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IN THIS ISSUE 4! 6! 8! 10! 12! 14! 16! 18! 24! 26!
Editor’s Letter Masthead Installing The Olympics The Olympic Column Artistry In Athletics This Is Extreme Action Ten Cities, Ten Dances Moves Like Madonna The Olympic Composition Going For Musical Gold
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From Touchdown To Tempi An Opening Ceremony Olympic Style Guide Adding To Adidas Shoes That Give You Wings Designing For A Nation London Calling: The Runaways Stadium Seating Work It Out Olympic Training
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The Olympiad Olympic Beauty Fierce Fencing Soccer Style Tennis Technique Bold Boxing Lines Synchronized Swimming American Beauty Going For The Gold
THE OLYMPIC TRIBUTE AUGUST 2012 2!
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EDITOR’S LETTER The Olympic Games stand for a worldwide meaning of equality, fraternity, and peacefulness. While technically a competition, the Olympics open a door to new relationships, bonds, and meanings. The Olympic Rings are said to symbolize the union of different continents, or main regions. To me, the rings stand for something more individual within each athlete, and each viewer. Whether watching from home, or from the very front row, the Olympics give the public the chance to connect to the athletes themselves, and learn something about the different cultures competing in an extremely diverse and dynamic setting. For this issue, we wanted to salute the hard work that goes into training for and competing in the Olympics. We felt that the rings meant uniting fashion, art, music, theater, and athleticism. With that, we bring you our special Olympic Tribute Issue. When selecting covers, we wanted to choose something bold that represented both the Olympics and culture in the same light. Tejal Patni’s tennis cover depicts the beauty of tennis in both the Olympics, as well as the US Open, which will take place late August. Our second cover is red, white, and blue in honor of both the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain, two places where the majority of our readers reside. The written content goes right into the excitement of the art installations surrounding the Olympic Park, followed up by the athleticism and physicality of dance, movement, and the sport of competing in a prestigious singing competition. Since the Olympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies are so vital, we wanted to showcase “Fuerza Bruta,” a production that serves the same “wow factor” seen in the Opening Ceremony...eight nights a week! The issue also features exclusive interviews with Creative Director of Hard Candy Fitness and Madonna’s personal trainer, Nicole Winhoffer, as well as football player gone opera singer, Keith Miller, and finally, Coco & Breezy, twin sisters who are taking the world by storm with their edgy accessory collections, which even caught the eye of Adidas! Our photo content is organized in an order that tells a story of the Olympic journey. The section starts out with two young runaways fleeing to London for the Olympics, and transitions into a short shoot that shows the excitement of stepping into the stadium for the first time. The scene then becomes more physical, as the athletes train to compete in the Olympics. From there, several sports played during the Olympics are shown through a fashionable and artistic vision. We close our special issue with a gold-themed shoot titled, “Going For The Gold,” though we truly believe that all who compete are winners just for trying. Keep an eye out for our September Issue, themed Avant-Garde Fashion!
Joseph Gualtiere Editor-In-Chief 4!
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Joseph Gualtiere Editor-In-Chief Nora Kobrenik Lindsay Wynn Creative Directors Chris Evangelista Public Relations Director Yvonne Grays Nathane Culture Editor Miranda Dorian Fashion Editor Olivia Oppedisano Style & Accessories Editor Raffaella Cimino Beauty Editor Christie Connolley Music Editor Jane Taylor Theater Editor Bayla Gottesman Dance Editor Kavitha Surana Film Editor Jonathan Hamilt Menswear Editor Michael Tornato Street Style Editor Contributing Photographers: LaRoache Brothers, Joao Carlos, Philipp Jelenska, Carol J. Lee, Ziga Mihelcic, Martin Nenov, Tejal Patni, Svenja Pitz, Maria Rita, Ned & Aya Rosen, Ana Luisa Silva, Beth Studenberg, Francis Vazquez
Photography: Tejal Patni Stylist: Guillame Nallet Makeup & hair: Sofi Longhurst Model: Carl Photography: Ziga Mihelcic Model: Tamara at Loox Makeup & Hair: Sergej Grosman Clothing: Kristina Lovko, Nina Tomazin, Tina Hribernik Jewelry: Ema Bavcon
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INSTALLING THE OLYMPICS A LOOK INTO THE OLYMPIC PARK ART INSTALLATIONS By: Nora Kobrenik
With the 2012 London Olympic Games upon us, it’s no surprise that London is the hottest destination of the summer and fall. An immaculate lineup of permanent and semi-permanent art commissions have been integrated with the high-quality British architecture, design, construction and engineering of the Olympic Park, ranging from bridges and underpasses designed by some of the most renowned artists of our generation, to light installations and large-scale facades. These projects demonstrate the creativity, imagination and uniqueness that all of the artists have brought to the look and feel of the Olympic Park. By introducing art, culture and style into East London public spaces, the project’s aim has been to achieve a unique area that will attract new businesses as well as new residents who would want to make East London not only their new home but also the chicest neighborhood in London. Some of the most spectacular installations are as follows: History Trees, which have been designed by renowned English artists Ackroyd and Harvey. The major commission involves a collection of ten large-scale trees that go as high as 18 meters high. These trees are planted to mark the entrance to the Olympic Park, three of the tree species will be in already in place during the games and the rest will be planted in legacy. Each tree will have a 500kg ring suspended in the tree crown with local history and phrases engraved on them. Overtime it is expected that the trees and the Olympic rings will fuse and grow together to create a living, breathing reminder of the 2012 games and the Olympic Park. Fast, Faster, Fastest is a Jason Bruges Studio design that is actually an interactive bridge leading to the Olympic Stadium. The bridge will be in lights during the Games, and afterwards will be programmed so that the lights flash at the speed of the fastest 100 meter sprints, allowing guests to race against the speed of their sporting heroes and light. One Whirl is the creation of artist Martin Richman who incorporated his own artwork into one of the central bridges on the Olympic Park. Martin’s idea was inspired by the unstoppable force of the Games that mirror the flow of the rivers that run through it. The installation has been installed using various types of recycled and reclaimed glass.
The Spark Catchers is the first poem that was commissioned for the Olympic Park as part of the Winning Words programme. Written by local and renowned poet Lemn Sissay. Inspired by the history of the place, Lemn has written a poignant poem about the history of the Bryant and May match factory, which still proudly stands on the edge of the Park in Bow. The poem is carved into a wooden structure on the north side of the Park, which will house one of the main electricity transformers. RUN has been designed by the ever fantastic Monica Bonvicini, it has been specifically commissioned to be placed outside of the Copper Box. Bonvicini designed three nine meter tall letters forming the word ‘RUN’, made entirely out of glass and stainless steel. In daylight, the letters act as a mirror, and at night they become more transparent and glow with internal LED lights. Monica’s inspiration for the work comes mostly from musical references. Most notably in this case Neil Young's "Running Dry". Steles (Waterworks). The striking and colorful artworks lining the Waterworks River reflect and mirror the spirit of the London 2012 Games, as well as the main river that floats through the Park. The vivid colors of the work punctuate the newly formed landscape both during the Games and after the games are over, when they will be used for boat moorings. Both sculptural and functional, they evoke nautical way-markers, and have been made from the same strong materials used for navigational buoys. Fantastic Factology is the third in a series of commissions and collaborations by a dream team of local artists and designers – The Klassnik Corporation, Riitta Ikonen and We Made That. Fantastic Factology is a series of plaques on benches that are nested throughout the Olympic Park. Each plaque features a nugget of information that was either submitted through a website or gathered through a series of local workshops and courses. Bits of information and insight about anything from astrology to zoology, draw on the broad experiences and knowledge of the local community as well as global specialists from a broad rainbow of fields. The Fun Palace is a poem by Caroline Bird written as part of Winning Words, The Fun Palace is carved on the sides of the Olympic Park transformer enclosures. It is about the life and work of Joan Littlewood, who was the life-force behind Stratford East Theatre. Littlewood's life's dream was to build The Fun Palace – a groundbreaking, multi-creation arts and education center – on the site of the Olympic Park in the 1960s. Sadly it has never come to be, however, it still remains a source of inspiration to this very day. The Art in the Park commissions and projects have been supported and sponsored by a number of funders, including the Greater London Authority, Arts Council England, London Development Agency, and Forward Arts Foundation among others.
