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Alex Jr. is an amazing young artist,  to whom I very much enjoy listening. He never misses — always right on the money. His voice is clean and clear with no wavering.  I never get tired of listening to his wonderful voice.

Alex is from Santa Caterina, Brazil. He entered a  competition in 2006 on a show called Jovens Talentos (previously known as Show da Criança) -- for the age group under eleven.  After his first performance of “Nascemos Pra Cantar”  people loved him (including me). He ended up performing three songs while winning  the competition.  The video, above,  is of him in his well deserved win.  Shortly after that competition,  the age group ‘under eleven’ was canceled. But that wasn’t the end of Alex -- by far.  Raul Gil hired him as a regular on his show programa Raul Gil na Band .  Here he paid homage to other composers and musicians and has done a fabulous job of this. The people to whom he paid homage were all honored by this young man’s performances of their music.  Below is one of his performances, in February 2008, in which he pays homage to Ataíde e Alexandre singing  “Agenda Rabiscada”.   Alex paid homage to many people on that TV show.

Now Alex has  a partner, Willian. They are now known as Alex & Willian and the sound is as good as ever.   Still doing performances for Rual Gil,  Alex and Willian now also perform on other shows and at many places around the country. To find scheduled show information, visit their website at:  http://www.alexewillian.com.br/

Alex’s voice and music has been progressing quite well over the past few years and I believe Alex and Willian make a great duo. Their voices fit together very well. I enjoy listening to him as much now as when he was younger.  Below, is  a video of the duo singing “Te esquecer não consigo”. 

Alex has certainly come a long way since that competition in 2006 and has accumulated many videos.  I wish I could bring them all to you,  I know you would enjoy them. However, he does have plenty to chose from on his channel  Alex&Willian so please do stop by there and give them your support. It  is a fairly new site  and, as yet, has very few supporters.  I hope you enjoy listening to Alex as much as I do……

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This article was written for theskykid.com  by stars2come

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Author’s Note: As the Korean production is still several months away, there’s not a lot of information available on the stars of the show.  As additional information becomes available, it will be added to this article.

The first production of Billy Elliot the Musical (BETM), in a language other than English, will open in Seoul, Korea in August, 2010. Except for language, the promoters of the show there have said the Korean version would be essentially the same as previous productions in England, Australia and the United States, except for the show’s Geordie slang and strong language.

The question of whether boys with sufficient talent could be found in Korea, and then trained to handle the extremely demanding title role in the show, was an early point of discussion between Magistella, Inc. (the Korean company that is producing the show there) and the BETM creative team. The reason for the concern was that Korea does not have much of a history of training child actors for commercial musicals. Moon Mi-ho, the CEO of Magistella, was convinced that there was enough talent and persuaded the BETM team.

Three rounds of auditions for the role of Billy began in February of 2009 all across the country and there were more than 800 applicants for the part. After the third round, like in other locations where the show has run, a “Billy School” was created in Seoul. The boys selected to attend the school were taught by professional trainers in a curriculum which included ballet, tap-dancing, acrobatics, hip-hop, contemporary dance, as well as acting and vocal training. After observing the results of that training, the final selection of four Billys and three Michaels was made in January of 2010.

On March 3, 2010, the four boys chosen to play Billy were announced in Seoul. They are Ji-Myung Lee, Jin-ho Jung, Sun-Woo Im, and Se-Yong Kim.

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Ji-Myung Lee 

13 year old, Ji-Myung Lee is the only one of the four Billys with prior experience in musical theater.  His resume includes playing Young Simba in the musical “The Lion King” in 2006 and Young Prince in “The Last Empress” in 2007 and 2008.  Although he had some dance training prior to auditioning, the strengths he brings to the role are acting and singing. He received dance training in ballet, tap and hip-hop for the first time at the “Billy School” but is a fast learner and has always shown a competitive spirit throughout his young life.  He  has made great dance progress with the help of the choreography team. 

Ji-Myung, a 7th grade student from Incheon, was interviewed by the Korean Times.  In the interview he said, “After I passed the auditions, I had more self-confidence, although I felt nervous in the audition process. I will do my best for the next few months before the opening of the musical.”

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 Jin-Ho Jung

Jin-Ho Jung, who is 12 years old, comes from a tap dance background.  A 6th grader from Ahn-yang, Jin-Ho has appeared on the popular Korean TV talent show  “Star King” , where he demonstrated his dance skills.  He impressed the creative team with his tap skills at the auditions, when he displayed unique tap dance choreography to “Singing in the Rain”.  He even went so far as to memorize the lyrics and music to all the songs in the show and mastered some of the major scenes by using videos of the show he found on YouTube.

Jin-Ho received ballet lessons for the first time at the “Billy School”, but has made great progress in ballet since and says he’s really learned to like it.  Observers say his Billy is a  ”graceful, sincere character honed by constant practice of all aspects of the role”.  Something of a prodigy, Jin-Ho not only has the excellent skills he’s displayed in dance, but is also exceptionally talented with the violin.  He is also receiving an advanced academic education with future hopes of becoming a PhD in economics.

In the Korean Times interview, “For the remaining training period, I will work harder than I have done so far to show the perfect Billy,” said Jin-Ho.

