A Short History of Ballet: From Old World to New World to AUSTIN, TEXAS (Part 2)

A celebrity recently got into trouble because he made a candid remark about ballet.  I see no reason to beat the guy up about it. It's his opinion. Hey! Everybody doesn't like ballet. Just like some folks don't like opera.

Don't get me started on opera. My roommate at university was an opera major. If it weren't for her, I might get into trouble for my comments about opera music. LOL. Thanks to her, I have a great appreciation for opera.

I like both ballet and opera; however, I'm on a limited income and can't afford to physically attend the programs. So I have to watch on YouTube or if the programs are aired on local television.

At any rate. This is a link to an article on my entertainment blog.

• A Short History of Ballet:  From Old World to New World.

The readers may consider this blog post as a “Part 2”.

• I'm glad ballet made it to America.
• Ballet is very popular in Austin, Texas, where I live.

BalletAustin: The Nutcracker

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A Salute to Ballet Austin

Ballet Austin is among the 15 largest classical ballet companies in the United States country. [balletaustin.org], [balletplaces.com] It has been part of Austin's culture since 1956. It grew from a local ballet society into a nationally recognized institution. Dancers have performed internationally in countries including France, Canada, Italy, and Slovenia.

In 2002, the company was invited and performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

• [SAD NOTE: It's 2026 and unfortunately POTUS Trump is upset because he can't have his name on the building, and people invited refuse the invitation and won't perform there. SO! NOW Trump wants to demolish the building! Yeah. It's real news. This isn't US politics. IT'S A TRAGEDY!!]

Ballet Austin focuses heavily on community outreach. They have an academy and offers classe for children as young as 15 months and serves hundreds of students each year. They also offer fitness, Pilates, hip-hop, hula, jazz, Broadway-style dance, and other movement classes for the public. Their mission ~ which they are proving is clearly NOT IMPOSSIBLE ~ emphasizes making dance accessible and engaging the wider community through education and wellness programs. Cool, huh?

Last, but not least, national critics love them.

• The Washington Post called Ballet Austin "one of the nation's best-kept ballet secrets."

By publishing this content, I'm doing my part to NOT keep it a secret!

Ballet Austin: Long Center – Ballet Austin’s Performance Home

P.S.  This just as thought. 🤔 If President Trump does DEMOLISH the Kennedy Center, perhaps those deemed worthy of being chosen as Kennedy Center Honorees could have the award presentation at the Long Center. It will still be the Kennedy Center Honors.  The people still deserve the honor.  The location will just be different because the place had to be changed due to HORRIFIC UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.  We the People probably never even imagined the destruction of the Kennedy Center unless it was an act of God.

• FUN FACT: The actual award presented to each honoree is a rainbow-colored medallion (or ribbon honors medallion), which has become one of the most recognizable symbols of the event. The gala itself is the centerpiece of the Honors weekend.

The Book is For All People

Believers and non-believers may argue and debate about the facts presented in the Book aka the Bible, but both groups agree that the scriptures are fascinating reading.

Believers and non-believers have argued and debated about the facts presented in the Book, aka the Bible, for thousands of years. Is it true or is it false? No consensus has ever been reached. But both groups agree that the scriptures are fascinating reading.

– The storyline is woven over 66 books, from Genesis to Revelation.
– There are descriptions of the lands or nations and their inhabitants with a view of what life was like during biblical times.

– The recording and reporting of significant historical events, though some choose to call them fanciful stories or legends.
– There are wise proverbs, profound parables, beautiful poetry, and song lyrics (nobody really knows what the music sounded like).

Almost every year, many make a New Year’s Resolution that they are going to read the entire Bible. They schedule daily readings and by the end of 365 days (366 during Leap Year), hope to have accomplished what they set out to do. How hard can it be?

* The times have truly changed, haven’t they?

There was once a time when the scriptures were a closely guarded “secret”. The common man was not allowed to view these words, let alone read them and try to comprehend their meaning. Self-appointed “keepers” who considered themselves a sort of “religious elite” decided that they were the only ones who should possess this knowledge, and they were the only ones capable of interpreting and teaching the “hidden meanings”. They refused to allow the Bible to be translated or read by ordinary folk.

Brave men, at great peril to their lives, dared not just to read the Word but to translate it into plain English. William Tyndale (1494–1536) was forced into exile and later burned to death as a heretic. But not before he translated the Bible into English. He was determined. There were others who, like Tyndale, were willing to risk it all.

