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Theresa Ruth Howard Dancer/Writer/Teacher Theresa Ruth Howard began her professional dance career with the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company at the age of twelve. Later she joined the Dance Theatre of Harlem where she had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Africa. She has worked with choreographer Donald Byrd as a soloist in his staging of New York City Opera's Carmina Burana, his critically acclaimed Harlem Nutcracker, as well as the controversial domestic violence work The Beast. She was invited to be a guest artist with Complexions: A Concept in their 10th anniversary season. In 2004 she became a founding member of Armitage Gone! Dance. As a writer Ms. Howard has contributed to Russell Simmons’ One World magazine (art), and The Source (social politics), as well as Pointe and Dance Magazine. While teaching in Italy for the International Dance Association she was asked to become a contributor for the premiere Italian dance magazine Expressions. Her engaging, no nonsense writing style caught the eye of both the readers of Dance Magazine and its Editor in Chief who not only made her a contributing editor and has collaborated with Ms. Howard in See and Say Web-reviews. Her articles about body image prompted her to develop a workshop for young adult (dancers and non-dancers) My Body My Image that addresses their perceptions both positive and negative about their bodies and endeavoring to bring them closer to a place of Acceptance and Appreciation. She recently launched a blog by the same name to reach a broader audience (mybodymyimage.com) As a teacher Ms. Howard has been an Artist in Residence at Hollins University in and New Haven University in addition to teaching at Sarah Lawrence College, Marymount, Shenandoah, and Radford Universities, and the historical American Dance Festival. As a result of her work at ADF Ms. Howard was invited to Sochi, Russia to adjudicate the arts competition Expectations of Europe and teach master classes, and in Burundi, Africa where she coached and taught the Burundi Dance Company. Currently she on faculty at The Ailey School but also extensively throughout Italy and Canada. Ms. Howard's belief in the development, and nurturing of children lead her to work with at risk youth. At the Jacob Riis Settlement House in Queensbridge New York, she founded S.I.S.T.A (Socially Intelligent Sisters Taking Action) a mentoring program for teen-age girls where she worked to empower them to become the creators of their destinies. In addition she developed a dance program, which lead to an exchange with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Through her teaching and travels Ms. Howard began to observe a universal disenchantment and disconnection in teenagers that disturbed her, thus she set out to address it. Combining her philosophies of life and teaching, with the skills she garnered through outreach programs with diverse communities, she developed the personal development workshop Principles of Engagement: Connecting Youth to the Infinite Possibilities Within which gives teens a set of workable tools to increase their levels of success at tasks, and goals not only in dance, and all aspect of their lives. Theresa Ruth Howard is certainly diverse and multifaceted as an artist, and is moved to both write and create work; however she sees every student she encounters as a work in progress, and the potential to change the world one person at a time. The only was to make this world a better place it to be better people in it!

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Amanda Seyfried is the face for the most expensive Face Cream in the World

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Amanda Seyfried

Japanese skincare line Clé de Peau Beauté tapped the actress as their new spokesperson back on October…
but check this out they are planning to moisturizer, “La Creme,” retail for $13,000 for a crystal-encrusted 50 gram jar — Okay I’m like put that shit in a recycled Olay container and knock of what $12,900! What does it do? That’s more expensive than gold. So you are on a budget you say, did Suzy Orman DENY you because you can’t afford it? well here’s the good news, Barneys  sells a cheaper version of the cream for a mere $775 it’s still close to your monthly rent, but if you do go in for it you will be the dewiest homeless person in the shelter…

Seriously I need to know what is in it and what it does that makes it so frickin expensive? For those prices it should cure skin cancer or at least 100% prevent it…What is it just that bejeweled container?  It sounds outrageous to me but then again I am a part of the 99% so maybe that’s why I don’t comprehend.

Well Beyonce just bought Jay-Z a private jet for father’s day, so she could probably understand….It must be nice.

 

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A Chat With Wendy Whelan (pt3)

The second half of our conversation just got better and better. Just to recap In the first 2 segments Wendy talked quite earnestly and in depth about the treatments for her scoliosis and how it formed her as a dancer. The best quote was her response to how she feels about her body she replied:

“I see my body as a work of art“

She also revealed that during that intense time of treatment, for a year she had an eating disorder which she overcame when her teachers told her that she could not return to the school if she did not gain weight. Her love for dance was her healing, she realized that she would have to give up the “power play” of restricting her eating in order to dance. Here in part 3 I asked her if there is anything that she covets in terms of her body or ability. In her answer you get to see how balanced and healthy her relationship to her body is. No doubt that (like her body) her perspective was a journey to arrive at, but it’s reassuring to hear that it is possible! I was amazed that she has only had one major injury and that was later in her career. Later we talk about aging and how it is affecting her, and what will be the next stage, I ask her if she has the desire to choreograph and she used this  wonderful analogy of liking being an ingredient vs the  chef  she said :

“I am a developed ingredient”

you can hear and see the maturing of her relationship to her body as it was and is and what it is becoming as she matures. It is so positive and healthy.

