Showing posts with label singer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label singer. Show all posts

Thursday, 1 June 2017

Dancer Tag: Dennis Kenney #StylewithDen

Inspire. Create. Write.TM

Bonjour vous les gens Γ©piques

It's a new week with a whole new set of probabilities & awesome paths your life can take.
Let's kickit off with great vibes for tomorrow's #FridayFeeling
See the reason that I do these Tags, is to show you that: 
"Anything is possible if you've got enough Nerve." ~JK Rowling. 

Ms. Rowling, Steve Jobs, Ricard Branson, Oprah, Ellen Degeneres, Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Steven Spielberg, Trevor Noah and the list goes on and on. What do they all have in common?

They are YOU!

Yes, they started out just like you, regular, human, with regular families, regular friends, regular skills. But they Dreamed, oh boy did they ever Dream. More importantly, they put in the hard work, the maximum effort & that is truly how they ended up where they are today. You don't need 7 secrets, 20 techniques or an all weekend program to be successful. You need only realize that EVERYONE who ever accomplished anything started exactly where you will start. Once you do, all that anxiety & doubt will disappear, in its place, a beautiful and powerful Magic will start to grow.

The Magic of YOU!

So I beseech you, start to Dream again, start to Believe in You because I already do. I have faith that all of you can & will accomplish incredible and insurmountable feats. Your dream is still there, I promise you it's still there. Reach out and Soar with it.

"Let the world tremble as it senses all that you are about to accomplish"

I came across this amazing dancer's IG (instagram) just the other day & loved the pictures as well as the videos. He was fashionable, talented, inspiring & most importantly, Humble. All the attributes I look for in a person to feature here. He's the kind of influencer I aspire to be someday soon.

Meet Dennis Kenney 
He's a former competitive Hockey Player...he graduated from the prestigious Drama Conservatory Carnegie Mellon University. His career spans Broadway National Tours,Television and Film. He is the founder and creative director of StylewithDen. He combines Fashion, Fitness and Entertainment.
Website
Instagram - @stylewithden
Twitter - Pinterest - @stylewithden
Youtube Page

Dancer Tag:

When did you start dancing? 
  • I started dancing at the age of 5 
What are your favorite styles of dance? 
  • I love Jazz and Hip Hop
Michael BublΓ© Video | Stylewithden | Feelin Good
What are your least favorite styles of dance? 
  • Although it is arguably the most essential form of dance for proper technique...Ballet
Are you a competitive dancer? 
  • I had a long career as a professional Dancer in New York. If you are auditioning regularly, then you are competitive. 
What is one dance flaw that you have that you would change? 
  • I try not to think in terms of flaws because I do not believe in Perfection, but rather encourage the next generation of dancers to embrace their individuality.

What is your favorite dance step? 
  • I love a good grand battement to the head :)
What do you want to improve on? 
  • I am always pushing myself out of my comfort zone in my performances.
What is your favorite dance wear brand? 
  • I love Lululemon


What styles of dance do you currently do? 
  • Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Musical Theater
Dance Fashion | Bruno Mars Video | Style With Den
What dance studio do you go to? 
  • Too many to list but most every major studio on both coasts.
What is your favorite dance memory? 
  • Clearing the dance floor at a banquet when I was 5 years old to Michael Jacksons Thriller.
What dancer do you look up to? 
  • Paula Abdul inspired me to dance..When I had the opportunity to work with her, it was truly a dream come true.

What style of dance do you find the most difficult? 
  • Partnering...Lifts are deceivingly difficult.

Why do you love dance? 
  • It's who I am, its not something I like to do, its something I MUST do.
StylewithDen I Robin Thicke I I don't like it

Achievements:

Dennis Kenney is an American actor, singer, dancer born in Boston, MA and is bi-racial. He is best known for his work as the Grinch in the New York press tour of Dr Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas![1] He is also the founder of Style with Den.[2]

Read More Here
Quick Fire {choose one}

Barefoot or Dance shoes? 
Tights or no tights?
Classic or modern? 
Antique or brand new clothes?
Books or movies?
Sky dive or bungee jump?


InsPire US

1. What is the best advice you were ever given? 
  • Listen to your instincts..ALWAYS 

2. What has been your biggest achievement so far? 
  • My original thought was to name an accomplishment in my performing career, but it was my time as a teacher and shaping young lives that has by far been the most rewarding. 

