May 2
Ok everyone, Fusebox Festival is happening in Austin right now! It is 12 days of music, dance, art, theater, etc.. I am lucky enough to be a part of it this year by performing in a piece by Jennifer Sherburn. It is called 90 Knots. This piece is just a work in progress, but what progress we have made! It is based on Jennifer's studies of climbs to Mt. Everest. We are using a huge peice of fabric, crazy strong winded fans, ropes, knots, pulleys, bodies, original compositions, and rediculously cool costumes. I mean $5 for a 30 minute show? Thats an effin steal! I just couldn't be more excited to be a part of this awesomeness. Please come check it out!
90 Knots is this Saturday, May 5 at 8pm. We are also doing a FREE dress rehearsal at 2:30 same day. The venue- The Off Center right off of East 7th Street on Hidalgo Road.
Besides working on the show, I have been uuber busy working at Ballet Austin (super loving it!) and Swift's Attic (also super loving it). If you are feeling the need to get your butt in shape and are in the Austin area, come check out some fitness classes at Ballet Austin! There are tons of packages that are affordable & you get to use Pilates apparatuses. Group classes, private sessions, fitness and cardio, we do it all!
If you haven't been to Swift's Attic yet, you are missing out! We have officially been open for about 2 weeks now and buisness is poppin. We are contemporary tapas with different fusions from all over the world. We have the coolest atmosphere downtown with the coolest staff in the city. Its basically a win win. COME NOW!
Jammin' With: Jack White- Missing Pieces
April 15
My dad's birthday is tomorrow! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!
I have been uuber busy working on all kinds of things lately!
Firstly, Dance to Breathe is happening THIS SUNDAY, April 22 at Emo's East. Tickets are $15, but keep in mind this is a benefit! There is going to be modern dance, arial dance, swing dance, all kinds of dance! It is guaranteed to not disappoint! I am performing a work by Lorn McDougal, a former director of LABAN's Transition Dance Company. The piece includes an original score and live guitar accompaniment! Not to mention the crop tops, woo! You shouldn't miss this! So many wonderful people are involved!
I am also working on an upcoming performance for Jennifer Sherburn, who works with Troika Ranch. The piece is being created for the Fusebox Festival, and is entitled 90 Knots. It is based on a climb to the summit of Mount Everest. There are pulley systems, 100s of feet of rope, carabeeners, a large piece of fabric, box fans, dancers amongst all of this, and more... This work also features an original score by her brother! It is sure to be an interesting performance you DO NOT want to miss. If you don't know who Troika Ranch is, click here. If you want to know more about Jennifer, click here
I first heard about Troika Ranch at the Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston, Maine 2009. They are an amazing dance company doing amazing things. If you have never heard of them, please click on the link and check out all they have been up to since the 80s. I am absolutely thrilled to be working with someone who has worked so closely with Dawn and company! You should especially check out Loopdiver. It is a piece that they created by filming dance phrases and putting them through their own computer system called Isadora. This program basically sets up the movement to a score and randomly or not so randomly rewinds and replays the choreography. The dancers then learned the set of choreography for a live performance. They were choreographed to repeat retrograded material as if they were a dvd or cd skipping. SO INTERESTING AND AMAZING. The dancers and choreographer talked to us about having a sort of physcosis during the project due to the immense repetition and focus it took to successfully create this work.
I also finished my last installment of the Reformer Intensive through Balanced Body with Nanci Patch in Georgetown this past weekend. We had a full weekend of super advanced Pilates exercises, both learning to teach them and practice them correctly. I am so happy to be almost through all of the training! Only 3 more sessions to go!
Lastly, this has been a super successful soft opening week for Swift's Attic! It's the newest, hippest restaurant in Austin serving the most eclectic style of food, and doing it beautifully! I'm so happy to work there with all the amazing people! Snaps for CK, Chef Matt, Cody, Jeff! What an amazing project and what an amazing turn out! Make your reservation for soft opening at info@swiftsattic.com! Hurry before it books up! I'll be working Thursday and Saturday, so come visit! I recommend the cheese plate, olives, mussels, the Sir Galahad drink, cobia, poutine, venison kabob, popcorn and a movie desert, lemon desert. Those are my favs!
