jhuny's blog

SCOPE (Securing Career Opportunities and Professional Employment)

A month ago I was busy updating and submitting my resume. And this is the result: acceptance into the SCOPE program. Cool. Now I can finally get some concrete web development skills instead of fumbling around and pretending to know what I'm doing... hehe...

I had missed all the information seminars and only heard about the program a week before the application was due but, lucky for me, I already had a good idea of what I wanted to do. And all I needed was a program like this to fill in the blanks.

Even now it's amazing to think about what this program is about, it's an extraordinary idea. Having already been implemented for elite athletes for fifteen years, the transition of this program to professional dancers is a neat fit because of the similarities in two different fields. What are you supposed to do after your professional dance career, when you've trained your body so specifically and with so much dedication? This thought has been with me pretty much for my entire dance career because I do have quite strong interest in lots of other things besides dance (and don't get me started about whether or not I'm still committed to my current profession because, with this program, nothing has changed in that respect; this is currently a very sore point with me...) and I don't see why I don't just explore that.

Although I must admit that when I was writing my application, I felt that I didn't really know WHAT this program was about. Sure, there was enough information on the website but I guess I was in disbelief that a program like this actually exists. It promises so much, it couldn't be true. But I took their word and finished the application regardless.

The induction was fun, had to take some time off work to attend and, conveniently enough for me, was at the Bangarra Mezzanine. Strange feeling, though, to be networking and occasionally glancing down at the dancers in a rehearsal that I would normally be present at. The dancers chosen for the program were all so diverse, some with more concrete ideas for what they want out of the program than others, but there was one thing common amongst us all: none of us wanted to leave the dance profession. Indeed I applied so that I could STAY in dance, and that was the same for everyone else. Alot of us also shared my amazement at the existence of this program and, through the induction, we were reassured that, yes, everything is as it seems. (On second thoughts, I was probably the least sure about the program because everyone else seemed to have attended the information seminars...)

So all I have to do is sign the contract and off I go. It's going to be an interesting year!

Previous: A Slice of Blog 2 - The Commonwealth Games Edition.
I'm feeling a bit lost for things to blog about so I'm just going to give out a bit of link love. Besides, it's been a while since I have done one of these...

Ranting Details

Only a few days ago I had a discussion with someone about how I've been lucky enough to have never fallen while I was dancing. Lesson number 1: Never state anything like that as you are pretty much guaranteeing that you will be meeting the floor at the soonest possible date.

Here's another perspective on the life of a dancer. There's lots of travelling and photos, which is quite familiar to anyone that's read my blog here, but there's also more pointed feet (we also point our feet in Bangarra, but we also flex them, sickle them, "Barbie foot" them...) and not enough gay bars. Well, actually, I guess there isn't alot of mention about gay bars here either. Anyway, the writing is terrific and he loves a bit of Lily Allen so it's two thumbs up from me...

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Closely related is this site:
The Winger

Bringing together the global dance community via the internet.

I just have to say this: I WANT ONE. One of these sites, I mean. It's such a good idea, and well done to Kristin for getting it done. It's very "Ballet slash American"-centric but there's a few exceptions and, besides, no whingeing, there's always the option of offering to contribute to change that... Or, make your own... hmm...

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Simon Jobling (aka OnePhatDJ)

I heard this track in a DJ mix way back in 2002 and was hooked. I had to find out what the track was and where I could get it. I managed to dig up a white label copy on eBay and paid a fortune for it to be shipped to me.

Web Developer by day, podcast DJ whenever he can fit it in. And his mixes are pretty cool, too, so check them out. Not as good as mine, though but, hey, I don't have a child to take care of...

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Ooops! I'd better put a gay link on the page. This will do:
GayGamer.net - For boys who like boys who like joysticks. And girls who like girls who like rumble packs!

But, I do remember that we often played games together with our next door neighbors. And one game I remember distinctly at these gatherings Barbie, for the NES.

Of course there are gays in computer games. Just look at Ash, from Bare Knuckles 3, here to the left. He looks like he's on his way to a leather club. Don't mess with him, though, 'cos he's good with his fists... in so many ways!

And that's all I feel like sharing today...

Good night! Normal blogging service to resume shortly...

Electrical storms are pretty common back home (and apparently Darwin is the Lightning Capital of the world!) so I'm not too fussed when we have an electrical storm in the big smoke. HOWEVER, we don't have too many Sydney Harbour Bridges spanning the Katherine River. This picture is pretty impressive! Taken from The Sydney Morning Herald.

Okay this blog is all a bit Clan this and Clan that. Time for me to talk about something different.

Like, what's on my iPod?

