My very recent bike injury...

So I was riding my bike in the neighbourhood earlier this evening and there was no traffic, so everything seemed fine. But I stupidly rode too close to the sidewalk, which was raised a few inches above the road. Then, my front wheel hit the sidewalk and I fell off. The minor scrapes and bruises are the least of my worries. You see, I fell in a way that I ended up face-planting on the sidewalk, at an angle that spared everything from the nose up from injury (thank God for that), but my lip and teeth are in bad shape. A nice man in the house I fell in front of got me some kleenex because my mouth was bleeding pretty badly and called my mother for me, but since one of my teeth had fallen out completely (which caused the bleeding), all I kept thinking was "Astrid has a fake tooth and you can't even tell, the only reason I knew is because she told me..."

Anyway, my mother came to pick me up and called the dentist. I cleaned off what I could, but I also got a small gash above my lip. When I saw it, I kept thinking "Sectumsempra, a spell can fix that... Snape healed Draco's wounds completely..." (yes, I'm a Harry Potter nut. If only the HP world existed... the spell to heal sectumsempra would have fixed that) We went to the clinic and the dentist was able to put the tooth back in and give me a stitch to fix the gash (Dear Lord, don't let it scar...). Now I have a 50/50 chance that the tooth will stay in place (if it doesn't, I might need a bridge or implant) and the 3 other teeth that got chipped can probably get caps or whatever. Thank God I have a good dentist... So since I can't talk properly, my upper front teeth/gums are sore (bottom teeth and top molars were not affected at all) and I can't use my right arm much either (probably sprained, I'm going to the doctor's tomorrow to have it checked out), I'll have to call in sick at work tomorrow. I'm able to type (though my elbow hurts if I make any sudden movements) but I can't straighten my arm or push/pull anything because it's sore.

Anyone else have any injuries like that? I feel like the biggest idiot for having biked too close to the sidewalk/curb. Feel free to share your stories...

On a happier note, happy birthday Harry Potter!

My weekly SYTYCD review

Another one of my weekly SYTYCD reviews! Let me just say that the show is not the same without Dmitry. Whether he was swivelling around and ripping his shirt off, or gliding across the stage elegantly, he was the contestant with the most magnetism, and definitely the most masculine of all the guys. None of them could compare. But now that he's gone, I'll be rooting for either Travis or Benji. Anyway, on to my review on the dances:

Donyelle/Travis (hip-hop and quickstep) - I wasn't really into the hip-hop. Though it looked fun, it was a little spasmatic at times and I agree that the masks took away from the performance. The quickstep was better, but dragged at times. Normally, they're amazing dancers, but this week they got stuck with dances that don't really showcase their talents.

Natalie/Ryan (disco and contemporary) - The disco dance was better than the one she did with Musa in that it relied more on dancing than on tricks. But I preferred the contemporary. Ryan is an amazing contemporary dancer and even if Natalie fell out of her turn, I don't really blame her since she still has that knee injury.

Allison/Ivan (Argentine tango and hip-hop) - I LOVED the Argentine tango. It was even better than the first one they did (real tango music instead of just some fusion stuff) and once again, little Ivan became a man. Those two have great chemistry and are awesome when dancing together. The hip-hop was good too - Ivan danced this one better than his own solos! Both Ivan and Allison are versatile and these performances showed it.

Heidi/Benji (Broadway and Mambo) - The Broadway routine was fun - Heidi got to be fun and perky and Benji was his dorky self. As for the mambo - PERFORMANCE OF THE NIGHT! It was amazing, they danced great together, and it was the perfect piece to close the show. They have years' experience dancing together outside the show, and it was great to see them dance together on the show. And the comment Nigel made about him wearing Dmitry's old shirts was hilarious!

Then last night, Allison and Natalie were the bottom 2 girls, while Ryan and Travis were the bottom guys. Allison and Ryan got voted out. I wasn't surprised about Ryan - though his technique is amazing, he doesn't have as much stage presence as Travis. As for Allison, I was surprised considering how popular she is, but I like Natalie better as a dancer. Natalie is more mature and is doing great even with that injury.

Anyway tune in next week for the review on another Dmitry-less week (argh... why oh WHY did people vote for Ryan over him?!) and the last 3 couples.

Happy birthday to me!