Images – ODA Art Commissions: Monica Bonvicini. RUN. Photo: David Poultney @ ODA Ackroyd & Harvey. History Trees. Photo: David Poultney @ ODA Keith Wilson, Steles. Photo: Andy Keate, courtesy the artist. Neville Gabie. Freeze Frame. Based on the Bathers at Asnières by Seurat. Martin Richman, Underwhirl. Photo: David Poultney @ ODA Oscar Bauer and Nazareno Crea. Cloud Bridge Clare Woods. Brick Fields and Carpenters Curve. Photo: David Poultney @ ODA Additional Photography Credits: ODA
THE OLYMPIC COLUMN ANTHONY MCCALL’S STEAMING SCULPTURE By: Alex Fogt
This larger than life artwork could be visible from sixty miles away, making it a truly unforgettable spectacle for the onlookers of the Olympic Games. The piece is modestly titled “Column”; a grandiose understatement considering this massive line of vapor will be connecting heaven and earth. Even more remarkable will be “Column’s” stunning ability to adapt to the weather of Liverpool’s estuary environment, which changes all day. McCall himself describes it as a “chameleon”, blending in and standing out as bright blue sky and storms pass and day light waxes and wanes. Column will even dance and bow in the air currents giving it a calligraphic aesthetic.
Every four years the summer gets a twist when the Olympic Games come around. This Olympic season happens to be the biggest twist yet; sixty-five feet wide, and three miles tall to be precise. That is what UK artist Anthony McCall plans to unveil to the world this summer if all goes to plan. The word is we are about to see his newest sculpture of gargantuan proportions on the Mersey River in conjunction with the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. While the Cultural Olympiad may be a new concept for most of us, it is a practice dating back to 1908, when Baron Pierre de Coubertin introduced the idea to have a “pentathlon of the muses”. Artists would compete with each other from all around the globe in order to bring back the gold to their country. Currently the competitions have ceased, making the Cultural Olympiad an opportunity for the host nation to show off their artistic and cultural prowess. England has been running it’s Cultural Olympiad since 2008, and so far 16 million people have participated in the festivities.
So with all eyes on Anthony, the world is waiting for the unveiling of the globe’s largest sculpture to be showcased this summer. Well let’s just hope. The Civil Aviation Authority believes this historic human achievement could mean a huge distraction and danger for pilots in North West England’s airspace. “Column” is set to be right in the path of a commercial airlines flight route near Liverpool’s John Lennon airport. Unfortunately, the Olympic Torch has already came and went through Wirral, meaning what could have been the perfect opportunity for the launch of this more-than-monolithic work of art has been missed. Planning permission will not be granted until tests are carried out in cooperation with Wirral Borough Council to ensure their are no risks to air travel.
This Olympic quadrennial, sculptor Anthony McCall was awarded 500,000 dollars by the Cultural Olympiad to produce an epic sculpture made of steam and light to rise out of the waters in Wirral, England. Combining science and art, McCall will miraculously rotate the surface water of the river Mersey and add heat to create a “slender, sinuous spinning column of cloud”. This sculpture would be four times larger than the Empire State Building making it the tallest man made object ever created, if you count gas and light as structure.
Anthony McCall is a 66-year-old British born artist living and working in New York City. Emerging onto the art scene in 1973 with his avant garde work “Line Describing a Cone”, he became a visionary with the use of light and space. McCall resigned from the art world for twenty years by the end of the seventies only to re-emerge at the beginning of digital projections debut into the art world. Keep your eyes peeled for “Column” to be debuted this summer in conjunction with the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. Photography: Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images Europe
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ARTISTRY IN ATHLETICS CAPTURING DANCE AND SPORT IN IMAGE By: Bayla Gottesman
Muscles will strain, sweat will drip, and grace and beauty will exist alongside pain and determination in this summer’s Olympic games. Photographs will document the Game’s greatest moments of glory. A successful athletic photo embodies both intense physicality and emotional integrity. The world admires athletes because they epitomize the human body’s potential, but we love athletes because within their fortitude they are emotional beings. Dance is the sport of emotion, and photographer Ed Flores blends athletic prowess and emotional capacity through his pictures. Flores reflects upon his work saying, “I’m trying to show the world that dancers are athletes in every sense of the word. Dancers embody the true athlete because as a dancer you have to show the strength, but do it onstage and make it look beautiful … that’s where combining art and athleticism is [united] into one form.” Although dance is not recognized as an Olympic sport, to capture dance in a picture is to capture sport in its most emotionally charged manifestation. There is a relationship between sports and the arts after all, and dance exemplifies that bond.
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The human facility is an amazing machine and the bodies of dancers and athletes are tightened and tuned to an extreme. These subjects move in a godly way and Flores is amazed by the capabilities of their bodies. He says, “…the movement of the fingers, the wrist, the mouth, shoulder, hip can totally change the feeling or the emotion of whatever the subject is trying to convey.” Flores passes on his infatuation with the human body to his audience, disregarding notions of dancer versus athlete and successfully creating photos that resonate with all viewers. Flores’ integrated approach brings together artistry and athleticism. He captures motion and emotion through still image, preserving the body’s exquisite form. Flores honors athleticism and confirms our reverence for the human body’s capabilities. The Olympics are about competition, yes, but they are also a testament to what the human body can do. Whether it is dance or sport captured in frame, photographs celebrate the body and provide us with images of athletic and artistic perfection.
Photography: Ed Flores Dancers: Weston Krukow, Laura Kaufman, Jean Schroeder
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BUT REALLY... THIS IS EXTREME ACTION STREB EXTREME ACTION TAKES ON LONDON By: Bayla Gottesman
What better way to honor the 2012 London Olympics than with daredevil stunts performed atop the city’s most recognizable landmarks? This month, the dancers of Streb Extreme Action bungee jumped off the London Eye, rappelled down City Hall, and flew over Trafalgar Square, all in the name of good athletic fun. A combination of gymnastics, circus, acrobatics, and dance, Streb Extreme Action has successfully taken live performance to dizzying new heights and unforeseen capabilities. At 62 years old, company creator Elizabeth Streb found herself alongside her dancers, freefalling from 40 feet high in the London skies. Streb and her dancers must be crazy or downright intrepid, but their extreme take on dance inspires those of us adverse to challenges to venture toward our own points of gleeful fear. Streb’s approach to extreme action dance is to “Go to the edge and peer over it. Be willing to get hurt, but not so hurt that you can't come back again." Well, Streb, you not only made it to the edge, but you’ve left us with a major cliffhanger for the rest of the pre-Olympic season. The only event capable of successfully competing with these stunts now will be the Olympic Games themselves. Get ready for a whirlwind Olympic summer because if Streb’s show was any indication of what’s to come, we’re all going to need a good, tight harness.
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Photography: Antoine Douaihy, Tom Caravaglia, Tim MItchell
TEN CITIES, TEN DANCES AN OLYMPIC SUCCESS BY PINA BAUSCH AND LONDON 2012 By: Bayla Gottesman
More than an athletic marathon, the Olympics are a celebration of culture. This year, London has done a fabulous job crafting a Cultural Olympiad to precede its athletic competition. One of the most exciting exhibits of the Cultural Olympiad is the presentation of Pina Bausch’s World Cities. To create the extensive work, Bausch and her company resided in Rome, Los Angeles, Santiago, Saitama, Hong Kong, Kolkata, Istanbul, São Paulo, Palermo, and Budapest. In each location, they gleaned inspiration and knowledge from the people and places they encountered and choreographed dances inspired by their experiences. The project, embarked upon in 1986, comes together in an Olympic-sized performance for the first time this July, in honor of the 2012 Games. Bausch searches the souls of the cities to discover their cultures beyond typical tourist fare. Praised for her ability to capture human emotion, she deeply explores the cities, drawing from both national triumphs and failures. In Viktor, the first of the tencity series and inspired by Rome, gestures overcome the dance and nostalgia for times past hovers over the movement. In Nur Du, inspired by Los Angeles, the characters are image-obsessed and continuously scrutinize their bodies. And in the Brazil-inspired Agua, jokes center around nudity and sexuality.