Yes I do listen to a hell of alot of mashups, to the point where I sometimes don't even recall how the originals go. Is that a bad thing? Oh well. Currently the ones that are getting the most iPod time are these tasty eighties-flavoured ones:

- Cassie vs Yazoo - Me & You & Yazoo (DJ Matt Hite Extended Mashup)
Case in point. I can't quite recall how Cassie's Me & You goes but from what I remember I think it was pretty boring.
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs vs Madonna - Do Ya Want My Burning Heart (DJ Paul V Final Mix)
- Falco vs Sean Paul - Temperature Calling (DJ Schmolli Mashup)
- Madonna vs Cassius - Toop Toop Groove (Loo & Placido Mashup)
- The Cure vs The Boomtown Rats vs New Order - Don't Like Mondays, It's Friday (Go Home Productions Club Mix)
- Wolfmother vs Gnarls Barkley - Daddy and The Thief (team9 Mashup)

After compiling that little list I've decided that I really need to update my iPod! Some of these are pretty old.

Anyway. On to *real* music.
- Mika has a terribly cute album at the moment in Life in Cartoon Motion. It would be rude to say that Mika is ripping off Scissor Sisters because, hey, Jake and his mates are too busy *taking inspiration* from heaps of other acts (and doing a darn good job of it, let it be said). But it's hard not to make that comparison, especially when he does tracks like Relax, Take It Easy. But I do love it when he "tries a little Freddy", Grace Kelly instantly puts a smile on my face, it's a great way to start the day.

- Forget about the gay guy that's friends with the gay guy that used to live with that red head chick in Manhattan and think more what a Robbie Williams album would sound like if it was produced by The Streets and that would sort of come close to describing Just Jack's Overtones. Ooops, did I just offend you Jacko? It's not true! You're alot more laid back, less aggressive, but just as observant as Skinno. Especially love the dramatic strings in Mourning Morning. And I Talk Too Much has a great 8-bit C64-style intro.

- Speaking of the C64, how's about the whole furphy with Nelly Furtado and Timbaland ripping off some obscure track remixed for the C64. See the evidence here, and Timbaland's response here. How hard is it to acknowledge your sources? I like what he's done (in fact the whole "Nelly slutting herself off to the mainstream" has grown on me enormously since the last Sound Observation) but, geez, how hard is it to footnote and post that cheque?

And that is all, for now...

Elma Kris never fails to impress with her authoritative presence. Patrick Thaiday, especially in the blanket sequence, is powerful in his dancing and his ability to create a sense of character. The veteran performer Sidney Saltner has lost none of his attack and commitment. Deborah Brown and Jhuny-Boy Borja dance the pivotal blanket duet with engrossing intensity.

(from The Sydney Morning Herald)

Oooh! How exciting! Sounds like a good show!

DB had the car window open, the wind through her hair, as we flew down Warringah Road, to the sounds of Opus III's It's a Fine Day. A couple of hours earlier I was thrashing her around in her blanket. All was forgiven on the trip back home from Glen Street for Clan.

After all the troubles I've had with his body over the last year (even the last couple of weeks) I'ves finally gone and done the program that I was originally supposed to do prior to my calf injury. Because of the back sprain, I hadn't had much of a chance to really flesh out my characters in the program. The mechanics were generally fine but the next level of performance was missing right up until opening night where, apparently, I was well on the way to finding it again. Welcome back Jhuny.

We had an excellent reception on Opening Night but, after a school's show and more teching prior to opening, we were all pretty exhausted. Was still exhausted today and, for me, it wasn't as sharp tonight. For instance, in String I did my solo with my fly undone. Not to mention the kicking of the wing (which, in this program, is a hard timber frame) in Power.

Tomorrow the pressure's on. Got friends in the audience and JPB is coming too. I'm not nervous.

See you at Glen Street.

Anyone who saw the Australian Dance Awards last year would be familiar with movement and the design of this but it all works well with the music too. Soon to be broadcast on TV soon but you can enjoy it here.

Mr Jigga - Garage Party
Directed and Choreographed by Anton, DILM Films
Produced By Gavin Jarrett
SFX Owen Norling
Performed by Dirty Feet
Shot By Dean Tocchini and Evan Papagergiou

Had a pretty eventful week. My back that I sprained last week hasn't given me too many problems but that's because I've had quite alot of treatment on it (and getting a back rub about every second day isn't something that I'm going to complain about much...) What's been frustrating is that rehearsal director is erring on the side of caution and not pushing me in rehearsals much, which is bad because I really do need the practise! And if my back fails now, it'd probably be better to know sooner than later. On the plus side, wow have I got a great team to support me and my ageing body, I think I'm getting great treatment from the two guys that I'm seeing, my osteo and my masseur. They've been indispensible. Got one more massage before the opening of clan which at this moment, according to the Countdown block on this page, is only two days, twenty hours, 52 minutes and two seconds away!