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Sun-Woo Im

Sun-Woo Im, the youngest of the four Billys at age 11,  brings strong ballet credentials to the show.  Sun-Woo attends In-Hyun Elementary school at NakSeongDae in Seoul and is in the 5th grade.

In March, he will participate in the Youth America Grand Prix, where fellow Billy Se-Yong Kim won the top place last year.  Sun-Woo is currently devoting himself to final preparations for the stage with a strong determination to be acknowledged internationally as a fitting representative of Korean ballet. He is being touted as a young star who will carry the future of Korean ballet along with the other Billys.

“I didn’t have enough time to practice during the auditions. But now I am happy to focus on the vocal and dance training,” Lim said.

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Se-Yong Kim

13 year old Se-Yong Kim, who is from Yongin, brought with him to Billy auditions the best ballet resume of any of the four boys selected for the role.  He is truly gifted in ballet and, for that reason, really stood out at the auditions.

Se-Yong began ballet lessons at the age of seven and has steadily progressed in skill.  He’s participated in many competitions culminating last year when he ranked first at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).  Se-Yong is expected to be a future star who will one day lead the Korean ballet.

Here, on video, is a portion of his YAGP winning performance:

Credit: Video by  Snowluv4

“My specialty is ballet but I was worried whether I could do other dances such as tap and acrobatics at the auditions. Now I want to become better than the British or Australian Billys,” Kim told reporters at the showcase.

This year, Se-yong entered Sunhwa Arts School, generally considered to be among the most prominent visual arts, music and dance middle schools/high schools in South Korea.

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Here are two videos from the official Billy Elliot the Musical -- Seoul press launch event at which the Billys were announced.  The first has footage in which each of the Seoul Billys are introduced and the second shows the Billys and Michaels (Billy’s best friend in the show) performing a couple of the show’s numbers:

Credit: Video by Snowluv4

Credit: Video by qsaco1

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The LG Arts Center -- Seoul

Home of Billy Elliot the Musical -- Korea

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 In other articles in the Billy Elliot the Musical section of this blog, see profiles of all the other Billys currently performing the role world-wide.  Profiles of those in New York can be found in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys -- Broadway.  The boys playing Billy in the UK are profiled in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys -- London’s West End.  Profiles of those who will be playing the role in Chicago beginning on March 18, 2010, can be found in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys — Chicago. There are also profiles of Billys of the recent past, who have left the show since September, 2009, in Billy Elliot the Musical: Meet the Billys -- Profiles Archive.

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It’s happening again – for 31st time the Annual Young Artist Awards are to be held on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the Beverly Garland, Studio City, California . The nominations are already announced at the official webpage of the awards and just like I did last year I decided to select a few of the categories and ask you, the readers of this blog, to vote on them. It will be interesting to see if we, as a community, are going to be close to the chosen winners. The 2009 article attracted  quite a lot of attention and I hope that this year even more people will participate. To me, this year is even more special because, thanks to Twitter and some friends and personal contacts, I know much more about the awards than I did a year ago. In addition, I was glad to find out that an artist I wrote about, Yatharth Ratnum Rastogi, will be awarded with the Outstanding International Vocalist award at this year’s Gala. (What’s more, I found out that musicians I deeply respect, such as Grand Austin Taylor and Vlad Krutskikh, have performed live at previous ceremonies – which only confirms the immense effect and influence of the awards).

The polls will be open until 10th of April 2010. Then, on the next day, we will be able to compare our results with the ones that are going to be announced at the Gala event. To find out more about this year nominations (only few were picked for this blog), visit the official page of the Young Artist Awards and follow them on Twitter. As always, feel free to let me know what you think of this year’s nominations and share your favorites with the community by leaving a comment. (Speaking of Awards: I am going to get busy on this year’s edition of the COA Blogs movie awards and will probably introduce Treble Awards for the very first time in few months time).

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

☝  Listen to Sam sing his new original song .Written By: Glenn Medeiros.Written By: Glenn Medeiros   ☝

Since first discovering Sam Verlinden on You Tube he has captivated my interest in a number of ways. Not only can this boy sing but he continues to maintain a sensational public profile through his acting, busking, contest entries, and high profile national concerts. This combination of achievements alone speaks more than loudly, why it’s easy to pronounce young Verlinden as “Super Sam.”

Sam first appeared on this website in an article submitted by Bestpi on Tuesday, 6 May 2008.

http://www.theskykid.com/music/on-the-wings-of-a-treble/

Since the time of Bestpi’s article much has transpired and this young troubadour who captured 6 Gold and 3 Silver medals along with the prestigious “Industry Award” and 5 plaques for “OVERALL JUNIOR CHAMPION OF THE WORLD”, continues to show himself as a winner and national pride of New Zealand!

Sam who just turned 12 on October 1st of last year, has won 4 Golden Ribby Awards for his entries of songs at Wonderworld TV and a fifth entry is in 1st place at the time of this writing.

In October and November Sam brought professionalism to the “The University of Auckland’s Stage” performing in the lead role of young Tommy in the production of “Tommy the Musical”.  A review submitted by: The New Zealand Performing Arts Review & Directory exclaimed, “Young Tommy is played beautifully by Sam Verlinden, and required to be completely unresponsive even when a balloon is popped in his face”.

