Well… I have finally decided upon a dance based book. Danseur Within will be done in the vain of barre boys in that it will tell the story of the male in ballet.
In order to help me get out and create more content, I have launched a kickstarter campaign. I have 60 days to raise $3,000. Both the men and women agree, this story is a much needed one to be told. There are not many periodicals, etc, that are dedicated to the male ballet dancer, so I am out to change that trend.
ANY pledge amount is welcome and appreciated. Rewards for pledges start at $10!
Please, please, do what you can to help this cause. I would greatly appreciate it!!!
The link below will take you to the Kickstarter page. Please pledge what you can. Thanks!!!
One of the things we are working with Dom on this year is more age and peer appropriate play and interaction. He loves his superheros. He also loves to role play and sport his cape. Generally, we would not let him out of the house with the cape – we are again trying to encourage more appropriate play for a 4th grader.
Yesterday, he was wearing his Green Lantern tshirt and put on his cape. It struck me to actually embrace his quirkiness this time and do a mini shoot with him while Michela was at dance. I wanted to shoot him against a red barn to make the colors pop but had to settle for the school which was nice anyway. It really helped keep the childlike feel to it.
I told him the other day that he was my hero and he just paused and looked at me in a very confused manner. He is my hero in so many ways for so many reasons. I owe a lot of who I am to him. He has helped make me the man I am today.
He very much enjoyed playing out his fantasy and having me document it. This was definitely a moment for me to cherish and not “fix!”
Ok folks, so I am giving away a print of the image below. But… before I do that and discuss the details of the contest, let me first give some history of this image and its creation…
Story:
I had become friends with Jeff & Lia Cirio from Boston Ballet through Facebook. I actually wound up talking with their mother, Mimi, more then them. At that time, I was just finishing a photo series, Spirit of the Fallen, which paid tribute to the fallen officers of the Philadelphia Police Department. I had the idea of taking that same concept but on the road. So we eventually set up the shoot for me to come up to Boston and work with several of the dancers from Boston Ballet for the spin off project.
The shoots took place September 10-12. I recall watching some of the 9/11 tributes while in the lobby of the BB studios. So, during this weekend, I was to be working with Jeff & Lia Cirio, James Whiteside, Whitney Jensen, Kathleen Breen-Combes, all from Boston Ballet and Dylan G-Bowley who at the time was with Trey McIntyre.
Friday night, I did shoots with Jeff, James and Dylan for Barre Boys and Lia, just because. This is where I captured the infamous picture of James, below.
Saturday, I was set to work with all of the dancers, except Kathleen, for my winged series. She had other obligations for that day so we would work together on Sunday. We got some great shots. Here is a link to some behind the scenes footage. There are 4 videos posted on my Youtube account. Also below is a shot of me and the dancers.
Video:
Me, Jeff & Lia Cirio, Whitney Jensen and James Whiteside. Photo Credit: Dylan G-Bowley
So now, finishing the story and getting to the contest… I had a really great shoot with Kathleen. We did the Angels shoot on the rooftop of Boston Ballet, which made me nervous as hell. I do NOT do heights. We also shot on the street, just some fun artsy stuff but we first shot in one of the studios using just available light. With that setting, in a large open studio with all windows, her talent and grace plus a white skirt, we were bound to create amazing images and we did!
Here is a shot of her and I on the rooftop at the end of the shoot. I look barrel chested cause I was sucking in the gut lol. Wow, looking at it, I realize how OBVIOUS it is that I am sucking it in. Dear god.
THE CONTEST…
The contest is easy. Simply subscribe to my blog by entering your email address when you go to http://brianmengini.wordpress.com/. You will see the option on the right side up towards the top. That is it. Just subscribe to my blog and you are automatically entered to win!
One winner will be chosen at random, to win an 11×14 black and white print of that image featuring Boston Ballet principal dancer, Kathleen Breen Combes. You MUST subscribe via email by NEXT FRIDAY, September 23rd to be eligible!!!
****YOU MUST CONFIRM SUBSCRIPTION IN ORDER TO QUALIFY!!!!****
Werrrrrk it Wednesday girls!!!!! This one is sponsored by Tutu.com!
This contest gives the winner the chance to model one of Tutu.com’s fierce, cool and uber hip leos in a professional shoot with… MOI! DUH!!!
That’s right!! You will have a full on professional photo shoot IN MY STUDIO, rocking one of tutu.com’s fun leos!! They are HAWWWWWWWWWWT! PLUS… You will be featured on Tutu.com’s FB page!!
For me, when I am shooting a ballerina, shooting them in a leo is where it is at. I enjoy the tutus,they are all pretty and what not, but that is kinda where they start and stop. Not a whole lot you can do with them. In a leo, they can DANCE! They can move. You can create so much more, so many more shapes. You can better see the lines they are able to create, in a leo. You can see their muscle definition in a leo. the shoot is guaranteed to garner way more variety and way more stunning images. It gets down to basics which is what I like about Balanchine’s leo ballets. You are stripped down to the purity of the movement. No costumes to deter from the athleticism.
please note… the above leos are NOT Tutu.Com but Eleve and were used for illustration purposes only
So, I think I have made my point there, huh? So for this contest, you will need to show us how you can WERRRRRRRRRK it!!! This is a chance to show off your skills and more so, your lines. This contest will judge more harshly or with greater scrutiny then the others. This is not a cutesy wootsy contest! You want to be on my blog, shot by me and be on Tutu.com’s FB, you betta be fierce!!!
For this one, we are looking for girls 18 and older.
You gotta come to my studio for the shoot and be willing to sign a release.
You need to be flexible with scheduling and the shoot needs to happen this month!
