Whole Moves Fitness Training!

For those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area, you ought to check out WHOLE MOVES! It's new a fitness class for dancers and others with embodied professions and hobbies brought to you by Sebastian Grubb.

Details: Wednesdays, 12-1pm in Berkeley at the Finnish Hall. $15-30 sliding.

Whole Moves is not your typical exercise class. Instead of focusing on brute strength or basic cardio, Whole Moves fitness is about learning and practicing complex movement patterns, while training all athletic and functional fitness components: strength, endurance, agility, balance and coordination. Extra attention will be paid to learning proper form, safe joint range of motion and building up mobility and dynamic stability.

In this class we will push, pull, jump, throw, run and balance our way to victory and healthier, more athletic bodies.

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

A few years ago James Koroni, founder of Enforced Arch, had the pleasure of dancing in the Catskill mountains at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. A place where "food" animals have now found refuge and can live out their lives in peace. Watch it here:

Koroni will be hosting Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary's Cocktail Benefit at the chic Alexander Gray Associates art gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan. Please join him to support this pivotal animal advocacy organization!

> Tickets are $150 a person – Click HERE to Purchase <

Our Persian Spread

Our Persian Spread was a New York City-based, dinner event at The V-Spot prepared by the exquisite chef, Nasim Alikhani. At this event, Alikhani honorably took on the challenge of veganizing traditional Persian dishes. Producer James Koroni teamed up with Bina Ahmad and Bitta Mostofi to create this event.

Koroni is of Iranian descent. His father’s death to cancer encouraged him to pursue a plant-based lifestyle. In an effort to feel more connected to his father, this concept was created to honor his father’s life and culture, while being true to Koroni’s health-conscious lifestyle.

Most innovations in culinary art are happening with plant-based foods. More and more plant-based chefs and businesses are popping up in the mainstream. For example, a vegan doughnut shop in Brooklyn, Dun-Well Doughnuts won Canadian Food Network’s Donut Showdown, in addition, Chef Chloe Coscarelli won the American Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. President Bill Clinton, Academy Award winning starlet Jessica Chastain and music mogul Russell Simmons are among many celebrities who have all adopted a plant-based lifestyles.

Our Persian Spread brought communities together to enjoy this one of a kind experience.

Special thanks to:

LulasSweetApothecary.com

Saffron-Brooklyn.com

BlossomNYC.com

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PETA Takes On New York Fashion Week

"...artistic expression is a vehicle for social change." said professional dancer, Kyle V Martin.

For New York Fashion Week, Enforced Arch founder and choreographer James Koroni teamed up with PETA. Their performance piece evoked compassion for animals who are killed to make fur garments.

"This is another way to get people to think about the cruelty of the fur industry by making them think, 'how would I feel if I was killed for my coat?' " said PETA campaign specialist Ashley Byrne. "I think when someone pictures the terrifying experience of being attacked and beaten, all because someone wants the coat off your back, they begin to understand what the animals who are killed for fur are going through."

FUR IS UNNECESSARY

Unless one is homeless, a traditional indigenous person living in cold climates, or in a truly life-threatening situation – there really is no good excuse for wearing fur. Fur performs no better than most synthetics when it comes to retaining warmth. Arctic explorers, alpine climbers, and cold-climate sports and adventurer’s gear typically lacks one thing: Fur. Considering the leaps and bounds textile producers have made in sustainable textile production, including imitation furs, there is no reason to put animals through such incredible amounts of pain and suffering. (SOURCE)

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

So many investigations, documentaries and exposés from Asia, to Europe, to North America contradict the outright lies being told on the pages of fashions magazines across the globe and under the pop-culture limelight. Here are some resources to see for yourself exactly how fur is made. Keep in mind, that while animal advocates stand to gain nothing but peace-of-mind, the fur industry stands to lose billions of consumer dollars:

Visit the International Anti-fur Coalition for a list of  70 international anti-fur organizations, or visit the list of the Fur Free Alliance for 35 more international anti-fur organizations. (SOURCE)

NO ONE IS PERFECT.