Life can be really sweet sometimes.
Jammin' With: The Poison Oaks- Pine
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April 5 Pilates has been taking over my life and I'm loving it! I'm so grateful to be working at Ballet Austin! I have a mailbox and a parking garage pass so I'm super official :) I will be doing a performance on May 5 for Jennifer Sherburn. Jennifer is the production manager for Troika Ranch, so you couldn't believe my excitement when I heard she was having auditions here in Austin! She's creating a work called 90 Knots for the Fusebox Festival. The piece is inspired by Mt. Everest and will be done as a site-specific work. Yayyayyay! Keep your eyes peeled for details. Also want to remind everyone that the upcoming show Dance To Breathe is coming up on April 22 at Emo's here in Austin! It's at 8pm and tickets are $15. This is a benefit concert supporting MS. I will be performing Lorn McDougal's choreography complete with a live guitarist on stage with us! You just gotta be there! Lastly, I just uploaded the final performance of the collaboration between Frances Barker, Kelli Jones, and myself called Me Myself I etc... We built this piece at ADF 2011 and continued working on it for a performance at Esprit De Coeur back in October. Go ahead and give it a looksie. http://vimeo.com/m/39815598 Hope your day is warm and sunny! Jammin' With: Class Actress- The Weekend
March 29 So I have been working on some dance for camera pieces and you can view them at www.vimeo.com/alexmiller1594 Go head and check out "The Fault of the Matter" and don't hesitate to let me know what you think! Jammin' with: Hal and Oates- I Can't Go For That
March 27
Is it just me, or are these sunny days giving everyone positive vibes?! They sure are uplifting me and my moral. I have had some uplifting events happen recently which I will share...
I've been working on this packet of information for work-study funding for the Doug Varone Summer Intensive and even though the requirements were extensive, it's looking like I'll have it in the mail by tomorrow! PHEW. It really all came down not having Final Cut Pro (someone wanna throw a girl a freebee?). I didn't realize Macs don't come with IDVD anymore, and that I now have to purchase a program that burns videos to dvds. After 5 hours of researching what to buy, I found a program and it seems to be working great....$50 later... Also, this intensive is coming up so soon! I'm super excited to be living with my girl Tara Hemmer this summer! Reunited and it feels so goooood....
I have also been hired as a Pilates instructor at Ballet Austin :) I'll be starting 2nd week in April and couldn't be more ecstatic! It is exactly where I want to work and I"m so happy for this opportunity!
We have started training at the new restaurant I will be working at called Swift's Attic. It is located on Congress in between 4th and 5th street. This training includes wine, beer, and food tasting with some pretty awesome people. I couldn't be more positive about this restaurant experience. It's going to be "the place" to be, so keep your eyes peeled for soft opening updates!
I've been working on a piece with Lorn McDougall for an upcoming dance show called Dance To Breathe. It will be premiering April 22nd at Emo's East! This has been another incredible opportunity to work and hang around some amazing people/dancers! I can not wait to perform this! There will be live guitar during the piece, so you don't want to miss it! Here are some stills from a video we took yesterday. Janna Rock is in blue, Tiffany Plante is in pink.
There are also some dance auditions coming up that I am so excited about! Ellen Bartell (SPANKdance) is having company auditions Saturday April 7 at Tapestry at 11:30am. Also, Jennifer Sherbern (production manager of Troika Ranch!) is having auditions for an upcoming show for Fusebox April 1 &2. You need to email Jennifer if you are interested at Jennifersherbern.com@gmail.com! Should be some great work to be expected out of these fine ladies! Can't wait!
Lastly, the beautiful weather here in Austin has made everyone come out to play :) We ventured out to Twin Falls and Lake Travis this weekend. Here are some pics from the good times...
Hope the weather is warm in your area!
Jammin' With: Father John Misty- Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
March 27
Is it just me, or are these sunny days giving everyone positive vibes?! They sure are uplifting me and my moral. I have had some uplifting events happen recently which I will share...
