The Malaysian Insider :: Features
The Malaysian Insider :: Features |
| US burlesque takes off as dancers take it – almost – all off Posted: 16 May 2014 12:32 AM PDT By day, Amanda is an accountant. But some nights she assumes her saucy alter-ego, gets on stage and strips off her clothes, as part of the growing US burlesque movement. It's an art, performers say that lies at the intersection between intellect and flesh. "Getting naked in front of people has given me the confidence that I never had," said Amanda, 28, before going on stage at the Black Cat, a concert hall in Washington that sometimes hosts burlesque shows. "My family is absolutely not ok with it," quipped the young performer. "My parents are very staunch Republicans, they're very close-minded people," she said. On stage Amanda is light years away from the southern town where she lives. As "Ellie Quinn" she arrives on stage squeezed into a dress that highlights her voluptuous curves and wearing a stylized blond wig. But her performance aims at more than just a saucy striptease. As "Ellie Quinn" strips defiantly against a backdrop of bad music, a message written across her back is revealed. "One size doesn't fit all," it says. Throwing her wig on the ground, she again becomes Amanda, a woman who wears glasses – and – according to her back – is fundamentally opposed to the beauty standards imposed by fashion magazines. Performance over, Ellie Quinn doesn't leave the stage totally naked. In burlesque, artists cover their nipples with tassels and leave their thong underwear on. And many performers are performing only as a side hobby, not as a day job. "We have this joke where, unlike a burlesque artist, a stripper actually makes enough money to pay the rent," said Danielle who goes by the stage name "Gigi Halliday". 'It's art!' The cabaret aspect of burlesque is first and foremost, performers and producers said, arguing that total nudity is not the objective. Since it began, burlesque was intended as "a parody: it was telling a story, it was the theatrical part of strip tease. And that's what it still is," said Melina Afzal, who produces burlesque shows in Washington. Humour and provocation are critical aspects, she said. "People are not comfortable with nudity in America, but they are intrigued. They want to see it, but they don't really know what to do with it. For us it's very empowering," said Asha, known as "Cherokee Rose". Hiding behind feathers as she undresses on stage, the young woman's act is reminiscent of Josephine Baker, the dancer-singer-actress who became a star in for her erotic dancing in 1920s Paris. Burlesque had its heyday at the beginning of the 20th century, survived Prohibition, and went out of fashion in the 1960s. Its strong renaissance a dozen or so years ago was spurred by the movies "Moulin Rouge" in 2001 and "Burlesque" in 2010 starring Cher and Christina Aguilera. In Washington, alone, more than a half dozen venues offer burlesque shows. "We are running into saturation problems at least on the East Coast – too many shows, too many producers," said Afzal. Its popularity is owed without a doubt to its "safe and sexy" air, she says. "It's non-judgmental." At the Black Cat, the audience is all smiles and appreciative whistles as soon as a bra hits the floor. But Clark, a forty-something who came with his companion Sheryl, said he wasn't only there to see dancers take off their clothes. "I am Canadian, so I know Americans don't strip off" all their clothes, he joked. "It's art! Yes, it's artistic" Sheryl said with a laugh. – AFP, May 16, 2014. |
| Toughest questions Harvard Business School asks its applicants Posted: 15 May 2014 08:58 PM PDT While technology helps the officials to interview candidates at off campus locations, on campus interviews are conducted in the project rooms on the second floor of Spangler Hall. The questions are usually in a rapid fire mode and the interviewer in a nonchalant mood for his primary concern is to extract answers to maximum number of questions in these 30 minutes. The questions range from the mundane – Why do you want to do an MBA? Why Harvard? What are your strengths and weaknesses to the usual ones asking a candidate to talk about their undergraduate experience and leadership abilities till the exciting and the unpredictable ones come. These questions come as a surprise designed with the objective of narrowing down 2000 interviewees to about 1100 candidates for a total of 941 seats for the 2015 session. Let us look at the 10 most unexpected questions along with tips for answering the same. The questions have been chosen from the 96 questions identified by The Harbus, MBA student newspaper. Remember, irrespective of the nature of question, your ability to communicate and articulate your ideas are a priority. Explain to me something you're working on as if I were an eight-year-old? The ability to communicate complex information to a layman using simple language is an important skill and this question is directed towards the same. You will discuss the concept just as you would discuss something with your great grandmother. Take care not to breathe down the interviewer's neck. Make it interesting. Describe something that you should start doing, do more of, and do less of? It's time to be self-aware and perform self-evaluation. The idea is to identify a person who is reflective and can clearly identify what drives him or her. What's the one thing you'll never be as good at as others? A seemingly simple, but tricky question. Take care not to sound unaware about yourself by saying 'nothing'. Be honest and do not try to cook stories. Just say what you are lacking in. What are the two best pieces of advice you have been given, and why? Wondering what is the aim behind this question? Once again, something very simple to understand the influences on your personality and the reasons behind it. Pick instances from two different aspects of your life – business, academic, personal or extracurricular. Talk about growth and augmentation, how you have incorporated it in your life and what has the impact been. What do you want to be remembered as? The question is an effort to understand your larger goals in life and how well you communicate the same. Remember to be honest and genuine. Let your passion towards your larger goal be reflected. What is your definition of a leader? How do you fit that definition? Start with a clear idea in your mind. If you perceive yourself as a leader, it is only then that others will. The question has a simple aim to understand how you perceive leadership. This would require articulating important dimensions of leadership and drawing a connection between these and your personal traits. How do you make big decisions? Take a deep breath. The idea behind this question is to understand your thinking and decision making process. Incorporate an example, a story to showcase a logical thought process. Do not hesitate to mention that you use a paper and pen, a spreadsheet or consult a mentor. Do not be afraid to talk about gut, intuition, instinct and heart. How would your parents describe you when you were twelve? This question should bring a smile on your face. Remember no one expects you to be perfect so 'no facades'. Use this question as an opportunity to reflect on self awareness. You could start by talking about a weakness and then moving on to discuss how you worked to improve on it. What is one thing I'd never have guessed about you, even after reading your application? This is an opportunity to talk well beyond what you have mentioned in your application. Say something that makes you sound as valuable and interesting to have at the school. You could talk about your interests, a talent or an accomplishment. Talk about things beyond your application. What is the one thing you would like me to remember about you? The question can come in many forms. This is an opportunity to sum up yourself and why you should be at the school. Your confidence and excitement should clearly reflect while answering this. – May 16, 2014. * This article is courtesy of easyuni. |
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