Most people who purchase fur garments do not know how they are made – and that’s not surprising, considering the monumental effort to keep the process hidden. Let’s say you have some fur, so now what? If you currently own a fur garment, or inherited one from family, why not donate it to coats for cubs or the homeless and turn a product that represents indifference to suffering into a life-saving object? (SOURCE)

Other professional artists that contributed to this performance:

Assistant Choreographer - Tracey Katof

Dancers - Dee Keaveney, James Koroni,  Kyle V Martin, Marie Paldrup, Rachel Hettinger, Tammi Greenberg, Paulette Lewis, Tracey Katof, Tyrone Bevans

Camera - Ben Effinger

Music - Watch Dogs by Notic Nastic

More info on the inherent cruelty of the fur industry at Reinvent The Icon: http://www.reinventtheicon.com/about-pinnacle/fur/

ALLIANCE - International Tour

Enforced Arch Presents an International Tour London, Paris, Berlin October, 2013

VegFest - London, England Paris Vegan Day Festival - Paris, France Site-Specific Installation - Paris, France Site-Specific Installation - Berlin, Germany

ALLIANCE Art & Activism By Creative Directors, James Koroni & Tracey Katof

Enforced Arch Dance Company is thrilled to present ‘ALLIANCE’ Art & Activism, a presentation that harnesses the relationship between performance art and the pursuit of social justice. In our fall 2013 tour we will be presenting a collection of past and new works honoring the 'ALLIANCE' of art and activism. The performance features video installation by exceptional video artists including, Joshua Katcher and Yessi Yes-Yes Ruiz.

In the past two years Enforced Arch has been invited to share their work in cities such as, Washington D.C., New York City and Paris, and has addressed issues such as human rights, environmental awareness, animal rights and ethics & fashion. Each piece celebrates our ability to speak up for those who are less fortunate.

By making a donation to our fundraiser you also contribute to our collective voice and make it heard that much louder. Thank you for making our important work possible. Here's how we will be using the money raised by this campaign:

Costumes = $500

Rehearsal space abroad = $270

Rehearsal space in NYC = $270

Travel (London, Paris, Berlin) = $2,414

Per Diem = $560

Housing = $700

TOTAL COSTS = $4,714

ADDITIONAL funds raised will go toward our annual company performance of ALLIANCE: Art & Activism in New York City tentatively scheduled for Spring of 2014.

MAKE A DONATION BY CLICKING HERE!

Please join us this Fall for an informal studio showing before we head abroad:

New York City Studio Showing (LOCATION TBA) Thursday, September 19th

For more information regarding this performance please contact us at EnforcedArch@gmail.com.

THANK YOU!

Instrumental music in video by Clara Lofaro www.ClaraLofaro.com.

Cygnify!

Brooklyn, NY - Cynthia King Dance Studio's (CKDS) spring 2013 production, CYGNIFY! Is a spectacular leap forward for the school's students, and Artistic Director Cynthia King. Arriving at Brooklyn's Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts in April, CYGNIFY! is a fast-paced mélange featuring never before seen choreography performed by dancers of all ages.

"Cynthia King Dance Studio, where they are transformed from children into dancers." - The New York Times

CYGNIFY! is an exuberant work that brings together ballerinas, breakdancers, and hoofers to a global soundtrack that includes classical Russian music, salsa, and live African drumming. CYGNIFY! audiences will experience a unique tour through scenes from Swan Lake, take an outer space excursion, and meet sneaky pink panthers and frisky flamingos.

"CYGNIFY! is colorful, creative, innovative, uplifting, and funny," says Cynthia King. "This performance includes some of the most challenging technique we've presented. It's filled with flares, helicopters, pirouettes, and grand jetés."

Friday, April 5; 7PM Saturday, April 6; 3PM, 6PM Sunday, April 7; 2PM, 5PM

Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts One University Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201 (718) 488-1624

www.kumbletheater.org

Tickets: $29.50

Cynthia King Dance Studio is a vital part of Brooklyn's rich dance culture. Training dancers and producing local performances for more than a decade, King is a major contributor to the local community and the driving force behind original and compelling dance works. CKDS continues to prioritize strong technical training, innovative performance, and community involvement to create a unique and personally rewarding experience for all of its dancers and their families. Learn more at www.cynthiakingdance.com.