It's my birthday today! I'm 24 and feel old... even if Carlo says my life is just starting! Frig, when I turned 21, I felt that I was in my prime, and after my 22th birthday, I've felt that it was all downhill from there. Well, at least I still look young - no wrinkles or gray hair yet! Hehehe...

Another So You Think You Can Dance review! Last night, the couples were broken up and re-arranged, and each new one had to do 2 dances, plus each person had to do a solo. Here are my thoughts:

Ivan/Martha - LOVED the hip-hop. The spy theme was awesome and they both played their parts well. I loved the waltz too, but I found that Ivan was better than Martha in that one. Once again, this dance showed that little Ivan has grown up, and he was quite mature-looking despite the baby face. Martha looked great, but didn't dance as well as I expected - I especially noticed that her developpe was a little off.

Travis/Heidi - The pasodoble was cool, though this is the third time we've heard that song (Dmitry and Jaymz both did solos to it) so it was a little old. Quite dramatic, but I found that the solos to it were more intense. I much prefered the contemporary dance - the music was awesome, and the dancing was amazing. Travis is a showstopper when he dances this style (love the leaps and turns) and it was great to see Heidi soften up her image and dancing for this piece. The whole thing was very moving. I actually started to cry at the end because they portrayed the theme so well - it was about unrequited love and it reminded me of my own passion, only to be turned away. Heidi was like me, longing for... him, and Travis was him turning away and attempting to comfort me about it, but still breaking my heart and leaving me to cry alone.

Ryan/Allison - I loved the contemporary dance - the choreography was intense and I hope my body can move like that after I get back into dance class this fall! They totally nailed it. I wasn't really into the broadway one though - cute, but the costumes were tacky and I didn't really feel it.

Dmitry/Donyelle - The lindy hop was fun, though a bit messy at times. For the samba, I would have prefered real samba music, but I LOVED the dance. Though I can't comment too much on Donyelle because my eyes were on Dmitry the whole time! Frig, he's hot. Plus, this was his element and it showed - totally amazing and he has such stage presence and magnetism! Though the times when I did look at Donyelle, it was obvious that she was having fun and enjoying the dance.

Benji/Natalie - The jazz dance was good. Both had good technique and I enjoyed it. The hip-hop was ok, but not my favorite. It was kinda weird to see "the Greek and the geek" doing something out of their element and though they managed to pull it off, it wasn't really outstanding.

As for the solos, I'll start with the ones that didn't stand out. Martha's was kinda cheesy and not as good as her last one. Allison wasn't that impressive either and I agree with the judges on the fake smile she had. Ryan was good, but didn't stand out. Donyelle did great, but I find her more impressive out of her element. Same for Ivan, though he wasn't that great - I agree with the judges when they said it was like a gimmick. When he's doing hip-hop, he's like a little boy but he's more impressive and manly in ballroom. Heidi was good, much better that when she did that Tina Turner dance, but not really a showstopper.

Now for the ones I liked - Travis is awesome in his element and has great technique. It was good to see Natalie doing something more emotional and stop relying on sex appeal. That solo and the contemporary dance with Musa weeks ago were the best performances she's given. Benji has great technique and personality, and really enjoys dance - all that was obvious in his solo. As for Dmitry, I have one phrase to describe him - WHOOO TAKE YER SHIRT OFF!!!! Frig, when he ripped his shirt open at the end, RAWR!!!!!!! *cat claws* But even aside from that, he was a showstopper once again - the fancy footwork was amazing, and he had great stage presence.


As for tonight's show, I wasn't surprised when Martha was voted out from the girls. I figured she'd be in the danger zone because of the judges' comments. As for the guys, when the incomparable Dmitry was voted out, I was like NOOOOOOOO!!!!! Ryan or Ivan should have gone! Dmitry is the best!

And I've gotta comment on his dancing tonight - when he re-did his solo, he didn't tear his shirt open like last night, and I was like "ARGH!" But it was cute how he was wagging his finger and had that grin on his face, like he was thinking "Naughty naughty!" But when he danced again after getting voted out, he did tear it open (and take it off!). Whoo yeah! Of all the guys this season, he is the best-looking, most manly (hehehe... the other guys had to go to him to learn to dance masculine!), and most elegant. When he danced the waltz, he was just gorgeous and so graceful yet strong at the same time - a real man. And the latin dances and solos? Hot hot hot! I've gotta say it again - REAL MEN DANCE!


Anyway, enough about the show...

The going-away party for Andrew was fun - lots of good food and good times. Beach volleyball, swimming, music, campfire, and another attempt to educate Andrew about the manliness of male dancers, hehehe... The ghost stories were freaky, and Kurtiss was actually afraid to sleep outside in the tent after he heard Malcolm's stories! Well, there's another party going on this weekend - my birthday party! Whoo! Hopefully, lots of my friends will be able to come.

I got my registration forms for dance classes this fall. In ballet, I'm moving up from Teen Ballet Technique to Intermediate II (which is 2 classes a week). In Modern, I'm going from Intermediate II to Senior I. And in Jazz, I'm in Intermediate 4 (one level away from senior jazz). I'm also taking tap and musical theatre. I'm also hoping to take classes with Island Dance Academy too, since I hear that studio focuses more on technique (which I feel I need). Plus, the more ballet classes I take, the closer I get to starting pointe (which is one of my biggest dance goals).

Plus, when I go to Spain next year, the program I want to take is an intensive Flamenco dance course. Two hours of flamenco per day, 5 days a week, plus private classes if I choose. I fell in love with Flamenco when I took a Sevillanas class on my last trip to Spain, and I just have to keep on with it.

Anyway, it's getting late... I should go to bed.

Another So You Think You Can Dance review...

Another So You Think You Can Dance review for this week!

Natalie/Musa (hip-hop) - Nice to see Musa in his element and he did well. Natalie was good too, and they played their parts well as the pursuer and the tease. They obviously have good chemistry and if it weren't for the fact that Musa is married, I would have thought there was something goin' on between them.

Heidi/Ryan (cha-cha) - Aside from the fact that the music was bad (frig, get some real cha-cha music!), they did well too. Heidi was awesome and was obviously having fun, and Ryan pulled it off quite well considering he's never done this style. They also have great stage presence.

Allison/Ivan (contemporary) - This one was awesome. Ivan has never done contemporary, but you couldn't tell because he totally NAILED it! Both had good technique and were very expressive, and Ivan has grown a lot over the show.

Ashlee/Dmitry (pop) - I liked it, but didn't love it. Ashlee had great stage presence, but Dmitry didn't really seem into this dance. It's not his element, and I prefer him when he's dancing with elegant masculinity. Plus, he looked kinda weird with the eyeliner. But I still thought the dance was cool and they work well together as partners.

Martha/Travis (foxtrot) - Loved it! Seems that this week, Travis was the one channeling his inner Dmitry! The dance was elegant and flowy, and I loved the music. They danced well together and this is probably the best I've seen from them so far.

Donyelle/Benji (broadway) - This was fun and energetic. Benji was just being himself - dorky, but in a good way. They were obviously having fun with this dance and letting their geeky selves come out. They have always danced well together, and though I prefered last week's viennese waltz, this broadway number definitely rocked.

In last week's result show, I loved Jessica's pointe solo - reminds me of Jody from Center Stage. Jaymz did great in his pasodoble solo, though it was obvious to everyone that he was trying to pull a Dmitry (he even used the same song that Dmitry used for his paso solo weeks ago!). Heidi's solo wasn't that great - too frantic and she was trying too hard, and Allison's wasn't that impressive either. Ryan's was forgettable too, though he's talented, and I find that Ivan is actually more impressive when he's OUT of his element.

This week's result show is tonight. If Dmitry ends up in the bottom 3, I hope he does another hot solo like last time, whoooo! The judges love him, so he has a good chance of staying. If Musa ends up in the bottom 3, he has a good chance of getting booted, since the judges always comment on his lack of technique. As for the girls, I don't know, but I'd say Donyelle and Allison will probably stay since the judges love them.

Another dance post...

Time for another So You Think You Can Dance review! This week, they showed some audition footage, which meant that the actual show didn't start till a half hour later. Grrr... show the auditions on the audition episodes! This is a dance show, and if they're that desperate for filler, get more guest dancers! The krumping group was cool, but not my cup of tea. On another episode, they got Ryan from last year's dance crew to perform, maybe they should get more of last year's contestants to do stuff on the show. Maybe get Snow and Artem to do a ballroom dance since so many people wanted to see them dance together last year. But enough with audition footage already! Anyway, on to the dances:

Ryan and Heidi (hip-hop) - They rocked! Heidi is the perfect "funky little white girl" and the dance was awesome. They got so into it, and did way better than I ever expected. Love it, love it, LOVE IT!

Travis and Martha (salsa) - Good, but not the best. The partnering tricks looked a little awkward and Martha looks like a younger skinny Oprah. But I think they pulled it off well enough.

Dmitry and Ashlee (contemporary) - They're so mismatched (he's THE definition of elegant masculinity, and she's funky and unconventional) but it worked great for the dance. They both pulled off a dance style that neither had ever done, and it turned out to be entertaining and fun. Ashlee the doll was like a funkified Coppelia and Dmitry the magician was like a younger sexier Dr. Coppelius. The whole thing was THE definition of "thinking outside the box" - the mismatched couple, the choreography, the music, and it rocked.

Musa and Natalie (disco) - They definitely have good chemistry going, and it's so obvious she has a thing for him (unfortunately for her, he's already married...). I loved the start of the dance, and the tricks were amazing, but I found the choreography relied too much on tricks and not enough on dancing. Plus, it seems they were off-beat a few times, but it was better than last week's quickstep.

Benji and Donyelle (Viennese waltz) - One part of the rehearsal footage was priceless. The part where Benji is described as too boyish and told to channel Dmitry. Then, a clip of Dmitry teaching Benji (with his shirt unbuttoned, trying to look manly like Dmitry) how to shake his bon-bon! I laughed my head off! Benji is a fun guy with a great personality, but there is no way that he can compare to Dmitry when it comes to elegant masculinity. Except when he dances! The dance was awesome and again, Benji and Donyelle worked great together. He was manly enough to pull it off during the dance, and the choreography was beautiful. It worked great with the song, but I would have preferred a real Viennese waltz. During the rehearsal footage, "Voices of Spring" was playing in the background and I was thinking "they're gonna dance to a Strauss waltz?! Yay!" (I LOVE Strauss Jr.'s waltzes - there's a reason why they call him the king of waltzes!) and I was disappointed at first when I heard a pop ballad instead. But in the end I was very impressed.

Ivan and Allison (west coast swing) - I wasn't really into this one. When I think "swing", I think "big band", "jazz standards", "jive kings"... and this didn't come close. The dancing was good but I wasn't into the costumes (I wanted to see some 1940s style clothes) or the music (frig, get some real swing music like something from the Jive Kings repertoire?). It was fun, but didn't impress me much.

Jaymz and Jessica (hip-hop) - Loved it. They were in sync, did great despite not having experience in this style (Jessica is a ballerina - ballet is pretty much the opposite of hip-hop), and their dance was fun and funky. The costumes were cute and they totally looked the part of two kids playing around.

Hard to say who's going to be in the bottom 3 this week. I don't want Dmitry to get booted, but when he's in the bottom 3, he always does a hot solo so at least that's one upside of him ending up in the bottom 3! Last week, his solo was so friggin' hot and sexy - shirt open, swivelling his hips and doing that fancy footwork, RAWR! Again I've gotta say: REAL MEN DANCE!

I watched "Shall we Dance" (the movie with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez) and I loved it. The dancing was great, Stanley Tucci was hilarious, and the ending was perfect.

I found a funny dance video! Rudolf Nureyev and Miss Piggy star in Swine Lake Gotta love the Muppets!


Anyway, in other news, Sara-Sour's Canada Day party rocked. We had a barbecue at her place and a soccer game. I didn't play, I'm not a jock and I usually get injured even if I just play for fun. Then, we all went to the bridge for the fireworks and it seemed like perfect timing that the rain didn't start till the fireworks were over! The next night, I went to the Festival of Lights, but I didn't enjoy it that much. The weather was bad, I'm not really a rock fan so I wasn't really into the bands, and even though I enjoyed talking to people I know that I saw at the show, I got really tired and went home soon after the third band went onstage. Then, I found that I had more fun in my basement, watching Shall We Dance and swivelling around to Latin music. The right music can lift my mood up wonderfully, and dancing is the perfect way to beat boredom and fatigue (yes, dancing can make me tired, but it's a good kind of tired).

One of the study programs that I'm seriously considering for when I go to Spain next year would be an intensive flamenco dance course - 2 hours of flamenco dance daily, plus private lessons if I choose. That would be so perfect for me...