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In the majority of the ten pieces, native music is incorporated into the scores, along with sets reminiscent of the physical landscapes of each city. In search of the emotional undercurrents of each city, Bausch said, “almost all our pieces … evolved from the meeting of different cultures – whether in Hong Kong, Brazil, Budapest, Palermo, Japan or Istanbul. Getting to know unfamiliar customs, music and traditions led me to transform into dance what is unknown but is part of us all. Getting to know the unknown, sharing it, and experiencing it without fear.” World Cities provides a reflective and emotional representation of ten global locations, each drastically different and unique in culture. Like the Olympics, the dances remind us that while we live scattered across continents, our community is connected and commonalities exist between us all. An Olympic effort in itself, World Cities is a tribute to cultural diversity and a celebration of the coming together of nations.
Photography Credits: Ulli Weiss, Laszlo Szito Dancers: Julie Shanahan, NefĂŠs Rainer Behr, Tanztheater Wuppertal Ensemble
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MOVES LIKE MADONNA PERSONAL TRAINER NICOLE WINHOFFER GETS PERSONAL By: Bayla Gottesman
Born in New York City, Nicole Winhoffer has grown as an experienced artist, dancer, and choreographer. Having performed in Broadway shows such as 42nd Street, Bombay Dreams, and Wicked, she followed up these impressive credentials with opportunities dancing for Shakira at the MTV Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall, performing on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, and representing companies such as Maybelline, Mattel, and Walmart. In 2009, Nicole dedicated her time training MADONNA and her female dancers during MADONNA’s STICKY AND SWEET EUROPEAN TOUR. As Madonna’s personal trainer, she has expanded her role as Creative Director of Madonna’s program at HARD CANDY FITNESS: “ADDICTED TO SWEAT”, creating the content and programs for HCF gyms worldwide. Having opened Mexico City, Moscow, and St. Petersburg, Nicole will continue to prepare and open the projected future global Hard Candy Fitness Gyms. Nicole has most recently served as choreographer on Madonna’s first single “GIMMIE ALL YOUR LUV’IN” music video off of MDNA and also assisted on “GIRL GONE WILD”. Nicole remains inspired with the work she does and is excited and blessed to share her new, innovative movement around the world! Nicole centers her workout style to create a strong, lean, toned, flexible body full with endurance and agility, using unconventional, innovative design and movement. Using all elements of creativity, her designs are influenced by art, fashion, music, culture, and inspiration. Nicole continues to travel around the world to spread her love for life through her passion for training, dance, and expression. Nicole spends most of her time in New York City and London. Her favorite places to train and dance include London, Paris, Spain, Brazil, Mexico City, Russia, and Africa. Nicole embodies life through art and continues to express this passion through fitness and dance.
When did you start dancing and what inspired you to dance? I started dancing at the age of 7 years old. By the age of 13, I began my serious dance training. I focused in on my craft and spent 4-8 hours a day in dance class. I studied all types of styles and immersed myself in watching and learning from others. I made my parents drive me to the city every night to take the adult classes. It was here where I was exposed to new types of dancing, training, and expression. I saw a difference in the way they moved and it inspired me to learn more about the expression of dance, rather than just technique. Combining both foundation and style are the key elements to my make-up. Exploring and finding new movements and inspiration allow me to further develop my own techniques. It is always evolving. Did you have a role model growing up? I had many. In the ballet world, Gelsey Kirkland, Baryshnikov, and Paloma Herrera were beautiful masterful technicians that achieved ultimate control over the body. Cyd Charrisse was my ultimate female role-model. She appeared in numerous musicals with a star-quality that radiated and inspired me as a female. She had grace, sexappeal, and an energy that was magnetic. I studied her movement, her performance qualities, and her ability to control the stage. Madonna was always a stand out performer that was always “forward” in her concepts, movement, and fashion. She is a pioneer, always pushing the button: never steering away from being different. I also looked up to Janet Jackson, Michael Jordan (definition of precision and hard work), and all professional athletes. The control over their bodies has ALWAYS inspired me. With hard work and persistence, you can achieve anything.
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Did he/she have an influence on your dance career? yes of course! I emulated many of my female role-models. They were strong, powerful, performers, each unique in their own right. Did you have other interests besides dance growing up? Sports? Fashion? Other arts? Yes! I was involved with swimming, diving, and art class. I was on a swim team and diving team: butterfly and free style were my stroke and I dove 3M. I have always been fond of fashion and would often sift through magazines and books to study and analyze different influences and styles from around the world. I also used these influences to design and make my own leotards and dance attire. I never wanted to wear what was in the stores, so I designed my own! If so, how did those interests influence your dance career? Being highly active and creative, all of my activities took part in building my dance career. They taught me how to freely use my mind and body. I was never involved in monotonous activity - but activities that changed and evolved. Being trained at a young age allowed me to be strong enough to develop a discipline, focus, and strength required to achieve my goals and grow in my field. When you were young, how did you envision yourself at this age? I was always in the moment, but I knew that I always wanted to inspire people.
Photography: Lindsay Wynn & Rob Loud Makeup & Hair: Dani Scarcella Wardrobe: Nicole’s own from her new collection
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People often perceive fitness as a rigid regimen and dance as a free-form art. How do you blend the art and expression of dance with fitness. How do you negate/ promote each perception and how do you blend dance with fitness? Fitness is an art form that is a balance between structure and freedom. Fitness is used as an expression to release emotions with use of our inner power and strength. There is science and research to prove facts about the human anatomy; however, there is also, the inexplicable, the power of the mind. It is the combination of both that allows for a freedom in structure; the balance between flow and rigidity. Dance allows people to connect to their bodies in new ways. I use my experience in dance in my training technique as it only strengthens my student ability for performance and result. What has been the biggest obstacle blending the two? Working with a new client and teaching them this philosophy. When we start fresh, I often have to feel them out and decide where to start: teaching them the foundation in structure first? or teaching them the freedom and expressiveness in movement and one's ability to connect to music and the body. Once I understand their level and psychology, I am able to assess where to begin.
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What is the mission of Hard Candy Fitness? Hard Candy Fitness is a global, luxury fitness brand focusing on unique and innovative fitness programming. The mission is to give our members a one of a kind fitness experience, from the stylish club design and amenities to our signature group fitness programming. At the core of our proprietary classes is the “Addicted to Sweat” group fitness programming based on the actual workout routines that I use with Madonna. How has your previous training influenced its development? With my experiences as a professional dancer and personal trainer, I developed the Addicted to Sweat program series to incorporate dance, cardio and toning. Your title at Hard Candy is Creative Director, an unusual position for a fitness center. How do you personally incorporate creativity into Hard Candy's mission/execution? My official title is Group Fitness Choreographer Consultant for the Addicted to Sweat group fitness programming. I view personal training as an art form and so each program in the Addicted to Sweat series was created with that in mind. When shaping the content for Hard Candy Fitness, my goal is for members to feel inspired, free and creative as well.
Do you choreograph for Madonna with her costumes in mind? Costumes alter the way performers move. There is a huge difference doing a show in rehearsal clothes versus in performance costume. There is always a lot of rehearsal to ensure mobility, safety, and practice with both movement and wardrobe. What clothes are you most comfortable in and why? I am most comfortable in my sneakers, workout clothes, and tights. I spend most of my days in these outfits, and so it is second nature to me. Also because I spend so much time with positive energy while I am working in this attire, the energy stays with the clothing. So whenever, I put it back on, it automatically makes me feel happy and safe. Your blog,tastenicolewinhoffer.com, covers topics including dance, food, fashion, and training. How do you find a balance between them? I strive to find balance in every aspect for my life every day. It is work and I am committed. Each topic influences the next. From the food we eat, to the way we speak, to what we wear, to how we move - they are interchangeable. With this in mind, it is important to treat yourself with this awareness in mind.
How do you feel the clothes you wear affect your dancing? What I am wearing greatly affects my movement. Clothing, like movement, is an expression. They influence one another. If I am wearing a sleek, black, tight one piece my movements will be long, sharp, and angular. I will be able to see the shape of my body and every muscle as it moves. If on the other hand, I am wearing baggy pants, high tops, and a windbreaker, my movements will be looser, more grounded, and loose. I am very interested in fashion and movement, and it is the perfect combination in my field of work Your fashion sense certainly isn't mediocre! How have fashion and dance blended in your work? I often use my fitness and sport apparel in my everyday / evening wear. I am most comfortable in my dance/fitness clothing - so I like to blend the two and keep a bit of my dance personality in my everyday life.