Justin Timberlake 'Veganville!'

Justin Timberlake is a dancin' man that just can't lose and if Staying Alive is the goal you might want to see what Veganville's all about! "Bring It On Down To Veganville!"

Check it out:

SUBJECT, 2012

SUBJECT, 2012 from James Koroni on Vimeo.

The questions that SUBJECT asks are, "Who is a subject? To what do we subject others? Is this a subject worth considering?" In philosophy, a subject is a being that has subjective experiences, a subjective consciousness or a relationship with another entity.

In SUBJECT we reveal the intimacy of human and non-human relationships, validating them as subjects, which departs from their popular assignment as objects to be subjected to human will, whim and desire.

In SUBJECT, I perform for, with and around these rescued farm animals at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary, and they acknowledge my presence. They are viewers. As a performer I evoke emotional responses, some jovial and affectionate and others curious and reserved. They are complex sentient being and all respond as individuals.

To meet the animals visit, http://woodstocksanctuary.org/.

Kathleen Stansell

Kathleen Stansell has been dancing since the age of three and continues to pursue her passion of dance as a teaching artist, performer, and choreographer. She teaches a variety of movement skills including gymnastics, ballet, tap, jazz, modern, and creative movement. Kathleen graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with Honors and a Bachelor's degree in Performance and Choreography. She is currently using her performance skills with Upaya, Catey Ott Dance Collective, and her own company, Move for Change. Along with her friend and colleague, Dan Kinch, Kathleen is the Co-Artistic Director of Move for Change and the Brooklyn Culture Jammers, an artistic collective in support of Occupy Wall Street used to bring awareness to issues such as food justice and a myriad of other social issues. For Kathleen, dance comes secondary to aiding the advancement of character of both her students and her audiences.

"It is important to me to be as socially responsible as possible in my daily life so I may contribute to the happiness and peace of others. This means restraining the use of any animal products, reducing the output of wasteful materials, and doing work that is for the benefit of other people's health and well-being. Dance and acting are the creative outlets of which I am most talented and passionate about; therefore, I use those talents as a gentle approach to communicating issues surrounding food waste, the monopolization of food products, excess, and human rights. I move for change." -Kathleen Stansell

First Steps to Weight Loss

PART TWO: Eat Salad Every Day

THE BIG PICTURE Leafy green vegetables, especially dark green ones, are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. That makes the act of eating a salad one of the most important things you can do to improve your overall well being and maintain a healthy amount of body fat. As long as your salads are done right (see below), eating more of them will both decrease the calories you take in and increase the nutrients you get. This means salad consumption is very helpful for both weight loss and health gain.

NUTRIENT DENSITY Healthy foods are nutrient dense, meaning they have a lot of nutrients per calorie. Micronutrients are a class of nutrients that are crucial for having a long, healthy life. They keep your body in running order, including your bones, soft tissues, eyes, and immune system. Getting lots of them also significantly reduces your risk of many diseases, including certain types of cancer. Calories are what give you energy. Since you only need so much energy per day, you’re better off getting as much nutrition as you can along with those calories. Most people eating Western diets get too many calories and not enough micronutrients. This almost always leads to too much body fat and ill health. That means most Westerners need to eat more foods that are more nutrient dense, like greens.

Salad is high in many nutrients, including fiber. Eating fibrous foods such as vegetables, beans, and fruit fills the volume of your stomach and makes you feel full and satisfied. That leaves less room for food that is less healthy. And so, one easy step you can take to reduce the amount of calories you eat while increasing the amount of nutrients you get is to eat a salad every day, preferably before a big meal like lunch or dinner. Some people even base an entire meal on salad by adding other yummy ingredients, like the ones below.

WHAT MAKES A SALAD AWESOME? Aside from green leaves, there are many more tasty and health-promoting foods you can add to your salad. Here are some:

-greens: romaine lettuce, spinach, mixed greens, arugula -other vegetables: bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, carrots, sprouts, artichoke hearts -fruits: diced grapefruit, apples, figs, berries, and any dried fruits -nuts and seeds: pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, flaxseed -herbs, fresh or dried: cilantro, oregano, mint -legumes: black beans, red lentils, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, sweet peas -whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, barley, millet, wild rice, corn

The more ingredients you add from the vegetables, legumes, and fruits categories, the more nutrients your salad has per calorie. And when you include fruits, herbs, and other delicious foods, the tastier your salad becomes and the less dressing you might want to add.