I don’t know about you but it takes some acting concentration not to allow a distraction like this to break character.

Concentration and Character are two things that Sam Verlinden has an abundance of.  Concentrating on his singing career while at the same time holding on to reality and just enjoying life, family, and friends.

As soon as Tommy sang his last Pinball Wizard he was singing another tune by performing in one of the best all time musicals that ever hit Auckland.  Lionel Bart’s Magical Musical “Oliver” was staged in The SkyCity Theatre in Auckland. Sam was magical in his performance as one of the boys in Fagin’s gang of thieves. And when the final curtain call was given a few of the boys from the group including Sam continued to perform around the city for special events billing themselves as ‘The Oliver Boys”.

Sam’s biggest highlight of the year was being chosen to perform in the Annual Coca Cola Christmas in the Park event, which was held in Auckland on December 12th.  Sam was the youngest to perform in that star studded line up of the best of New Zealand’s Talent.

It’s simply amazing how this young man can step up out on the stage and perform in front national television cameras and thousands in the assembled crowd yet remain truly humbled by the experience.  Sam is a true showman and gentlemen in every sense of the word!

Once the New Year was rung in, Sam got busy in the recording studio producing several new recordings and updated versions of his favorite songs as well.  Some of his songs can be heard at http:/rivenmaster.com and here on http://theskykid.com/radio/.  In fact Skykid’s radio station is already playing all of Sam’s new song entries.  Thanks Skykid!

The last week of Summer Vacation before going back to school, Sam attended the Mystery Creek, Hamilton Parachute Festival 2010.

Sam entered the Parachute’s Got Talent competition singing “Who’s Lovin You”.

Like many other performances, Sam had the audience screaming for him and captured the runner-up position, which for a 12 year old is more than a monumental achievement!

Today February 21, 2010, Sam released his first original song to the public!  It’s called “Break these Walls”!  Believe me when I tell you that record producers will be breaking down Sam’s walls to sign him after this recording.  Sam has proven to be more than just a young man with a great voice and terrific showman.  He has learned how to capture the essence of a song and pour it out like honey over your musical taste buds.

To learn more details about Sam please visit his websites at:

http://samverlinden.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/bverlin

http://www.rivenmaster.com/search/label/Sam%20Verlinden

All of this and more make Sam Verlinden more than a super singer; he can truly be defined as a Superlative Virtuoso!

Author’s Note: This article will be continually updated as new information becomes available.  Visit it often for the most up-to-date information on where Billy Elliot the Musical is playing around the world.  Last Update:  3/5/2010

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Billy Elliot the Musical is currently wowing audiences on the West End of London and on Broadway.  About to begin its 5th year in London, which is the site of the show’s original production, and into its second year in New York, the Elton John/Lee Hall show will soon be seen in venues around the world.  Recently, several announcements of new editions of the musical have been made, some at locations where English isn’t  the primary language.  All productions, to date, have been in English.  But that’s about to change as you can see from the charts below.

In this article, we’ve compiled information on all past, current and announced future productions of the popular musical so the reader will have an at-a-glance place to view all production information.  Please note that start dates in some locations include previews.

Current Productions

 Past Productions

 Future Productions – North America

Future Productions – Other Countries

This article will be continually updated as new information becomes available.

* Click on these locations for more information:  New York (Broadway), London (West End), Chicago

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TheSkyKid.com is growing. I intend to keep my promise to you by constantly exploring ways and opportunities to make your experience on the blog unique and rewarding. Giving back to the community is important to me, which is why I decided to offer you a chance to win a custom made poster. The best thing about this offer is that the winner will be able to choose his/her own theme for the poster. I can give you some ideas : A movie poster of a coming of age film, a poster of your favorite choir ( Libera ….etc ), a poster featuring a scene from Billy Elliot The Musical, Your favorite actor,singer ( Justin Bieber for example)  …or anything you come up with — the possibilities are endless.

Summarizing the award:

18×24 Poster Print for One (1) Winner

Paper Stock: High Gloss or Semi Gloss

Specifications: 1 Business Day Turnaround

Shipping: FREE UPS Ground Shipping

Eligibility: Limited to US Residents only

I am running this contest in collaboration with Uprinting.com.  You can find more information about the printing procedure by visiting their Digital Photo Enlargement page and the Digital Photos on Posters page.

What you need to do in order to win

There are 2 basic requirements:

1. Leave a meaningful comment* on 3 articles from the SkyKid.com content. You are free to choose the articles that are of a personal interest to you.

(* meaningful comment: Don’t write “Great article” and leave it at that. Why was it great? Was there a step you agreed with strongly? Or do you disagree? If you disagree always be respectful. Use constructive criticism. Always compliment even if you are also being constructively critical. If you like art, go to the arts section and browse the articles there. Leave meaningful comments for the writer. You will learn new things, help your fellow writers, and probably get a few friend’s requests and new readers. ) source

2. Send a Twitter message to @skykid with a link to an article on the blog which you think might be of interest to other people.

and that’s all there is to it!