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What do you like to wear to dance class and during training sessions? To dance class, I love my Capezio long sleeve scoop neck leotard. It is so comfortable, functional, durable, and sharp. When I workout, I have many favorites! Nike has amazing sneakers. I am a Shox NZ4 fan. They offer great support and spring when I am on a treadmill or dancing. I also like Nike Air Max 90s: especially when the entire sneaker is in one, single, color palette. I also like Nike windbreakers and my Dri-Fit tops because they are form fitting, wick sweat, and offer full coverage, but still show off my shape. I am a huge fan of Stella McCartney for Adidas. She offers sexy, feminine, stylish workout clothes that are also functional. Her color palettes are beautiful and unique: often pairing two colors that wouldn’t normally be found side by side. Her running track shorts and windbreakers are my favorite. The shiny fabrics in black and bright greens and hot pinks are fun and functional. I always feel sexy when I’m working out in them. Adidas Originals are also featured in my workout closet. Their 3-striped logo is sharp and always makes a statement in white over black fabric. Black and white are my favorite. My almighty shark sweat-shirt is the most worn item: black with white stripes and a zig-zagged print lining the zipper – which also zips all the way to the top of the hoodie. I am always complimented on this sweatshirt…it’s one of a kind! Overall, I look at functionality, fit, and style. When the combination of these 3 elements work, it’s a sure match, and a perfect, effective workout!
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You just gave an interview with SHAPE magazine and you spoke about the bond of collective movement. How has that energy influenced your dance and training approach? Energy translates into all forms of life. I give 100% to my work and give all the energy I have for it. It is more than just a "job" - it is an extension of who I am. Each workout is an expression and a release of what is going on for me mentally that day. I am lucky to have the ability to physically remove or build upon what I might be experiencing that particular workout. This energy for me is a release and it is put into my work and released into the room, where it is shared my my clients and other trainers. They, are experiencing the program and workout in a different way, yet their energy is still there in the room and it is shared. Together, we work to achieve the same goals. It is this connection of energy, the togetherness, the bond, that makes the work so fulfilling. Has that energy translated to Hard Candy Fitness? Yes. When producing programs for Hard Candy Fitness, I keep the bond of collective movement in mind as it is translated into the program. My hope is that members feel the inspiration when doing my workouts that I feel while creating them. Do you feel there are certain expectations of fitness that you seek to eliminate? Conformity! I seek for inspiration, freshness, and thinking outside the box. Otherwise, what's the point. If it's not mentally stimulating, it will be hard for the body to follow and produce results.
THE OLYMPIC COMPOSITION MUSIC OF THE OLYMPICS By: Bayla Gottesman
Music of the past always finds a way back to the present, but music dedicated to the Olympics has the opportunity to make a comeback every few years. So what types of fanfares and tributes have been written, and by whom? To start it off, “Bugler’s Dream” by Leo Arnaud was the theme music for ABC's Olympic coverage beginning in the late 1960s. The French-born American composer studied with Maurice Ravel, had a knack for moving scoring, and was nominated for an Oscar due to his arrangement of the 1964 film, The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Later, composer John Williams coopted the music, and attached it to his own “Olympic Fanfare and Theme,” which was composed for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Going back a bit further, we find the Olympic Hymn, composed by the Greek Spyridon Samaras with text by poet Kostis Palamas, which was also played at this year’s London Olympics Opening Ceremony. Greece continued to reign Olympic musical pride when Mikis Theodorakis composed for the 1992 Barcelona games.
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It soon became a tradition to commission music in dedication to the Olympics. In 1932, Czech composer and son of Antonin Dvorak, Josef Suk, composed “Toward A New Life,” for the Los Angeles games. When Atlanta hosted the games in 1966, Michael Torke composed Javelin. However, Phillip Glass’ compositional skill reigned high, when he was commissioned to write “The Olympian” for the torch lighting of the 1984 Los Angeles games. In 2004, Glass was back in for the Greek Olympics, where he composed “Orion” in collaboration with composers Ravi Shankar and Foday Musa Suso. While on the topic of 20th Century composers, Leonard Bernstein composed a piece in 1981 for the International Olympic Congress in Baden-Baden. In 1991, Freddie Mercury was to pair up with Montserrat Caballé, for “Barcelona,” the Olympic theme song. Today, we’ve come far enough in technology to release the music of the opening and closing ceremonies online post the live showing. The 2012 soundtrack was coordinated by artistic director and filmmaker Danny Boyle and DJ duo Underoworld, and featured more contemporary songs like “Blue Monday,” “Back To Life,” and even “Relax. The closing ceremony is back by the London Symphony Orchestra, and will present, “A Symphony of British Music.” On top of that, rumor has it that the Spice Girls will reunite for a special closing ceremony performance. We’re all for it!
Photography: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
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GOING FOR THE MUSICAL GOLD THE WINNERS OF THE 2012 METROPOLITAN OPERA NATIONAL COUNCIL AUDITIONS By: Christie Connolley
“Outstanding…. Surreal…. Swell….. Amazing….” This is how the winners of the Metropolitan National Council Auditions described their experience. The annual national talent search has launched the careers of countless operatic stars including Renée Fleming, Thomas Hampson, Deborah Voigt, Samuel Ramey and (I am now bowing in reverence) Jessye Norman, but the list goes on. The process consists of round after round of cutthroat competition from the regional to the national stage. As the world prepares for the 2012 Olympics, the parallels between the elite athlete and the elite musician are ever more apparent. The winners of the 2012 Metropolitan National Council Auditions sound off on their experience winning the ‘gold medal of opera’.
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Preparing for music, as with sport, is a largely mental process. Countertenor Andrey Nemzer had a threepronged approach for preparation; “First, I chose repertoire that was very well known and familiar to me. Second, I tried to keep myself in the best shape. I avoided cold drinks, tried to stay away from someone sneezing or coughing, I ate well and took a bunch of vitamins. Third and most importantly was the desire to sing on the Met stage. At that point, I thought it would be my victory, just to step out on one of the best operatic stages in the world and to share everything I felt and I expressed through my voice with the audience… Just once in the lifetime.”
However, preparation can only take you so far. There are inevitable setbacks due to nerves, illness, or the diva in the audition slot before you who preempts your star turn by belting out your signature aria. But mezzo-soprano Margaret Mezzacappa was prepared for anything, “With any process there are going to be set backs and break downs. The recovery is when you learn the most, whether it be that you need to take care of yourself so you don’t get sick, or that you need to find the confidence within yourself to do something amazing.” Baritone Anthony Clark Evans almost succumbed to a major setback before ever setting foot on the stage. “I nearly called off the whole idea before I even sent in the application. I had been thinking for a couple of years about the MONC, but I lacked the sincerity and confidence in my abilities. I phoned a friend one night to explain why I would not be applying and, after some pretty intense argument, he convinced me to think about it. I then sat and talked with my wife and we made the decision to go forth.” Well, what about walking out onto the stage of the Metropolitan Opera for the first time, the history and grandeur of that institution could confound anybody. “The first time I went on the stage to sing with the piano on the National Semifinals I was a bit lost.” Nemzer admits, “It was so big for me and I was scared that no one would hear me. But when I opened my mouth I realized that the acoustic was so wonderfully responsive, I didn’t have to push the sound. I just enjoyed the moment, and thought what a great honor it was to be on the stage where the most famous singers in the world once stood.” Competition can be cutthroat in sports and in music. I wondered if the competition became more savage and relentless as the number of competitors dwindled down to the top five, like an operatic version of The Biggest Loser. But according to soprano Janai Brugger, “This was one of the most calm, cool and collected group of singers I’ve ever competed with! Everyone was so nice and just excited to be there that we didn’t focus on the fact that we were competing. I generally felt that all of us were rooting for each other. To me it was such an honor to be amongst such an amazing group of singers, I know I’ll be seeing many of them on stages all over the world and that’s exciting!”
Unlike Olympic athletes, where the Olympics are often the culmination of their career, winning the Metropolitan National Council Auditions is just the beginning, a springboard for a major career for a young singer. So what career opportunities have developed for these winners? Did they receive the operatic equivalent of a bowling trophy or a crown or sash to wear ala Miss USA? Brugger laughs, “I wish I got a sash, that would’ve been fun! But I got so much more than that, which was exposure. In a way it was also like a big audition for very important managers, casting agents and directors, all in one room! So with the exposure I’ve had some wonderful offers for the near future and met some wonderful people who can help me in my career.” Last but most certainly not least, what did they wear during the final round of this heated competition? I must know if there was some fabulous Met stylist who was busy pulling Badgley Mishka gowns or if the singers toted their threads from home. Brunner and Mezzacappa both confirm they wore beautiful, elegant and coincidentally blue gowns they both brought from home. While Clark Evans confirms the existence of the Met stylist, “I wore a Ralph Lauren tux, bought in Kentucky. The Met stylist gave me some nice suspenders though.” While the most sentimental garment belonged to Nemzer, “I wore a tuxedo that I ordered especially for me in Moscow, and I have the initials of my beloved on the inside of the jacket, it makes me feel very safe and calm on the stage. “
2012 National Council Audition Winners Andrey Nemzer, Margaret Mezzacappa, Janai Brugger, Matthew Grills, and Anthony Clark Evans. Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera.
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FROM TOUCHDOWN TO TEMPI PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER GONE OPERA SINGER, KEITH MILLER By: Christie Connolley Photography: Metropolitan Opera, Ken Howard & Rozarii Lynch
What can’t Keith Miller do? Former professional athlete, Miller football both in college and professionally for several years before launching into an operatic career most singers can only dream of. The hunky bass-baritone is a regular at the Metropolitan Opera, having sung in over 200 performances with the company. The Met is just one of the major American operatic stages he has graced, the list goes on from Seattle Opera to the Washington National Opera. But Miller doesn’t stop there; he is the director of Opera and of the Opera Young Artist Program at the Crested Butte Music Festival. You get it…. he is a busy guy. But not too busy to sit down with Uptempo Magazine!
Describe the career path you were on as an athlete before entering the world of music?
What in your career as an athlete prepared you for a career in music?
I was just finishing my fifth season as a pro when I was given the opportunity to join the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. I could have possibly played a couple of more seasons but had to face the decision to get an education and take an advantage of a once in a lifetime opportunity, or continue living out one of my other dreams. The decision was based on the fact that I knew that this opportunity didn’t come around very often for anyone, so I grabbed it and never looked back. It was the best decision I ever made.
The work ethic, humility, dedication, dreams, disappointment, pain, frustration, nerves, and always working toward the journey and never the destination. It’s about getting better every day and finding something to improve on. It’s knowing that you will never be perfect and that only the top place in any profession is reserved for those who pay the price. How can you exceed your wildest expectations, if you don’t start with them? Then the work comes!!!
How did you discover your musical talent? Were you always singing or did you come to music following your athletic career? I loved music as a child, but had no exposure to speak of. My eyes were opened when I took a girlfriend to Phantom of the Opera in 1994 on my birthday. I thought it would be a great date and it ended up being a life-changing event for me. For the first time I felt the music, loved the story and the singing was beautiful. I tried to sing to the along with the CD, but as a bass, I couldn’t hit the notes and just figured I couldn’t sing, but tried to play around. Then I discovered the Three Tenors, and saw Luciano Pavarotti singing Nessun Dorma and the look in his eyes lit up the night and I said “that’s it”, that’s the real deal, but again, couldn’t sing the notes. Finally, I ended up hearing Sam Ramey singing Don Giovanni and I knew that this is where I belonged. I could feel the sound of the bass in my body and the story was amazing and the power of the orchestra and voices were overwhelming. This process took until December of 2001 and then in the spring of 2002, I was given many opportunities to sing, but just based on my voice. I knew I needed to train, but didn’t know how, and along came Academy of Vocal Arts.
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What physical and mental attributes of an athlete most benefit you as a singer? Taking criticism, and using it as a way to improve. Even when you win as an athlete, you train, but the hardest thing to do is be at the top, get knocked off and then pick yourself back up again. Most of the time it’s like Rocky II, it’s who can stand up after getting knocked down so many times that makes you a champion, especially when no one is looking and cheering you on. You are your own crowd, you are your own coach and you are your own enemy. How has your fitness regimen changed now that you are training for the stage instead of the field? I train specifically for opera. There is no need to train like a football player and squat with 600lbs anymore. I need to prepare my body to sing on the stage and deal with the demands of this business. Your focus on health and fitness lead you to develop the Puissance Training Institute for singers. How does this specialized training help singers in their careers? It allows them to use the body under stress and default to the breath. When you learn a new role you are very static, and as you start staging the physical demands increase everyday as well as the carry over of fatigue. So when they are learning a role the training is very high intensity and as we go into staging we back the training down so that the physical output for the body stays within a certain percentage that is ideal for each individual singer, this way they have a control mechanism in their career for how the voice is affected by the demands of the stage.
You must be familiar with the stereotype of the overweight singer, after all it ‘ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings’, right? But there seems to be a shift in the opera world to cast singers who are more fit and attractive; what do you think is driving that trend? Do you think it is beneficial or detrimental to the art? It’s not that overweight singers are in the wrong; it’s the exact opposite. Say for instance a singer weighs 400lbs. That singer has the physical strength to squat 300 lbs every time they get out of a chair, climb up stairs, and push them selves off the floor. BUT you can be a 200lb singer who is strong enough to squat 300lbs and etc. etc. It’s not that a singer is attractive that makes them valuable, although this is a very important aspect of todays singer, but that the discipline to keep oneself in shape and train for 30-40 years that carries over to the training of the voice, and FINALLY when you wake up in the morning with a cold, you hear it in the voice, when you are tired, you hear it in the voice, but what is the sound of a singer who gains 8lbs a year for 30 years and what does that 240lbs sound like on the voice. Whenever anyone argues with me about weight and singing, I simply say, “If being heavy helps you sing better, why don’t you gain another 50lbs? Then you’ll be even better than you are now, or even better gain 100lbs and be the best singer in the world.” Usually the point is made by then. People just don’t want to take responsibility for their bodies and how it can help to tell the story to an audience. If you don’t think that being in better shape as a human can help you communicate the story to the audience then you need to really examine what your commitment is to the public. This is whom we serve; this is whom I train for. I live for them, I sing for them, for without them there is no music, there is no story and there is no art. As you grew and developed as both and athlete and a singer, whom did you consider role models and mentors in your careers? Everyone. Everyone has something to teach, whether is it what to do, or what not to do. The misconception is that you can only learn from some people who have done it the right way. This is very true, but also, learn from everyone, for the pitfalls of career and life are not always best explained by those who avoided them or even more importantly those who had to come out of them. Open mindedness is so vital in processing information. We are supercomputers and the more information we have the more we can make informed decisions. Also, it keeps us from being JUDGEMENTAL!!!!!!!! What is your favorite Olympic sport? Which event will you be watching? I really don’t have a favorite sport, but my favorite event is the opening ceremonies, when you see many times 1 or 2 people representing their entire country and Olympic team. To see the pride and joy on their face, to hold their country’s flag and walk through the ceremony is one of the most inspiring things I have ever seen. These people have broken the seal and lifted the bar and carry the flame of the Olympics sometimes much more than the ones who stand at the podium. These people have no one to answer to, for they have taken the responsibility for representing their entire country, but it on their backs and walked through those gates! What performances do you have coming up? Do any of them involve you without your shirt on? I have Die Zauberflöte, Le nozze di Figaro, Ballo in Maschera, Carmen and another Die Zauberflöte coming up. The Ballo and Carmen are at the Met and the Ballo is a new production, but I doubt that any will have my shirt off, although you never know. I just however finished Florencia in el Amazonas [Opera Colorado] and for most of the show was singing shirtless. It was a great show and I loved the role of Riolobo. Hope to do that one again some day!!!
AN OPENING CEREMONY...8 NIGHTS A WEEK! THE FLASHY, FUN, & FAST-PACED FUERZA BRUTA By: Jane Taylor
Fuerza Bruta, a highly athletic and energetic theatre piece, blowing the minds all who come in it's path. A celebration of the human body and its physical abilities. Created in 2005 in Buenos Aires, and translated literally to mean “Brutally Happy”. The New York cast includes 16 people, and more than 500,000 have been lucky enough to play witness.
Have you ever had any significant physical injuries? I have actually, and it changed the course of my career. When I was graduating high school I had a hairline fracture in my right ankle. At first I was pursuing company work and doing heavy tech material, but since I had the fracture, I ended up going to Irvine, a college in California. I started doing more industrial stuff and dancing for artists, which was amazing and I'm happy I did, but that injury definitely changed everything that I had planned for myself. Who are you inspired by the most? The people I have around me, who I respect so much. Actually, one of the dancers here in the show, Tamara Levinson; I like to look at her as my mentor. She's an amazing performer, a brilliant dancer and she was actually an Olympic gymnast when she was younger. She can do anything and everything. The way she uses her body to express whatever she's feeling, and to be as creative and free as she is, really inspires me. Los Angeles native, making a splash in her New York and OffBroadway debut, the physically free, Christina Glur: 27 years. Athletic involvement growing up? I've always been into dancing. I started with ballet, jazz and tap when I was seven years old. I never heavily pursued any other sports, besides the ones I had to do in PE class (laughs). I went to an arts high school (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts) from the age of fourteen, so I was dancing even then.
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What was it like touring as a dancer for Miley Cyrus? That was from around about 2007 to 2010, and it was amazing. Touring is unreal. It's like living the dream life, because you're touring and seeing all these cities, and at the same time, you're doing what you love to do. We performed all around the states and we also got to do Europe and South America. Performing with an artist who has a name and who is really important and looked up to by lots of people, in stadiums and outside, for thousands and thousands of people – It's such a rush. It's really cool.
Have you ever been formally trained in acting? Was acting ever a focus for you? You know, it's crazy, I feel as though dancing is acting, just without words. I had some acting training at my studio when I was growing up, and then in dance master classes in high school, Matthew Rushing from Alvin Ailey would come in, and he would have us act, just using movement; Our face and our bodies. I also trained in Meisner technique for a year, learning to be just open and honest, and that was brilliant. Was it being cast in Fuerza Bruta that brought you to New York? Have you always had an ambition to move here? I've gotten to visit New York a few times while touring, and I always loved the atmosphere, energy and the feeling that I got from the city. I definitely thought, when I saw the audition for Fuerza Bruta, that this was my opportunity. It was definitely hard to leave Los Angeles as there's a lot of opportunity there too, though this show is unlike any that I've ever seen or experienced, or even performed. Fuerza Bruta was absolutely the driving force for me moving to New York. I've been in the cast since March 2012, and I perform about seven shows a week. Also, what we perform in the show rotates, so whether you're a swing or a permanent cast member, you have to know each act – You find out each day which acts you'll perform. Had you ever had any experience in ariel or suspension work, previous to this show? Actually, no! I think being a dancer and being knowledgable about my body, what it can do and its limits, combined with the feeling of the show which is raw and just being present and going for it – All of that allows me to do what we do in the show. Every time, I still get nervous and my stomach gets butterflies in it - “Will I land!?” (laughs). What was it like coming to terms with the act in the show where you slide and crawl in shallow water, less than arms length above the heads of the audience, and the possible vulnerability you might experience from that? For me, it wasn't an issue. I feel that I will do whatever for my art, as long as it doesn't offend anyone. It's a part of it, it's natural and when you think about it, we were all born nude anyway, you know? Outside of the show, what do you do to keep in shape? Do you need to do anything else? (laughs) No! When I was in Los Angeles, I would do Pilates, run, hike and go to the gym but this show is enough! Here, I get massages and go to the spa when I can. I do things to relax and rest my body and treat it nicely. When I come here is when I do all the crazy hard work. What's your personal warm up routine before each show? The cast gathers in the theatre and warms up together before each show. After that, I just do certain exercises to awaken my muscles and get me warm. I work on stabilizing my pelvis, legs and knees. It all depends on how you're feeling that day, but during the show, I definitely feel like both an actor and an athlete. I always tell myself to be very honest, committed, decisive and responsive to everyone around me. What's your favorite thing to do with your downtime, if you get any! I love to explore! Especially because I'm new to the city. I love food, and there's such amazing food here! Last monday I went to a nude beach! (laughs) It was cool, I've never experienced anything like that. Then we went to Chinatown and had amazing Chinese food! Explore, eat, and enjoy myself in the city! (laughs). What's your favorite thing to eat? Oh my gosh dessert, for sure! Hands down! My favorite place is called “ChikaLicious”, it's SO good! I love everything, honestly. But I'll never turn down dessert. Is there something you live by, in you life? “Life is short and take full advantage of it”!
Direct from Madrid, Spain, immensely talented and true artistic athlete, Alvaro Colom: 27 years.
Who inspires you the most?
I was actually more athletic, than I was a dancer. I didn't start dancing until I was around eighteen. Before that, I was into sports in general. I was on the track team of my high school, diving and gymnastics. Any sports that involved some kind of risk. I don't know why, but I was always very interested in adventure sports like skydiving and rafting. I'm from the north of Spain and there was always a lot of action going on up there, so these sports were how I would spend my summers.
I've always been interested in a lot of things in the way of art and people in general, but my main influence is an amazing choreographer of a show I did called “Lokomamia”, the director and choreographer, Ruben Nsue. He's amazing, he's very, very talented, his art is crazy, the work he does is so interesting because it's so open and true and sentimental. You feel so much when you see his stuff. I was dancing with him for about five years and I got very inspired by that. There is also a lady here in New York that I was taking classes with, called Cecilia Marta. She has her own dance company, and the way she speaks, the way she moves, the way she puts that spark in dance is just so cool.
What triggered your transition from sport into dance?
Have you been formally trained in acting?
I've always liked dance, but in the environment that I grew up, there was no reality to making a living through it, or through performing in general. I always saw it as a hobby, something for fun that I would do in my time off, not as a career. I then traveled to New York a couple of times, and saw the culture here, and how serious people were taking it and how much success was coming out of it. I started questioning myself and finally thought that maybe I should try it – For a little bit! I tried and it was fast and successful I guess. I got to be a part of one of Spain's most successful TV shows, called “Un Paso Adelante”, it means “one step forward”, and it was on air for four years. I was there for half of the second season and it was great. It made me realize that if I put in more effort and more time, it was possible. So I moved to New York for a year and trained very hard, and then
I feel that my dance career has always paralleled acting because when I started dancing I was cast in the TV show which involved acting too, then I was in a musical where I had character roles as well as being part of the dance crew, and then another musical in which I had a leading role, for a year and a half after that. I never feel as though I'm performing steps, but rather, I always have something to tell. In Fuerza Bruta, we act. There is so much emotion involved.
Were there any other sports besides dance that you've been interested in or practicing?
things started happening one after another.
Aside from Madrid and New York, is there anywhere else that you've spent a considerable amount of time working? It's always been back and forth. In Europe, we get to travel a lot. I've worked in London, Paris and Egypt, but it was always from Madrid to work, and back. I think the most time that I spent in London was a month.
Was it being cast in Fuerza Bruta that brought you to New York permanently this time? No, I've been here for almost three years now. All the people that I've met and the opportunities that are here, have all been more connected to the position that I wanted to see myself in. Two years ago I set out to get my visa, train harder than ever and allow myself to take up twenty four hours a day to pursue my dreams. Before I auditioned for Fuerza Bruta, I had seen the show and loved it. It happened very fast and it has been amazing. Sometimes auditions can be horrible but this one was as good as the show! Very honest, quick and specific. They knew what they wanted and they didn't make us do anything that was unnecessary. They made sure they didn't waste our time; It was very cool. Even cooler, the fact that I got it!! Did you ever imagine that one day you'd be in the position that you are now? You know, sometimes there's this thing that I feel when I see a show; I see myself in it. I had totally thought that I could see myself there. No question. Maybe that's why in the audition, the energy was already there. “It would be so amazing if I got that one, because I know I can be that one!” Then it happened! It made sense. Sometimes that happens in an audition; “It makes a lot of sense, that I'm here in this moment”. In the audition, did they test your speed abilities, or was that something that you were allowed to practice? That was the second day of the audition. On the first day we did dancing and improvisation.The second day they put us on the treadmill to test exactly what they do in the show, maybe even a little bit faster so they can see how far you can push it. Also, when you think about it, the way people walk or run is very specific and different. They have to make sure the feeling and presence is there. I too have been in the show since March 2012, and do about seven shows on an average week.
Any prior experience in ariel or suspension work for you? I've trained in silks, and before that, I did do some shows that involved harnesses. Silks I took some classes in, but everything I've done, I've learned in the role; On the job. Outside of the show, do you do anything else to keep in shape? Yeah, I go running and do yoga and dance class as much as I can, though I have to be careful to conserve my energy for the show. You need to make sure you get your rest! I am very active though; I find it difficult to keep still! Any hour I have free, I try to do something. What do you do to ensure you maintain the proper energy? I eat a lot, I'm healthy. I don't have a crazy life. I'm hyperactive as it is, so my body is always on and on and on – It keeps going, non-stop.
Personal mental or physical preparation before each show? For me, I know that one of the interesting things about the show is how well it relates to everything that you live through outside of the show. I like to think about those details that change in your daily routine, whether it's watching that girl have a conversation on the subway or watching how that boy is reacting to what he's hearing – If he is aggressive or not aggressive and if he connects with you or not. All those details you pay attention to on somebody else – Oh, that was interesting, or that was weird... Often these things are forgotten, so I make sure that I don't and I come to the show and relate certain parts of the performance to those emotions. At the end of the day, that's what the show is really about; Regular day-to-day people that go through life. If you do get any down time and you're not being active, is there anything else you do to relax? Apart from dancing, I love photography and videography. It can be relaxing but it's pretty active too because you'll be on set, doing lots of different things. I also love art in general and enjoy staying home and reading or watching movies and documentaries. What's your favorite thing to eat? Oh my gosh, my Mom's lamb. She cooks the best lamb in the world! Is there like a mantra that you live by? Really and truly be conscious of who you are, accept it, love it and make the best of it. We all have so much potential and sometimes we don't even realize that. I'm just very, very, very grateful because I've been fighting all my life to be the kind of person that is happy and successful, so I think it's very important to make sure you're always being yourself, loving and open. Photography: Jane Taylor
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Here’s your guide for going for the gold this Olympic season. Whether you need a pair of patriotic pumps or a bold bag to carry everything you need to get you through the day, we’ve got you covered!
OLYMPIC STYLE GUIDE STYLE IT UP! By: Olivia Oppedisano
Charlotte Olympia’s, Priscilla Stripes and Stars Heels are the perfect edition to your wardrobe to support the USA team. Wear these out to celebrate when the team takes home the gold! Charlotte Olympia, $1,050 Photo via Racked.com
These stunning star earrings from Emilio Pucci are sure to be your go-to pair of glitzy earrings even post game season. They’re a classic accessory that are sure to be a conversation starter! Emilio Pucci, Crystal-embellished star earrings, $425 Photo via www.net-a-porter.com
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Not only does this bag make a statement, it will also hold your ipad and or laptop. It’s the perfect bag through the games and will help you transition into the fall! 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Messenger, $750 Photo via forwardforward.com
Here’s your own person gold medal for being a style superstar. Wear this beauty from day to night! Aurelie Bidermann, Pachacamac 18-karat gold-plated medallion necklace, $1,055 Photo via net-a-porter.com
If Charlotte Olympia’s pumps are for celebrating, then these are for going out to brunch with the girls during the games. American Apparel’s got you covered for your patriotic footwear needs. Printed Leslie Pump Shoe - American Flag, $75 Photo via americanapparel.com
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ADDING TO ADIDAS DYNAMIC DUO COCO & BREEZY By: Olivia Oppedisano Coco & Breezy are taking the fashion world by storm with their bold accessory collections and unique personal style. Taking to the likes of some of the hottest celebrities around town, this dynamic twin duo are exceeding this limits of fashion and style. When Adidas Originals asked them to partner up for the launch of their “Originals White Space Project” at the adidas Originals store in Soho, they jumped on it! Transformed from a white space, adidas Originals showcased the talents and originality of women’s lifestyle blog, Highsnobette, musical sensation, Yuna Zarai, fashion personalities Coco + Breezy and DJ Jasmine Solano. Also in attendance, recording artist Theophilus London. Dressed in their favorite adidas Originals looks from spring 2012, Coco + Breezy customized adidas Originals shirts and apparel with their fans, while Yuna performed three songs from her self-titled debut album which dropped the same day; including her Pharrell Williams-produced single “Live Your Life”. Upon entering the event, guests received a trefoil t-shirt to customize with crystals, studs and grommets, providing everyone a blank canvas to put their mark on. The customized pieces featured in the video, which launched last week, were displayed for guests to draw inspiration from and Coco + Breezy engaged consumers to create unique looks. Instaprint photo booths allowed guests to instantly share their favorite creations with their friends on Instagram. The “Originals White Space Project” is taking place in nine cities across the globe, each of them providing a stage for young women to express their creativity and show their originality. In collaboration with local media partners, adidas Originals presents the most creative girls and leaves special locations up for them as clean, “white” spaces to show their talent and fill it with their vision. From April 6th to May 15th the stage will be open to discover what young women are up to in 2012.
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Where do you draw your inspiration from? Does New York style play a role in your design?
Was fashion a big part of your lives growing up in Minnesota?
We take our experience and what we see everyday as inspiration. New york style doesn't play a role, but the New york hustle plays a huge role in our design. NYC is one of the most inspiring places to be, and your just breathe creativity. Its the perfect place to start "your grind."
Oh yes! We lived in our own fashion bubble...haha. The people we went to school with were all about jeans and Abercrombie T-shirts. Us on the other hand had the pleasure of having parents that supported our individuality. We started coloring our hair, getting piercings and started our own style at a young age. So Fashion was a huge part of our life!
What made you start designing eyewear first?
What was it like working with Adidas? Talk us through the process.
We have always been into designing and being creative. It started off with us always wearing sunglasses to avoid the stares of the people who didn't understand us. I remember, just like it was yesterday, we were sitting in our mothers living room sewing some dresses and breezy went to the side and started embellishing some glasses. We then started wearing them for ourself, and people started asking where they could be purchase, and that is when the brand was born. Eyewear is something that has always completed us!
It was awesome and a fun experience. How It first started, with the lovely ladies from Highsnobette contacting us about the project. They picked us to represent the white space project as the designer in the US. We did a photo shoot and video shoot for the project. They also had Yuna as apart of the project, and it was awesome working with her and we built a friendship after. There was a event that took place that was awesome. Adidas provided all guest with T-shirts and there were stations for us to help customize their tees and show girls how u can create something and make it your own.
At such a young age, you’ve already had your pieces worn by Kelly Osbourne and Nicki Minaj. How do you measure success? Honestly we are always wanting more. Its awesome we've had some of our fav celebs wear/support our product, but we see a even bigger picture. That is just a task we checked off. I know we are still growing and this is just the start. The key is to stay hungry and being on the edge taking the risk to get to the next level. Besides fashion and style, what are some of your other interests? We just got bicycles that we are psyched about!!! They are all black...hahaha duhh. But just riding in the city, we love it and get so much inspiration. We also love food...hehehe...trying new things.
Living in New York, where do you go when you need to find inspiration? Random places...Just walking around. NYC is such an inspiring place! Is there anyone you are dying to collaborate with? Linda Farrow !!!! That is a dream, but it could be possible! What other exciting projects do you have coming up in the future and what are you goals for 2012-2013? Our goals this upcoming year is to expand our product line. We are super excited b/c we have been working on Spring 13, and we can't wait for u all to see it! Also, doing more traveling is a must! Photo credit ŠHannahNewbery2012
SHOES THAT GIVE YOU WINGS JEREMY SCOTT FOR ADIDAS Photography: Adidas Fall 2012 Jeremy Scott Look Book
The continuing design collaboration with Jeremy Scott remains true to presenting new visions and offering premium a collection that will amaze and excite. Jeremy Scott plays with flower and animal patterns, such as butterflies, a new interpretation of his popular teddy bears, and computer keyboard prints on iconic adidas silhouettes.  Bright and loud colors characterize the entire collection, and his iconic wings can be found on a women’s wedge featuring wings with a butterfly print.
DESIGNING FOR A NATION FASHION DESIGNERS GO FOR THE GOLD By: Miranda Dorian When you hear the word "Olympics" many things tend to come to mind: athletics, competition, nationalism and pride. One thing is certain, the Olympics are rare, so watching and cheering becomes quite an intense privilege. It's like a shooting star, you don't often get to see one, but when you do, it's incredibly beautiful. When you think about the Olympics, we typically don't associate the Olympics with fashion, but, they go hand in hand. Designers from all over the world are teaming up with their country to show their love and support by designing the team's Olympic uniforms. Notorious designers like Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Stella McCarthy, and even Prada are bringing the fashion to the London Olympics. Each designer prides themselves on their perfect design. Everything from the stitching, to the cut and most importantly, the colors. While we tend to wear any of these talented designers on another OTHER day, styles and preferences were made a little differently for the Olympics. Each designer is creating an original ceremonial uniform for a team. Ralph Lauren is designing for the United States, Giorgio Armani for Italy and Stella McCartney for Great Britain. How are they making the uniforms individuals? Simple: Ralph Lauren is the perfect fit for America's Olympic team. He designed a double breasted navy blazer for the men and a single breasted for the women. Both men and women have red white and blue ties.Without even describing the outfit we should get an immediate sense of class, elegance and pride. One interview quoted him saying "the uniforms are a return to tradition, and are very preppy and ultra Americana." However, Ralph Lauren oddly used an over sized polo pony logo on the left side of the navy blazers to emphasize his logo and a more minuscule American flag surrounded by the Olympic rings on the right breast. Let's not get too worked up though, there is one hidden positivity behind the over sized logo: the partnerships which were formed because of the collections used for the U.S. open, previous Olympics and Wimbledon. It still would have been nice to see the sizes of the logo's switched, but it'll do. Being paired with the navy blazer are cream colored flat-front pants for men and a cream colored knee-length skirt for the women. Both genders will wear a navy beret with red and white stripes. Topping off this lovely uniform for our gals: a red, white and blue scarf. Someone's in the spirit of independence! Sadly, he hasn't released the uniform for the opening ceremony yet, but we sure do have an idea!
Stella McCartney's Olympic uniform, or "kit" as the folks in Great Britain would say, is rather heroic looking. In fact, some have said they look like super hero's outfits. Perhaps that's the whole idea! The material used lightly varies, most of the uniforms are nothing short of Tight spandex, but they all have a similarity to the uniform of their particular sport, which gives a great sense of athleticism. The seam of the outfits are stitched and presented like the unique angels of the union flag. The red trim of the uniform was also taken from the red, white and blue union flag- hoping to show her team and nation great spiritMcCartney also used the red for shin pads and shoes for various outfits. The union flag is resembled on the chest, and is designed in two shades of blue. And, since everything else is a spandex, tight material, McCarthy chose a lose fitting belt for the women's off duty uniform jacket: which gives the track jacket a lovely silhouette . All in all, the majority of the uniform is blue with the exception of the neckline and leg trims which were made in red, the red shoes, the occasional red shin pad, and the flag on the front of the uniform which contains a lighter blue. McCartney Designed about 590 pieces of clothing for her proud national team: everything from a swim suit to BMX helmets and designed them for sports like: tennis, archery, track and field, cycling, football and basketball. While the other designers revolved their designs around the colors of their flags, Giorgio Armani didn't, as much. Armani designed 50 pieces under is EA7 label. Most of which are made in a dark blue and white. While he tried to stray away from the typical uniform, he did add his patriotism by stitching the Italian national anthem in gold on the inside the dark blue track jackets and sweatshirts near the heart. The first words of the anthem are also stitched on the under collar of the dark blue polo. This way, if they pop their collar, anyone can see. Though the polo has little visible patriotism on it, there is some green to represent the Italian flag. The uniform also includes a white polo shirt with the left sleeve red and the right green. Giorgio Armani chose white and midnight blue- which was also used in the 1970's - to display tradition being continual and show a sense of elegance. Prada, in addition to being a supporter of italy and their Olympic teams, is designing the sailing teams uniform. As I've mentioned earlier, we don't typically think fashion when we think about the Olympics but for those who didn't think of where the uniform comes from, now you know! But don't fret, the Olympics are still indefinitely about patriotism, honor, athleticism and the best of the best. And for those who know more about fashion and are interested in purchasing their favorite piece of clothing that a designer made specially for their Olympic team, it's simple. You can buy the entire look from the beret to the blazer for both men and women at any Ralph Lauren. Enjoy checking out the Olympic uniforms from around the globe! Photography: Olympic Teams & Designers
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LONDON CALLING THE RUNAWAYS Photography: Beth Studenberg www.bethstudenberg.com Hair & Makeup: Mary Irwin Wardrobe Stylist: Danielle Parets
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Photography: Svenja Pitz Model: Anika von Bargen Hair & Makeup: Sabrina Wolf
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Skirt: Ritchie Karkowski Cap: Diesel Jacket: H&M Shoes: Zara
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WORK IT OUT Photography: Philipp Jelenska Assistant: Felipe Kolm Production: Viktorija Bozic Styling: Mirza Sprecakovic Makeup: Maja Ferizovic Models: Mario Loncarski & Martin Pichler at wienermodels
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OLYMPIC TRAINING Photography: Philipp Jelenska Model: Pilipp Jelenska Styling: Felix Leblhuber Makeup & hair: Patrick Glatthaar
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THE OLYMPIAD Photography: LaRoache Brothers @VANDER productions Retouching: Wolfgang Mustain Styling: Karen Binns Hair: Kevin Ford @ DW Management using KHEILS Make Up: Nora Nona using MAC Models: Lena A @ Storm, Rob Mead @ Next, Jase @ Next
Leather Strings: John Lewis
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Running shoes: NIKE
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Leather Strings: John Lewis Black shorts: Unconditional
Black Vintage swimming trunks : stylist own
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White T-shirt: GAP White Jock Strap: Everlast
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Black vest: GAP
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Beaded Neckpiece: Bernard Chandran
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Cotton sleeveless vest: J.W. Anderson Black & White loafers: J.W. Anderson Black cotton shorts: American Apparel Strings and elastics notions: John Lewis, High Sheer knee-length tights: American Apparel
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OLYMPIC BEAUTY Photographer: Martin Nenov http://martinnenov.com/ Makeup and hair: Yusra Uney Designer & stylist: Linda Cobbina Model: Ufuoma Itoje tÂ
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FIERCE FENCING Photography: Carol J. Lee Models: Martha Welnowska & Jathan Sadowski Hair, makeup, wardrobe: Carol J. Lee
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SOCCER STYLE Photography: Carol J Lee Models: Martha Welnowska & Cyrus Hannibal Hair, makeup, & wardrobe: Carol J Lee
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TENNIS TECHNIQUES Photography: Tejal Patni Stylist: Guillame Nallet Makeup & hair: Sofi longhurst. Model: Carl
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BOLD BOXING Photography: Ana Luísa Silva Model: Bruno Piedade @ Major Styling: Tiago Ferreira Styling assistant: João Almeida Hairstyle and Makeup: André Neto
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Shirt: Miguel Vieira Sweatshirt: Dsquareed Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana
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Shirt: Miguel Vieira Sweatshirt: Dsquared
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Jacket: Miguel Vieira Shirt: Dior Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana Belt: Dino Alves
Shirt: Diesel Sweatshirt: Dsquared Calcos: Gant
Sweater jacket: Miguel Vieira T-shirt: Dsquared Pants: Diesel
Suit & shoes: Miguel Vieira Shirt: Dino Alves
Shirt: Miguel Vieira Pants & Belt: Dino Alves
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LINES Photography: Maria Rita Makeup: T芒nia Doce Styling : Vanessa Faria Model: M贸nica Mendes @ Basic Models Photography Assistant . Carla Pires
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Swimsuit: American Apparel
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Swimsuit: American Apparel
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Dress: Luis Buchinho Shoes: Mode’s Own Tights: Calzedonia
Swimsuit: American Apparel
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Swimsuit: American Apparel Skit: Dino Alves Gloves: Decenio Shoes: Model’s Own Tights: Calzedonia
Swimsuit: American Apparel Skit: Dino Alves Gloves: Decenio Tights: Calzedonia
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING Photography: Joao Carlos @ VANDER productions Styling: Jay Cee Makeup: Jay Cee Post Processing: Gina Hernandez Model: Katy @ Sandra Reynolds Vintage Bathing Suits: A outra face da Lua. Vintage Swim Caps: A outra face da Lua Sunglasses: Mercura NYC Sunglasses.
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AMERICAN BEAUTY Photography: Francis Vazquez Makeup: Tina Roberts Model: Roari
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jacket: maggie jeans necklace: langoliers
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GOING FOR THE GOLD Photography: Ned & Aya Rosen Fashion Stylist: Kathleen Muldoon Model: Megan Parkhurst - Click Hair: Joshua Gambrell Dress: inas Earring: crux
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jacket: maggie jeans jeans: maggie jeans necklace: langoliers shoe: walter steiger
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top: to long-nam belt (worn as skirt:) irina marinescu necklace: laruicci shoe: walter steiger
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dress: inas
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dress: inas ring: laruicci shoe: walter steiger
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top: crystal jo shorts: maggie jeans belts: stylist’s own
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dress: blank silk jacket: maggie jeans shoe: united nude
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