WHAT MAKES A SALAD BACKFIRE? Adding foods that are low in nutrients but high in calories can destroy the health status of a salad in no time. Meat, cheese, and oil are common examples. If you add these foods, they should be in small amounts (the smallest amount you can muster). Croutons made from white bread are another example of a low-nutrient food often added to salads.

Many salad dressings are based on oil, which is one of the least nutrient dense foods around. Even olive oil, which has been heavily advertised as a health food, is actually very low in nutrients aside from fat, from which it gets 100% of its calories. That means that the more oil and oil-based dressings you add to your greens, the less health-promoting the salad becomes. And the harder it will be to maintain a healthy weight or to lose weight.

HOW DO I MAKE A HEALTHY SALAD DRESSING? If you are buying a salad dressing, one of the first ingredients in the ingredient list should be some kind of vinegar or water, not oil. One trick is to just buy vinegar on its own, such as balsamic, apple cider, etc. You can also use hummus, tahini, salsa, and hot sauce as great salad toppings that can be mixed in to add a lot of flavor.

There are lots of recipes for healthy salad dressings, but here’s a simple formula you can use to create your own: Pick a vinegar, a nut butter or seed butter, an herb or spice, and a citrus fruit. Put these ingredients into a blender and add enough water to blend. Keep adding water until you have the desired consistency and flavor power. Lots of vinegar will take lots of water and other ingredients to mellow out. The more nut or seed butter you add, the more calories the salad dressing will have. Athletes needing more calories can be generous with the amount of nuts and seeds their salads--and any meal--include.

Part 1: Stop Drinking Calories!

DISCLAIMER: The author is neither a nutritionist nor registered dietician. Information contained herein was gathered from many sources and can be found in the literature of such organizations as the World Health Organization, the American Dietetics Association, the American Council on Exercise, National Institutes of Health, and others. Consult with a physician before making changes to your diet or exercise program.

For more about the Author, Sebastian Grubb visit: SebastianGrubb.com

Cynthia King Presents FRAMED

Brooklyn, NY - This October marks 50 years of dance for acclaimed CKDS Artistic Director and choreographer, Cynthia King. To celebrate the occasion, King offers audiences FRAMED, a unique, fast-paced assemblage of pieces incorporating a diverse collection of performers -- from aspiring young dancers to professionals. FRAMED will include original dance works ranging from the thought-provoking to the joyous, from pure camp to pure catharsis.

FRAMED October 6, 2012 7pm Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts One University Plaza Brooklyn, NY 11201 Box Office: (718) 488-1624 Tickets can be purchased at www.kumbletheater.tix.com

FRAMED will continue the CKDS growing tradition of staging innovative productions performed for and by adults and children at Kumble Theatre for the Performing Arts in Brooklyn, NY. Says King, "I am excited to present this dynamic collection of works that truly represent many facets of my career in dance, and address the issues that I am passionate about."

Cynthia King has danced professionally in New York and with touring companies. A Brooklyn devotee and fixture, she has taught at local schools and frequently hosts and participates in community and political events. She is a passionate animal advocate, producing Cynthia King Vegan Ballet Slippers-the only prêt-a-porter vegan ballet shoes available on the market, and has served on the boards of various animal welfare organizations. Her studio has trained dancers in Brooklyn for over ten years.

Select pieces will address serious political and ethical issues, ranging from the objectification of girls and women by society to animal rights, interspersed with light-hearted jaunts, for a compelling evening spanning a spectrum of emotions. King will dance with CKDS faculty, current students, and alumni. Special guests from the New York City arts community have shared their talents by composing original music, and designing sets and costumes. Dynamic Rockers will perform and drag queen activist Honey LaBronx will be our vivacious Master of Ceremonies.

