Dance Appreciation Week: Dance on the Big and Small Screen

POST IS BEING UPDATED. SORRY!

Welp! I'm so sorry about this post being late and about not posting at all yesterday. The past few weeks have been crazy, and then I was studying for my AP, so I couldn't get my post up yesterday. Anyway, today's post is a combination of yesterday's and today's. I'll be sharing a few movies and TV shows that feature dance!

MOVIES

(And subsequent Step Up movies)

TV SHOWS

(Dance Academy Photo Source)                    (Breaking Pointe Photo Source)

                                                             (SYTYCD Photo Source)

(Bring It! Photo Source)

So there you have it! It's a bit of everything, and I hope there's a mix of shows/movies you've heard of and a healthy dose of those that you haven't. Enjoy!

Challenge: "Real" Book Challenge April Wrap-Up

Intro Post

Book Goal: 25

January: 0

February: 4

March: 5

April: 4

Tour: Impervious by Heather Letto (+Giveaway)

The residents of Impervious are the remnant—survivors of the War of Annihilation. And though the city is chockfull of pleasures to tantalize and entertain, a beast lurks in its corners haunting the residents with its presence. The Beast—a mysterious and terminal illness―has killed off most of Generations One, Two and Three. And as Gen-Four prepares to take the stage a provocative, yet questionable, new method to avoid an untimely death becomes a cultural rage.

But Fran is counter-cultural. And living off the grid in true rebel fashion, her life is far from opulent. Scurrying through dark tunnels, searching for hot meals and ditching the holographic security team encompass most of her day. However, she views it as a healthy trade-off. Unaccountability means The Council can’t steal her sliver of hope―a belief that she’ll see The Epoch arrive before the beast can pull her into its fetid embrace.

After losing her mother and then her Rebel mentor, however, she grasps painfully onto the splintered sliver, until a new hope is born. First through Pete. And then through a miraculous discovery.

But the question still haunts her…

Can she outrun The Beast?

~~Excerpt~~

An (Almost) Agora Tour with Pete

“Hey, thanks, Pete, for agreeing to take us on a tour of the Agora. What an interesting place this is, can you tell me where we’re standing, and thus where our tour begins?”

“No problem-o. My old stomping grounds, right?” Pete waggles a brow before opening his arms in a grand gesture. “Welcome to The Agora, where the food is plenty and the entertainment never sleeps!”

“Wow, this certainly is fascinating.”

I laugh at his grandeur and then turn in a slow circle to pan the landscape. Gaming stands are dotted here and there and crowds of teens in spandex and glitter cheer on various avatars. The air is charged with techy-sounding music (with way too much bass in my humble opinion.)

“Wow, and loud! How do you hear anything over the music and all the craziness?”

Pete shrugs. “I’dunno. I just do. Come on, follow me.”

He pushes his way through a small crowd and I follow--although rather tentatively, as I notice several pairs of thick-lined-eyes scanning me up and down. Apparently, this crowd isn’t too impressed by my mom-jeans. Pete sidles up to a low counter and places his elbows on the smooth acrylic surface. A holograph pixelates behind the bar and greets us – the first welcoming face besides Pete’s I’ve since arriving in the Agora.

“Welcome to the lunch hut! What can I serve you today?!”

While recoiling from the extreme-pleasantness oozing from the eyes and mouth of the ghostly figure, I gaze up at a translucent screen with menu items scrolling past. Unfortunately, it moves too fast and all I catch is ‘coffee’… which works just for me.

“I would like a coffee pl--.”

Before I finish my sentence, a bright light flashes, nearly blinding me, followed by a computer- sounding voice.

“Unidentified resident.”

“Oh, Man. I hadn’t thought of that. Come on.” Pete grabs my hand. We plow through a throng of residents and get caught up in a people- current. I squeal and then hold my breath as I feel a prickly sensation move up and down my body. Pete gives me a yank and finally we’re spit from the flow of pedestrians into an area lined with potted palm- trees.

“Come on, we’re going to have hit the air vents.”

My heart screeches to a halt. I designed these vents. I know what awaits. And I’m sure they’re no place for my fresh mani/pedi. I back up a little.

“Hey, I think I’ll just go now.” I smile and a small twitch erupts on the upper left side of my mouth.

Pete scrambles inside the vent. “Are you sure? I could show you The Ranch.”

I place a hand over my twitchy lip.

“No that’s fine. But thank you, Pete. I think I’ll just hang out on the other side of this story.”

Pete gives me a thumbs-up. “Suit yourself and Sayonara!”

