Opera House now). But... oooh... guess what? i search for mr watson, and look what i found? Orgasmic pictures of him taken during his Giselle rehearsals... my heart stopped a beat, my breath was held, as these pictures came flashing up the screen. here is to share... my i-candy... YUMS...heeheee
Apart from being utterly disappointed for not being able to see him dance in ballet class yesterday at the royal ballet in class http://terpsichore-museofdance.blogspot.com/2006/05/royal-ballet-in-class-17th-may06.html the disappointment is now made with with seeing these beautiful pictures and also watching the other ballet dancers in class... The main thing i've learnt from watching the ballet class yesterday, Darcey Bussell is still HUMAN... she still has her post-natal belly... we all have HOPE now.. heehee right i am off now.. managed to get a FREE ticket to watch the Royal Ballet's Sleeping Beauty tonight.. heehee.. gonna catch Tamara and Federico... woohoo.. hopefully, ed is dancing in his big hat, tapestry costumes and facial hair.. hahahaha hope to see how silly he look.. hahahaha i am indeed EVIL!

drained and exhausted...

i have hardly any ounce of energy left (apart from a small fraction to finish this blog, and waiting for my hair to dry before i hit the sheets)... it was a long and tiring day today. Indeed it was my final exam for my degree, but damnz... it was a long day.
woke up at 7.30am.. went through my teaching exam class plan with claire (who happens to be one of my housemates who is guinea-piggin for my exam). Made instant nunu for breakfast (as it will possibly be my only decent meal for the day). Watched Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends whilst finishin off my nunu... Started preparing for the exam, gettin the hair and attire right.. left the house at 11.15am... head to college for my exam at 11.40am...
had my exam.. it went quite smoothly i reckon, felt bad that the guinea piggies in my exam were shattered from doing 2 exam classes before and mine... (bless them). And soon after my exam, which ended at 12.35pm, I had only 25 mins for lunch.. well, its hardly enough to eat a sandwich, and to wait for it to digest before its my turn to guinea-piggin for 3 more exams for my classmates...
anyway.. i treated myself to a slice of carrot cake, as an end-exam treat. then i danced 3 exams back to back from 1.15pm till 4pm (Some of my classmates has some really inventive dance settings that personally, i feel do not have a flow to the movement, higly uncomfortable to dance to.. sometimes i do wonder, why do anyone go to the trouble to set such uncomfortable settings, which does not serve the ultimate purpose of dancing)... and after that.. when my peers were all cheering and celebrating, i was stuck in college, preparing to teach 2 more children ballet classes for 2 hours till 6.30pm... in other words, i have been on my feet since... 11am this morning...
after teaching till 6.30pm, i headed down to Covent Garden to meet my long-lost turkish friend who came to london to visit.. I feel really bad, i was really enthusiatic about meeting her, but the energy level in me has long been drained.. by 9pm, i head home... and only got home now, at about 10pm... had a shower and now just waiting for my hair to dry.. gosh... as much as i do want to celebrate the end of my degree exams..i just dun even have any energy in me left...
well.. for a treat.. i managed to get a ticket to watch the royal ballet in class tomoro morning, which means its another early day for me...
great.. hair is now, dried.. gonna laze in bed and read my book.. (yes, i started reading again... bought a book on the London Festival Ballet a year ago, got it for 3 pounds at 2nd-hand bookshop, and today, feel good about saving a book.. hahahaha i bought a 2nd-hand book from the school today: Richard Buckle's Nijinsky.. I simply adore Nijinsky, and always want to read more bout him... and i finally own a biography of his.. i am thrilled!!! That will kill my time for summer!)
nites nites everyone.. am praying hard to hopefully see ed in class tomoro.. *fingers crossed*

LAST EXAM!!! and a lil' delight...

YES YES YES!!!! last exam today.. its a teachin exam.. should be ok *keepin fingers crossed*.. hope it goes smoothly, and panic-less...
thought of postin these pictures here to share wif everyone..heehee.. just thought that his body reminded me of a superhero's body more than a dracula's... personally i dun like his waist (if there is any to begin with)... its the result of too much pilates...the girl is alexandra ansanelli, american.. she is my age... the pictures are from a curtain call at the opera house, both of them performed Afternoon of the Faun. Unfortunately, i missed that performance due to overwork load.. :(

easily contented!!!!

it's typically me, isn't it? i am so easily contented.. well, let's see.. first of all.. yesterday, i gave my first official pilates lesson to nat and sumay at nat's place. earned my first pilates dough! heehee.. it was 25 pounds.. i was so happie.. heehee.. my first "instructor fee" hahahaha. i enjoyed teachin pilates to the 2 diligent students. both worked hard too. as quick as i earned my first pay, i spent it just as quick.. i have been exceptionally good.. this is not self-praise... but i am actually surprised with my behavior lately... normally, i couldn't resist window shopping or shopping in Mango, and H&M. but lately, i haven spent a single penny on clothes or accessories... well.. have been saving some pocket money from food and daily necessaties to buy ballet tickets, and ballet dvds and books (I HAVE TONS ON MY WISH-LIST... *HINT HINT.. BIG HINT* heehee.. well, since i am here in uk, may as well enjoy and absorb as much of the dance culture here as possible, 'init'? *oops*hahahaha anyway.. back to what i spent with the 25pounds... i bought a ballet dvd. Royal Ballet's Coppelia. heehee.. as you may have guessed... one of the reasons i bought it was clearly because some specific dancer is in it.. not as a lead unfortunately.. but lotsa cameo moments.. i just couldn't resist... heehee and i just watched it moments ago.. awww..
here he is waiting to be fitted for his shoes, in the extras on the dvd... . dun you think he look very sickly, and he look like DRACULA??? PERFECT! I LIKE!!! MUHAHAHAHA
he is so funnie.. he looked so stoopid..hahaha with the hat and a rascal-like cheeky face.. hahahaha
he has ugly teeth.. but his smirk is so typical... hahaha he danced character dance.. totally different style to wat i normally see.. was sheer delight... was very very happie after watchin it.. (couldn't stop smiling since.. still smiling now :p)