All entries will be reviewed by a three member panel of judges who will choose a winner.  The winner will be notified by email and/or a Twitter message

( Note: to be eligible you must fulfill both of the requirements outlined above )

The contest begins on February 18, 2010 and the winner will be announced on March 1, 2010.

Good luck !

According to director Guillermo del Toro, the stress and strain of making his 2006 film Pan’s Labyrinth (El Laberinto del Fauno) nearly killed him. Given how well the film turned out, one could argue it was worth the risk.

The story of 10-year-old Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War’s bloody aftermath, as defiant, elusive rebels wage potent guerilla warfare against Franco’s army. Ofelia finds herself in the unfortunate position of being the stepdaughter of Captain Vidal (Sergei Lopez i Ayats), a particularly violent adversary of the rebels. When she and her pregnant mother must relocate to the Captain’s country house/headquarters, Ofelia resorts to fantasy in order to escape the harsh Captain and his pathetically brutal world.

“The Captain is not my father!” exclaims Ofelia to Mercedes (Maribel Verdu),  the housekeeper, when they first meet. “You’ve made that clear enough,” Mercedes replies. It’s no wonder Ofelia wants to firmly establish that there’s no hint of kinship between herself and the Captain:  he is one of the most frightfully repellent villains in recent cinema, made all the more despicable by his moments of self-righteousness, wherein del Toro is wise enough to allow the brute the opportunity to make a valid point or two – even villains can be right about one thing or another, after all.

Her head always in books of fantasy or fairy tales, Ofelia naturally conjures such a fantastic surreality for her own escapes from the Captain’s unpleasant circle. Intrigued at first by a flying stick insect, she requires that her would-be fairies look like fairies, going so far as to show the insect a proper example in a book of such extravagant things. The insect promptly obliges and transforms itself into a fairy. Ofelia’s inner world demands such magic, wonder, and merriment, because her own real life falls woefully short on all fronts.

The fairy leads her out into the night, to an old stone labyrinth beneath which a cunning Faun has long awaited her reappearance, or so he tells her. She is not the human girl Ofelia but, rather, Princess Moanna, from the Underground Realm. To return to that wondrous kingdom from which she long ago fled, however, the princess must perform a series of tasks before the moon is full, to prove that she has not “become a mortal.” And so, Ofelia’s adventure begins in earnest.

To get caught up in the stuff of fairy tales is the rush of childhood; the fear is that one day, the door at the end of the labyrinthine path opens up, and the way forward – the coming of age – is made all too clear, whether we want to exit the maze or not. The greatest trick is finding ways to stay behind, if only in your mind, no matter what – to find a way to get away, back where you think you belong. Tricky, that – to never be “too old to fill your head with such nonsense.” But, in a world that seldom makes sense anyway, why shouldn’t a little nonsense be one’s logical goal?

Ofelia cannot help but explore that which she is forbidden – in essence, doing the hard work of growing up: breaking rules, getting dirty when necessary, taking one risk after the other – being herself. You can have your Harry Potters or Narnia warriors, but Ofelia is the bravest child to have stepped into the land of enchantment and wonder in these recent times. She answers the call, meets the demands, does what needs to be done; and she does so despite the greatest toll that must be exacted from her, and with only the least hesitation.

Through the brilliant work of composer Javier Navarrete, the film contains one of the most effectively heart-breaking pieces of music I’ve ever heard: the haunting lullaby, that replays in your head long after last seeing the film. Throughout, each note of music falls on each frame of film with just the right weight of resonance, first light as a feather, then heavy as your heart, from one moment to the next.

Del Toro has said that Pan’s Labyrinth is a sequel of sorts to The Devil’s Backbone, and that a third film is someday envisioned, although the possibility is remote, given how much of his heart and soul were expended on Ofelia’s sad tale. Still, one can hope that he will eventually finish the trilogy, at some point in his near film future.

[One note of warning: as with some of del Toro's other films, the violence depicted is intense and may be disturbing to some.]

The Norwegian film, Gutta Boys (also known as Boys Will Be Boys and Poikien jutut), was released in 2006 in the form of  a TV mini series. The DVD on which this review is based was released in the same year and features two disks that include seven episodes with a total running time of 175 minutes.

The series become popular after its  nomination for the Emmy award and has since achieved popularity all over the world as one of the best coming of age series ever made for TV. Regular readers of this blog know of my affinity towards Scandinavian films -- full features such as Da jeg traff Jesus… med sprettert , Nachttocht and En som Hodder and short films such as Min far er bokser , Iver , Verde and my personal favorite Benny’s Gym. In fact, the storyline of Gutta Boys is similar to the one in Benny’s Gym -- as the issues such as action, friendship, confusion, loyalty and betrayal are common for both films.

The main protagonists of Gutta Boys are four twelve year old boys: Arne, Bønna (Bjørn Tore), Petter and Eivind, who are exploring their own boundaries and the ones of the world, being in that period of life which is often associated with the transition between childhood and adolescence. They are friends -- and share similar interests --  but naturally each of them has a unique personality and character which develops throughout the story.

