Edith Piaf (1916-1963) is one of France’s most celebrated singers. She was highly successful around the time of World War II, but her music remains just as popular today in France, as well as in other countries across the world. Despite being small in stature, her voice had remarkable power, and the emotions surrounding her tragic life story were portrayed in many of her songs. Perhaps the most famous of her songs are ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’ and ‘La Vie En Rose’, but she has a collection of seemingly hundreds of songs, most of which are sung with deep emotion, and some with a more light hearted touch. In recent years, many have become familiar with Piaf through Olivier Dahan’s biographical film La Môme (or La Vie En Rose as it is titled here in the UK), a film that has won two Oscars and four Baftas for its moving portrayal of her life.
But why is Edith Piaf so special to me? I stated above that she encompasses more than one of my interests, which are as follows...
The French Language. Like many others, I studied French at school, firstly at GCSE level, and then progressing through to A Level. It was always one of my favourite subjects, not only due to the challenge of learning a foreign language, but also because I was fascinated by French culture. Fortunately, I have since been able to continue developing my grasp of French language and culture, as I have both lived and worked with French people since leaving school. It was during my second contract that I was introduced to the beauty of Piaf’s songs, which leads me to another passion that she embodies for me...
New English Contemporary Ballet. My first season with my current company is one that I have deeply fond memories of. Because it was during this time that I first came across Piaf’s music and the film La Môme (thanks to my lovely French friends), I can continue to listen to her songs whilst enjoying the personal memories that they conjure up for me.
Learning has always been one of my passions, and Piaf’s music provides me with the perfect opportunity to entertain this. Because the lyrics are in French, and often complex, I have taken to looking up the words to my favourite songs online. I find it easier to read through them at my own pace, enabling me to develop an understanding of each song’s message. I will also admit to having learnt some of the lyrics off by heart! Currently, there are five of my favourite Piaf songs that I know in full...
-Milord
-A Quoi Ca Sert L’Amour
-Non, Je ne Regrette Rien
-Padam
-Les Amants D’Un Jour
..and next on my list are Mon Dieu and La Foule, two contrasting but equally beautiful songs.
And lastly: Performance. I am a firm believer that, no matter how technically accomplished you are as a performer, without sentiment and artistry in your work (be it dance, music or otherwise) the audience will not be moved to the degree that they should be. For me, the measure of a great performer is how much atmosphere they can create. They should be able to alter the ambience within an auditorium, leaving the mood that they are trying to portray impressed upon their spectators. Whilst this is something that I strive for as a dancer, it is a trait that I recognise, and deeply admire, in Edith Piaf.
Above is some footage of Piaf singing Mon Dieu. This is a very heartfelt song, as it was written with regard to the love of her life, Marcel Cedan (pictured at the beginning), who tragically died in a plane crash, en route to visit Edith.
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Now, it has taken me a while to decide upon my second topic of interest. Evidently, dance holds top spot on my list of passions, but I have chosen not to use it for this particular task. It will inevitably feature heavily in my blog, so I thought I should use this opportunity to add a little variety to my entries!
A big interest of mine is the Olympic Games. I love watching television coverage on a wide range of the events, in particular: athletics, swimming, cycling and gymnastics. I am therefore very excited about the 2012 Games coming to London, and hope to be able to work as a volunteer during this time.
My favourite event, though, has to be figure skating. I find the beauty of this ‘sport’ (I regard it more as an art-form) simply breathtaking. I am enthralled by the combination of artistry and strength that figure skaters achieve. They match the elegance of a dancer in their movements, but must also have the fearlessness of a racing driver –so fast is the speed that they move across the ice.
Below is a montage of professional figure skaters, sourced from YouTube. It showcases many of the impressive skills that skaters must include in their competitive routines, such as multiple turns, or heart-stopping lifts in the case of those skating as a pair. I must compliment the user (under the name of ‘vocalise’) who composed this montage. The synchronisation of the footage and music is delightful!
I cannot post a blog entry on figure skating without mentioning the incredible Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. Their run of international success as figure skaters during the 1980’s & 90’s raised considerable awareness of the sport, and continues to inspire people today. In recent years Torvill and Dean have further raised their profiles in Britain through their key involvement in the television series ‘Dancing On Ice’. On my blog, however, I wish to take you back to the height of the duo’s sporting career, with their Gold medal winning performance of Bolero in the 1984 Winter Olympics...
Now, it has taken me a while to decide upon my second topic of interest. Evidently, dance holds top spot on my list of passions, but I have chosen not to use it for this particular task. It will inevitably feature heavily in my blog, so I thought I should use this opportunity to add a little variety to my entries!
A big interest of mine is the Olympic Games. I love watching television coverage on a wide range of the events, in particular: athletics, swimming, cycling and gymnastics. I am therefore very excited about the 2012 Games coming to London, and hope to be able to work as a volunteer during this time.
My favourite event, though, has to be figure skating. I find the beauty of this ‘sport’ (I regard it more as an art-form) simply breathtaking. I am enthralled by the combination of artistry and strength that figure skaters achieve. They match the elegance of a dancer in their movements, but must also have the fearlessness of a racing driver –so fast is the speed that they move across the ice.
Below is a montage of professional figure skaters, sourced from YouTube. It showcases many of the impressive skills that skaters must include in their competitive routines, such as multiple turns, or heart-stopping lifts in the case of those skating as a pair. I must compliment the user (under the name of ‘vocalise’) who composed this montage. The synchronisation of the footage and music is delightful!
I cannot post a blog entry on figure skating without mentioning the incredible Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean. Their run of international success as figure skaters during the 1980’s & 90’s raised considerable awareness of the sport, and continues to inspire people today. In recent years Torvill and Dean have further raised their profiles in Britain through their key involvement in the television series ‘Dancing On Ice’. On my blog, however, I wish to take you back to the height of the duo’s sporting career, with their Gold medal winning performance of Bolero in the 1984 Winter Olympics...
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