I tell my students to "Stop Marking Life"
Fellow dancers know that the term to Mark simply means that you are doing the dance, but not full- out, or to your best ability. I apply that to all facets of life. I encourage to always push outside of your comfort zone and in that moment is where we never miss potential opportunities.

3. Music uplifts our mood, What is your go-to song when you need a pick me up? 
  • Happy from Pharrel Williams 
~Complete the sentence, Happiness is…LOVE 
4. Life can be stressful, what are your top 3 things to unwind? 
  • Cardio, play with my yorkie Mambo, talk to my mom 
What is your favorite inspirational quote? 
"For any aspiring dancer, know that rejection is part of the business. Continue to train, be fearless and your time will come." 

Want to read more Tags? Check out the previous ones:
Watch Dennis As the GRINCH

"hahahaha! "what's your address darling, i'll make sure to hit your house first" πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚!

AWESOME #FriYAY vibesπŸ˜‚

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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Monday, 24 April 2017

Music Tag: Niall Higgins


Aloha!
A few weeks ago I went out with some awesome souls to Arts on Main in the heart of Johannesburg. My favorite place in this city. There we discovered a great new open mic initiative every Sundays, produced and recorded by Wolf Pack Studios

And then I watched this video posted:
*****
Blimey!!! Had actual goosebumps! I knew then, without a shadow of a doubt that I had to feature this amazing dude on the blog. So here he is, a singer & a truly down to earth guy.



He loves music more than anything in the world and plays both guitar as well as the drums. He not only sings but writes & produces his own original music. He loves everything to do with performing; whether it be acting, public speaking, dancing, modeling, or singing at a concert. Niall believes that inspiring and motivation people through entertainment is the most important part of being an entertainer.
Niall further states that the purpose of life is to live, love and inspire every person that you may come into contact with and by doing so, make the world a better place.

Music Tag

1. Name your top 3 favorite artists/ bands:
  • Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber and The Weeknd

2. What is the last song you listened to?
  • D.N.A - Kendrick Lamar

3. What was the first concert you went to?
  • Eminem Concert
4. If you could spend a day with your favorite singer who would it be?
  • Michael Jackson (Provided he was still alive!)
5. What has been your greatest achievement so far?
  • My greatest achievement was to speak at Nelson Mandelas memorial service in Hong Kong. After that, the Ambassador of SA in Rome Nomatemba Tambo (the late Oliver Tambo's daughter) personally invited me to stay with her at the embassy in Rome and I was invited to speak at the 20th Anniversary of Democracy Celebrations Ceremony that took place in Malta. I spoke in front of many of the world's ambassadors and prime ministers and gave a ten minute speech that was broadcast live on Maggs on Media
6. Are there any songs that you can’t stand hearing?
  • The Lumineers - Hey Ho
7. If you could have a soundtrack to your life what would it be?
  • Michael Jackson - Thriller
8. Do you listen to any classical music? If so, what are some of your favorites?
  • No, I do not listen to classical music
9. Your favorite cheesy song?
  • Baby - Justin Bieber
10. What songs do you listen to when you are feeling down?
  • Usually Justin Bieber or Michael Jackson if I need some inspiration, or Eminem if I'm looking to vent some frustration!
11. First L.P/C.D/Mp3 you bought?
  • Kanye West - 808's and Heartbreak (I bought it for ONE song - Heartless)
12. Do you like musicals if so which is your favorite?
  • I love Grease and High School Musical
13. Favorite musical instrument?
  • Guitar
14. If you could see anyone in concert who would it be?
  • Michael Jackson (If he was alive) or The Weeknd

On Your music

15. When did you first start singing?
  • I started singing in the church choir when I was around 10 years old and started training vocally when I was 15 or so

16. What Genre/s do you sing in?
  • My genre's include Pop, Rnb and Hip Hop
17. What is your music about?
  • I write music to inspire people, to tell a personal story of my life or to express romantic love towards a muse of mine at the time. 

18. To date, what is the best song you’ve created? 
  • Many of my best songs have still not been released. However, a very popular song of mine is called "Baby Girl":

19. If you wrote a new song right now, what would it be called?
  • I'm in the process of writing two songs. One is called "Invisible" and the other is called "Cinderella".
20. If you had just One message, One Golden nugget to share with other artists out there. What would that be?

I would tell other artists to stay strong in the face of adversity. Many people will criticize your music and tell you that you are no good. Successful artists are those who face the criticism and overcome it, and they prove others wrong by thriving in their craft and becoming better and better every single day.