These days, anybody could actually read the Bible in a year or even less than a year. In fact, people don’t even have to read anymore! Just listen. The Bible is available on cassette tapes, CD, DVD, audio files via the Internet, etc. FREE! Translations are in English and hundreds of other languages. Indeed, the Israel Museum partnered with Google and undertook the Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Project to make these ancient manuscripts available for up-close and personal examination by everyday people!

ADDITIONAL LINKS OF INTEREST:

“Digital Dead Sea Scrolls.” The Digital Dead Sea Scrolls, http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/. (Image credit.)

“THE DARING MISSION OF WILLIAM TYNDALE – Steven J. Lawson (2015).” Veritas et Lux, 9 Feb. 2015, https://davidsteele.blog/2015/02/09/the-daring-mission-of-william-tyndale-steven-j-lawson-2015/.

The Story of the Bible: The Fascinating History of Its Writing, Translation & Effect on Civilization (Larry Stone, Thomas Nelson Pub., 201, 94 pages) (archived copy)

Race Reconciliation: A Christian Perspective

When addressing the topic of “race reconciliation” we have to go back to Genesis. When God created Adam and made Eve from Adam's rib, God made of all men one flesh – it is our physical reality that Eve is the mother of us all and spiritual reality that God is the Father of us all.

If disciples follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, they will understand that Jesus has made of all men ONE. He taught us how to find our way through our own man-made confusion and return to the way it was “from the beginning”.

Somewhere along the timeline of humanity as mankind moved away from God … because at one time ALL MEN KNEW the One True God ... mankind began to divide themselves into something called 'race'.

Now people say that “race reconciliation” is needed. (DUH???)

But Jesus solved this PROBLEM THAT WE CREATED FOR OURSELVES by teaching us that WE ARE ALL ONE.

The only time the Bible describes a person's “color” is if it is a description of the person's physical traits. NOT THEIR RACE!!

The Bible refers to mankind BY NATIONS. Why? Because when God confused the languages of man, it eventually led to the establishment of various nations.

You know … He is God. Why didn't He separate mankind by skin color?

“Racism” is a SIN. It was born out of a CORRUPT THOUGHT, a man's desire to have power and control over his fellow man … the CONQUERED and the CONQUEROR ... and carried out by those who choose EVIL instead of OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

Instead accepting the FACT … the TRUTH … that God only created male and female, that Eve is the mother of all living, and that through the sons of the Noah, the NATIONS of the earth were overspread … instead, they made up “races” for the one human race. People began to have confidence in their flesh which is being carnal-minded. Christians are not in the flesh. We in the Spirit.

Mankind moved away from God and now we have a “problem” (?), a “social issue” or a “matter” (?) … we have a SIN we are wrestling with called RACISM.

Jesus came to RECONCILE MAN TO GOD and He accomplished His mission.

Standing on the Word of God, I boldly declare that Jesus already accomplished “race reconciliation”. If we want to get technical, during the time Jesus walked the earth, the “racial division” or “racial strife” which required “race reconciliation” was the separation between Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles. The DIVISION that required RECONCILIATION resulted from the differences in their BELIEF IN THE ONE TRUE GOD. NOT THEIR SKIN COLOR!!!

Jesus came to reconcile ALL MEN TO THE ONE TRUE GOD. That's the only “reconciliation” that matters. The reconciliation of the human race to their Creator.

Why Do Jews Leave Rocks or Stones After Visiting a Grave?

Leaving rocks or stones after visiting someone's grave is a Jewish custom.

“... Unique to Jewish tradition, however, is the custom of placing pebbles, stones, and small rocks on Jewish graves. … the origin of mourners leaving pebbles, stones or rocks at the site of Jewish graves is unfortunately lost to time. Many theories exist, however, ...”

Read more: Why Mourners Place Stones on Jewish Graves 

The referenced article discusses eight (8) theories. As a student of the Bible, before reading this article, I immediately thought about Theory No. 3: God commanded Joshua to create a memorial in Jordan comprising 12 stones that would represent the "children of Israel for ever."  Check out the article to read the other seven (7) theories.  It's very interesting.

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Related Post:
Do You Dare Go Dowsing for Graves?

Religions of Man: Quick Intro to Baha'ism

The word “extant” means: still in existence, i. e. not lost in the course of time.

This post presents a timeline of the major extant religions and culminates with a quick introduction to the last faith that began in the 19th century.  Major extant religions emerged in the following order:

* 3rd millennium B.C.: Hinduism (India) and Shintoism (Japan);

* 13th century B.C.: Judaism (Palestine);

* 7th century B.C.: Zoroastrianism (Persia);

* 6th century B.C.: Taoism and Confucianism (China); Jainism and Buddhism (India, with roots in Hinduism);

* 1st century A.D.: Christianity (Jerusalem, with roots in Judaism);

* 7th century A.D.: Islam (Arabia, with roots in Judaism);

* 16th century A.D.: Sikhism (India, with roots in Hinduism);

* 19th century A.D.: Baha’ism (Persia, with roots in Islam).

