Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum

Those who  understand  the designer/ artist personality know and that Designers can be very passionate about many things.  Beauty, research and knowledge feed our own artistic senses on a daily basis. So imagine the joy that was felt when discovering  a company the shares and reflects  these values in its products. Shiseido   and its corporate mission of "Omotenashi" closely follows our own business ethics and values.

Arriving in yesterdays post was something which lit up the whole work room. A Shisiedo had sent out Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum for us to check out! Having reviewed the LX Future Solution  skin care line, the staff was anxious the see how this product would compare.

Billed as "A time-fighting serum that delivers revolutionary solutions to counteract wrinkles, sagging and dullness." it had some larger than life promises to live up to.
The Staff applied the product each morning and evening after cleansing and balancing skin, before applying moisturizer.
 The packaging is slick, but at $80 for 30 ml.it had better have some stellar results.

Well. the results are in:

Immediately after application, the skin becomes smooth and radiant, 92%  noticed fewer winkles, and 96% felt facial contours had been lifted.  In just one week, firmness is visibly improved and 98% witnessed improved skin clarity. In three weeks, 97% reported a visible reduction in deep wrinkles and increase in firmness. Formulated with Shiseido's exclusive Bio-Corrective Complex made of Safflower Extract and Super Bio-Yeast Extract, it promotes the production of three key elements for beautiful resilient skin; collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid,and it  re-activates aged fibroblasts.  Rose Apple Leaf Extract provides antioxidant benefits, Super Bio-Hyaluronic Acid intensely hydrates the skin, and Super Plant Bio-Exfoliant retexturizes to clarify the skins surface.

This superb serum performed at or above the staffs expectations, and even with a luxury price tag, all agreed that it had earned it high ratings.

Gantz LA Premeire

Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama attended Hollywood Premiere at Mann Chinese

On the evening of Thursday, January 21, 2011, we arrived at Mann Chineses in Hollywood, and stood in line to get our passes, a poster and tickets, then moved to another area to wait to enter the theater. We were located next to the main entrance. There were many fan girls there, with magazines, fans, and home made t-shirts, every time there was some hint that something might be happening somewhere, a loud squeal/ screaming would arise.
Excitement rose as 4:30 neared. There was Nino (Kazunari Ninomiya) surrounded by security. Nino wore black leather pants, black leather vest with vertical zipper trim, and a light grey suit jacket, and the most amazing black patent leather shiny, shiny and shiny pointy toed boots. Kenichi Matsuyama wore a charcoal suit and matching shirt, no tie. As they entered the building there was a deafening scream/squeal. And then, they were gone as quickly as they appeared. Apparently there is some cosmic force generated by N&K which causes ear splitting noise everywhere they go.

Shortly afterwards, we were given official Gantz T-shirts and entered the theater. The Editor of Otaku magazine, Macias, gave a short speel about "NO PICTUERS NO PICTURES NO PICTURES, and Nino will stand here and Kenichi will stand there etc, and again NO PICTURES" Then he said "Lets welcome the stars of the movie, Nino and----", another deafening scream arose and we had no idea what was said after. Nino and Kenichi came down the stairs.
The building was full of joy and scream by fan girls. The Stars went up to stage with their interpreters, and each greeted us in English. Scream, screams, and more screams. Then Nino and Kenichi were escorted out of the theater.
The movie began. The plot closely followed the manga/anime. It was good, but the dubbing/voice-over detracted from the movie. Perhaps it was just a poor translation, but I would have preferred subtitles.
This movie is every boys dream come true. Being placed in a real life "game", given missions of killing aliens,  two friends decipher the rules of their new lives, ala Gantz. The special effects were effective, the costumes good, and the music was great. One would think that this movie was made for the stereotypical college male, but there were very few in attendance. I wondered what the demographics at the other venues were like.

After the movie, Nino and Kenichi fielded questions for 15 minutes with telecast to 333 theatres across the US, and for another fifteen minutes exclusively for Hollywood audience.
Nino was, at first, surprised to see so many fans at Los Angeles International Airport waiting for his arrival. He didn't think that there were so many fans already in the US.
Nina also shared the behind-the-scene story. When he was filming giant Buddha sequence, Kenichi was having the birthday. Nino personally baked a cake for Kenichi. Kenichi didn't say about the taste of Nino's handmade cake. But Nino told the audience that it was he first and last attempt at a birthday cake.
In this movie, Nino is all of the stunts by himself (without any stunt double!). Everyday after the filming, they checked the footage (The daily). During the daily screening, Nino was shocked by his own stunts. He couldn't believe that he was able to do such a "cool" stunt" by himself.
One audience asked if Nino himself were in the world of Gantz and he would survive, Nino answered that he would be too scared and kept hiding around behind people. He actually hid behind Kenichi. Then, he concluded that he would not survive in Gantz world.
Nino was very surprised that the increasing popularity of a Japanese movie. He was very happy to see that 333 theaters across the US was enjoying the movie at the same time, and watch the telecast of 15 minutes Q&A. He hopes that more people all over the world like Japanese films, and  hope to come back for Gantz 2 premiere in the US.
At last, Nino answered that he would not be adverse to dubbing a movie himself..
I would, at least, hope for subtitle version. 
Gantz is currently playing throughout theatres in Japan and the US. Gantz 2 comes out in April throughout the theaters in Japan & the US.  This article was originally  posted on Yokoso News  and Entertainment Today

Macbeth- ala Steampunk!

 Today i enter the final design stages/meeting with the director of Mac Beth( hereforth refered to as "McB").

I meet at 5pm before the rehersal start to iron out the last details, quick changes, final vision etc.  I love  steampunk, and it is one of my favorite genres. For those unfamiliar with this style, it could best be described as Apocalyptic Victorian or Jules Vern.  For this production, I am basing designs of the the sci-fi classic "Dune".