About Cynthia King Dance Studio Since its beginnings, CKDS has brought excellence in dance to the Brooklyn community, inspiring the best in students of all ages. For more than a decade, CKDS has continued to prioritize technical training, innovative performance, and community involvement to create a unique and personally rewarding experience for all of its dancers and their families. Learn more at our website: www.cynthiakingdance.com.

Behind The Velvet Curtain

Come out to the debut of Bettina May's new monthly show in Manhattan! Each month she'll be putting the best performers in burlesque, boylesque and variety onstage. Her inaugural show is the NY Burlesque Fest Hangover show, the perfect wind down from an amazing 4 days of international burlesque, featuring London's Kitty Bang Bang, BHOF King of Burlesque 2012 Russell Bruner from Portland, Maine Attraction, Miss Ekaterina, herself and hosted by the extraordinary Bastard Keith!

Visit: http://bettina.ca/BehindTheVelvetCurtain/for more details and for reservations.

Ticket Information:

General Admisson - $10 at the door, 1/2 off with a NYBF weekend pass (first show only!)

Reserved Seating - $20 per person, subject to availability.

Group Reservations - Special packages available for Bachelorette Parties, Birthdays etc.

Catching Up With Sebastian Grubb

Enforced Arch 'Mover' and contributor, Sebastian Grubb takes life one step at a time but carries the world in his arms. Tackling fitness, nutrition and dance in one lifetime may seem overwhelming but for him, it's done with grace. He is thrilled to share his expertise with the world and has recently launched a website where you can get the best of all three worlds in one place. I had the opportunity to briefly interview him and here's what he had to say:

You have a very diverse background of expertise. Why did you choose to bring them together into one website? My life is organized around bridging my different interests. Movement, food, creativity: balancing these make up what I consider the foundation of a good life. In the end, my primary pursuits are health and happiness, and professionally that means working as an artist and trainer. I also don't see such a big divide between the categories; you need to eat well to move well (over the long-term), and dance certainly fits into the pursuit of fitness also.

What do you expect someone to get when they stumble upon SebastianGrubb.com (supposing they came for nutrition and they peruse the dance section)? I hope they might see the connection, see how different pursuits aid each other. Dance is an ancient, ancient human tradition; every culture has their own dance. That's strong evidence for the importance of everyone dancing. So someone can come to my site and think, "Hmmm, maybe I'll go out dancing this week or take a dance class." On another track, I notice that people who do pursue dance and/or fitness do not necessarily also pursue healthy eating, or have misinformation about what is actually healthy. That's why I have written and posted nutrition articles on the site.

Please tell me about Sebastian Grubb's philosophy of movement and lifestyle: My philosophy around healthy living is: to make time to move creatively and vigorously most days of the week, to eat almost exclusively whole plant foods, to sleep well and foster healthy social relationships. In more specific terms, exercise for at least 1 hour on 6-7 days per week; eat as many vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains as possible; sleep 7-10 hours a night, depending on need; practice sensitive, mature communication and healing psychological wounds.

What is a typical day in the life of Sebastian Grubb, what do you eat, what companies do you spend your time with? I have an unfortunately chaotic schedule, owing to shifting dance rehearsals, performances, and touring. That said, I generally dance 20-30 hours per week and train fitness clients 12-15 hours per week, in small groups and 1-on-1. I often train clients in the morning and evening, with a rehearsal in between. I work like this 6 days a week. And I perform about 20 weekends per year, with about 12 of those being outside California.

As you might have guessed, I eat a lot. Here's my basic structure: Breakfast based on fruit, lunch based on salad, dinner based on steamed vegetables. Add to that a lot of whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. And add a snack mid-afternoon, and an additional meal, usually a second dinner. This past year I have been learning a lot about training less to avoid injury and burnout, and about eating denser calorie sources, like nuts and seeds. It's funny that part of my challenge has been moving less and eating more, but that's just how it is.

I also do fitness-specific training for myself, like circuit strength-training, running, etc. This totally depends on the intensity of my rehearsals, if I am doing a lot of lifting of other dancers, learning a new style, or getting ready for a performance weekend. In general I fit in 2 strength training sessions per week, usually right before a rest (or low-intensity) day. Again, it's about the whole picture and a long-term perspective of sustainability.

