Go Hardcore or Go Home.

The best part of Mark Leckey's "Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore," his trippy 1999 video art ode to the British clublands of yesterday? The clothes.



There's something charged about what people wear when they go out. It's the apotheosis of their identity; the thing they most want to say to everyone who sees them. It's the way they most want to look. Going out clothes are not work clothes, not school clothes, they aren't stay at home or run errand clothes, they are "This is me." clothes: This is me hot, ready, and at my self-defined best. This is me attracting you, this is me telling you something real about myself, or at least trying to. This is me in my dancing shoes. This is the best I've got. Check me out. But hurry--it will all look foolish, ancient, and undeniably out-of-touch before your hangover fades.

But, while fashion trends come and go, the energy of a night out--shaking your ass to a repetitive beat while some substance, or even plain adrenaline, courses through you in a high-ceilinged, crowd-stuffed, reverberating space--is easily one of the more lasting incentives to don your best outfit. It may be one of the more lasting reasons to make it through your life actually: To go out.

Stills from the film.

Leckey's video is made of found footage that looks like it was unearthed from some hazy, hallucinogenic, dream of how things used to be, and really puts a finer point on the ephemeral nature of fashion. Just the fact that I have to explain who Fiorucci is (only the most coveted designer brand of the late '70s/early '80s, only the inventor of designer denim, only the brand Madonna wanted most) speaks volumes about how short lived cool or hot or essential items are. People used to fork over paychecks for the stuff, and now most don't know what it is. Makes you wonder how silly your life will seem in retrospect, right? Actually, it will never seem silly to you. It will be deathly serious in its cool factor to you. It will be laughable to those who came along even a day past your prime. Your kids will laugh at you, that's for sure. Those are the breaks. Keep it moving people, just keep it moving. And while you're moving, why not do it to a beat? Cue the throbbing bass and the dancing masses.

You can see the full video and tons of other amazing works of video art at UbuWeb. Thanks to the best dressed coworker I have, and brilliant analyzer of film, Mr. Graig Uhlin of Mass Ornaments for the resource.

You Just Try To Sit Still During This...

I bet you can't can't.


It's from 1943. It's a wonderful way to start the day.

Common Goods: Ruth St. Denis

Dancer Ruth St. Denis (b. 1879--d.1968), who was credited with bringing modern dance to America in the early 20th century, was a rebel with a mystical spirit. Her performances often centered around Eastern thought, dress, and concepts. Her theatrical accouterments were the embodiment of beautiful costuming. Whether St. Denis was portraying a Hindu Goddess or an Egyptian Queen, her costumes gleamed with gorgeous detailing. The New York Public Library's photostream on Flickr showcases quite a collection of portraits of Ruth in costume, and they are divine.

Before Ruth there were no dance programs at universities and no serious American dancers; and now? Ballerinas can get B.A.s thanks to her engendering of the first academic dance department at Aldelphi University. Also, without Ruth much of the evolution of dance here on American soil would have been stunted--she taught Martha Graham how to move.

So, besides for looking pretty on stage (as important as that is) we have much to thank St. Denis for. How shall we thank her? I say by dancing, in pretty costumes tonight. I know I don't need an excuse to do that, but if you do, you now have one. If you don't feel like dancing I'm sorry for your soul, but I'll let you off the hook if you watch a compilation of Denis photos accompanied by audio of her telling remarkable stories of her carreer in this documentary from 2006:


That's part 1 of 5. Click here to see part 2, 3, 4, and 5. It's wonderfully worth your time for sheer prettiness and wit alone.

Make Noise.

The Native American culture is a wealth of gorgeous clothing, costumes, and traditions. I aspire to know more and more about it and pass whatever I find on to you, dear readers. Your first taste is an introduction to the Jingle Dress.

Traditional Jingle Dresses were made of solid fabrics in "healthy colors" like red, green, yellow, black, and blue, and were adorned with jingles--metal cones fabricated of the tops of tin containers. According to legend the dresses were dreamed up by a medicine man who's granddaughter was ill. After a recurring dream in which he envisioned four women dancing in a snake like pattern in dresses that made noise, he instructed his wife to make four dresses and teach three other women to do the dance he had seen while asleep. Upon witnessing the jingle performance, the man's daughter regained her strength and soon began to dance as well. Thus the dresses are worn in dances of healing. The musicality of the dresses, and the stomping rhythms of the dances are soothing, energizing, and hypnotic.

Here, watch this and be healed:



The audio of the jingles is a bit better in this clip:


I don't know about you, but I feel better already.

One More Thing...

Beyonce, while sometimes goofy with pomp, is an effing phenomenal entertainer in that grand, old sense of the word. Her choreography and dancing skills are off the charts.

Beyoncé - New Music - More Music Videos

I kind of can't believe her body can do all that. It's amazing. Also, I really dig her metal hand thing. It's cool.

Ok, now I'm done.

Dance Dance Revolution.