While the director has not specified a team style color scheme (red vs. blue), I do intend to incorporate it in some way. We will include the  mini top hats, goggles, etc. One of the main design challenges will be the  all black set, with an outdoor night time performance. The show runs 6 weeks, and has an amazing cast to play of off. While steampunk has a dark, heavy color pallette, we will be forced to lighten it up a bit considering the staging, setting and subjet matter.

gendance - Mona Rose Tutus Are Divinity

gendance - Mona Rose Tutus Are Divinity

Stravinsky: Petrushka, Scene I - The Shrovetide Fair

Continuing the study of Petrouchka (Petrushka)

Tutu of the Week (uhmm-sorta) Petrouchka

Here is one of our favorite builds- Petrouchka



Based on the original sketch by Alexander Benois, and a Ballet Russe costume located the National Museum of Australia, our sad little clown  wears the classic costume made of patchwork satin pants in red and green (pink and yellow version also available), ruffled neck shirt with ribbon trim and pink scalloped cuffs, striped belt and necktie, and tasseled hat.  Longing for his beautiful Ballerina Doll, (who is seduced by the exoticism of the Moor), and abused by the Charlatan, this classic tale of a love triangle and revenge unfolds  at a Russian Fair.Available exclusively for sale or rent at xvmonarose.com.

Tutu of the Week: Ballerina Doll from Petrouchka

This is one of our most popular pieces to build or rent out to ballet companies. Based upon the original sketch by Alexander Benois, it consists of an orange velvet bodice and hat trimmed with gold, a rose satin skirt with blue ribbon, and striped pantelettes with ribbon trim. Available exclusively at xvmonarose.com.

   PETROUCHKA

Story by Igor Stravinsky and Alexandre Benois
Choreography by Michel Fokine
Staged by Gary Chryst
Music by Igor Stravinsky
Scenery and costumes by Alexandre Benois
Lighting by Natasha Katz
Timing: 38:00





Scene One: Admiralty Square, St. Petersburg, in 1830, during the mid-winter Butter Week Fair – the Russian equivalent of Mardi Gras –an excess of celebration in anticipation of the stringent fasting of the Orthodox Lent. Suddenly, two drummers appear from the mysterious curtained booth at the back and clear an area in front of the booth. An old Charlatan then emerges from the booth. He bows to the crowd and, magically producing a little lute from his sleeve, plays a strange melody, then strides to the curtained booth. As he raises his hand, the curtains fly back to reveal the dolls: the Moor, the Ballerina and Petrouchka. At a sign from the Charlatan, the dolls commence a quick, jerky dance and soon dance out of their compartments into the snowy Square. The crowd is delighted and applauds enthusiastically. Then, as suddenly as they began their dance, the three dolls collapse to the ground.

Scene Two: The compartment where the Charlatan keeps Petrouchka – a black box dominated by a portrait of the Charlatan. Humiliated by the Charlatan’s cruel treatment and yearning to express the love he feels for the Ballerina, Petrouchka tries in vain to find some escape from his black cell. He forlornly plucks at the tatters of his motley costume. The Ballerina then enters, but Petrouchka’s declarations of love repel and frighten her and she leaves abruptly. Overwhelmed by despair and enraged by the portrait of the Charlatan from whose presence and power he has no escape, Petrouchka tears savagely at the walls of his cell. He breaks through the wall and collapses in despair.

Scene Three: The Moor’s cell, brightly decorated and comfortably furnished. The Moor is lying lazily on a divan, playing with a coconut. He becomes convinced he hears something inside the coconut, and when he is unable to break it open with the scimitar, he prostrates himself in front of this now sacred object. He is interrupted in his devotions by the entrance of the Ballerina who dances with a tiny trumpet to attract his attention. Soon he abandons his fetish to dance with her and finally pulls her into his lap. At this moment Petrouchka bursts into the room. The lovers spring apart and the Ballerina retreats into a corner, the Moor pursues the horrified Petrouchka, seizes him, and ejects him with a brutal kick. Triumphant, the Moor returns again to embrace the Ballerina.

Scene Four: Meanwhile, in the Square, the crowd pursues its restless quest for pleasure. It is dusk now, the sky is heavy with snow, and constant movement is the best way to ward off the cold. First the Nursemaids dance; later, as snow begins to fall, the Coachmen begin a vigorous dance. Everyone eventually joins in, and then a group of masked revelers burst upon the scene. The sky grows darker, the frenzied revels increase, snow thickens. Suddenly, a great commotion is heard from the Charlatan’s booth. Out bursts Petrouchka, pursued by the Moor and the horrified Ballerina. The Moor strikes Petrouchka with his scimitar, then flees with the Ballerina as the crowd presses close. Trembling, Petrouchka tries to rise, then falls back limp and inert. A policeman rushes off and returns with the Charlatan who calmly shows the crowd that the “corpse” is merely a doll, just sawdust and rags. The crowd, relieved, departs and the Charlatan walks slowly towards his booth, dragging the broken doll behind him. Suddenly, above the booth, Petrouchka appears. As the Charlatan looks up, Petrouchka gestures in defiance. The Charlatan drops the doll and flees in terror.


Petrouchka was given its World Premiere by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Théâtre du Chatelet on June 13, 1911, danced by Tamara Karsavina (Ballerina), Vaslav Nijinsky (Petrouchka), Alexandre Orlov (Moor) and Enrico Cecchetti (Charlatan). Petrouchka received its United States premiere by the same company at the Century Theatre, New York on January 25, 1916, danced by Leonid Massine (Petrouchka), Lydia Lopoukhova (Ballerina) and Adolph Bolm (Moor).