Plus! She gives us the heads up on a new dance project!!! hear it here first!

 

 

This is what I love most about these Chats, I get into the artistic head of “The Whelan”..  This section is like a master class! Check it out!

She talks about her process in the studio and admits that she is “Slow” in studio. She tells us how she builds a role, the subtext that results in her projection, quality and the layered depth of the performances that she gives. She speaks of using imagery, sensations, abstract shapes and to create purpose in movements, these act as physical and mental landmarks when revisiting  the role. Fascinating!

 

I love her explanation of how that subtext grows through the rehearsal process to orchestra rehearsal, performance and how it blossoms year after year and how that foundation informs her roles as she goes back in to them year after year.  She shares that her learned this artistic process from Ballet Master Bart Cook  — see working great artist creates great artist! When she gets a chance to do a talk or to teach she tells students , to:

“Get a little crazy”

Her generosity is palpable, She’s a sharer! My final question came from Twitter follower Christopher McDaniel:

“How do you stay so humble?”

The answer you have to hear, it is probably one of the reasons she is so accomplished, well like and respected in her field, and why so many love her as an artist and a woman, We should all take heed of her words!!!!!

 

 

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How To Smile More Freely

When you really think about it, smiling is one of the most complex functions of the human body. This is not to say that it’s overly difficult to bend your mouth upward, from a muscular perspective. Rather, it is a simple suggestion that more thoughts, emotions, and feelings are involved in smiling than we can really even comprehend, and sometimes we take it for granted. It is not as simple as smiling whenever you feel happy. You smile when you laugh, when something feels good, or even when you have a momentary boost of confidence or feel particularly good about yourself. Furthermore, there have been numerous medical studies to prove that smiling is actually extremely healthy for the body and mind. But what happens if you aren’t confident smiling?

Throughout just about any day – even a day that is a bad day for you personally – there are many reasons to smile, even if only for an instant. Yet it is fairly common for people to be uncomfortable smiling, and usually the reason has to do with their oral health or dental hygiene. Let’s face it: there are plenty of people out there with bad teeth, and bad teeth can lead to an unattractive smile, which can completely sap your confidence. This means that even when you feel happy, or confident, etc. throughout the day, you may resist the urge to smile, which leads to an awkward disconnect between emotions and reactions. This sort of thing can certainly throw you off a bit.

Fortunately, there are ways of avoiding this problem even if you have bad teeth. Bad teeth are unhealthy, unattractive, and occasionally painful, but they are by no means permanent. To start the process of fixing the problem, you may want to head to topdentists.com for some information on teeth cleaning, whitening, and general dental assistance.

Getting your teeth clean and healthy can be a longer process, but having them whitened can actually be very quick, and that is likely to have the biggest impact on your smiling confidence. There are numerous ways to whiten your teeth. Some people prefer to go to cosmetic dentists who perform somewhat expensive but very effective whitening procedures right in the office. Others prefer to purchase products in stores, most of which will whiten your teeth gradually over the course of a few weeks or months. Whatever the case, it can actually be surprisingly simple to make your teeth whiter and brighter, and therefore make your smile more attractive. Once you achieve this, you should be able to feel free and confident about smiling, and you can express your emotions all you want!

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GMA Host Robin Roberts Drops Health Bombshell: Bone Marrow Disease

I have long been a fan of Good Morning America and especially of Robin Roberts. Her ebullient nature, her up for anything attitude are things that made my morning… I, as many of you have watched her go from a sports newscaster to being an all around interviewer, and journalist capable of handling heads of states as adroitly as sugar coated pop stars. In 2007 we watched as she gracefully shared the gravity of her diagnosis of breast cancer with the viewing audience, she took us with her for treatments, for the shaving of her head- which I really loved she looked great totally shorne… I remember it all…

Personally I breathed a sigh of relief when she “beat” it, and slowly over the 5 years the memory of her illness seemed to fade.. literally a thing of the past. She never missed a beat, she was on her game and on camera with that mega watt smile and jocular interaction with her co-hosts, it made us forget. Well Monday brought that all back  Roberts made the announcement that she was suffering from Bone Marrow Disease  or myelodysplastic syndrome(MDS ) which can be an effect of cancer treatment. It reminds me of the question I wrote about a while ago “Are we our Bodies?”
I think that this shows without a doubt that we are more our spirits…My Prayers are with you Ms. Roberts.
From Her Blog:

s many of you know, 5 years ago I beat breast cancer.  I’ve always been a fighter, and with all of your prayers and support, a winner.