I've been working on this packet of information for work-study funding for the Doug Varone Summer Intensive and even though the requirements were extensive, it's looking like I'll have it in the mail by tomorrow! PHEW. It really all came down not having Final Cut Pro (someone wanna throw a girl a freebee?). I didn't realize Macs don't come with IDVD anymore, and that I now have to purchase a program that burns videos to dvds. After 5 hours of researching what to buy, I found a program and it seems to be working great....$50 later... Also, this intensive is coming up so soon! I'm super excited to be living with my girl Tara Hemmer this summer! Reunited and it feels so goooood....
I have also been hired as a Pilates instructor at Ballet Austin :) I'll be starting 2nd week in April and couldn't be more ecstatic! It is exactly where I want to work and I"m so happy for this opportunity!
We have started training at the new restaurant I will be working at called Swift's Attic. It is located on Congress in between 4th and 5th street. This training includes wine, beer, and food tasting with some pretty awesome people. I couldn't be more positive about this restaurant experience. It's going to be "the place" to be, so keep your eyes peeled for soft opening updates!
I've been working on a piece with Lorn McDougall for an upcoming dance show called Dance To Breathe. It will be premiering April 22nd at Emo's East! This has been another incredible opportunity to work and hang around some amazing people/dancers! I can not wait to perform this! There will be live guitar during the piece, so you don't want to miss it! Here are some stills from a video we took yesterday. Janna Rock is in blue, Tiffany Plante is in pink.[[posterous-content:pid___0]]
There are also some dance auditions coming up that I am so excited about! Ellen Bartell (SPANKdance) is having company auditions Saturday April 7 at Tapestry at 11:30am. Also, Jennifer Sherbern (production manager of Troika Ranch!) is having auditions for an upcoming show for Fusebox April 1 &2. You need to email Jennifer if you are interested at Jennifersherbern.com@gmail.com! Should be some great work to be expected out of these fine ladies! Can't wait!
Lastly, the beautiful weather here in Austin has made everyone come out to play :) We ventured out to Twin Falls and Lake Travis this weekend. Here are some pics from the good times...[[posterous-content:pid___1]]
Hope the weather is warm in your area!
Jammin' With: Father John Misty- Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings
March 19
Turns out spring has arrived and is spearheading into summer. The weather here has been humid and warm, but there are still a few winter-ish breezes that are keeping all these outdoor activities enjoyable. Summer will be rough, to say the least. Regardless of the weather, SXSW was flippin' amazing!
It was my first time, and I was a little anxious on the whole deal. All I heard was negative things about out-of-towners, traffic, not being able to get into shows, and long hot days. The days were long & pretty hot at times... but boy, were they worth it! I had a blast! I saw nothing but free shows, and was able to see all the bands I had my eyes on! Most venues had cheap drinks or some promotional deal that gave away free drinks and things. There were mobile trolleys giving away free rides and adult beverages.
There was also a lot of walking, so you got your exercise. With food trucks every few feet, there was no going hungry. Here are some of the bands I checked out:
Santigold, Bleached, Class Actress, Gardens & Villa, Reptar, Nikki & the Dove, Mike and the Naturals, Trust, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Gauntlet Hair, Chairlift, Dustin Wong, Best Coast,Best Coast,Hooray for Earth, Big Pink...
My friends Kelli and Joel got married recently and we had the greatest time! It was the best wedding I have ever been to, and I wish these guys the happiest days ahead! I made Kelli's veil for her and wanted to show it off. She was the most beautiful bride! Her bouquet was made of paper flowers made out of beautiful colors and sheet music. Fantastic!
I also made a Lemon Poppyseed Brussel Sprout Salad as part of the pot-luck. I think it came out smashingly. Easy as pie, too :)
Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Lemon & Poppy Seeds
(Serves 6-8)1 lemon
1 lb Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, finely sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
¼ cup low-sodium chicken stockUsing a vegetable peeler, peel 3 long strips of lemon zest, avoiding the white pith. Thinly slice zest; set aside. Squeeze 1 tablespoon lemon juice and toss with Brussels sprouts in a medium bowl.Heat butter and oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté sprouts for 2 minutes, until bright green and tender. Add salt, pepper, garlic, zest, and poppy seeds and cook an additional 2 minutes. Pour in stock and cook 1 minute more. Serve.
