Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Showing posts with label Spanish dance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spanish dance. Show all posts

Thursday, 6 April 2023

Paella & Flamenco & Happy Easter

 Hi everyone. I hope you and yours are doing well. I have been so so busy....no time to blog!..... so I am just stoppping by to wish you all a safe and happy Easter to those who celebrate, and to everyone have a lovely weekend. 

Here are a couple of pics from a Spanish paella & flamenco Sunday lunch we went to last weekend. The perfect combination! Fabulous!


Paella from my good friend Montse and friends from Food with Passion South West, and flamenco from the wonderful dancers Nicole and Suzie from Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company.




Tuesday, 11 February 2020

Roof Goats and Friends Face the Music

Last Friday evening I was asked to take photos at rehearsal of The Roof Goats and friends prior to the opening night of their show "Face at the Music" for the Fringe Festival at The Cube Theatre at the Bunbury Entertainment Centre on 7 February 2020. 


What a FABULOUS show and what a privilege. These guys are a very talented bunch that love what they do.  Last year in 2019 I took photos of the Roof Goats at their Fringe Festival show at the Bunbury Entertainment Centre, so I was thrilled to do so again. 

Their show, which was a mixture of styles, kept the audience enthralled and entertained. And was an amazing collaboration between all the singers, musicians, dancers, choreographers, and back up musicians, involved. 

 Mid last year The Roof Goats asked for photographic submissions from the general public, to which they wrote music and lyrics for the show. The results were outstanding. I hope they bring out a cd. 

If I have to pick a favourite, mine would be "Little Swan" written by Michael McIntyre, who was accompanied by his beautiful singer daughter Lydia. Mike is Mauritian and the piece was inspired by an old photo taken of a group of Mauritians on a boat which sailed across the Indian Ocean to Western Australia. Part sung in creole, this wistful song speaks of their longing for their homeland and family. 
You can see the photo in the background here. 



 This piece was followed by a jaunty upbeat not-a-sea-shanty "The Mannie Swan". 


I also really enjoyed "Your Hands" written by Geoff Robinson and Brad Snelling about the bonds between brothers and sisters.



Our Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company Artistic Director Nicole Kostezky again danced to some of the music - "That Girl" written by Nick Maher
and collaborated with dancer and cellist Lesley Ironside for "Shadows and Light" also written by Nick Maher



And no this is not a young guys band....they are right in my era... no wonder I love them!



 Thank you Roof Goats - Peter, Todd, Damian, Nick, Mike, Geoff and Brad. 

In this pic below you can see artists Jeannie Lewis painting a "Live art" during the performance of "Shadows and Light" . The piece was auctioned after the show.  

More photos can be seen on my Facebook page @ Life Images by Jill 

 Thank you so much for stopping by. Have you been to a fabulous concert recently? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Monday, 17 June 2019

Dancing in the dark - Sol y Sombra

Hi everyone, it has been a busy week last week as I danced in two sections of the Bunbury Eisteddfod with my dance group - Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company and School of Dance. 
We were awarded first place in both our sections. 

Here are  a few photos....though none taken by me :) 

Wednesday - Over 25s theatrical style troupe -  dancing to Ricky Martin's la Copa de la Vida - a fun dance


my daughter in law and me

And Saturday night -   the flamenco dance Bulerias in the "Any age dance - National Troupe". This dance has no music, just keeping the rhythm and timing with clapping (palmas) and footwork. A more serious and precision dance. 

We just love these colourful sparkly shawls which were simply wrapped around our black leotard and black flamenco skirts.  And of course, add flowers and sparkly ear-rings!

These are all back stage photos as unfortunately they do not allow photos to be taken of the performances. 
That is our teacher and choreographer, Nicole, second from the left. 
I am 4th from left. 



 And our second teacher, wardrobe mistress and makeup artist - Susie, first on left.


 A huge thank you to my flamenco family and to Delia Dillon, our newest dance company member, for these images. All phone photos - I love the editing she has done on this last image. 

I've been a part of Sol y Sombra since 2012 after my daughter-in-law invited me to join. In 2015 we held our 25th anniversary celebration. I blogged about it here Ole - Celebration of 25 years of flamenco
 
Learning flamenco has been both daunting but wonderful too being with this amazing, kind, generous, talented and supportive group of ladies and our one male, Peter. 
I thank them all for their support and encouragement over the years. Flamenco is certainly not the easiest dance form to learn. And I didn't go to dance classes when I was young. I wish I had found flamenco in my 20s or 30s, not my 50s! 