Sometimes the treatment for cancer can cause other serious medical problems. Today, I want to let you know that I’ve been diagnosed with MDS or myelodysplastic syndrome.  It’s a disease of the blood and bone marrow and was once known as preleukemia.

My doctors tell me I’m going to beat this — and I know it’s true.

If you Google MDS, you may find some scary stuff, including statistics that my doctors insist don’t apply to me.  They say I’m younger and fitter than most people who confront this disease and will be cured.

Today, I will start what is known as pre-treatment -– chemotherapy in advance of a bone marrow transplant later this year. Bone marrow donors are scarce and particularly for African-American women.  I am very fortunate to have a sister who is an excellent match, and this greatly improves my chances for a cure.  As you know from my recent interview with Mark Zuckerberg, organ donation is vitally important. Many people don’t realize they can be bone marrow donors.  I encourage everyone to sign up on a donor registry like bethematch.org.

I received my MDS diagnosis on the very day that Good Morning America finally beat the Today Show for the first time in 16 years.  Talk about your highs and lows!  Then a few weeks ago, during a rather unpleasant procedure to extract bone marrow for testing, I received word that I would interview President Obama the next day. The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us what we can handle and that it helps to have a good sense of humor when we run smack into the absurdity of life.

Bottom line: I’ve been living with this diagnosis for awhile and will continue to anchor GMA.  I love what I do and the people with whom I do it.  Along with my faith, family and friends, all of you at ABC News give me the motivation and energy to face this challenge.

Going forward, it’s business as usual at GMA, which means I’ll be right here every day with George, Sam, Josh and Lara.  When I miss a day here or there, I’m fortunate that some very talented friends at ABC News will fill-in.  When I undergo the transplant later this year, I’ll miss a chunk of time.

When I faced breast cancer, your prayers and good wishes sustained me, gave me such hope and played a major role in my recovery.  In facing this new challenge, I ask humbly for more of your prayers and love – as I will keep you in my mine and update you regularly on my condition.

Love and blessings,

Robin

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Trending: Breast Feeding What’s all the Drama About?

For some reason the most natural maternal act as become the controversy o’da day. Strange considering that it has been around for as long as man, well woman and child has. You know that we have gone left when the organic method of nurturing and bonding with your child as become a point of contention. Perhaps it is an American issue, there are countries where the culture and the economy has kept feeding one’s children from the source not only common, but is the only choice. It is not viewed as offensive whether done in private or in public, it is just –what you do when you baby is hungry, you whip out the tit. Perhaps because we as a country and culture have so many choices, and those choices drive the concepts of acceptability that we find ourselves in this type of predicament. Think about it, with the the number of working mothers, and single mothers the idea of actually being available for your newborn in order to breast feed has diminished, even in a failing economy when breastfeeding is free, in our culture, it can be viewed as an “inconvenience” or even an impossibility given they way that we as a culture function. It takes extra time, time away from your baby to pump your milk. The fact that when new mothers are in the hospital (even though they are taught to breastfeed) they are given formula as a parting gift- as an option I think speaks volumes. Modern mothers (not all, but a lot) just don’t have the luxury of being able to as much time with their babies. For most after a few weeks they are back to work. American women have to fight for a minimum of maternity leave. For instance in Canada they offer paid 55% up to $485/week for 50 weeks (15 weeks maternity + 35 weeks parental leave shared with father).  In America we offer 0 weeks (CA: 6 weeks 55%, NJ 6 weeks 66%, WA 5 weeks $250/week possibly starting 10/2015; pregnancy treated as disability: HI 58%, NY 50%, RI formula.) Perhaps this is why we have things like “Attachment Parenting” popping up. Attachment Parenting encourages mothers to respond to their babies’ every cry and form close bonds with near-constant physical contact:  “co-sleeping” (letting them sleep in the bed with parents rather than in cribs) and “baby-wearing” (carrying them on slings instead of pushing them in strollers). This is the ideology which spawned the controversial Time Magazine cover of mother Jamie Lynne Grumet, breast feeding her 3 year old child who is standing in a chair.
Grumet says:
“People have to realize this is biologically normal,” she said, adding, “The more people see it, the more it’ll become normal in our culture. That’s what I’m hoping. I want people to see it.”
time magazine
True indeed, albeit I think that when a child has a learners permit to drive it might be time to ween but that’s just me. This concept of Attachment Parenting illustrates my point perfectly. Since when does a parent have to “attach”? There was a time, and there are places where this idea of being with, and bonding with your child does not need to be so… heavy handed. Ok I get that, but for how long is this supposed to be practiced? singer Alanis Morissette, 37 was quoted as saying:
“I breastfeed and I’ll be breastfeeding until my son is finished and he weans,”
Well, I guess the question then becomes, does a child ween themselves or do parents ween the child? Does that go for potty training as well? There is something to be said of forced- or let’s say “encouraged” independence or separation, because let’s face it, there will be a day when Mommy and Daddy will not be there and a child will certainly hear the words “No” or will have to wait. Flash forward to the first day at school. As an educator I just think this is a nightmare waiting to happen. A child that has been tended to at their whim, who’s every desire supplied on demand is going to have a harder time transitioning into a group environment with shared attention. My question is, when, and how in the attachment parenting paradigm does that kick in? To me the concept of Attachment Parenting idea is one of a privileged lifestyle (nothing wrong with that, just sayin’) the average American mother does not have the  luxury of that kind of time for that level of “devotion”.
But back to the subject at hand, breastfeeding. Now there are photos of military moms breastfeeding in uniform that have people (military folk) up in arms (well not literally in “arms”). Some think that is defiles the uniform… I think that it might be another version of don’t ask don’t tell. You might be a mother in the military but please don’t let us know that you breastfeed. Personally I don’t see the big deal, when it comes to breastfeeding it is the healthiest choice a mother can make but I do draw the line at your toasting your child’s graduation with your teat!
What are your thoughts?