Jammin' With: Polica- Lay Your Cards Out
March 1 Spring is almost here and it already is starting to feel like summer. I have my AC on as we speak. I'm so frightened for what kind of temperatures this summer will bring. Scary utility bills, for sure. While doing my laundry today, I realized I have no organization concept for my jeans. I know I have a bunch of pairs from high school and various other years that I never wear. Those jeans and the ones I wear all the time are all piled and mixed together so that when I'm looking for something to wear, I have to dig through the rif-raf. Today, I decided: No More! I whipped out my scissors and went to town DIY'n my new collection of cut offs. I now have 4 new pairs of shorts. No need to buy the new seasons shorts when you have the means to make them at home. I plan on studding the pockets of a pair and bleaching a pair. Both of those design ideas I have spotted on numerous catalogue websites for $$$ more than you want to spend. Bleach=$5, studs at hobby lobby=$5, about an hour of your time and...VOILA! Brand new shorts for the upcoming/already upon us spring/summer season. Jammin' With: James Moorison- The Letter
February 26
Firstly,
Pilates Classes in South Austin at Somaspace on South Congress!
Reformer and Mat Classes available multiple days a week for a discounted apprentice teaching rate! ONLY $40 for a PRIVATE and $25 per person for a DUET! Mat classes for $15! Can't beat it, y'all! Email me for more details at alexmiller1594@yahoo.com. These are available now!
One of the best little places I have found for a sweet, romantic dinner: Lenoir on South 1st. They just opened their doors not too long ago, and with a room only large enough to fit 32 patrons at a time it is definatley a charming spot. They have a great menu and atmosphere: tons of chandelears lacey drapes. When Jason came to visit last, we checked out this little gem. They even make their own special seasoning blend with lavender. Jason couldn't keep from eating it by itself :) I would make a reservation though! It is worth the thought ahead!
Another cool find was Max's Wine Dive downtown. It is a neat little place that has an amazing selection of wines by the glass and by the bottle. I liked the fact that if you do decide to do a bottle, all you have to commit to is 2 glasses.They even do this really awesome special of 3 nice wines for $65! Chardonnay, baby!
This may not be a new spot, but Congress Cafe on Congress Street downtown has a really interesting menu. We went to kill some time and have a snack. Words of wisdom: get the truffle fries and the grilled peppers! Their drink menu is a little intimidating to me... being that I didn't really know what anything was in the drink descriptions. But I tried some kind of whiskey concoction and it was great, of course. I really enjoyed the atmosphere. This is a great little spot for an easy afternoon.
Last night was a winner to say the least. I saw Reptar at Stubb's indoor venue and my mind was literally blown. We had such great spots on the balcony, we could see everything! The opening band Quiet Hooves was super entertaining and funky and crazy. Reptar was so good live. They sounded just like their album, and the energy in the room was so high! I'm puttin this down in the books as one of the best shows I've ever seen. I would see them again and again.. If they're in your area, DO IT!
We finished off the night partying the night away in our most fashionable 1920's gear for my dear friend Kayla's birthday! It was pretty fantastic! My style inspiration came from Ms. Hannagan from the movie Annie. We literally danced all night to hot jazz and sat around looking wonderful! Needless to say, it was the best night in a while :) Recooping today with a fresh batch of cinnamon and brown sugar roasted pecans and walnuts & a little spinach, parmesan, bacon, and egg casserole. Both=Success.
Thanks to a recent visit to Half Price Books and their clearance records section..
Jammin' With: Loggins and Messina- Your Momma Don't Dance and Your Daddy Don't Rock and Roll.
February 14 My babe is not with me on this day of Valentines, but I will be seeing him this weekend and I'm so excited. Excited. Excited!! He is here with me in spirit with the package he sent me! Our favorite champagne and some nuts. He knows me too well! We had a pretty successful gal-entines night last night. It consisted of fritadas, refried black beans, reeses cake, chocolate covered gummy bears, bubbly, and Bed of Roses with Christian Slader. I love the cheesy potential of Valentines Day. My mom is wonderful and sent me the movie Terms Of Endearment with Shirley McClaine. I love Shirley. So naturally, this is what my valentines day looks like. How about yours? Jammin' With: Steely Dan- Only A Fool Would Say That
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