I stand up a little straighter and step back out of Impervious.

~~~

About Heather Letto:

Heather considers herself but a worker in the field with a desire to share truth through the art of good story. In real life, she’s the proud mother of two grown sons and lives part-time in Northern Illinois with her husband, but scurries off to warmer climates when the mercury takes a dive on the thermometer. As well as The Ascension Series, Heather contributes to WHOAwomen magazine, The Fit Christian, Tween Girls and God, Devotion Magazine as well as Swagga for Christ Ministry.

Impervious is available in e-book and paperback at:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dance Appreciation Week: Dance and Books

Today's post is all about books with a focus on dance! (Tomorrow will be a focus on movies, and the day after will be a focus on TV shows.)

Fiction Friction (#6): Reading Reviews

These posts are meant to bring about some conversation, discussion, and perhaps even a debate. These discussion posts can occur at varying days of the week, mostly depending upon what's scheduled on the blog and what I feel like discussing.

As much as I love blogging and reviewing and sharing my opinions on books I've been reading, I wonder how many people actually read my reviews. Why do I ask this? Well, the thing is, I usually don't read many reviews. Sometimes I'll look at ratings or skim through a review, but for the most part, I don't read them. I can't read reviews of books I haven't read yet. I love reading through ones on Goodreads as soon as I'm done but not before. I'll usually read reviews of books that I loved to see what some of the criticisms were. Sometimes I'll read a review of a book I'm really looking forward to if the review is written by a blogger I like.

But even on the occasion that I do read a review, usually on Goodreads because I read books long after they've been published (in general), I don't comment on the post. Once in a while, if it's a book I really loved or hated or really had something to add, I'll comment. But generally, I don't. Sometimes it's because I have nothing substantial to add. Sometimes it's just because I'm not in the mood to. 

And that's why I've been trying to work on the discussion posts I have on here more than the reviews. I know I'd much rather comment on a discussion post of something I haven't seen discussed yet (or even something that has). I feel I have more to contribute to discussions than the reviews that I do manage to read.

So my question is: do you read reviews often? When do you read reviews? Do you have criteria? Do you prefer more reviews or more discussion posts? Should I try to comment more on reviews that I do read, as limited a number as it may be?

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart (ARC)

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Publisher: Delacorte Press (Random House)

Release Date: May 13th, 2014

A beautiful and distinguished family.
A private island.
A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.
A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.
A revolution. An accident. A secret.
Lies upon lies.
True love.
The truth.

Disclaimer: I received an ecopy from NetGalley. This did not affect my review and thoughts, nor am I being compensated for it.

"I fell in love with their stories, their struggles, their pain, their friendship." 

"The plot is intricate, messy (in a good way), new, and powerful."

THIS BOOK. ALL THE FEELS. Okay. Warning. This is going to be a slightly vague review for a book with a very vague synopsis. But you really just have to read this for yourself. It's one of those books that just left me speechless when it was over (and in tears, but that's a WHOLE other story). It's one that made me give it the rating I did automatically. No second thoughts. What a beautiful, impactful, amazing book.

First, I have to mention the writing. It's not going to be for everyone. I already know there have been several people that have mentioned that they didn't like the writing. But I'm not one of them. I find it really unique, and I enjoyed the mood and tone. The voice of the narrator, Cadence, was so fresh and different, but it also reflects her, her personality, her experiences, and her upbringing. It just blew me away.

Then there's the plot. I don't even know what to say about it. In many ways, the synopsis hits on the major points of the book, and the plot stretches out from there. The book kept me guessing for the majority of the book. And the thing is, I'm sure you'll hear about the tears involved. You probably won't understand it until the last ten or so pages. That's when it'll hit you like BAM! *falls back into a ball on the ground, crying* Sure, I knew it was coming, but I didn't know how bad it was. But really, the plot is intricate, messy (in a good way), new, and powerful. There are so many themes and lessons that are looked at in this book, and it's just so amazing. I can't say anything more. Really. Just read it and discover it for yourself. You'll enjoy it so much more if you go into it not knowing a lot.

The characters were another one of my favorite aspects of this book. Each one was so different, each with their own struggles and problems. I felt like I was on the island too, not as a family member, but just as someone looking in. The family dynamics are so strong and so powerful, while also really well explored and broken down. It's interesting to see how the characters, each with similar upbringings, manage to be their own and so completely different from one another. The way they handle their responsibilities and the family expectations is just so enthralling and unique. I fell in love with the Liars. I fell in love with their stories, their struggles, their pain, their friendship.

Sure, there are a few things here and there that I wish could have been explored more or that I wish had been answered, but at the same time, those were small things that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. I feel like this is one of those books that will be talked about A LOT in the coming months and for good reason. If you can get your hands on this one, read it. It'll blow you away.