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Natural Black Hair Portraits

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I cut my hair a while back and in an effort to grow it back have been rocking the cornrow look for a couple of months now. When I found these amazing photos of Black woman with natural manes it made me want to unleash my Afro beast and once again walk on the wild side. I love to see pics like this because black women have long been plagued with mixed feelings and messages about their natural texture. In a time of the Yaki Silky extensions and front lace wigs it’s nice to see that a woman (White, Black, Asian or other) can be beautiful and sexy just as she was born. This is beauty God made!!

Hosted by Huffington Post

The natural hair revolution now has the stunning photos of Glenford Nunez.

Nunez, the 25-year-old Baltimore-based founder of TYP Photography Studio, is the man behind “The Coiffure Project,” a collection of portraits celebrating the beauty of black women and their magnificent natural hair.

Shot in both black-and-white and color, Nunez’s work is simple yet striking — and to think the project only started by accident.

Looking at the extensive collection of pictures he’d taken of his natural-haired assistant one day, Nunez decided to run with the idea of photographing curly maned black women.

Sounds like a brilliant idea when you consider the current trend toward natural hair. The New York Times has covered the movement, countless YouTube tutorials provide tips, and celebs like Solange Knowles and Viola Davis have become official and unofficial poster women for au naturel awesomeness.

Surprisingly, Nunez wasn’t hip to the growing number of black women embracing their curly manes — but he’s a guy, so we’ll give him some slack.

“I had no idea until I started putting the photos together,” Nunez told The Huffington Post. “People have thanked me for what I’m doing for natural hair and black women, but I genuinely had no idea. It’s a super awesome feeling though.”

So far Nunez has captured the bountiful beauty of 10 subjects and is on the lookout for more curly coiffed ladies to photograph.

“I find women just walking down the street, and I use models I’ve worked with in the past,” he said. “There’s always a certain essence and style I’m drawn to.”

Anyone who has second-guessed going natural — whether by slow transition or big chop — will definitely find reassurance, excitement and plenty of inspiration when looking at these beautiful images.

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Wanna Know How Beyonce Lost the Baby Weight?

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1-beyonce-lost-60-pounds-of-baby-weight-with-blue-ivy-pregnancy-by-eating-lettuce__oPt.jpgShe looks fab but she must be hungry as hell!

“Y’all have no idea how hard I worked!

I had to lose 60 pounds. They had me on that treadmill. I ate lettuce!”

Now tonight I’m gonna get chocolate wasted!”

 

Ugh! It kills me to hear this. I don’t think that this is completely true but why say it. I say if that is the case she could have taken some more time to bond and lose the weight and we all would have been just as happy to see her when she hit the stage a few months later. New Mom’s… this is not the way!!!

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Bloomberg’s Ban of Super Sized Drinks, Too Far or on the Right Track?