Quick Fire {Choose One}:

RnB or HipHop

Sing in the shower or on Stage

Musical or Concert

Guitrar or Drums

Ear phones or speaker

Music while you work or quiet

Justin Bieber or Usher

Sing or Dance

Instrumental or lyrics

Prince or Micheal Jackson

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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Wednesday, 7 December 2016

Reese Witherspoon: 5 Lessons You Taught Me


Aloha!

Half way through the week & it's #WednesdayWisdom
You know that means, right? Today I take someone influential and share just 5 Epic Life Lessons they have to offer us. And few are more influential than Mademoiselle Reese Witherspoon.
She's Walked the Line, Stayed Wild & Legally enchanted the hearts of millions of people all around the world with her Tennessee charm, big heart and radiant smile. Forgot Not we shall her acting & singing talents. #Madskills

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon  (/ˈriːs ˈwΙͺΓ°Ι™rspuːn/; born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised in Tennessee, Witherspoon began her career as a child actress. Witherspoon's breakthrough role was playing Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde, for which she received international recognition.

In 2005, Witherspoon received worldwide attention for her portrayal of June Carter in Walk the Line, which earned her the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress.

Mademoiselle Witherspoon is voicing the character Rosita in the 2016 animated feature film, SING. She plays a domestic pig, who gave up her teenage music dreams to become a devoted wife of Norman, & mother to 25 piglets.



5 Lessons Reese Witherspoon Taught Me


5. Reading is Sexy
{#Bookconcierge NPR 2016 Best Books List}
Get shoppingπŸ™ƒ

"I get crazy in a bookstore. It makes my heart beat hard because I want to buy everything."~ Reese Witherspoon

She's been featured on multiple accounts as one of the sexiest women on the planet.
So iptofacto if she is so in Love with reading then prestofineto Reading is Sexy!

Books are mankind's greatest invention in all of history. Nothing can heal, soothe, fix, mend, repair, reap, elate, encourage, tickle, beat, become, teach, impress, transport, catch & awaken you the way a book can. It is our supreme honor and responsibility that we ensure Books & reading continue through future generations.

She is an avid reader and has a film production company dedicated to bringing best selling books to screen: Pacific Standard Film: READ Article Here 
She recently produced the critically acclaimed Gone Girl and I'm sure we all remember how gripping that movie was. Brrrrrr{goosebumps}~ the chills.


4. Women Crush 
Wednesday
{I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours😊}

"Many people worry so much about managing their careers, but rarely spend half that much energy managing their lives. I want to make my life, not just my job, the best it can be. The rest will work itself out."~ Reese Witherspoon

“For women in this business, ascendancy is always a battle. It’s scrape and claw. I just try to stick to my guns and respect myself. I want to take the ingenues aside and say, ‘value yourself’! It’s okay if you have opinions!”~ Reese Witherspoon

Life is what happens when you forget to LIVE. Don't use your ambition, your career, your goals as an excuse for not experiencing all that life has to offer you. There is true beauty, true passion & true magic out there. You need only take the time to discover it.




3. Selfie Selflessly Self-Love
{Try sayin' that 5 times fast}

"There's no bad consequence to loving fully, with all your heart. You always gain by giving love."~ Reese Witherspoon

How often are we told, "don't wear your heart on your sleeve."
How often are we cautioned against falling in love, too hard and too fast.
Many people say money is what makes the world go round, but I believe it is Love. Love is in everything worth having. Your dream partner, your dream house, your dream career, even your dream weight...can only be achieved through genuine Love in all it's forms and shapes.

Almost Every blockbuster movie or bestselling book has a Love story.
Better to have Love & Lost than to have never loved at all. No other emotion, no other experience can trump what you feel when you feel Real, honest to goody-goodness Love.
LOVE is ALL.


2. Ridiculous Work Ethic
{Don't reach for the stars if ya ain't willin' to build the rocket ship}

“I like work. If it’s not hard enough, I try to make it harder. I like the process of being daunted by it, tackling it and knowing I can do it.”~ Reese Witherspoon

Now that we've covered the essentials of Readin', Livin' & Lovin'.
We get down to what galvanizes them all together and allows you to rise above all else. To conquer, to achieve.
Ridiculous work ethic.
Ridiculous.

Will Smith, who portrays Muhammad in the 2001 film titled Ali had this to say on the matter:

"I've never viewed myself as particularly talented. I've viewed myself as…slightly above average in talent. Where I excel is with a ridiculous, sickening work ethic. While the other guy's sleeping, I'm working. While the other guy's eating, I'm working. While the other guy's making love, I mean, I'm making love, too, but I'm working really hard at it!"