Arne is a gentle boy who is back in school, and is getting reacquainted with friends, after a prolonged illness. He is tired of being sick and of making his parents concerned about him.  His big goal is to catch up with what he believes he has missed.  His best friend, Bønna, is determined to help him fulfill the three challenges that Arne sets for himself in a list titled “When I Get Better “. Those tasks include 1)  archery -- firing a real arrow with a bow into the sky and then testing their courage by not moving, risking that the arrow might hit them when it begins its descent to the  ground; 2)  - jumping from a huge rock into the frigid water of a lake and 3) -- playing strip-poker .

Admittedly, most of the tasks Arne set for himself are similar to the ones my friends and I had when we were twelve ourselves.  Only our tests of bravery involved swimming towards an island in the lake (well aware that some of us barely managed to keep ourselves on the surface),  jumping from high rocks into the sea (on those occasions sometimes we jumped all together determined that if something happened it would happen to all, and if not we would all be heroes), crossing a frozen lake …etc. I am sure that many of you recall similar moments from your own childhood as that is one of the virtues of the coming of age stories in books and cinema -- that they serve to make those memories return. And if the film is good -- as good as Gutta Boys is -- we are ready to re-live our own adventures as we watch the scenes on the screen.

Back to the film…

While the friendship between Arne and Bønna is the focus of the film, the other members of their gang, Petter and Eivind, play an important role as well. They all hang around, but Eivind’s parents are overprotective and Peter’s  father is a policeman.  These facts often exclude them from the wildest activities of the gang, especially the ones resulting from the plans of Bønna -- who has problems with authority ( it reminds me of a friend of mine who is a look-alike of Bønna who even got in trouble once ,and me, every time I went along with him).

I won’t go into much more detail of the film’s plot so you can fully enjoy its twists and the mischief and adventures of the boys. However, I would mention that the direction was done exceptionally well and the performance of the cast was good on all levels. The cinematography of Gutta Boys is similar to the one in the modern Scandinavian films, featuring bright colours and frequent use of camera closeups on the characters’ faces to better convey their emotions to the viewer. I am also fond of the soundtrack of the series recorded by Fatter’n -- who is a Norwegian film composer, rapper, hip hop-artist and producer. His hip hop vibes really fit well with the Gutta Boys series.

By the end of the film, you will inevitably associate with one of the main actors -- Arne or Bønna. I associated with Arne (even if he seems a bit spoiled by his parents -- despite his rebellion against that) as sometimes it seems that I need an extra push or encouragement to go ahead and do something crazy or wild. Some of you may dislike the character of Bønna  because of his selfishness at times. But if you keep in mind all he has had to go through, with his mother absent and his feeling the need to project the image of being a tough and wild guy (even though he is no less sensitive than Arne), then I think you would better understand the motivation behind his ideas and actions. The film is bound to make you think about the different methods of parenting and the impact they have on children: the ever busy dad, the overprotective one, the intrusive one --one never knows what’s better. As for myself, I have very liberal parents and they have always allowed me to do what I wanted, even if I made the wrong decisions at times (as they allowed me  to learn from my mistakes). Overall, this mini series can give you more food for thought than you might, at first, imagine.

I am sure that fans of the coming of age genre will greatly enjoy Gutta Boys and I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.

[Show as slideshow]

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This review would not have been possible without the valuable support of CVMC who provided the the DVD of Gutta Boys

All images used are property of Monster Film AS

Just how much inspiration does one need to wake up at 4 am and start drafting a new article for a blog? In my case, I stumbled upon a link and 30 seconds later I felt that trying to sleep was a lost cause — at least until I shared my discovery with you. I would like to introduce the art of Achim Lippoth – raw, powerful, emotional and overwhelming – just as I felt in the first few moments when I first experienced it. Some of you may remember the talented young German dancer Marcel Pietruch. He was featured on theskykid.com twice as he become popular world wide after reaching the semi finals of the Das Super Talent show (he ended in second place, which to me is quite unjust). By the time he was participating in the show, he seemed to be everywhere and he had generated a ton of fans. You can imagine my surprise, when clicking on a link to access a photographer’s portfolio (Achim Lippoth to which this post is devoted ), I am greeted by Marcel – dancing.  And it’s not just one clip. Marcel is featured in four clips on the Achim Lippoth site — each better than the previous. With that kind of marketing, I am already sold. But there are so many things left to explore. (As a side note, Michel’s talent is really astonishing. (In the Michael Jackson film “This Is It “, which featured some outstanding dancers from all over the world,  Marcel would have been perfect as one of them – he would have won over the public in every performance in which he appeared.)

The main purpose of this post, however, is to introduce the German photographer Achim Lippoth. He has worked with a variety of world famous advertising agencies such as Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, DDB Worldwide, Grey Worldwide, Jung von Mat and  Leo Burnett Worldwide. His work has been published in Blackbook, New York Times Magazine, Details, Stern, Vogue Italia and Vogue Nippon  (source : Wikipedia).  Exploring his portfolio on his site is an experience of its own … You would soon discover that he focuses on working with children – and does it so well that their impish innocence and mischievous natures are guaranteed to make a huge impact on the viewers of his art. He tells stories with his photos and his models convey emotions, which combined with the  theatrical arrangements and sharp focusing techniques used, create his own reality within the frame.

