Saturday Spotlight #3: Heartwarming Shadows

Today I am featuring a group whose performance can, according to their Facebook page, “cross all cultural boundaries and have No language barriers!” I agree with this comment, and could add that one of the boundaries crossed was my heart! Although I chose this group because of how much they impressed me, it seems fitting for Martin Luther King weekend that one of their goal is to break through barriers. 

Shadow art

At some point in our childhood, most of us discovered that it is possible to create pictures by casting the shadow of our hands on a blank wall. (I never mastered anything beyond attempting to create the bunny rabbit!) The performers I am about to tell you about impressed me with something similar to that shadow game - but about ten-trillion times more impressive...

This week my spotlight shines upon ...

... Attraction, a “black light shadow company” from Hungary. Many of you may have seen them on television when they won Britain’s got Talent 2013. I hadn't heard of them until this week, however, when I saw a video clip from that competition on Facebook. Curious, I tried to learn a little more about them.

Attraction Black Light Theater was founded in Hungary in 2004, and has both a Facebook page and a website (with English or Hungarian options). They are a company of twelve dancers, founded and choreographed by Zoltan Szucs. To say that they create shadows as they dance is not really accurate. They use their bodies to create silhouettes of both living and inanimate objects, telling a story with their bodies as they dance. Their dances are so emotional and the shape transformations so beautiful, they have moved many people (including Simon Cowell and me) to tears.  

Here is a video of one of their performances, which tells Szucs’ life story and is dedicated to his mother:

                          

You don't just have to take my word for how special this group is. Simon Cowell (the notoriously stoic judge on Britain's got talent) said of their performance, “It really moved me.” Also, their Facebook page has over 42,000 likes. I would sure love to see that sort of number of “likes” on the Facebook page of this blog!

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Now I'm going to swing this week's “spotlight” in a different direction for a moment... 

... A blog well-worthy of a mention celebrated a milestone this week. The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver just celebrated its one-year blogging anniversary.

Rena McDaniel needed help and answers after her mother developed the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and came to live with her. It was from this turning point in her life that her blog was born. 

Rena’s writing is honest and well researched; hysterically funny and heart wrenching. She is vulnerable and tough as nails all in the same sentence. Her posts cover a variety of life experiences, and are witty, entertaining, heartwarming, and thought-provoking. Her blog is an incredible resource and support group for anyone caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, and for everyone just living the challenges we all face every day.

Photo from: The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver

Both Attraction and Rena's blog will tug on your heartstrings.  It wasn't until after I wrote the above paragraph though, that I realized another similarity between the two. The photo logo on Rena's blog is a silhouette of hands forming a heart.

Are you good at making shadow pictures with your hands?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!