We Were Liars: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

E. Lockhart: Website | Twitter | Blog | Pinterest 

Dance Appreciation Week: Guest Post: Kaitlin on Her Favorite SYTYCD Routines

Today I have Kaitlin @ Reading is My Treasure to talk about her favorite SYTYCD routines! How awesome!

So You Think You Can Dance

*Waves hello to readers*

First of all, I want to thank Jessica for letting me do this guest post!

Thank you, Kaitlin! :)

Am I a dancer? No. Not one bit. I don't even like to dance very much. However, I have a soft spot for TV shows and movies that revolve around dance. So much creativity and passion goes into great dance routines, and I love to see that. There's a lot of beauty in dance, as well as a lot of fun.

One of my favorite dance TV shows is So You Think You Can Dance. My mom and I started watching it in its second season (man, that feels like such a long time ago), and it quickly became one of my favorite shows to watch! It's my favorite dance related show (though I haven't been that into the last few seasons), so I decided to share some of my favorite dances, dancers, and choreographers from the show.

Joshua and Katee dance contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels.

Joshua and Katee are probably my favorite pair of the entire show. That season itself, I think, is my favorite out of all of them. Also, Mia Michaels is one of my favorite choreographers. This is a very, very good dance.

Twitch and Katee dance contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels

Twitch is another favorite of mine! This routine is really fun.☺

Sabra and Dominic dance hip routine choreographed by Shane Sparks

Sabra and Dominic are also one of my top favorite pairs. I always looked forward to their dances! I also always looked forward to any of Shane Sparks' dances. This dance is one of the most memorable for me.

Joshua and Chelsea dance Argentine tango choreographed by Dmitry Chaplin

I love the Argentine tango! Put my favorite ballroom dancer and Joshua together for a routine and what do you get? A pretty awesome dance.

Top 16 dance contemporary routine choreographed by Mia Michaels

So many great group dance routines have been danced on the show, but this is one of the most memorable to me. The song ("The Dance" by Charlotte Martin) became a favorite of mine after seeing this routine, and I love how strange and creative the story told by the dance is.

Audrey and Matt dance contemporary routine choreographed by Travis Wall

All of the above videos are from season four (except for the hip hop one, which was in season three), but this one is from season nine! Like I said, I haven't gotten into the last few seasons of the show, but I have to add this video because Travis Wall is an amazing choreographer.

That's all the videos I have for this post. I hope you enjoyed it.☺

My question for you: do you like to watch shows and movies that are focused on dance?

Dance Appreciation Week: My Favorite Dance-Related Poem

Today, I'll be sharing with you my favorite dance-related poem. Admittedly, I don't know of many dance poems and perhaps a list of dance-related quotes would have been smarting, but I really do love this poem, and I want to share it with you all! :)

They Who Dance by Marjorie Allen Seiffert

The feet of dancers 

Shine with laughter, 

Their hearts are vibrant as bells; 

The air flows by them 

Divided, like water 

Before a gleaming ship. 

Triumphantly their bodies sing, 

Their eyes 

Are blind with music. 

They move through threatening ghosts, 

Feeling them cool as mist 

Against their brows. 

They who dance 

Find infinite golden floors 

Beneath their feet.

What do you think?

Cover Reveal: Empower: Fight Like A Girl Anthology

I have an awesome cover reveal for you today! This is for an anthology titled Empower: Fight Like a Girl. I'll be honest, it isn't the cover that drew me to this book. It's what it stands for, what it's achieving. The proceeds of this book are going to a great cause, which you can find out about below, but it's also written by many women writers. Girl power! :)

A little bit about the book...

Title: "Empower: Fight Like A Girl"
Genre: Anthology of short stories ranging from crime mysteries to paranormal thrillers
Publisher: Words Empower Media
Release date: May 1st, 2014

Women of TV have united against lupus! Presenting Empower: Fight Like A Girl, a special collection of short stories by top women writers from some of your favorite shows, including: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Family Guy, Person of Interest, Grimm, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Law & Order: SVU, Star Trek: Voyager, Eureka, Twisted, The 100, Malcolm in the Middle, Millennium, Being Human, The Shield, Castle, Chuck, Gilmore Girls, and Game of Thrones. In this anthology, you'll discover supernatural thrillers, crime mysteries, horror, comedies, and more.

Now, the cover! Drum roll please....

More about the book:

Praise for Empower: Fight Like A Girl

"Even non-girls will feel empowered by these stories about ordinary, flawed characters finding their own strengths. Highly entertaining and original."
- Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling author of The Chase and King City, whose mother lost her hearing to lupus.

Authors contributing stories to this volume include:

Amy Berg

Cherry Chevapravatdumrong

Akela Cooper

Liz Edwards

Jane Espenson

Shalisha Francis & Nadine Knight

Lisa Klink

Pang-Ni Landrum

Lauren LeFranc

Kam Miller

Jess Pineda

Jennifer Quintenz

Lisa Randolph

Kay Reindl

Kira Snyder

Jeane Wong

All proceeds will be donated to the non-profit Lupus Foundation of America to help solve the cruel mystery of lupus.

You can purchase the book on Amazon and find more information on Goodreads.