“I’m Not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. Period. You might have more talent than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be sexier than me. But if we get on a treadmill together there’s two things that’ll happen. You are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.”

Personal Experience: Put in that effort, your actions become habit and once they do ain't nothing gonna stop ya.


1. Stay WILD
{Feel the motion of the Ocean. Action creates reaction}


“Doing begets more doing. It sounds simple, but I’m a firm believer that action can solve so many worries, and just powering through, no matter what, can give you the confidence you need when you feel like you’ve got nothing to offer.”~ Reese Witherspoon

We live in a world where it is just One complaint after another. There's no end to the stream of people who are constantly complaining about their lives, the world around them and the other people in it. All they want is for you to listen to them, interact with them and become just another negative nelly.
Who would you rather listen to? 
The person who wants everything but does nothing to achieve it OR The person who has everything and was wiling to do anything to achieve it???

The only way through is... Through!
As Han says in Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift. There's no hard or fast way of learning how to Drift. You learn by doing it. 
And in the infamous words of Nike
JUST DO IT!


*************
My All-Star mentor and friend Akasha Garnier was the one who intro'd me to Reese's inspirational & influential side. And when your mentor is inspired by someone you make sure you pay attention to who that could be.
Akasha's book Secrets to Shine Through the Noise references Reese's influence and quotes. It's a MUST READ self-improvement book. Glowing reviews can be found throughout this blog.

Reese recently ran a twitter campaign with the Hashtag  in honor of her movie WILD. Akasha joined in the fun and here was Reese's response:
Author/screenwriter Akasha Garnier mentions: 
"Reese Witherspoon has a stellar sense of shine on several levels: I appreciate that she shows her strength, beauty and Southern charm as she inspires women and girls of all ages. She is book smart and willing to act on it!"

Her newest venture "Hello Sunshine" will launch in 2017 with ATT Direct TV.
READ Article Here
"As we continue the journey of creating engaging entertainment for and about women at Hello Sunshine, it's exciting to have a partner in AT&T who shares that commitment with us. We can't wait to bring the Hello Sunshine channel to life with DIRECTV and DIRECTV NOW customers in 2017," said Witherspoon.

*********************
In other news~
πŸŒŸπŸ’™✨ Thank YOU, Arigato & Gracias!

Reached +1 Million Impressions in 28 days! 3 months in a row! 
Reciprocation is Key
 



© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres

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Tuesday, 6 December 2016

Sing (2016 Animated Movie): Review


Buenas Dias!

Today I attended the screening for Sing at the Sandton Prestige thanks to my awesome friend Cassarica Nadas who blogs over at the Amazeblog.

Did ya love Despicable Me & The Secret Life of Pets? Are you a fan of the ever crazy adorable Minions? Then this might just be the next best release by Illumination Entertainment for you.

Happy #TuesdayMotivation
Sing tells the tale of every Artist's journey to stardom, with all the right elements of comedy & heart-warming characters at it's core.

Watch the Trailer here:  


Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, Buster Moon a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life's ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world's greatest singing competition.
*****
Movie Review



I gotta say after seeing the trailer, I went into this movie expecting a hilarious comedy with elements from other singing competitions from around the world but with an anthropomorphic spin. Like American Idols or X Factor.

But it developed into SO MUCH more!

I was absolutely blown away, not by the storyline or even the singing {which are both extraordinary regardless} but More because I related to the Heart & Soul of the movie. Sing should be watched by ALL Artists "both great & small" and in all shapes and sizes. If you're in the creative field at all, this is the perfect festive motivation you need!

Especially if you're feeling down on your craft, doubtful of your dream, or just searching for a good laugh. For Love is True Laughter's Best Friend.

It gave me all the right goosebumps, choking back sobs and cheering-on that I needed to feel. 
***

An Artist's Journey: Featured Elements

Family

In every Journey to success there are the doubters, the haters, pessimists & ofcourse, the naysayers.
Worse still is when it comes from a family member, especially when they have an envisioned "plan" for what you should be. Sometimes they are just indifferent, not noticing you have any talent whatsover.

They can also be your biggest supporters and believe in you even when you don't.
Sing delivers these dynamics via the talents of Reese Witherspoon as Rosita the "Housewife" with 25 pigletts and an overworked husband. Johnny the gorilla with a gang leader for a father who wants him to follow in the family business of crime. Meena the indian elephant with severe stage fright but a truly supportive family.