Now I have to say that I am not a Bloomberg fan, I didn’t like the fact that he changed the law to win a third term as Mayor and I think that he has shown great favor to his wealthy friends in many areas specifically in the real estate market. He tends to, in my opinion oversteps…

Now he has  proposed that it be illegal to sell beverages over 16 ounces that have a high sugar content like sodas, fruit drinks, and even …Slurpees. He was highly successful in banning the use of Trans Fats in restaurant foods, that I agreed with as I think that when you are eating at a restaurant you often have no clue what you are eating or how it was prepared. I have a friend who is a chef who told me “People order the poached fish thinking it’s healthier but they don’t know that it was poached in duck fat, that’s why it tastes so good!”.

 

Should the Mayor be watching our waistlines for us?

When we learned that Trans Fats were those hidden calories invisible calories I think most people were happy to not have to worry about it. And frankly I don’t think that we really tasted the difference. Albeit this soda thing is slightly different. I  mean when we drink a Coke, we kinds know what’s in there, we know that there is a ton sugar and that the acid can deteriorate a penny. We know that when we by a big drink like that we are committing to consuming 3 times as much sugar as would be found in a normal sized can. But should our personal choice to buy and drink something bad for us be taken away. I mean we all know that alcohol is not “great” for us but if we drink “responsibly” which basically means that we don’t get behind the wheel of a car, and we don’t harm others, disrobe, or pee publicly (ok the gals on Jersey Shore are in peril) we are free to buy and drink as we like. Is Alcohol next? I mean you can barely smoke in your own home– now one could argue that smoking is bad for you and should be banned, and you could even argue that alcohol fits into the same category- when abused but should the government encroach on an individuals right to partake in these things? (I mean it’s not like they are footing the medical bill…)

Today the Super Sized Coke, Tomorrow the Cocktail!!!

Keep your paws off my drink!

What do you think, has Mayor Bloomberg gone too Far?

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SkinnyGirl “Drink like a Lady” spot, What does that even Mean?

Now I have been a Bethenny Frankel fan from the beginning, however I have to say that on this season of her reality TV show “Bethenny Ever After” she it seems the power and money has taken her over. She was always a go getting tell it like it is, aggressive and take no prisoners type of chick but apparently that includes her husband as well. She seems to be in love with the sound of her voice, convinced that with a team of 6 or 7 she “does everything by herself” and bulldozes everyone in her path, albeit with a comedic flair. I still like her, and t’ruth be told if I sold my company for 160 million dollars you probably wouldn’t be able to tell me much either. I think it’s a phase, but I hope that her husband can hang in there, (not saying he’s an angel) but the way she talks to him and disrespects him is hard to watch, she’s incredibly dismissive towards him. But enough of that Skinny Girl has launched it’s first commercial a Charlotte Lions a follower sent me this message…

Hi,

I don’t know if you’ve already seen it on TV but there is this one commercial about cocktails which has for main idea and campaign: “skinny girls cocktails; Drink like a lady”. And I mean so in order to be considered as a lady you need to drink skinny ? Or think

Or think skinny ?

I just thought I’d share that with you…

I hadn’t seen the ad but found it and where I thought both the quality and the concept was a bit thin (no pun intended) I didn’t quite get it. I clearly it’s saying that the concept of being a “lady” has changed over time, that now we can slouch, wear flip flops relax and get sauced, but the thing that is a constant is that we should be “Skinny” whilst doing it which in away kind of eradicates the feminist message because it reduces a woman to her appearance or weight. That’s where having a brand entitled something like SkinnyGirl can be limiting, what about the Puggygirls?

I think a problem with the ad was the general look of it, it looked amatuerish, it was trying. I can hear Bethenny in the commercial, and that shouldn’t be a bad thing but it’s that pushing energy that you get from her that makes you wonder if she’s really trying to convince herself. Look at the the lead in this clip she stilted and inauthentic in the introduction, she is trying to hard. I think the whole thing would have come off better if she had done the spot herself as the 1950’s woman, and had clips of her modern day, THAT we COULD believe and in reality THAT is what women want when they see her.

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Chaka Khan is EVERY Woman (and 1/2 the woman she used to be)

She tells “Access Hollywood,” “I started out fasting … for four months. I did nothing but liquids; me and my VitaMix were best friends.

“In the morning I’d have a high protein smoothie and in the afternoon I’d have a vegetable smoothie and in the evening I’d have another protein smoothie.”

THAT is amazing! and what an accomplishment, as great as she looks it must have been incredibly healing for her body. I hope that she has a way to sustain the weight loss so that it is truly a lifestyle change and not just a moment- the boomarang effect of extreme dieting can be worse then the original weight a person was carrying. I think she looks fantastic! Keep up the great work.