Call ME a whore, willya, you creep? I don't need this. I don't need your patronizing glare and your protective arm and your ultimatums. If I wanna go watch the show I can damn well do it without your jealous ass peering over my shoulder. Where's the alley?

Hmm. Who's that guy down at the bottom of the stairs? Is his hair... green? I wonder what Stevie will think of him. He's such a picky guy, lettin' people in or not based on if they smell good. Old jerk smells like day-old bacon, he don't need to be judging anyone. Hey, he's letting him in. Why's this guy getting in if he looks like he slept under the bridge?

Wait a second. That's the guy I saw reading some sort of poem outside the bagel shop last Wednesday. Is he gonna perform here? C'mon Stevie, let me in. I brought your usual, cranberry muffins with a nice bottle of Scotch. You gotta let me in. I got my fake with me. See? It says I'm 26 instead of 16 and a pro did it who's got an in with the cops so you don't have to worry if the place gets rolled. Please?

Whew. Wonder why he's so pissy? Maybe he doesn't like new people. Hasn't been anyone new here for two years, I think. Now, where are you, pretty green-haired poet guy? God, whoever you are get your hand off my behind. I'm in a committed relationship and I don't need anyone man-handling me like that. Nope, you're not gonna get me either. Where did he go... aha. Next to the stage. Chairy Bomb again? Just get some therapy and shut the hell up about your dad. And get a new shirt, honey.

Wow. Lookit those eyes. So... dark. Eyes you can swim in if you wanted to... and I think I do so want. It's not like the creepoid is gonna find out, he's not comin' tonight. I think I deserve a little break, yeah. Besides, he thinks I'm a whore? Might as well give him what he wants to believe. Maybe he'll do me a favor and cut me loose finally.

He tiptoes down the alley's darkened stairs and knocks delicately on the door. A small window slides open. Steely green eyes glare at him through unwashed lenses.

"You the new act?"

Yes, he whispers, and the window slams shut. Creaking with rust and boozy age the door opens to reveal a stocky fellow with Vulcan eyebrows and a shock of white hair styled carefully into the remnants of a pompadour. His suit reeks of sweat, of stale cologne and desperation.

--gray suit and smelly skin... what sort of place is this I'm in? I do not quite want to begin, but a good show I must give.--

"What did you say?"

Oh, nothing, nothing. Thank you.

He steps into the gloom and smoke, walks past the good-time girls in their tight dresses and the bad boys in their stringy suits. On the stage a young woman is writhing in an overstuffed armchair, tearing pieces out of her shirt while crying about her father. She doesn't skip a wail when the door slams shut and shakes another year's layer of dust onto the raptly-bored audience.

--candles here and liquor there, child crying in her chair, something falling in my hair, but a good show I must give.--

"Who the hell are you talking to, sugar?"

She's young, this strange creature who has placed herself at his side. Young and listless. If it weren't for her breathing she'd be just another doll on the shelf. Red lips, blue eyes, talons of a dragon on her tiny hands. A good strong breeze would knock her right off her stilettos and out of her dress. He's nervous now, can't look at her for fear of being lost in her affected femininity. She knows he's nervous. She smiles a wolfish smile.

In Which Sitka has published a best-selling book and has to make the media rounds, and doesn't really understand what she's supposed to do. Nor does she want to.


"So, Miss... Sitka, is it? Miss Sitka, how are you today?"

Really, this stuff is understandable considering "How To Be HAPPPEEEE!" is selling like crazy, but goodness this chair is uncomfortable!

"Now, we understand that you came up with the book while you were sitting in a... mushroom circle? Tell us a little bit about your process."

Pro-cess? What is that? I just talk to deer and ask what they enjoy. I dunno what that has to do with pros or cesses or anything. I like other deer and they like me and then I asked a squirrel to write it all down. Then I had to have a frog translate it cuz I don't speak squirrel.

"What is this about your singing career? Are you planning on releasing a CD anytime soon?"

CD! I understand that! A-B-C-D-E-F... why is he looking at me like that? He's grumpy. I don't think he's read my book.

"I haven't read your book..."

AHA!

"...but people are hailing you as the next spiritual leader of the twenty-first century because of the simplicity of your steps to happiness and self-actualization."

Wha?

"How do you feel about being considered alongside such great leaders as the Dalai Lama?"

Dunno, but a llama doll sure sounds fun! I'm gonna go get one. Love love love.

"Miss Sitka, the interview isn't over. Where are you going? Oh, don't paw the floor and jump around like that, you'll ruin the carpet. Help! Security!"

Yeah, so I'm off the Scrubs-style blog titles. Meh.

ANYWAY! Let's get all random and brainstormy. (gawd, Ben Bailey is lovely. I like coffee. What?)

We have decided that we will give a percentage of the proceeds from TEF Ballet to the Blessing Basket Project, and a percentage to Project Greenleaf. (amount pending)
Mum is eyeballing a very cool amphitheater for the performance--since we can't do site-specific we're going to try to get the next best thing.

I'd like to ask everyone who has shops/thingies they make to sell if they would be interested in providing items to sell for fundraising purposes. We still haven't worked out the details of how you would be compensated, but we would like to know if there is any interest. Thank you!

If anyone wants to design a standard adult pelt costume and a Dancing Mushroom costume, go for it! We need more costume ideas!

Here's where the brainstorming comes in... what set would you like to see in the Ballet? Something that exists already, or your own creation? Let the ideas and the drawings fly... the more we have, the more Foresty the Ballet will be.

Random: Who wants to have a Fawn Fest on September 15th in honor of Sablekat's TEF Equality Day?

And now, a kitty.

Bow+head tilt--Hello, who are you/have we met?
Paw ground+nod--Nice to meet you!
Rear+nod--Let's do something fun!
Bow after getting Magicked--Thank you.
Nod after getting Magicked--I like this pelt/antlers/mask.
Nod after giving Magick--That looks good on you.
Sniff+nod--I like you.
Head shake if another deer looks scared--No no, I'm not mean.
Head tilt--Do what now?
Slow walk+hop--In a silly mood

Yeah, she's not got too much to say.

Am thinking about having a student choreography show to raise our seed money. Any requests from the Forest Dwellers?

AND! Not naming names just yet, but our first contact for music for the Ballet has gotten back to me, and he's interested. Hmm. Fingers crossed!

In the meantime, check this stuff out.

http://www.alandamy.com/index.html More artists of interest.

We took our students to the Smokies a few weeks ago and found the soundtrack to this:
http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/news/20080714_nationalparks.html
The music is incredible. Ken Burns always gets good musicians on his documentaries. "Baseball" has a fantastic soundtrack.

The Masquerade design has a LOT of interest at the studio. Responses range from "Wow" to "Oooh" to "Does she do this professionally?" to "I WANT THOSE MASKS!"

so much to do...

Human Status: Back into things she's been neglecting. Quite happy to have the wedding done, looking forward to the new year.

Fahnette status: Yay!

Fahnette~-~-~
She LOVES to dance (as does her human) and especially enjoys spinning. Interpretive dancing with Fahnette consists of walking around backward and forward in slow circles around her dance partner until they both get giddy and giggly.

She tends to be a bit of a butterfly when it comes to who she spends time with in the Forest, but once she forms a bond with someone it will last forever and a day.

She's become more comfortable with bigger groups, perhaps because she's gotten more comfortable with herself.

She doesn't move fast and gets lost easily when she's trying to follow someone who is making a run for it. BUT! She has learned how to hop in a circle and has a really good time!

Fahnette has found her lifemate. He's on a different plane than the Forest, but he knows it's a place that makes her happy so he's very encouraging of her spending time there.

she speaks in italics, so if you see this in a post you know she's around.

Family: Wed her soulmate on October 10th in a lovely little ceremony at Borders Bookstore.

Current Forest music: Sting, "If On A Winter's Night" (full album, it's incredible)
Best Forest moment thus far: Interpretive Dancing with 21 at the Ruins.
Favorite Forest place: Runs around and flops anywhere. Has developed a new habit of sleeping under trees.

My first fanart! Thanks and much love love love to Crimsongale!

Ballet Update!

Confirmed Stories: Many of these were inspired by screenshots, a few by contributors, and all of them are very special. Names are of deer or humans who gave us the idea either directly or indirectly. Thank you!!

Fawn's First Day--in which a newly-wakened fawn gets used to life in the forest (terabetha and Kassy)
Antlers!--in which a deer turns one-month, gets her antlers, and runs around acting a fool trying to get other deer to put stuff on her head
Nature Walk--in which a line forms (I believe Quammy Express is the correct term, yesyes? must remember to ask Q's human) and about fifteen deer stroll around looking at pretty things (Roucaud and Quamar)
Forest Games--in which a cranky stag is convinced to join the fun at the playground (Mr. Red)
By The Pond--in which a shy young deer finds a group of friends near the Crying Idol (JesusFreak3 and Chantico)
My Deerest--in which there is a deer Masquerade, and a stag and doe find each other (anonymous--but we need a deer couple!)
In The Hands of The Twin Gods--in which a doe finds comfort from her cares by dancing with the Two (Lun)

Costumes: Fawn Pelt (Kassy), Ephra Pelt, Masquerade Pelts (Ephra and Lie), Kirin Pelt (Terabetha)

A few of you were kind enough to donate your deer's names and character bios so we could find the stories in the Ballet.

We've got some great stuff so far! Thank you to all who have contributed, and to anyone who wants to throw something in, please do. This Ballet is for all of you...
http://tefballet.wordpress.com/

that in all the flurry of costume designs and story ideas, I forgot to ask for one thing.

A nice, basic pelt design. No sets, no cantlers, just straightforward and simple.

I'm such a dork. *runs around in circles*

If anyone has a nice basic pelt, we'd love to see it!
Thanks so much and love to all!

to INVADE!

After telling them about The Endless Forest Ballet, Mum and I were bombarded with questions.

"What's the game about?" Being in the forest, experiencing life, creating art.

"Are we going to do this by ourselves?" We are asking all the Forest Dwellers to contribute, be it costumes, stories, settings, pictures. This was inspired by the art they create as part of TEF.

"Who's going to choreograph?" Me, Mum, Jen (my sister), and we are asking University dance groups to contribute pieces.

"So you just run around and play with people and you're a deer?" Yes. Just that. But more than that. More than everything.

"What will costumes look like?" Whatever the contributors come up with, they're all geniuses like that.

"Who came up with this game?" Two incredibly gifted people who hopefully know how much of a gift they are to the world.

And then we tell them they have to see it for themselves.
So far I've sent links to TEF to about ten of my students. Influx of new fawns pending.

Anyone who wishes to contribute--www.tefballet.wordpress.com/