*** NO PRINTS ARE INCLUDED WITH THIS. THIS IS FOR MODELING ONLY!
If you have modeled for us before, you may not enter this contest.
Above all, you betta bring it and be fierce!!!
To enter, comment on the entry with what you bring. what makes you fierce? now is the time to sell yourself.
ALSO!!!!! YOU MUST EMAIL ME A PHOTO OF YOU IN A LEOTARD. WHILE WRITTEN WORD IS GREAT, WE ALSO NEED TO SEE *YOU* IN PRINT. YOU WILL BE REPRESENTING US, SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU WILL DO IT WELL!
SEND EMAILS TO BRIAN@BMENGINI.COM!!!
I am shooting tomorrow night so this will be a late notice thing.
In June of this year, Allie Parsons came to Philly to perform two pieces in my Dance for Dreams Gala. I was so excited and honored to have her perform! Allie and I have become very close friends over the last year or so and our families have become close as well!
We were all staying in the same hotel, Loews Hotel, as they donated rooms for the event. YAY US!!!! Generally when Allie comes up to see me, its for a shoot and generally, Claudia Folts, owner of Tutu.Com sends her up with tons of tutus to model. Though we had not really had much time to do anything this weekend, they still brought an onslaught with them. It didn’t seem that we would have any time to do any shooting that weekend as it was full and they had to leave early on Sunday to make the long drive back to North Carolina. However, there was one tutu they had with them that just HAD to be worked in during their time… MARGOT FONTEYN’S ACTUAL TUTU FROM THE BIRTHDAY OFFERING!
Clearly, this was something that would drive me to wake up early for and git r done. After scouting some locations, we opted to just go down to Olde City, Philadelphia, to shoot. We found an old bank or post office or something. It was perfect though. There were HUGE old pillars and just the architecture was perfect for this costume.
I don’t think it really hit me until we actually started shooting in it, what I was actually shooting. I mean, how often does one get to shoot such a magnificent and historic piece of wardrobe? To say the very least, this was a definitive highlight in my career! I am so glad it is one that I shared with not only Allie, but Claudia, who supplied the garment!
Every girl likes to dress up and feel pretty, right? Well, here is a chance for your little princess and 7 of her girlfriends to do just that!!!
That’s right!! We are giving away a FREE photo shoot for your little princess and her 7 closest girl friends AND… we are giving them each a tutu from Tutu.Com that they will get to keep once the shoot is over! As if that was not enough… ALL 8 PRINCESSES will be featured on not only my Facebook page and blog, but they will ALL be featured on Tutu.Com’s Facebook page, which has over 15,500 followers!
Tutu.com is a world renowned creator of tutus. Their work has been in countless magazines including Vogue. They are suppliers of major ballet companies all over!!!
Check out their FB page!!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/TutuCom/54783047781
Ok, so it is a contest, so you must DO something to win it and obviously, there are rules as always. I hate rules, don’t you? I think that is why I am an artist. Ah, but I digress. Or is it regress. No, no. I am sure, it’s digress. So, again, I digress. Sorry, this all may be alot to DIGEST. HA! I made a funny!!! Alright. make with the rules and shtuff, right? Right. Grand so.
Simply comment on this blog with WHY your princess should get this auspicious act of charity and good fortune. What would it mean to you? What would it mean to her? Please, save the Jane Austen & Mr Darcy fluff for your book of the month club. I have ALL of the dvd’s. I like the one with Colin Firth the best. Ok, rambling again. MY daughter would love this. Actually, I may actually enter this contest under the moniker, Mr Darcy. But seriously, tell me why you want this for your princess.
Rules. Yes, here are those blasted rules.
1) The girls must be under 10. NO ADULTS!
2) Parents must be present and willing to sign a model release for each girl at the photo shoot.
3) The shoot will take place at my studio in Phoenixville
4) You MUST take the girls back home with. For the love of god, dont leave them with me.
5) You MUST tell ALL of your friends how fun creative and handsome I am.
5 1/2) and funny too!!!
CONTEST ENDS AT 7PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok so… git them cinderella stories churnin and godspeed to ya!
Ok folks! The time is now to begin the first leg of our week long contest spree jimmy jammy thingy!
Since school starts tomorrow for my kids, I figured we would start by giving away a free family session. Now, this is for a family session, not a couples session or of just your kid(s). This one is for the full crew. This also is JUST FOR THE SESSION! You get no prints, etc, with this. However, you will have them BEFORE Christmas and you know Grandma (the one who DIDN’T get run over by a reindeer) LOVES pictures of her beautiful family for Christmas!! Very pretty LARGE print to hang over the fireplace. Plus, you get to be the smart one in your circle of friends because you will NOT be in the mall in November trying to get an appointment at one of “those” studios.
That is a self portrait of my family taken last year, October, actually. That can be your family! No really, it can – I am giving mine away, please take them! HA! I kid.
In order to enter this contest, you must comment on this blog posting with what you and your family do for fun or the funnest moment you ever had with your family! We will choose a random winner and announce it on Facebook! The contest ends at 7pm Tuesday night (tomorrow) and will be announced at 8pm on my Facebook page!
You MUST be able to travel to my studio in Phoenixville!
You MUST have a family! The family should be yours, btw.
You MUST schedule your session for the month of September.
You DO NOT get extra credit for multiple entries. I will delete and disqualify you and leave nasty rumors about you on Facebook. I’ve done it, its not pretty.
ALSO… THEY MUST BE TRUE COMMENTS!!! I DON’T WANT SOME SAPPY ROMANCE NOVELIST LEAVING AN EXCERPT THAT’S IN ONE OF HER BOOKS ON THE SHELVES AT WALMART! NOR DO I WANT A PIPE DREAM. I WANT REAL DEAL HOLYFIELD HERE FOLKS!
