Beautiful contemporary modern dance in Music Videos

Dance, emotion and rhythm in Music Videos.

Expressive, emotive and beautiful, dance is storytelling through the body - the connection of music and movement. 

These are a collection of Music Videos which all contain dance. And not just dance, but dance with emotion, graceful rhythm and unique interpretations of the music. 

I decided to gather together these Music Videos because when I first saw them I was deeply touched and inspired by the dance and movement contained within them. The way they made me feel has had a lasting impact and I watch these videos often. It’s always a pleasure to me to find art presented in this way. 

The Leading Bird - Marketa Irglova

Simplicity. A woman dances through a house, and the outdoor landscape. Water plays a significant role; you can feel the chill of the weather through the screen. Through her calling out as she dances you can sense a letting go, breaking free. A dance which seems to play to it own tune and individuality.






Fake Love - BTS 

A wonderful set-piece. Amazing dance skills and artistic interpretation of facades, changes and realisation. Bursts of on-screen colour contrast with the story of pain and overflowing emotion. The dance seems to celebrate the weaknesses that lie behind strength.






Mortné - Eyre Llew

This MV shows a striking use of lighting and camera work. Two men dance and tell a story which is spilling over with love, loss, poignancy and aching. Their dance and connection is deeply moving to watch.






Elastic Heart - Sia 

A riveting performance which draws you in, and isn't always comfortable. A sadness lies here, but so does inner strength and commitment.

World Music Moment 2

I love listening to world music. All the songs I will include in any World Music Moment post are songs I love. I highly recommend you searching out the artists and the albums they have created!

Today we have songs in Hindi, Finnish and Macedonian.


Suraj hua maddham - From the film Kabhie kushie kabhie gham. Sung by Alka Yagnik and Sonu Nigam. (Hindi)
Bollywood- the Hindi film industry - has music, emotion and dance front and centre. In this song the beautiful vocals of successful playback singers Alka Yagnik and Sonu Nigam are outstanding. They perfectly interpret this wonderful song from one of Bollywoods most successful films, directed by Karen Johar. This has been a favourite song of mine since the films release.

 



 Värttinä - Lupaus (Finnish)
Värttinä are a trio performing Finnish folk music. Their energetic live performances - many of which can be found on YouTube - are engaging and include dance, strong vocals and beautiful harmonies.


 



Kaliopi - Dari Dari Dam (Macedonian) 
With her beautifully distinctive husky voice Kaliopi Bukle is a Macedonian singer-songwriter whose career has spanned several decades. Kaliopi has also collaborated with other artists, including the respected singer Esma Redžepova, and has twice represented her country at the Eurovision Song Contest.


 

World Music Moment

In this new series I share with you my love of World music!

Being an English speaker, I mainly listen to, and was brought up with, music sung in the English language. I have always been fascinated however by the rhythms, language and variety of musical sounds from all over the world.

There is something universal about music that transcends language, time and culture.

My native tongue is a language whose expressive nature fits well for lyric writing, thus being a favourite with songwriters, and has been a prominent language of popular music in the last century for songs across the globe.
In English speaking countries however it is less common to find songs in other languages entering the main music stream. There are always exceptions of course!
Classical music lovers will regularly listen to lyrics sung in a variety of different languages.
The Celtic music scene utilises the Celtic languages of Irish, Scots, Welsh, Cornish and Breton along with the English. Traditional songs from many countries are sung in ancient languages such as Latin or Sanskrit.

All the songs I will include in any World Music Moment post are all songs I love. I do highly recommend you searching out the artists and the albums they have created.

Today here we have songs in French, Irish Gaelic and Turkish.


French

Raphael - Peut-être a-t-il rêvé?

Raphael is a singer, songwriter and musician from France. I have enjoyed the album 'Caravane' that this song is taken from since its release.






Irish Gaelic

Solas are an Irish-American band of mainly Folk-style music. The beautiful voice of singer Karan weaves throughout this tune.

 Solas - A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn O


 



Turkish


 maNga - Beni Benimle Birak 

maNga are a Turkish Rock band who mix rock music and rap styles. The band were the Runners--up in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest with their song 'We could be the same'.

The 2014 List!

I had a good reading year for 2014 with some amazing books and series discoveries. Last year I also took part for the second time in the Goodreads book challenge which was fun!

I've read a variety of different books throughout the year but the biggest surprise for me was my being drawn to many contemporary-romances! Not a genre I usually head for but enjoyed nonetheless!
This year there have been adventures with dark sexy Fae, with questionable Pirates, with dynamic men from fantasy Lands, with cool guys from Rock bands... oh, and a fab book on writing thrown in for good measure! (which could be called sexy it was so good, right?).

The books I really enjoyed this year in no particular order :-

1. The Pirate Captain by Kerry Lynne

This story was recommended and I'm so glad I took a chance on it. A gritty and exciting adventure on the high seas of the 18th century Caribbean with a cast of interesting characters. This tale has a good dose of comedy but doesn't skimp on the darker details of life either. Long and epic in feel.