I had a massage on the Tuesday and the guy that I see is in Woolloomooloo. Great. The place is jam-packed with people saying hello to Mary, I've never seen so many people down there. Afterwards I had to go back to the Opera House to see a show at 7:30 which, of course, happened to be the time when the OTHER Queen was docking. Cabbed it but Macquarie Street was jam-packed with cars and people. Made it to the show just in time, though I guess it didn't help that I was busy taking photos.

Snuck into The Studio late for David Hoyle's SOS, while he was busy bitching about the two Queens and encouraging us to take matters into our own hands and blow them up. Ooops! I had my camera hanging off my neck and hoped that he wouldn't ask me to show him the pictures that I'd taken. Brilliant show by the way, he urged us to "kill, if necessary" people like John Howard and the gay clones, to blow up those big floating bits of metal the Queens, to level the Pyramids of Egypt (he much preferred the modern Sydney Opera House, which he was thankful to be performing in). We the people of Australia that, apparently, waited for the pedestrian crossing lights to turn green, had to be wary of being complacent because life here is so easy, that the most we have to worry about is kids on skateboards knocking us down on the street. Singing is his forte but there was, er, contemporary dance and abstract painting in there for good measure.

[On the Friday, David and two other guys got gay-bashed in North Hyde park by a group of ten guys. Bloody appalling. But, with only one more show to do for this season (and it might be a bit morbid to say this but) it would have been intriguing to see his last show, to hear what he had to say about it. Apparently he didn't dwell too much on it though.]

On the same idea of Australians being too complacent, we went and saw The Gates of Egypt. Could barely keep my eyes open for the first twenty minutes though less because of the show and more because I was pretty tired. But the show itself was pretty ordinary anyway. Yes, we the people that wait for the lights to turn green and only need to worry about wayward skateboarders must not become apathetic citizens of the world but... I just don't know. I'm supposed to care more about what's going on in the world, yes, but I certainly couldn't care all that much for the play.

Though this week we did have a chance to show how much we do care about what's going on in the world, with the arrival of Dick Cheney. "Kill, if necessary" is what we were told by David Hoyle and, I'm telling you, if I had a rocket launcher I would have shot down a couple of helicopters. They were giving me the shits. On the Friday morning the noise from the helicopters over the harbour was disrupting the meditative mood of our morning yoga class. Sounded like we were in a war zone (sorry for the hyperbole). 350 Anti-war protesters clashed with the police as they marched down George Street, disrupting traffic but apparently it's okay for ONE person (the US Vice-President, yes, but still just the ONE person) to cause road closures through the city. Put him in an unmarked car and make him wait in traffic like the rest of us, I reckon.

Last night we had a cocktail party, which was modestly attended but there was good food and, with less people arriving than expected, there was more alcohol to go around. Wasn't feeling too well the day after.

And finally, my parents called me up about the website I'm doing for their shop (Johnny's Electronics). The layout is pretty much finished and all I need is content. Dad asked if I had a couple of spare weeks to fly up and take photos for the site. AS IF! Have you seen our Bangarra schedule? Besides, there's nothing stopping him from taking the pictures himself and emailing them to me...

And now it's next week. Gotta go to bed now.

I have to sort out my resume. Woah! When did I last write one of those? I dug a couple out of my backups, they go way back to 2002. Double woah! I guess I didn't need a resume to get into Bangarra.

And the things you need to do to update it! I had two: the first one was written in the vain hope that I could get the kind of job (and pay) I had before all this dance hoo-ha began but, being at the wrong end of a IT jobs slump (and despite having had such a position only the year before) it was fat chance I was ever going to be a software engineer in too much of a hurry. Tried to update it but decided that at the moment I don't have much of a need for a resume that describes the developmental outcomes for the implementation of the blah-blah-blah system or whatever.

It was more straight-forward to modify the dance-orientated 2002 resume but, still, as if I need to specify my landline number (like as if I ever use my home phone except for calling for taxis and take-away). And does anyone care what I got in high school now that I'm THIRTY? (not like it was all that necessary at TWENTY-FIVE, I guess...) And there was a distinct lack of URLs that now seem quite necessary. Sepcifying in my resume my Bangarra performance history was a bit convoluted, too. There's been three different versions of the Clan program; only Unaipon is the common thread, the others have works from other programs. When spelling it all out on my resume I felt like I was repeating myself. But not really. Sounds confusing and, considering it's all on the first page, its not a good thing.

Like as if you need resumes nowadays anyway. Its all about the networks and ready portfolios and showreels and stuff. Don't tell us, show us. Not as if I know, I haven't looked for a job in quite a few years now...

Tags: resume, Bangarra