If you follow this blog with any regularity, you know that my inner child is a wannabe ballerina. It's just a fantasy I've always had. I must admit though that it has less to do with actual dancing, and of course, more to do with donning dancing wear. I'm less jealous of the pirouettes than I am of the pointe shoes. One of my favorite things to do in New York is to head up to the Lincoln Square area and watch the off duty ballet students from Julliard walk by. They have telltale posture, tight buns, and a gait that belies their area of study. They also have the most amazing layered look. Tights and bodices with hoodies or jackets, cropped leggings peeking out of wide legged pants, halter necked-leotards showing where their giant tees slouch. I think it's beautiful and it seems Charlotte Ronson feels the same.

Her collection this week was based on ballerinas outside of the studio. It's ballet with a leather edge. Slouchy shirts and rolled-up half-tights? Yes, please. I love the look of the super sheer tights bunched up.

Photos from Style.com.

I Blame Dov Charney.

Ever see a hipster sweat? Well, if you're interested The New York Times has a whole slide show of be-spandexed "creative types" jumping around a gym for an exercise class they call "Sweaty Sundays". Apparently they all get drunk together the night before, rally in the morning by smoking 10 cigarettes, downing some coffee, and getting geared up in Jane Fonda style Lycra numbers replete with leg warmers and sweat bands. They look like this:

I blame American Apparel founder Dov Charney for this. The cooler-than-you-kids needed somewhere to wear all of those ridiculous spandex items. It's almost like Dov should open a gym of his own. He can schedule all kinds of dancersize classes and then tell the ugly kids to go home.

Oh, and apparently all of this exercising is blasphemy for these hipsters seeing as how The Times also published an article today deeming a belly bulge the latest accessory for the "coolios" of Brooklyn. Gym bodies are sooooo over now that we have a fit president, or something. I don't know. Read the article and see if it makes any sense to you.

I think it mistakenly takes boy bellies as a trend when they are actually a tale as old as time. Spare tires are allowed for boys--listen to this: According to the article potbellies are appropriate rebellious physical manifestations of the backlash against the non-attainable, ripped physiques on the covers of fitness magazines. I'd like to see someone write an article like that about women's pudge. Nope, nope, they just call us fat and endlessly hawk us cellulite creams. Thanks, guys. Stay cool. Stay chubby. We'll just be over here not rebelling against cover after cover after image after video after endless image of stacked, skinny models while you stick your guts out as an acceptable fashion trend. Sure. Thanks.

Dance Dance.

I'm bound for a family trip to Charleston, South Carolina tonight. Among other things, I'm definitely planning on dancing the Charleston while I'm there. The Charleston actually originated in Charleston (imagine that!) and became popular nation wide in the 1920s Flapper craze. Watch the experts get it done to a Daft Punk Soundtrack:



My posting may be as jumpy as the dancers above for the next week or so, but I'll be back and better than ever soon enough.

Prima Ballerina

Nina Ananiashvili in a production of Don Quixote. How beautiful is that?

Tutus were such an incredibly large part of my childhood. I loved dancing, going to dance class, wearing legwarmers, and putting on shows. That was all fine and dandy, but when I got to wear a tutu? Now that was a phenomenal day in the life of this little lady. Tutus were reserved for special occasions like recitals, and putting on on suddenly made my little-legged dancing career a very serious matter. A tutu equaled immediate prima ballerina status, and I loved ballerinas. On the 27th American Ballet Theater's own prima ballerina, Nina Ananiashvili gave a farewell performance at The Met that by all accounts looks and sounds like the work of a truly gifted artist. The New York Times's review of the Ms. Ananiashvili's final performance paints the beloved dancer in an incredibly humble and joyous light, speaking repeatedly of her sincere and transparent affection for her colleagues and fans.

I honestly haven't thought about ballerinas in a long time, (uh, somehow, they just don't come up in my normal conversations anymore) but the photos accompanying the Times piece are a great reminder of just what I love about dancers, and dance costumes. Dancer's bodies are works of movement, there's something about the body built not from weight lifting and gymming, but from movement executed with grace and lightness, that looks like poetry in motion. It's like seeing a very well designed machine, where the beauty of its form results from its use and function. That kind of beauty aligns aesthetics and practicality in a way that I find reassuring and settling. Ananiashvili's talented execution of intricate dance moves seems to slow time, her legs are suspended just enough longer than you would assume so as to astonish. Her body is full of grace and has all of the clear flourishes you would expect of a ballerina; the subtle muscle tone, the perfect posture, the creamy complexion, and incandescent presence. So beautiful.

Dance costumes are such works of art. They too meld form and function in such a gorgeous way. The bodices are tight and secure enough to stay seamlessly put, but give just enough breathing room for the passage of so much movement fueling air. The tutus (THE TUTUS!!) are constructed eloquence. Nina's swan costume is a gorgeous layered affair, mimicking feathers and fluff in a refined way. Who makes those costumes? That sounds like an assignment for I Want To Wear It. I'll look into that for you and report back. For now, go back and watch Nina twirl again. It's a pleasure.

