Записи с меткой «dance»

La Merc? Festival Of Barcelona

Towards the end of September Barcelona begins to limber up for the largest event on its festival calendar, La Merc?, a celebration of the city’s patron saint «Mare de Deu de la Merc?». The festival heralds the end of summer and the onset of the autumn months. The festival is a real big deal for the people of Barcelona and the still temperate weather means that, in true Mediterranean fashion, must of the fun takes place outside. There’s a massive amount to do whilst the festival is on with events popping up all over the city and over 3000 artists and performers on display with over 500 activities to watch or take part in. The festival has a long and proud and first took place in 1902; today it’s a fantastic blend of tradition and innovation.

You’d really need to write a novel to keep on top of everything that goes on at La Merc? each year so, we’ll just have to settle for some highlights. We start with one of the oldest traditions; the human towers or «Castells» are a real must-see, sometimes as much as ten stories high they’re a fantastic display of teamwork, agility and balance.

A recurring theme throughout the festival is the celebration of fire and one of the most exhilarating experiences of La Merc? is the «Correfoc» (the «Fire Run») where costumed fire-breathing devils rampage around the streets in a colourful pyrotechnic display. Kids absolutely love this sort of thing and audience participation is a big part as the devils chase after those foolish enough to get in their way. Another favourite of the children is the «Dragons and Giants» procession which starts in the Plaza Real next to Las Ramblas.

Foodies and wine lovers shouldn’t feel left out either as there is no shortage of indulgence in those areas. Food and wine shows run throughout the festival showcasing local produce and allow you to try and buy the best that Catalonia has to offer.

Festivities aren’t just kept on the ground either, La Merc? also celebrates the sky with static hot air balloon flights, kite displays and other aerial exhibitions taking place throughout the festival on the city’s beaches. Other areas around the city to look out for are the Centro de Cultura Contemperanea de Barcelona where you can view street theatre, Moll de la Fusta which will be giving centre stage to numerous circus acts and Plaza St Rei where various dance troupes and performing artists will be vying for your attention. There’s also a museum open day where many of the city’s museums and galleries can be entered free of charge including the Picasso museum, the Museum of History of Catalonia, the Maritime Museum and many more.

The culmination of the festivities is called «Piromusica»l — the finale involves music and a huge fireworks display choreographed together for an amazing audio-visual experience. A big named music star is usually brought in to play the finale and 2005 saw local singer and composer Pep Sala having the honour of closing out La Merc?.

For tourists La Merc? offers a perfect opportunity to see Barcelona at its best — it’s a colourful, vibrant spectacle which offers something for all age groups and all tastes. It also offers visitors the perfect opportunity to see more of this wonderful city.

How to Be Your Authentic Self in Business

Copyright (c) 2009 Christine Kloser

I love being on the stage! As a child and young woman, I performed as a competitive figure skater, jazz dancer and competitive swing dancer. (I’ve got a collection of medals and awards to show for it.) However, since 1997 my time on stage has been in the form of sharing my message as a speaker and teacher. And, my «performance» has completely changed during that time.

You see, in order to authentically share my message in a way that would have an impact on my audience, I had to completely let go of my drive to «perform.» But, let me tell you, the «performance» drive was so ingrained in me it took a lot of «undoing» for me to release the expectations I had on myself (and any expectation I thought my audience was putting on me).

Honestly, I used to worry about every detail of my performance, as if there were still a panel of discerning judges waiting to critique my every move.

Ahhhh, but there WAS a panel of extremely critical judges in my OWN mind; until I learned how to be completely 100% authentic, transparent, honest and open when I am «on stage» and off! This authenticity completely eliminated my drive to «perform» and also got rid of the judges in my head while making a HUGE difference in the impact and connection I have with my audience.

So, what does it look like to give up your performance and step into your authenticity… in business?! Over the course of the next few weeks, I’ll share some examples from my own experiences in hopes these will give you a glimpse of how to be your authentic self in YOUR business.

Speak From Your Heart

In my desire to help more people and make a difference when I speak, I did a lot of research to discover the «style» in which to speak so I could make a lasting connection with my audience. I studied with a few mentors that were considered by many to be the «masters» in the field of speaking. These experts had their talks down to a science. Literally; every gesture, every joke, every inflection in their voice, every nod and smile were perfectly executed.

However, these types of presentations always felt sleazy and calculated to me; as if the speaker didn’t really care about the audience. Needless to say, I quickly dismissed what I learned from them and decided to find my own voice! And that’s the best way for you to share your authentic self, too.

Finding your own voice requires you to connect with yourself, connect with the love in your heart and the light you want to share with others. Yes, it’s important to have a few key points in mind to talk about, but what truly gets your audience on board (whether it’s 1 person or 1000 people) is how they FEEL when you’re talking. Here are some questions to think about from the perspective of your audience/your listener:

Do they feel that you truly care about them? Do you come across as authentic to them? Do they feel like you have their best interest in mind? Do you show up as the same person on stage as you do when you’re off stage? Are you aligned with your message? Do you feel «real» to them (rather than polished and perfect)?

These things are what truly matter to every person you talk to in your business. Take some time to contemplate these questions to best assess where you stand now in being authentic with your clients, prospects and audience members.

And, remember, when you forget about what you think you «should» be doing and focus on speaking from your heart, your authentic self shows up… every time!