Here's who I'm currently working with in the dance world: AXIS Dance Company hired me in 2009 and it has been a phenomenal learning and growth opportunity for me. We work 12-20 hours per week, on average, and I do almost all my touring with AXIS. I have been performing with Scott Wells & Dancers since 2008, which is a project-based gig. And then I freelance and make my own work. Currently I'm rehearsing with Christine Bonansea on a dancetheatre piece inspired by Sartre's play, "No EXIT". I'm also choreographing "WORKOUT", a dancetheatre piece based on fitness training and fitness-specific subcultures. It's very entertaining, vigorous, and interesting for me. WORKOUT will premiere this December in San Francisco.

What legends in the dance community, or perhaps not in the dance community, inspire you? I have always been inspired by older dancers. This started when I was in college and looked to young professionals in their twenties. Now I am inspired by dancers in their thirties and beyond. I love watching someone dance who is in their fifties or sixties and has this whole body of experience and movement history. It really shows. I'm looking to cultivate that in myself, as an aesthetic choice and even as a subtle spiritual practice. In the Bay Area I've been most inspired by Joe Goode and Scott Wells, both of whom are remarkable dancers, but who've also attracted communities of dancers and audiences around their work, which continues to evolve.

Growing up I performed in musicals and also saw a lot of them performed, some live and some on video. I remember being particularly inspired by Gene Kelly. I also watched most of Charlie Chaplin's films and draw from them to this day.

I should add that I am inspired by watching athletes; I love the pure effort, and the grace that comes from finding efficient ways to move. In college I was really inspired by bodybuilders and strongmen, both of whom have taken this process of molding and changing their bodies to an extreme. It takes such diligence and belief in their own ability to shape their world. I really admire that, though I would say my own fitness practice is much more balanced today than it was when I first pursued fitness via bodybuilding.

What's coming up for you and how do we follow your inspirational work? Thanks for asking! I have a lot of upcoming projects. Earlier I mentioned "WORKOUT", which premieres in December. I am also about to begin making a commissioned work for AXIS Dance Company. And AXIS has two big projects this Fall, making long works with outside choreographers Amy Seiwert and Victoria Marks. We will basically have two rehearsal intensives back-to-back over three months. Those will all be more like 30-hour dance weeks. You can catch all this in video and social media on-line via facebook, twitter and youtube. Here are some specific websites to check:

http://www.axisdance.org http://www.sebastiangrubb.com/gallery http://www.youtube.com/sebastiangrubb http://www.youtube.com/user/axisdancecomp

Images of Sebastian Grubb from The Narrowing, for AXIS Dance Company. Photography by David Papas

Thank you Sebastian Grubb for taking time to share this information with the Enforced Arch community. We are looking forward to all your upcoming creative projects and celebrate your achievements thus far!

Be sure to check out his new website HERE!

Burlesque Without Borders

Bombshell Bettina May is making an appearance in 'Burlesque Without Borders'.  Details for the above performances are listed below.

May 24:	Washington, DC - *Burlesque Without Borders* at Red Palace, 1212 H St NE. An all international cast of burlesque with Canadian Cutie Bettina May, Finland's LouLou D'vil, and Spanish Siren Medianoche, with host Albert Cadabra. Doors 8:30, show at 9pm. Tickets $10 advance, $12 at the door. Click here for advance tickets!
May 25:	Wilmington, DE - *Burlesque Without Borders* at MOJO 13, 1706 Philadelphia Pike. An all international cast of burlesque with Canadian Cutie Bettina May, Finland's LouLou D'vil, and Spanish Siren Medianoche, with host Albert Cadabra. Doors at 8pm, show at 9:30pm. Tickets $10 advance, $12 at the door, available at MOJO 13. Must be 21+.
May 26:	West Chester, PA - *Burlesque Without Borders* at The Note, 142 E. Market Street. An all international cast of burlesque with Canadian Cutie Bettina May, Finland's LouLou D'vil, and Spanish Siren Medianoche, with host Albert Cadabra. Doors at 9pm, show at 10pm. Tickets $10 advance, $12 at the door. Click here for advance tickets!