2. The Fever series by Karen Marie Moning

Bloody brilliant. I read books 1-6 in this absolutely wowing urban-fantasy series. Mackayla Lane's sister is murdered but something isn't right and she travels to Ireland where she discovers a dark and seductive paranormal world within our own. From book 3 onwards the books become much darker which was just fine with me!  My favourites are book 4 and 6 though they all have scenes to remember (book 3 and the MacHalo anybody?!).

3. Wildest Dreams by Kristen Ashley

This first book in this Fantasy series had me hooked. This is like a fantasy winter Fairytale adventure - for grown-ups! It has that magical feel that just wrapped me up and the further into Finnie (our heroines) story I got it became SOOO hard to put this book down. 

4. These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

This is a Sci-romance and a unique story, well-crafted with intricate, deep characters. Lovely tender romance and totally realistic. Lilac and Tarver are thrown together during a titanic-esque crash where the Starliner they are travelling on leaves them stranded alive on a mysterious planet where all is not as it seems. The audiobook was a pleasure to listen too and acted/directed in a very interesting way. 

5. The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley

Book 2 in the Fantasyland series (the first being Wildest Dreams). Set in a different country and culture to book 1 this story could easily standalone. Circe wakes up to find herself in the land of Korwahk...and about to be hunted down by warriors in their annual 'bride hunt'! It is a barbaric and harsh land and there is plenty of drama and rough love here in the Lands of the Korwahk people.

6. Fury by Laurann Dohner

This was a big surprise for me this year and I loved the story and idea. Ellie Brauer has worked undercover to expose illegal testing and enhancement of children which has been going on for decades. This has created a new species of humans and this is their story. 

I enjoyed seeing Ellie and Fury's relationship develop and how the world created is emerging. Sexy and thought-provoking. 

7. A rose for Lancaster by Christine Elaine Black

A solid, well-written medieval novella. I loved the way the characters acted and made decisions 'of the time'. Though a novella this felt like a complete novel and threw me back to this intriguing period of  England's history.

8. Writing Habit Mastery

The one non-novel on my list. I Loved this. Short and informative. It doesn't tell you 'how to write' but shares tips with a fresh voice. I particularly liked the sections on time management.

9. Lead by Kylie scott 

Lead is book 3 in the Stage Dive series and my favourite so far (I'd recommend the others too). The series focuses on the 4 members of a Rock band and this book is about their troubled and arrogant Lead singer Jimmy Ferris and his growing attraction to the no nonsense Lena.

10. Transcendence by Shay savage 

This is a great book. A sweet and refreshing love story told from the point of view of a young prehistoric man named Ehd. This book tells the story of Ehd and Beh - the unusual girl he finds stuck in his pit-trap! Moving and comical.

11. A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter 

A gentle paced Paranormal-Romance/Mystery...with elemental vampires! I really liked how the story and intrigue unfolded and the gradually developing and respectful romance between our 2 main characters - young librarian Beatrice and the mysterious Giovanni. 






*My favourite read of the year :- The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning*

Emma Watson Speaks at UN for gender equality

British actress Emma Watson, the newly appointed Goodwill ambassador for UN women, recently gave a powerful and informative speech on gender equality, feminism and men and women's rights in the modern day world. She was promoting a new campaign by the UN called HeForShe.
This is the first campaign of its kind by the UN and aims to not only gain awareness but enable true action to be taken to create gender equality all over the world. And it's a worthy idea to get behind.

 An interesting point from Ms Watson's speech was :-

 That there is as yet no country in the world that has full gender equality.

I was rather shocked by this current fact! This campaign I feel really puts a clear message out there that gender equality isn't only about women. Discrimination of women affects men's lives too.

 From the 'He For She' action kit :-

"We all benefit socially, politically and economically from gender equality in our everyday lives. When women are empowered, the whole of humanity benefits. Gender equality liberates not only women but also men, from prescribed social roles and gender stereotypes."


Watch Emma Watson's UN speech below :-


 


Campaign website :- www.heforshe.org 

Twitter Tags #HeforShe  @UN_Women  @HeforShe 

Facebook page here 

Uplift your day

Kellianna's wonderful song 'I walk with the Goddess' is SO uplifting and joyful. It always gets my feet tapping and me singing along - perfect for summer fun!

Credit: Kellianna Music on YouTube 

Can't wait for books of 2014!

Oh yes, this is such an exciting topic as some great books I just CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on are due out this year!!

So without further a do here they are...

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Wow, following and loving this series from the beginning I can't believe it's coming to a finale. I am desperate to know what happens...yet am reluctant for this series to end!! No more Jace and Clary adventures?!! *help!*

Written in my own hearts blood by Diana Gabaldon

The 8th (but not the last) book in the amazing, unforgettable, unputdownable Outlander series :-)

Play by Kylie Scott

I absolutely enjoyed the first book 'Lick' and a character I loved from that book was Mal. I was thrilled then to learn there would be a second 'Stage Dive' novel and that books hero would be Mal, yum! 

The One by Kiera Cass

Book 3 in this dystopian romance trilogy. What more is in store for America? Can she and Prince Maxon sort things out?!  I hope so ;-)

Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole

Ok, so this ones been out for a while. However as an audiobook listener and a huge fan of this series I'm eagerly awaiting the release of Demon from the dark on audio! Hurry!!