“The photographer never leaves the choreography of his characters or the orchestration of light and colour up to the coincidence of capturing the right moment…After all, Lippoth’s world is a stage, and he is the sole director” (Thomas Wiegand, Achim Lippoth: Pictures, Kehrer 200)” (source : Fahey/Klein Gallery Press Relase February 7, 2008)

As theskykid.com focuses on the coming of age in all forms of art, I just could not miss the opportunity to present the work of Achim Lippoth. Like is described in the press release quoted above :

“Lippoth’s series, from 2002 to the present, focuses on individual sequences which investigate a particular theme or obstacle children face as they transition into adulthood:  innocence, discipline, conformity, consumerism, camaraderie, desperation, tomfoolery, and rage. “

While browsing through the immense photo and video material available at his own portfolio, I realized that picking a few photos to showcase, out of the many masterpieces available there, wouldn’t be an easy task. Yet, I decided to give it a try and include  a few photos which are most appealing to me and which I believe provide a good overview of his work.  A visit to his site is a must do. So, after reading this post, seeing the photos and hopefully leaving me a comment – head straight there — ready for an adventure full of discoveries.

the Achim Lippot official web site / photography portfolio

Note: All photos in this article are Achim Lippoth`s original work and as such are copyrighted by him. The images above are used only to illustrate his work – for any additional information and contact detailsplease reffer to the official site of Achim Lippoth linked above.

It’s about time I introduced you to another talented musician -- Grant Austin Taylor. Most of you are probably familiar with his music -- yet I hope that this article serves as a reminder to check his recent songs. It has been several years since I heard of Grant Austin Taylor for the very first time -- yet I am thankful that a visitor to my blog sent me a message about him and naturally I could not resist doing an article on him. I almost feel guilty that I had to be reminded of this incredible performer -- keeping in mind that he plays my favorite style of music (rock). I am repeating myself a bit here as I wrote something similar about Zach Raizman, but this only confirms how much one could miss while trying to stay updated with the scene out there.

Grant Austin Taylor may be only fourteen (soon to be fifteen -- he was born on May 9, 1995) but he already has some really impressive achievements -- such as the  special award for Outstanding Young Original Blues-Rock Artist at the 28th annual Young Artist Awards (2007) and the “Patriot Award”, awarded by the United Service Organizations. Also worth mentioning is that  his band has opened concerts for such titans of the rock music world as Motley Crue  and  Aerosmith.

In 2007, Grant Austin Taylor released his first album which consisted of five remastered songs recorded at his live performances in the same year. The band for the live gigs included Harvey Kojan on keyboards,  Jimmy Wiseman on bass and keyboards and Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis. Along with Grant’s amazing guitar skills, which really show in the second track of the album We Walk Alone (my favorite from the album), we get to hear the talented  Jimmy Wiseman on bass and keyboards and Judas Priest drummer Scott Travis who helped Grant for his first EP. The fifth song of the album is an instrumental called Rockin P-Town which combines great bass guitar, solos and drums in a vibe guaranteed to make you wanna dance. For those more sentimental, there is the ballad Make This Love Last which is  one of the songs he performed at the 28th  award ceremony of the Young Artist Awards- it is the 3rd song from his album. The fourth song in the album called When Life Turns Gray has a lot of soul in it -- and some great lyrics -- I liked it so much as to pick it as a featured video in this introductory article :

The 1st song, which I left for the end, is called That’s The Way Life Goes.  It has quite a unique sound  -- an uplifting mixture of pop and rock with a notable vocal performance by Grand Austin Taylor.

I was most impressed, not only by the guitar skills of Grant, but also the fact that all songs in the album are his original compositions (both the music and the lyrics).

GAT on YouTube *** GAT on Twitter *** GAT`s profile on BCSD ***Grand Austin Taylor official web site ***MSN profile

And just before you go and check all the resources listed above, take a look at the amazing solo of Grant Austin Taylor and his band on a clip taken when his band  opened for the Steve Miller Band :

I am holding the first single CD of Vlad Krutskikh. It’s entitled “Hello Hello Dance Mix” and has five energetic songs which can be played at every party.  The lyrics of the English version of the song “Allo“  are written by American poets James Koch and Jason A. Phelps for the original music by Vitaliy Ososhnik. Vlad has achieved worldwide popularity as a  lead singer/dancer with the Russian pop group Street Magic (also known as Volshebniki Dvora). Street Magic was  formed in 1989 by its artistic director, Vitaly Ososhnik, and has since become well known on the music scene. In 2007, they received an award for Outstanding Young International Variety Group at the 28th Annual Young Artist Awards in Hollywood, California.

I am glad to present to you an exclusive interview which Vlad gave for theskykid.com only a few weeks after the release of his new new album and the big concert of Street Magic at Novosibirsk, Russia.

theskykid.com :

[EN] What do you find most exciting and/or difficult about being an internationally recognized star?

[RU] Что тебе нравится и какие трудности испытываешь, будучи узнаваемым артистом в многих странах ?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] I am pleased when people recognize me, but I do not have a star complex, I respect the fans because they are people just like me.  As to your question about the life of a star- some people think that is  is simple  , but  its gets much more complicated with all the tasks that have to be done in a day.  I go to school six days a week, I have daily music and singing lessons (solfège), dance rehearsals, I announce on radio and tv. Time for fun is therefore short, so I make the most of my fun-time.