All photos by Erin Balano for The New York Times. Click this link to see the entire slide show.

Belly Up.

If only time travel were really possible, I'd be in the middle of this belly dancing scene from an old Egyptian movie in a minute. Or, however long it takes to time travel.

That '70s sparkle is just perfect for the belly shaking.

Common Goods: Square Dancing

Sometime in 1940 a group of McIntosh County, Oklahoman folks got together to do-si-do and swing their partners. They sweated through their beautifully simple, hand-sewn cotton shirts and dresses, and dampened the brown butcher paper tacked to the walls of the room for insulation. Their orchestra was a two-person band, just a guitar and a fiddle. Their faces were glistening with sweat and they were having a devil-may-care kind of a time. Here, look at them:

Amazing, right? So simply gorgeous. If all of your worldly possessions disappeared tomorrow, you could still get together with a group of people and dance until the world felt frantically full and rhythmically joyous for at least a few hours. Keep that in mind when the fear of $ comes a'calling.

I highly recommend exploring The Commons. There are gems there.

Dance, Dance. Don't Die.

Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer '04 show is one of my favorite fashion shows of all time. It blew my mind. It was an all fronts tribute to Sydney Pollack's 1969 film They Shoot Horses, Don't They. The models danced and danced and danced just like the down on their luck, dance marathon competitors in the film who are competing for a healthy prize pot in the middle of the Depression. They dance to exhaustion. Chaos and commentary on our modern lives ensue in the film and are aptly revisited in the fashion show. Everything about the show is amazing. Here is everything you need to know about the amazingness that was:

Here is the trailer of the original film:


Here is part one of the fashion show. The sound has been removed by the YouTubers, but just watching is more than good enough:


Part two is sufficiently sounded with amazing music from Billie Holiday and Portishead:


And here's a little behind the scenes action:


There. Enjoy.

Proud Tina Keep On Burning

I love this video. This is actually a favorite dance routine of mine to bust out at parties. There's never a dull moment with this one under your belt.

How hot do Tina and her dancers look? You know what? She still looks that good.

Just Dance

Robert Longo's Men In The Cities series is one of my favorites in all of contemporary art. The drawings are full of movement and utterly still all at once. I can so hear the skirts swishing around and the ties flapping away every time I look at a piece. Even though I know they are supposed to have this dark edge of pending doom and widespread '80s anxiety, they just make me want a dress I can dance in and a guy in a suit with some crazy moves to be my partner.

So good.

You can see all of these images as well as Robert Longo's other work at his official site, RobertLongo.com. Also, click any image above for further details.

Get on Down!

This is Ida Maria.

I like her just as much as this little girl does:

She'll be in Brooklyn at Union Hall on January 16th. Here's a couple more tastes of her goodness:


That's why she rocks, this is why she rolls with me in my iPod:

Shake It.

MIA knows how to make some good getting dressed music to shake your booty to. Her work on the new Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack is perfect pre-party dance stuff.

Just don't blame me if you wind up in animal print and fluorescent makeup. It's just that kind of music.

Hot Coco

Model du jour Coco Rocha's rapid fire facial expressions in this Jeremy Kost video for New York Magazine prove that she was born to pose.

Impressive, no? Just for the record, Coco is also a world class Irish Dancer. She's got moves and she's not afraid to use them.

That's her jigging down Jean Paul Gaultier's Fall/Winter '07 runway. And, here's Miss Rocha pre-fab doing the real deal at a competition.

Fancy foot work, Coco.

Dress Rehearsal

When I was a wee fashionista I took dance lessons largely because it was the only place my mom would let me wear leotards and legwarmers. I loved those things, man. So, I have always had a bit of a fascination with clothes that remind me of plies and tap routines. Jean Paul Gaultier's SS 09 collection is equally dance happy. From obviously body conscious and costume inspired dresses like those above, to the more subtle touches pictured below, Gaultier choreographed a show that would have made Martha Graham proud.

So go ahead; add a stretchy, sparkling body suit to your look and let the straps show. Or, wrap some silk ribbons around your sleek ankles in homage to satin toe shoes. But, pretty please leave the actual leotards in the closet. Do not be sporting them in public unless you are still a wee fashionsita or your performance with the American Ballet Theater starts in five minutes.

This is a look best left to the professionals. And models. Or, hell...you if you really, really want to. Whatever, go crazy kids!

Images: Alessandro Lucioni for Style.com

The Art of Rodarte

The Mulleavey Sisters are the detail delirious duo behind the ultra-couture line Rodarte. I've always loved them for their undeniable talent and their humble passion for the artistry of clothing construction. They keep the frills on their dresses and themselves firmly down to earth. The behind the seams article and accompanying images in this weekend's Times sheds a bit more light on them and their beautiful vision. Autumn de Wilde's backstage photos bring to mind Degas's tiny dancers in the wings.