Nothing is ever black & white, in Life there are always clouds of gray and if you stay the course you might just see the rainbow clouds of fluffy candyfloss goodness. 

F.E.A.R
{False Expectations Appearing Real}


No one is without Fear, whether successful or not. We all have it and we all deal with it different ways. It is on of the purest forms of Doubt.

It can either Wake you up or Shut you down.

Meena the elephant has to deal with her sever fear of singing in public {It should be noted the the Number ONE fear in all of the world is speaking in public and NOT death so HER fear is completely understandable and compelling}

Whereas Mr Mikey Mike, the small white crooning mouse with a big Frank Sinatra-esque voice, has no fear for the stage. This fear is instead replaced with an arrogant attitude that he's better than everyone and just like the "Hare" in the famous fable, he neglects to notice or acknowledge the "Tortoise"
Finally you have Gunter, the hilarious dance sensation that's sure to make you pop with laughter. He feels the beat within his core and is completely oblivious in the ways that most people are conscious of their appearance & impressions in public.



FAITH

Faith to me is like the Air around us, just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it's not there. You can Feel it though, oh yes You can Feel it.
It is the sum total of your Core belief system. It is the tenacity with which you fight for your dreams.


Each character is Tested, their Faith put on trial against the reality of failure and a world run on Money. 

Ashley, a crested porcupine punk rocker has to deal with this when she is chosen for the competition and her boyfriend is not. When she's asked to be more mainstream and sing pop songs instead of staying true to her roots and even attempting to write her on music.



DREAM BIG DREAMS


My main motto in life is this very same theme. Buster the Koala is an eternal-some might even say delusional-optimist. Which means that he has the innate talent to convert any negative into a creative positive. It is this very optimism and passion that brings these every day animals together in search of their true potential. In many ways I related to Buster the most because if you would go by Socrates proto-psychological theory of personality types in color. Buster and I are what you would called BLUE. We can be lively, sociable, carefree, talkative, and pleasure-seeking. We may be warm-hearted and optimistic. We can make new friends easily, be imaginative and artistic, and often have many ideas.

BUT even we have our limits and there are times when the failure cuts too deep and for too long, sometimes when we least expect it. It's at this time that the movie displays a universally fundamental lesson too often underappreciated. As Oprah once said, "Surround yourself only with the people who are going to take you higher."


The journey to success might be your path to follow but that doesn't mean it has to be a lonely one. And probably the most important thing to remember in life is that you cannot do this alone. You need the right people in your life that are going to lend a shoulder when you falter, kick your ass when you get lazy, catch you when you fall and ofcourse, lift you up when you fall.



The two Surprise acts for me were Scarlett Johansson as Ash & Taron Egerton as Johnny.






Ahhhhh Sigh* I'm even more in love with Scarlett now {if that was even possible}. As if being smoking hot, a great actress and humble woman wasn't enough. She hadto go and rock out with her fine self. #MadLove for her and for rock music!! 

She's also going to be starring in the live action Ghost in a Shell movie, #Nerdgasm for all anime fans. 








"Eggsy"!! 
You might remember Taron Egerton from the smash hit movie Kingsman: The Secret Service 

I had no idea this guy could sing let alone so damn well. I honestly thought it was Bruno mars or John Legend when Johnny the Gorilla auditions. It was only until now upon my research for this post that I found out who Johnny was let alone that He was "Eggsy" from one of my favorite secret agent movies of all time. 
#Badass Talent certified!
Johnny is probably my favorite character in terms of style, singing slash talent and family drama rama.


Well Shell Bell Mell, I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed this animated feature film and more to the point have enjoyed every release from Illumination Entertainment so far. Despicable Me 1 & 2, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets {Super feels and pet love} and now Sing 2016!
Here's to more successes and fantastic releases in the future.

Personal rating: 10/10

I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend this movie to everyone.

Especially Artists looking for motivation this festive season.

Lastly I just wanna comment on the awesomosity that is the Sandton Prestige Cinema. 
Such Comfortability! 
Every cinema should be like this, in fact I never want to watch a movie any other way! The seats are similar to the ones in the pic above and have a button that automates the recliner for you. If I had one of these at home I would probably never leave the TV haha.

Book your ticket now!!

****
For My US resident readers Check out this Awesometastical Giveaway Worth $100,000!!! Yes you heard me ONE Hundred Thousand Dollars. You'd haveta be cray cray in the hay hay to not enter. Regardless of your chances.

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
  • I’d love to keep connected with you! 
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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