[RU] Мне приятно, когда меня узнают, но у меня нет звёздной болезни. А что касается вашего вопроса – кому то может показаться, что жизнь звезды -- это просто. Это миф. Я учусь в школе, у меня ежедневные занятия музыкой, сольфеджио,  репетиции по хореографии,  записи на телевидении и радио, гастроли. Времени на развлечения не хватает.

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theskykid.com :

[EN] Where do you like to spend your holidays?

[RU] Где ты любишь проводить своё свободное время (выходные например)?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] Russia is famous for its festivities.  The Russian people have always celebrated these holidays with great fun.  I like to celebrate holidays with my family and friends.  For me, being on holiday is when I feel an explosion of positive emotions.  My favorite holiday is New Year’s Day.  It has almost been two weeks since this New Year’s, but great memories still remain. . .  I love to go to the dog exhibitions, together with my dog Cleopatra (Kleopa).  In the summer I also love to roller skate.  On weekends, I am most happy.

[RU]Россия славится своими праздниками. И русский народ всегда отмечает эти праздники с размахом. Я очень люблю отмечать праздники в кругу семьи и друзей. Для меня праздник -- это всегда взрыв положительных эмоций. Любимый праздник -  Новый Год.  Прошло уже почти 2 недели, а впечатления ещё остались.… Очень люблю всякие выставки для собак, и часто хожу на них вместе, со своей собакой Клёпой. Летом очень люблю  кататься на роликах.  В свои выходные  я не скучаю.

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theskykid.com :

[EN] There are a variety of resources on the Internet where one can read about Street Magic and you in particular? Do you stumble on these blogs and have you ever left a comment in any one of them ?

[RU] В интернете много ресурсов где можно прочитать о группе Волшебники Двора и о тебе в частности.Какие сайты или блоги ты посещаешь, оставляешь ли свои комментарии в них?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] Yes, you know, in the Russian language the Internet has several resources -- sites that have information about the group “Street Magic”, and about me.  Our fans have made them. There are only two official sites -- volshebnikidvora.ru and vladkrutskikh.com.  On the Russian site, we make on-line conferences.  They are held regularly, we will respond to visitors’ questions.  By the way, if you think that it is always delight and praise -- then you are wrong … have to read about the criticism sometimes … as for Twitter -- this is probably the only site where I often find myself.  Many thanks to all who wrote on my page.

[RU]  Да, вы знаете, в русскоязычном интернете есть множество сайтов, на которых есть информация про группу «Волшебники двора», и про меня. Делают их в основном наши поклонники. Официальных же сайтов всего два. Это сайт volshebnikidvora.ru, и vladkrutskikh.com. На этих сайтах  мы устраиваем он-лайн конференции. Они проходят регулярно, мы отвечаем на вопросы посетителей. Кстати, если вы думаете, что это всегда восторг и похвалы – то вы ошибаетесь.. Иногда приходится и критику про себя читать… Что же касается Твиттера – это наверное единственный сайт, куда я очень часто захожу. Большое спасибо всем кто пишет на моей страничке.

theskykid.com :

[EN] How do you feel singing in English?

[RU] Есть ли какие-то особые чувства когда ты поешь на английском языке?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN]  To sing in all the world languages is impossible.  When I recorded songs in Japanese, a Japanese producer helped me with the speech.  When I work in the studio with the English text, there is always the producer who helps me.  I received very much help from producer Simon Barron and musical director Vitaly Ososhnik.  When I sing in any language -- Russian, Japanese or English, I try to convey to all audiences all my warmth and my feelings, my love.  I live with those songs that I sing on stage.

[RU]  Знать все языки невозможно. Когда я делал записи на японском, мне помогал продюсер по японскому языку. Когда я работаю в студии с английским текстом всегда присутствует продюсер по английскому языку. Мне очень помогают продюсер Саймон Бэрон и  музыкальный руководитель Виталий Осошник.  Когда я пою на любом языке – русском, японском или английском, я пытаюсь донести до слушателей всё своё душевное тепло,  свою любовь… Я живу теми песнями, которые пою на сцене…

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theskykid.com :

[EN] How you see yourself 10 years from now?

[RU] Каким вы себя видите через 10 лет?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN]  I really wish my life will be always connected with entertainment.  I love to sing.  In the world there are many interesting things and I want to try myself yet, maybe the role of radio and television presenter.  Perhaps it would be correct to say that I want to connect my life with creativity.  I will do everything possible.

[RU] Я очень хочу, просто мечтаю, о том, что моя жизнь будет связана со сценой. Обожаю петь. Интересного на свете много и немного хочется попробовать себя еще и в роли радио и телеведущего. Наверное, будет правильно сказать, что я хочу связать свою жизнь с творчеством. И я сделаю для этого все возможное…

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theskykid.com :

[EN]  How old were you when you first started to dance/sing?

