BOO !

Halloween might be over  by the time you read this, but masks are never out of style for the fabulous "Historical Dance Ensemble" that modelled for me in early October.  Well, they didn't know that;  it was incidental to what they were actually doing in their noon-time performance at The Dance Centre's "Discover Dance" series. 

The Ensemble performs Baroque dances (such as the ones shown here) in historic costumes, accompanied by a trio of musicians, also in authentic costumes and playing period instruments.  As I learned with this dance series last year, it's a challenge to do quick sketching of fast movements -- and in the darkened theatre.  The elaborate costumes, I knew, would add to the challenge.

I'd chosen a seat fairly close to the front and was practically looking over the musicians' shoulders.

From that vantage point,  I spotted a new marvel to behold:-- a fairly large stringed instrument with, wonder of wonders, a beautiful carving of a woman's head at the top of the instrument's neck.  I was -- and still am -- enthralled.

There's always a  Q&A session at the end of these performances, and I asked the musicians to introduce their instruments.  What a surprise -- my first sighting of a viola da gamba!!  Of course, I'd heard baroque music before and therefore heard viola da gambas (also known as "viols"), which I knew to be precursors of my forever favourite instrument, the cello -- but I'd never before seen one.

As the audience dispersed, I went up for a closer look and learned from the trio's leader that the carvings are a tradition -- she showed me their second viol with a tiny bird on top and said that lions' heads are also common. 

Back home on the internet, I found this stunning performance  by a lovely earnest young woman with an exquisitely carved viol.  I can't get these heads out of my head -- and I know it's not the last time I'll sketch (or paint?) them.

Two weeks later, keeping with my plan to do live sketching in alternate weeks, I was back at Basic Inquiry Studio for the first male model I've had there.  Guy models can usually be counted on for lots of bone and muscle (among other things).  This one did remarkable, almost acrobatic, poses -- best shown in the one-minute poses.

Five-minute poses:

 Ten-minute pose:

Thirty-minute pose:

It turned out that he himself is a dancer, which explains his facility and his physique.

As for me, I continue on my genteel way.  Watch this spot as I continue to kick up my heels.