Any form of dancing is great for exercise, co-ordination, memory, balance, timing, confidence, and personal growth being put out of your comfort zone when we perform on stage. And it is fun!

Do you dance? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it in your comments. Never think you are too old to start. My dance teacher also teaches an adult ballet class.  If this old bird, me, can learn, so can you!

 Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week. 

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Hello there! I love reading your comments. If you scroll down to the bottom you can comment too! I would love to hear from you.

Sunday, 13 November 2016

Celebrating Diwali - the Festival of Light

On Saturday I had the opportunity to attend Diwali - the Festival of Light - presented by the South West Indian Group in Bunbury in Western Australia's south west. I was there as a member of Sol y Sombra Spanish Dance Company who had been invited to perform. It was a fabulous evening of entertainment, culture, colour, music, vibrancy and energy, plus delicious food from Spice Journey.  The Bollywood theme was highly featured and enjoyed by the audience.

So today I am sharing some of the photos I took. Please excuse the quality as I was using a zoom lens in low light, I had to increase the ISO so I could hand hold my camera, and we were sitting about half way back in a packed room of guests, but I am sure the photos will give you an idea of the vibrancy of the performances. Unfortunately I don't have any images of our dance! 


(From Wikipedia): Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs and some Buddhists to mark different historical events and stories but they all symbolise the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair.

The mythical stories told for Diwali vary regionally and within the traditions of Hinduism. Yet, they all point to joy and the celebration of Diwali with lights to be a reminder of the importance of knowledge, self inquiry, self-improvement, knowing and seeking the good and the right path. It is a metaphor for resisting evil, for dispelling darkness and for compassion to others. Diwali is the celebration of this inner light over spiritual darkness, of knowledge over ignorance and right over wrong. It is a festive restatement of the Hindu belief that the good ultimately triumphs over evil.  


Pushpanjali- an offering of flowers
South Indian Tamil Dance- Vijay children's group
Charishnu - a fusion dance of classical Indian dance styles
Zumba Fitness Group with Bollywood music

 Bollywood - Bhangra Rulez



Aboriginal Noongar group performing with didgeridoo
Bollywood girls
Dangerous Delights Fire Dancers

Audience joining in at the end of the show - you can see two of our flamenco dancers on the right hand side

Sol y Sombra performed a flamenco version of Ravel's Bolero at Diwali. This dance was choreographed for our 25th anniversary show in 2015, and was rechoreographed for the Eisteddfod in June where we won our section - the Over 25s Theatrical Dance. We were invited back to dance at the Eisteddfod Gala night, which was a great honour. It was great to be performing this piece again, this time at Diwali.

Soly y Sombra Spanish Dance Company at the Eisteddfod in June 2016

 I hope you have enjoyed this little look at at the Diwali 2016 Festival of Lights. For more information on the South West Indian Group please click here - SW Indian Group

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!
 
The Weekly Postcard

Tuesday, 1 March 2016

South West Multicultural Festival night under the stars 2016


Last Saturday a huge crowd were treated to the South West Multicultural Festival - a free night of entertainment under the stars at the Bunbury Music Shell.  Many different nationalities came together to celebrate and showcase their cultures through music and dance. 

This event has been a highlight of the region’s calendar since 2005 and again this year we enjoyed a vibrant evening of entertainment which included guest artists from Perth as well as local groups.  A barmy summer night, the weather couldn't have been more perfect.

Events were held during the day included tai-chi, cooking demonstrations, craft displays, fashion parade, sport, talks, and stalls. People were also treated to fabulous tastes through the Food Truck Safari. 


Monday, 31 December 2012

2012 - a year in pictures

Here we are at the end of 2012. What a year it has been.
It is so hard to pick my favourite images from a whole year of photography. But looking back my photography does tell the story of my year.

I thought I had better start with a food pic as I have continued this year to learn and practice food photography. I love using natural light. Food photography is such an absorbing craft, and not as easy as it would appear! I hope that one day I will get a start as a food photographer.
I like these two images because the iced tea looks so cool and refreshing (you can see the condensation on the side of the glass) and I managed to get myself in the pic - oh to be just sitting and relaxing with a book and a cold drink! Happy languid summer days!

I thank most sincerely my Flickr friends for their ongoing support and encouragement - especially for my food photography. Without you I wouldn't have found the way forward. Food photography has become a passion. If you would like to see some more of my food photography, please click on the link here - My food photography on Flickr


Last Christmas my husband gave me an underwater housing for my small camera. Our trip to Coral Bay in May was the first chance I had really had to play around with it. I am not an experienced snorkeler, but what fun I had snorkeling over the Ningaloo Reef with my camera.
Here is a little mosaic for my second "showcase". I like the effect of the swimmer in the LH pic with the lines of different colour going through the image and the view both above and under the ocean. The bottom right photo of my son was published in an article I wrote for Go Camping magazine about Western Australian beaches.