[RU] Сколько вам было лет, когда вы начали петь/танцевать?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] I was interested in music since early childhood.  When I heard music on the TV, I immediately stopped playing and ran to look. I sang the TV songs that I knew. Fortunately, my parents noticed this and took me to the casting session for the group Street Magic.  I have been singing there for 9 years.  I am now 14 and most of my life has been in Street Magic.  All the guys from our group -- are my friends.  We are always together.  We have common interests.

[RU] К музыке меня тянуло с раннего детства. Если на экране кто-то пел, то я бросал все и сидел у телевизора. Я показывал пальцем на телевизор и говорил маме, что хочу туда. Потом пел те песни, которые запомнил. К счастью, родители заметили это и отвели меня  на кастинг в группу «Волшебники двора» . Я пою там уже 9 лет. Мне сейчас 14 и большая часть моей жизни прошла в «Волшебниках Двора». Все ребята из нашей группы – мои друзья. Мы всегда вместе. У нас общие интересы, переживания…

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theskykid.com :

[EN] What western influences or talent inspires your work?

[RU] Какие западные влияния или талант вдохновляет вас в работе?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] I am not a fan of any group.  I believe in making good songs that inspire your life and personal behavior.  My goal is not to create myself as an idol, but to be a good musician.

[RU] Я не являюсь фанатом каких либо групп. Воодушевляет меня в работе, наверное, просто хорошее настроение, и отличные песни некоторых взятых исполнителей. Считаю, что вдохновлять должна собственная жизнь и личные поступки. Не создай себе кумира…  А учиться надо на классике.

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theskykid.com :

[EN] Who are your idols in Music and Dance?

[RU] Кто ваши кумиры в музыке или в танце?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] I love to listen to music of different artists and different genres of music. But to identify anyone specifically, I cannot.  I listen to what is playing in the car when I go to school or music lessons.

[RU] Слушать люблю разных исполнителей. Но кого-то конкретно выделить очень сложно. Слушаю то, что играет в  машине, когда я еду в школу или на занятия.

theskykid.com :

[EN] What did you think of Hollywood and America? Any plans to tour Europe? US?
How has your association with the Young Artist Awards benefited Street Magic in their quest for recognition?
Would you like to make another journey to the United States and what would you look forward to seeing again?

[RU] Что вы думаете о Голливуде и Америке? Есть какие-нибудь планы насчет тура по Европе? По США?

Дала ли связь «Волшебников двора» с Young Artist Awards преимущества в достижении популярности?

Вы бы хотели совершить еще одно путешествие в США и что вам не терпится увидеть снова?

Vlad Krutskikh :

[EN] I have been in America more than once, to receive awards given to Street Magic, and you know, I still have great memories of that wonderful country.  It is a very beautiful country.  I especially liked the extreme amusement park “Six Flags”.  I even was upset the day when we had to leave.  Because I was very fond of America and I want to return, not for a few days, but longer.  I want to walk in Los Angeles at night … the Young Artists Awards may bestow more awards upon us, I hope that happens, it will realize my dream of coming back.  But of course the most vivid and unforgettable experience, which probably I will remember all my life -- this is the red carpet, which -- when I was on it -- sent shivers through my body.  I privately threw a Russian coin on it, which would make me come back again.  And you know, actually I have always been lucky.  I think this superstition will not prove to be simply just words -  that coin will make me go back to that wonderful country.

[RU] Мы были в Америке, на вручении нам премий, и вы знаете, у меня до сих пор сохранились отличные воспоминания о вашей замечательной стране. Очень красивая страна. Особенно мне понравился парк аттракционов «Шесть флагов». Я даже расстроился в день, когда надо было уезжать. Потому, что я очень полюбил Америку. И хочу чаще приезжать, и не на несколько дней, а дольше. Хочу погулять по ночному Лос-Анджелесу…  Так же очень хочется ещё не раз побывать на вручении премии Young Artist Awards, я надеюсь, что хотя бы эти мои мечты осуществятся. Но конечно самое яркое, и незабываемое впечатление, которое, наверное, буду помнить всю жизнь – это красная ковровая дорожка, по которой когда идёшь – мурашки бегают по телу. Я когда по ней шёл, украдкой от всех кинул на неё монетку, нашу российскую, что бы вернуться сюда вновь. И вы знаете, на самом деле мне всегда везет.  Думаю, что это суеверие не окажется просто словами. А эта монетка – заставит меня вернуться в вашу замечательную и страну.

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Vlad Krutskikh Official Web site ***   Vlad Krutskikh@Twitter *** Street Magic Official web site

I would like  to thank Vlad for agreeing to be interviewed and everyone who made this the interview possible -- helping on the various stages of its preparation (the formulation of the questions, the translations , media selection…etc) . Thank you !

Feedback and comments are appreciated . In any language (-:

Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday to you.  Happy Birthday Dear Billy.  Happy Birthday to you!

Have you ever wanted to send the boys who currently play Billy in Billy Elliot the Musical best wishes on their birthdays?  We’ve collected the birthdays of all the boys in New York, London and Chicago and listed them here, in one place.

Those interested in the birthdays of the boys who formerly played Billy in London, Australia or New York can find that information here.

Thanks to BillyAddict and the Friends of Billy Elliot forum for help in compiling this information.

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