another event tat made me happie today... nat gave me a belated birthday treat to dim sum today... cos i havent had dim sum since maddie was here in october'05... we were at Yauatcha, owned by the same creator of Wagamama... the place was amazingly designed. dim lightings, fantastic presentation, yummy food, a touch of class. the only down side, the high pricing and small quantity in the servings. but the experimental dishes were yum!

emotional C-SAW

sandy came to visit... spent a superb and fruitful time with her for the evening... went to watch Royal Ballet's La Fille Mal Gardee at the Royal Opera House.. Think i was more excited than her, for her first visit to the royal auditorium, we sat high up in the amphitheatre. She remained calm and reserved.. i was like a monkey losing the plot, spoiling the "image" (oh well, who cares.. we only live once... dun see the point of keeping or hiding the excitement.. its too overwhelming...) Anyway, the performance was excellent. [you can read more here:http://www.terpsichore-museofdance.blogspot.com on the review of that evening's performance] it was a wonderful evening, i have one of my close ballet friend to enjoy a brillant performance with me.. i was so happie!!! we returned to her hotel, after the performance, and our tummy were rumbling... i had to SIN! i had supper... had mcDs... *spank spank* (cos i havent had supper for ages.. have been behaving very well by not eating any carbo food after 6pm... totally ashamed *hide face in shame*) We watch Joy Luck Club on telly while pigging out on coke and fries (PARADISE!!!) I cried watchin it.. felt terribly emotional these days.. i am either hyper ecstatic, or ultra sorrowful... but i guess my tears were triggered when one of the mature actresses in the film looked like my late grandma. It became very vivid, and it made me miss my grandma even more. Started pouring out my tears to sandy and she embraced me to calm me down (bless her). felt extremely upset... i went to bed... and woke up with swollen eyelids : hmmf...

sPOTTEd!!!

spotted Vivienne Westwood at a cafe by Battersea Bridge Road. She has bright orangy hair, neatly coiled up, with a grey/black/red tee and jumper.. with punkish prints... accompanied with black 3/4 trousers.. cool as ever, but she does look somewhat intimidating... but the fact that i saw her at a cafe just 5 mins away from my home was just WICKED!

TWIN-DAR

ARRRGH!!!! another twin...
i seriously do not have a clue about this... I enjoyed Roberto Bolle's dancing since i saw him in Swan Lake a year ago, i am still very much mesmerised by his dancing till this day. Reading an interview he had on the Ballet.co.uk website, it stated that he is a TWIN... i was gobsmacked... i can't believe it... wat is wrong with me? how can it be coincidence? how come people that i like are twins? its not like i like them becos they are twins... but i like them anyway, but only found out that they are part of a twin... gosh.... this is freaky freaky... to date... i know about 12 pairs of twins...

SEEKING LURVE TRAGEDY

why???? i wanna be swept off my feet, fall in lurve again... and to die for lurve... i want to take the risk to be in a lurve tragedy.. to live for now... but to lurve forever... yes... fairytale huh? but we all only lie once.... *romeo & juliet* Royal Ballet

SLASHED :|

i got slashed by the adminstrator from a dance review site.... hmmmf.. i posted a review on a ballet production, and it didn't agree with other people, and they are just voicing their point of view. well, i know it's normal, reviews are subjective, etc... everybody has their own freedom of speech blah blah blah... at first i took it like a big disappointment, cos i felt that readers may think that my writing is very one-sided or bias, but it is not true. i am being as truthful as i can, well almost, i cannot be far too critical, and i dun wanna slashed and criticise professional dancers when they are so many leagues above me... on the other hand, after telling lucie about this incident, she say being slashed by the administrator is a positive thing, cos it means that my work is being noticed and people out there are aware of my work...i took it as an encouragement, but i didn't want to be taken as the person who gives one-sided reviews (which i don't)... and i am trying to be as diplomatic as i can.. and not to hurt anybody's feelings :(
Mandy, a lady i met from this dance forum, was most sweet. She sent me an email to console me and told me not to take the administator's words too strongly... Awww... cos i am a junior on that site.. (only posted 2 reviews).. its alrite... i am fine... it sort of give me a good push and drive to work harder on the next review... YES... i can't wait to do it.... hmmf.. what should i review next?
Royal Ballet masterclass? or La Fille Mal Gardee? hahahah BOTH!
ok.. need to go prepare for teaching :(
ciao *pixie*