This year I have spent a lot of my photography time playing with light, chasing light, seeing light, and adjusting camera settings to try to capture the light. I find myself looking at light, how it plays across the elements of the scene, and I want to capture it in my camera.
Whether it be dealing with changing light on my patio for a food shot, photographing a flower, getting up early to capture morning light, a moment between two people, or having my camera ready when I see a magnificent sunset on my way home from work - I have tried to see and "capture the light".


We also did some travel - and I have had quite a good year being published in Go Camping Australia magazine and On The Road magazine.  Doing travel writing certainly gets you out and looking for new places to travel to, and improves your photography and writing!

I have had a wonderful year being a member of South Side Quills in Bunbury and have learnt so much from them. I thank them for their friendship and support and the knowledge they give freely. Next year we are going to be working on publishing an anthology.

Below you can see some travel pics - from top left to right -
Busselton Jetty, wheatbelt roads, walking in Yalgorup National Park, walking along the Timberline Trail at Nannup, Perth skyline from Kings Park, harvest at Bruce Rock, a gum tree where we scattered some of my Mum's ashes at her childhood home Bilbarin, the Bibbulmun Track hut at Grimwade, and tulips at the Nannup Flower Festival.


We took a camping trip through the north eastern wheatbelt for the first time and climbed some of the granite outcrops - Billiburning, Beringbooding, Elachbutting, Baladjie, Weowani, Karalee, Kokerbin - and to Dryandra.


We also travelled to our National Capital, Canberra, for the first time. We visited many of the national sites like the National War Memorial, Parliament House (both old and new), the National Art Gallery,  National Library and National Archives. It was wonderful to see our National collections. We also reconnected with some of my husband's cousins that he hadn't seen for years.  At the National War Memorial we placed poppy's next to the names of family members who didn't return from the first and second World Wars. My great uncle who died at Gallipoli and my husbands uncle who died in Burma. The National War Memorial and Museum is an amazing place to visit if you are ever in Canberra.


We took a day trip out to the Snowy Mountains and dipped our hands in the Snowy River (Banjo Patterson's Man from Snowy River fame). We will have to go back in winter when there is snow.


 2012 was also a year of learning about Textures with Kim's Beyond Layers e-course. Kim has certainly opened up a new world of creative possibilities to me. Thanks Kim. Please click on the link to learn more about Kim's fabulous courses - Kim Klassen Cafe


and the joys of discovering the effects of Rad Lab


 We had a flight over Bunbury bought for us by our son - 


And also attended the very happy occasion of a family wedding - our youngest nephew and his beautiful bride . . . 


My mother passed away ... In many ways it was a blessed release. She is now resting peacefully and will forever remain in our hearts.


A year wouldn't be complete without wildflowers ..... I was thrilled to be asked to guest post about wildflower photography on Jo Castro's fabulous travel and lifestyle site - ZigaZag - you can go to the link here - How to take great flower photos


And I started taking lessons in Spanish Flamenco dancing with the Sol-y-Sombra-Spanish-Dance-Company-School-of-Dance  I love the music, vibrancy, energy and colour and no, none of these ladies are me!


 And a reminder to cherish every moment - as it is a gift.

I always carry my small camera with me these days - you never know when a magic image will present itself. As I left work late one afternoon I saw the beginnings of the most magnificent sunset. So instead of going straight home I drove to the beach, took off my shoes, and walked on the beach to take some photos. It was indeed a true gift.


 Our year finished with the birth of my sister's first grand child - a son for my eldest nephew and his beautiful wife. He was born on 27 December.
After the loss of my mother, this darling little boy is indeed a treasured gift from heaven. We welcome him to our family and wish them much love and happiness in the coming years. (I thank my nephew for allowing me to post his baby's photo here)
       

What a year it has been! Sadness, joy and new discoveries. I wonder what 2013 will bring. 
Did you have a good year? Have you plans for 2013?

Thank you dear friends and readers for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed this little dip into my past year. I look forward to hearing from you and value your comments. You are what keeps my blog alive. Thank you. Have a wonderful 2013.  

To learn more please click on these links -
 My food photography on Flickr

I am linking up with Mosaic Monday. To see the fabulous work of Mary and other wonderful contributors please click on the link hereMosaic Monday at Little Red House

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