Baha’ism is monotheistic.  It is believed that the doctrines of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity can be reconciled. This movement has never been accepted by Muslims, Jews, or Christians, nevertheless the community boasts an estimated 5 million converts, there are temples and shrines in India, the United States, the Middle East and other parts of the world. The YouTube video is a documentary about three Bahai believers.

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Have you ever heard of the Bahá’í Faith?

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Additional Reference:

World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored & Explained

Do You Collect Legends, Myths, Fables, and Folklore?

Legends, myths, fables, and folklore make for fascinating reading. These whimsical, sometimes scary, tales and creatures date back to ancient civilizations. and some legends were created during the 20th century, referred to as urban myths or urban legends. Collecting these imaginative stories is a hobby.

But surely I am not the only one who is interested in this subject. Do you like to collect legends, myths, fables, and folklore? I do. I have an entire board dedicated to collecting them on Pinterest.  If this is also one of your hobbies, here are a few you might like to add to your collection.

♦  The Centaur and the Unicorn

I only wanted a picture of a unicorn.  I'm a fan of the BBC fantasy series "The Adventures of Merlin" and I really liked the episode about the unicorn.  But then I found this cool free image  (free to use; no attribution required).  The image description said "Horseman and Unicorn".  I'm like "Horseman".  (???)  Ummm ... a horseman by any other name is called a Centaur.  One can't talk about myths and not mention the unicorn, my favorite mythical creature.  However, the horseman is not exactly one of my favorite mythical creatures.  But since he was in the image, he got lucky and is being included in my collection!  LOL.

A long-standing myth about the unicorn:  "Only virgins who were pure of heart were believed able to tame a unicorn."  ("The True History of the Unicorns")

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ANGELS: Psychopomps (Guide of Souls or Spirits of the Dead)

“Top 10 Psychopomps of Ancient and Modern Mythology” ~ https://t.co/UyHiOylhJG ~ IMAGE: Number 7 is Azrael, the Angel of Death, takes on the role of a psychopomp in Islamic mythology. #TopTenList pic.twitter.com/MibT0HSp6E

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

“A psychopomp is a god, spirit, or demon who is responsible for guiding the spirits of the dead on their journey to the underworld.” (Quote source.) An angel named Azrael is not mentioned in the Old Testament or New Testament scriptures. The Angel of Death (or Destruction) mention in Revelation is called Abaddon.  Just sayin'.

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ANIMALS: Myths About Cats Throughout History

"8 Craziest Myths About Cats Throughout History" ~ Here are some of the more curious #beliefs different cultures have held about felines throughout #history. https://t.co/f9cjmcpf8v via @cheezburger #Caturday #cats #catlovers #societyandculture #myths pic.twitter.com/znwjhQKwFx

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

The ancient Egyptians may have been cat lovers and thought these creatures were sacred (Cats in Ancient Egypt), but other civilizations were not that enthralled with them. Did you know some people believed they worked for the devil?

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HEAVENLY BODIES: Is there a Lady on the Moon or a Man?

10 Interesting #Myths and #Legends About the Moon | Exemplore ~ https://t.co/B7pw6vcpbI ~ FROM Chang'e (the lady who lives on the moon) TO Werewolves (creatures who only come when there's a full moon). #Top10List pic.twitter.com/0VgT1zbekr

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

Being a westerner, of course, I knew about werewolves and how they don't come out unless there's a full moon. But I never knew heard about the lady who lives in the moon. It's a very famous Chinese myth.

The Exemplore article referenced in the tweet discusses 10 myths and legends about the moon: Chang'e; Moon Rabbit; Selene / Luna; Tecciztecatl; Anningan; Mawu; Soma; Rona; Mayan Moon Goddesses; and Werewolves.