'MoonShoes' 10% off

Here's a great opportunity to get yourself a good looking pair of sneakers for Hip Hop class and support an endangered species. I might get myself a pair of these good looking Hensley Sneakers from Macbeth Footwear (more from Macbeth). DETAILS:

Get your shop on for the bears with ‘MoonShoes’. On Saturday, May 12th 10% of all proceeds at MooShoes (online and in store) will go to Animals Asia and their work helping endangered moon bears.

Moon Shoes Facebook Event

Peach Ballerina Bettina May

Mover, Bettina May has never failed to impress me with her charm. She designs and constructs all of her own costumes and this another beautiful example of her talents.

Shot at House of Yes by Matt Stuart.

Music: Parisian Women by Cy Coleman Petite Fleur by Henri Rene

For mature audiences.

See more of Bettina May's burlesque performances at www.bettina.ca.

In addition, don't forget to sign up for her next Pin-Up class HERE!

NY Times said:

"Fully costumed and made up I felt transformed, sexy, feminine – confident." Pretty As A Pin-Up - New York Times East Village

Dance 4 Oceans

Dance 4 Oceans is an environmental nonprofit group that raises public awareness about one of the most serious environmental issues, plastic pollution in the ocean.

Much like Enforced Arch they utilize dance as a means to spread awareness. They do this by reaching out to different communities or schools and invite them to create programs where the participants learn dances and make recycled crafts. During all the fun activities they also clean local beaches, host educational movie screenings and listen to easy to understand speeches about plastic pollution.

Their programs will inspire and support people to take personal responsibility by keeping our environment safe and healthy. They show people what hidden damages have been done in the ocean from plastic pollution. They educate adults and children how to reduce plastic trash from their residence and community.

Their ultimate goal is to create a leader in each community or school that is dedicated to propelling their programs forward and inspire new leaders to come.

Become a fan of their Facebook page HERE!

We Are Family

I have grown to understand that having a community is a very important and integral part of a dance. Many of my lifelong friends have come from my past and present dance communities. Olivia Sparkuhl is one of those cherished individuals and she is currently visiting me this week in New York City. Her personality is much like mine in that we seek cozy spaces to indulge ourselves in good company and conversation. Our friendship began in one of these cozy places, on the dance floor in Los Angeles where we both attended Santa Monica College. Although we had our differences, we met them humbly and challenged one anothers' preconceived notions of the world. This helped us evolve artistically, emotionally and physically.

Now that she lives in San Francisco we have found other ways to inspire one another from afar through skype, the telephone or browsing one another's professional work. Although our friendship has changed, the potential to inspire one another has only grown exponentially. Her experiences influence my own and our knowledge of each others dreams and aspirations have helped keep us focused.

It may occasionally seem overwhelming to have someone or some community know you intimately but these raw and genuine relationships will only help propel you to achieve your lifelong goals.

All the images took place at CHAMPS Family Bakery in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where you can get some seriously delicious vegan food. I didn't have a chance to eat any of the goodies but I certainly took some photos to give you an idea of what wonders can be had at this Brooklyn joint.

Photography by James Koroni & Rachael Gentner

Please, Don't Touch LIVE

'Please, Don't Touch,' depicts the unfortunate lives of animals caught up in the skin trade. With this performance piece we become a voice for the voiceless and tell their story. 'Please, Don't Touch' focuses energy on a topic that sits at the intersection of social justice, ecology and design. Our ultimate goal is to to become effective conduits for empathy and creative tools for change. Through the use of live performance, transmedia and personal interaction, this project will impact the heavily guarded perceptions of fur iconography by shedding light on what isn't revealed behind the glitz and glamor.

Please, Don't Touch at 3rd Ward Art Gallery

Enforced Arch's Anti-Fur performance piece, Please, Don't Touch, was featured in 3rd Ward's Semi-Annual Art Gallery Showcase. ‘Please, Don’t Touch’ focuses energy on a topic that sits at the intersection of social justice, ecology and design. It's ultimate goal is to to become an effective conduit for empathy and a creative tool for change. Through the use of live performance, transmedia and personal interaction, this project will impact the heavily guarded perceptions of fur iconography by shedding light on what isn’t revealed behind the glitz and glamor. Here are a few pictures from that evening: