The Art Of Impatience

When I was younger, when I started dancing and choreographing, I adopted the name “Step Master” or “Beat Master” because, well, I used to teach people who couldn’t dance TO dance. And people thought it was because I had patience, but in reality, I think it was due to impatience. To get everyone on the same page at the same time, I would watch how people moved naturally and then teach them, based on how their own body moved, how  to dance my choreography. It sounds strange, but that’s how I got even the most two-left-footed person to dance well. Hehe. And I took pride in that. My other friend dubbed me the “Beat Master” because he used to choreograph to his own counts and I would lock them down into the music, figuring out the pacing, and then we would teach it. It was fun… Watch the video of the last project I worked on. Yeeea… I’m the one in green.

And then, when I turned 21, I lost the ability to do several things. And, somehow, I stopped dancing. Since then, I haven’t really helped anyone. When people ask me FOR help, I send them off to other dancers I know who can somewhat do what I have spent much of my life doing. But… I watched a few people and I realized that my way of teaching is quite a specific brand of dancing. My sisters thought it was a gift, that it meant I had a lot of patience… when in reality, I think it simply meant I was impatient and a control freak. So much so that I would learn how others moved to teach them how to move like me.

As crazy as it may sound, I want to get back into it. But I don’t do those weird dances people do today. I enjoy the old fashioned hip-hop choreography, when it was about movement and not sex appeal. Know what I mean?

Now… I just need to find some who can’t dance but want to learn how. … Any takers reading this post? I’m in Burbank! Contact me!! I want to see if I still, really, have my gift!

To hear me talk, check out the COTANGENT Podcast!

Once Upon A Time... Quantico met Brooklyn... Not Really!

I think I shouldn't try to figure out any clever titles anymore... It's not like anyone appreciates them... and I can't really think of much. LOL. -- As promised!! Here are my TV reviews for the most recent episodes! Enjoy the read and leave me a comment!!

"Once Upon A Time" Season 05 :: Episode 02

I’m relieved to see Hook very set on saving Emma and continuing his love for her. In the past and in the present, the two’s love story will torment viewers this season because of the inner darkness that threatens their lives in different ways. Somehow, though he was always the one to save her and help her, I feel this season’s turn of events will really test their relationship, and either make or break them. Oh, the great twists and turns of the Storybrook heroes!!

Getting on with it, I liked how Regina was knocked off her high horse when she realized she was a long way from redemption, even having claimed herself as the Savior. Snow and Charming’s protectiveness over Emma is sweet and, somehow, their parenting of Regina is also very well thought out of the creators. Henry is growing up, which makes me happy, and the dwarves and their usefulness returns in these episodes, I believe it!

This season opened with the signature memory wipe and as bits and pieces return to us, I want things to move faster, but the carefully wrought details in each and every scene of the show is captivating and very inspiring. From the form of the tree that Merlin is stuck in all the way to the rock and sword that Excalibur is stuck in, in the basement of Emma’s Storybrook house. I’m glad Hook noticed the door and lock, I wished he could have stayed with her a while longer so that I could decipher what their relationship was, but the creators have kept the mystery alive for so long and I do appreciate it.

I look forward to seeing how Rumplestiltskin or Mr. Gold will react when he wakes and meets Emma as the Dark One. Will he have any powers? How will the story progress? What an interesting thing to ponder on until he wakes, right?

My overall score for the show, given I felt it a bit slow, is 7 of 10 Stars. Slow and steady may win the race, but some races are won with speed without regard to beauty. So… here’s hoping… 

"Quantico" Season 01 :: Episode 02

I… expected more. There is a sappiness to the story that came out in this past episode and… I’m not liking it. Miranda’s revelation of Liam’s feelings towards Alex was a bit too much too soon. I did NOT appreciate it, especially since I’ve not seen anything at that point to corroborate that story. I’m enjoying the Natalie and Alex rivalry, also Ryan Booth’s struggle as to which one to focus on. Simon’s friendliness with Nimah is interesting, especially when he is being hit on by a cutie. Something about Shelby and Caleb really offset me and annoyed me. THEIR relationship is SUPER “high school” to me.

The editing style is a bit jarring. I understand the fast pace being important, but there needs to be more of a focus on what Alex sees and how it’s relevant for me to follow. Past shows like “Burn Notice” and “Leverage” did things very well, despite being in a cornier way, and the one that takes the cake on diligence to the art of film would be “Sherlock Homes” Guy Ritchie can do no wrong by me. SIGH! But if this show manages to harness this artful way of editing and super-stylized method of storytelling, then “Quantico” should be able to last at least a few more seasons.

My most favorite part of the entire episode is the ending, when Booth wakes and takes a call from Alex. There seems to be something still between them, perhaps cohorts, or did he already jump over to her side and Liam was the one who shot Booth? Who knows, but I want to see the next episode so I can figure out just WHO is pulling the strings and WHO is being puppeteered in the strings… and WHO is trapped in the strings. As of now, the show has it set up that Liam is the one pulling the strings, Booth is the puppet, and Alex is caught in the strings. For all intents and purposes, I believe that Alex will end up as the string puller, Booth remains in the middle, and Liam will fall into the entrapment of the strings.

I rate Season 01 Episode 02: 7 of 10 Stars. Here’s hoping the show gets better and not worse from this point on!

"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" Season 3 :: Episode 02

I LOVE the whole Jake and Amy relationship. Super down-played felt weird but now seems perfect for the type of show it is. There is such a sweetness between Terry and Captain Ray Holt, both of whom are wonderfully written characters. The Linetti-Diaz-Boyle triangle continues to make the episodes funnier and funnier, along with Hitchcock and Scully who are rather absent in this last episode. And, golly, I don’t like the Vulture! OMG! But I do hope Captain Holt will return to the Nine-Nine, Jake and Amy will keep on going strong, and someone for Boyle to love. It would also be nice for Terry’s issues to pan out and his mango yogurt be restored to the shelves, Linetti needs a steady lover as weird as she is, and progress between Diaz and Holt’s nephew would be a good touch of well-rounded family-feeling fun! As always, it’s nice to see everyone doing quite well, despite being at a funeral.

So, because this show is much lighter than the other two, I gladly rate this episode 8 of 10 Stars!

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Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments below!! I love a good discussion!! Otherwise, look forward to more and enjoy this episode of CoTangent podcast!!

BigBang: Made World Tour (2015) LA & Anaheim (FAN) Review

*Disclaimer:  I AM A FAN OF BIG BANG!! I’ve been following the success that is Big Bang and all of their members since their debut in 2005, when news of K-Pop groups were even HARDER to find in America. But, having been into H.O.T. waaaaay back in the day, the moment I heard Big Bang’s sound, I knew I’d love their stuff, and I have, for the past decade! So, seeing them in concert for the first time EVER was simply amazing!! And then, seeing them BOTH NIGHTS, in LA (10.03.15 -- Staples Center: #BigBangMadeInLA) and Anaheim (10.04.15 -- Honda Center: #BigBangMadeInAnaheim), was even MORESO MINDBLOWING!!! But, as most older fans are, I was turned off by their exteme style after their ‘Alive’ album. ‘Made’ was just strange.

My Seat @ Staples Center

My Seat @ Honda Center

Although the Anaheim concert started later due to ‘traffic’ and had more encores, the boys of Big Bang had more energy for the larger audience at the LA concert. It’s tough to judge on which concert was better, but if I had to really pull in all the factors, I’d say that the Anaheim concert was just a bit better because they performed “Lies” as an encore song, which brought me back to my collegiate days… which also brought tears to my eyes. Proving once again, the power of music.

To make this as painless as possible, I wanted to do reviews on each member instead of on a song-to-song basis. Mainly because their music set for each night was different. So bear with me and I’ll do my best to bare my thoughts about them in an equally unbiased tone… if possible.

The leader of the pack, G-Dragon looked tired. From the beginning of the LA concert, he seemed quieter than the rest and that was a bit disappointing. But understandable because he did his best not to out-shine the other members of the band. And it did help give DaeSung and SeungRi more of a voice, but I’ll get to them later. And, unfortunately, the superstar looked even more under the weather during the Anaheim concert. And though the others seemed to try to pick up the slack, I guess it takes one to know one… Howeover, rumor has it, his father was in the audience? Not the only parent to be there, might I add. Still, a great performance, as usual, from G-Dragon; the ultimate love-sick boybander ever.

The 2^nd most screamed for of the night, T.O.P. set a different precident for me. Having always viewed him as the cold, quiet, and mysterious character of the bunch, he was open, visibly happy, and quite enjoyable to watch. Although it was obvious he was uncomfortable dancing with the other guys, being so much stiffer and still, his solo performance with his singing and rapping blew me away. The man doesn’t need to dance. His rap-ability is that which is coveted by most of the new boybanders today. The king of Rap and bad-buttedness, for shizzle.

The English connoisseur of them all, TaeYang was brilliant with his fluid dance moves and English speak-ability. I didn’t agree with his choice of solo performance song, having so many great hits in his pocket, he chose the one that has been overplayed on countless occasions. I guess it’s easier for them to perform their biggest hits, but… that’s not always the one the audience wants to hear. I feel he could have performed something more ‘Usher’-like and the response could have been phenomenal, as opposed to the “WOW” it was. Still, that’s his decision and I guess, that’s just his love song to the fans who love him! He’s, for rillz, the smoothest of them all… and the sweatiest I think…

NOTHING beats the cuteness and fun-lovingness of DaeSung bringing and pointing out his mother at the Anaheim concert! NOT ONLY THAT!! While I stood in with with some others, someone who looked a lot like DaeSung ran from the Honda Center and hurried into the parking lot. The kids behind me screamed after he passed and it wasn’t until later that I realized that the familiar face beloned to DaeSung!! How wonderful it was to see him in person and not recognize him until hours later!! I wish I did notice the moment he appeared, but he was in such a rush, he was gone in seconds! But his performance was sweetened all the more knowing that his Mom was there in the crowds, cheering him on. He’s, defintely, the most loveable of all the members!!

And then, there’s SeungRi, the youngest and the one with the WEIRDEST English of them all. I tried to be supportive and tolerant but when someone works so hard to butcher your mother language, you can only take so much before you stop thinking it’s by accident. And what made me hack him in last in my review was the fact that at the LA show, either his mic went out or he didn’t sing mostof his ‘Storng Baby’ song, which I found to be just poor performance ettiquette. I’m sorry if it’s his mic that went out, but it was fine during the parts when he actually did sing. But since he, also, looked tired, I guess I shouldn’t blame him for their tour not scheduling in time to help them handle the time difference. (mild sarcasm) Just gotta take it as it comes, eh? But, here’s hoping he improves his English so he doesn’t sound like he’s mocking the lingo. He’s, in my opinion, the most awkward of the guys. Haha!

It's their Official Sign!!

Overall, the most emotional song I heard on the night of the LA concert for the first time was “If You”. It brought tears to my eyes, and not because of the lighting, but the raw emotion on the stage moved me without understanding the words. The feelings and connection that suddenly hit me was enough to render me speechless. The most touching moment came from

The MVP of the night, hands down, based on how out-shined he is in music videos, variety shows, and etc., is T.O.P. He came out of his shell the most, showed his showmanship and impressed the poop out of me. I’ve seen several performers, concerts, bands, groups, and so on… but believe me when I say it… T.O.P. really stole the show.

Personally, I didn’t enjoy the videos shown, meant as ‘creative’ storytelling and buffering for the next acts. But, if it’s for the purpose of ‘humanizing’ the members of the boyband, then they went off the mark by quite a bit. I wondered why they couldn’t go with something a bit more normal instead of everything leading to some way/shape/form or suicide. There’s nothing more disturbing than having a group of handsome and talented, well-liked and well-rounded young men share their darkest parts of themsleves with an audience that comes hoping to see them in hopes of brightening their own lives. But I get where they’re coming from, which made me also look within myself because of such videos.

Also, unfortunately, I like reading subtexts and taking a deeper look into things, overthinking is the term most often used, and the way I see it, I don’t think Big Bang really put in much thought about the overseas fans. Let me explain. Anyone can go on Youtube and search for their performances in the Asian countries like South Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan, and immediately, these boys are infinitely more spirited. And then you can search for videos in the states and they look tired, sad, and pooped out. They fly over and perform right away, disregarding the jetlag and forget that they are also hacking away at the quality of their performance. But maybe it’ll get better in three years, when they have another concert here? After some of the guys have gone to the army and come back with a new sense of reality and humanity.

Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to what they’re doing today. Whether it be Disneyland or Universal Studios, Six Flags or Knott’s… I hope they have fun with their dancers and band! OMG!! It’s not my first time seeing their band, but seeing their band live was truly amazing. Every great artist can only go as far as their band can take them and, it’s NO WONDER Big Bang has made it so far!! Madd PROPS to their band, for REALZ.

The price for attending 2 concerts consecutively is that, your ears will be ringing a bit more than usual… You lose a lot of sleep and the hours spent getting to the event and returning home add up to stolen time you’ll never get back for other things in your life, so be prepared to sacrifice! Oh, and if you’re older than 25, you will FEEL your age by the end of the night because you won’t be screaming your head off, dancing like a weirdo, and won’t be so star stuck, you can barely walk straight without dissolving into a gigling mass. I did enjoy the parking, though. For sure, because their fans are quite young, many can’t drive and are dropped off by their parents. Score one for the oldies!

Anyhoo, OVERALL, combining the score of their concerts [LA= 8 :: Ana=8.5] divided by 2 and you get my total score of 8.25 out of a total possible 10. So generous… [I’ve never rated so generously to a group I didn’t completely enjoy before. Haha. And, for those of you who need refereneces, I’ve scored a 10 for Deliriou5, and a 9 for the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Alicia Keys. That’s my scale. So… my score is darn GENEROUS!!]

Mooooooving on… Check back with me for my response to Season 5 Episode 2 of Once Upon A Time and Season 1 Episode 2 of Quantico! And I’ll post our next podcast for CoTangent by Thursday, I think?