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HERBS: Thyme is Associated with Medicine and Myth

Thyme is a wonderful #cookingingredient and #medicinalherb.
“Thyme, the Herb Of Courage | https://t.co/jXO5BHzasb” https://t.co/wRj9u7L12Z #herbandspices
In #GreekMythology, a “bed of thyme was thought to be a home for fairies, and a patch was often set aside for them." pic.twitter.com/Z5E11XlAlS

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

The ancient Greeks would set aside a bed of thyme or a patch in the herb garden as a home for fairies. The term fairy dates back to the Europeans in the Middle Ages, however, “...the earliest form of faeries can be found loosely in the mythical beings in Greek mythology, such as the nymphs, satyrs and sileni.” (Source: TimelessMyths )

From fairies to dead people? Another interesting myth or tradition that developed over time was using this herb with funerals. “The Egyptians used it in embalming their dead. That association with death persisted through the Middle Ages where thyme was often placed in coffins to assure safe passage to Heaven for the dead.” (Source: Thyme: Advice From the Herb Lady )

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A Wizard Casting a Dragon Spell
Wizards, spells, and dragons are the stuff of legends and folklore.  A part of English folklore wizards are wise men with magical powers who can cast spells, for the good, unless the wizard becomes corrupt; and of course, wizards have power over dragons.

Image credit

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Dragons in British Folklore – Tales Handed Down Through the Centuries

"10 Dragons From British Folklore" @listversehttps://t.co/ZmYzgbAhnl

— My Fox Nooze (aka Joie de Vivre Magazine) (@FoxMarks_ATX) January 27, 2019

Are you already familiar with any of these myths and legends?

Content first appeared at Vrily.com

Recapping 2019 My Top Tweets From A to Z

During 2019, for a period of several weeks, I published a post series at Virily titled "Top 5 Tweets".  These were tweets I selected because the tweeters shared content of interest to me which I thought others might also find interesting.  I covered the entire alphabet:  A to Z.

Feel free to visit my post series "Top 5 Tweets".  If you don't have time to visit, below the alpha list find just a few of the tweets that I shared throughout the year of 2019.  The blogging experts were right with this tip.  It is fun to publish a post series.  I had a blast! ☺

~ Letter A ~ Letter B ~ Letter C ~ Letter D ~ Letter E ~ Letter F ~ Letter G ~ Letter H

~ Letter I ~ Letter J ~ Letter K ~ Letter L ~ Letter M ~ Letter N ~ Letter O ~ Letter P

~ Letter Q ~ Letter R ~ Letter S ~ Letter T ~ Letter U ~ Letter V ~ Letter W ~ Letter X ~ Letter Y ~ Letter Z

♦  Hashtag #Epitwitter

“Science Needs More Public Faces - Scientific American Blog Network”
... the hashtag #Epitwitter is a bonafide tool in accessing a large community ... It's use for #scientificcommunications can connect scientists everywhere via #socialmedia #SciComm ~ https://t.co/qngoSWGMLu pic.twitter.com/urkITAKFZf

— Treathyl Fox (@cmoneyspinner) July 1, 2019

♦  Hashtag #ownyourdata

Data rights are human rights. #ownyourdata

Facebook's role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy (Carole Cadwalladr | TED2019) https://t.co/HkWtcTq8tu via @TEDTalks

— Niels Op de Becq (@NielsOpdeBecq) September 7, 2019

♦  Hashtag #plantbased

This is big. Change is coming! #plantbased #vegan #climatechange https://t.co/9yXCQdZM6Z

— Joanna Jones (@JoannaJones6) September 17, 2019

♦  WHO ~ World Health Organization

For the first time, in the International Classification of Diseases #ICD11, WHO is classifying #gaming disorder as an addictive behaviour disorder so now we can measure how many people are affected https://t.co/6RX9SSZY1T pic.twitter.com/rOLxvVBcLL

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 12, 2019

♦  Politics:  Trump and Xi

'Trump and Xi Take Wall Street's Bulls for a Ride With All Time Market Highs'

See what's happening right now in the markets in real time here: https://t.co/kq23fu0Bcp#comic #cartoon #investingcom #investing #trump #usa #china #xi @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/4iUAhxRzDx

— Investing.com (@Investingcom) November 5, 2019

♦  Holiday Traditions ~ Trail of Lights

We're excited to partner with @ATXLights to help fight hunger during the holiday season. Their amazing light display is back from December 10-23. We'll be collecting healthy, non-perishable food donations at the trail for families in need. Start getting your donations ready! pic.twitter.com/4ETkTlfF56

— CentralTexasFoodBank (@CTXFoodBank) November 19, 2019

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Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

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Claiming My Blog on Bloglovin

Been using Bloglovin' for several years now. Every time I start a new blog I add the feed, claim it as my blog, and then make the posts publicly available to others who might be looking for a blog that shares content like this one. If you are a blogger and you don't use Bloglovin' you are doing yourself a disservice.

Follow Joie de Vivre Magazine with Bloglovin

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A post shared by Treathyl Fox ~ Austin, Texas (@treathylfoxcmoneyspinner) on Apr 25, 2019 at 3:06pm PDT