‘Tis the Season
Christmas, Hannukah and the New Year are around the corner, and as the festive season is gearing up, our writers at TWoA are happy to share some ideas for artsy gifts with a certain pizzazz:
Maya Stoilova, Art
How about...
A nice journal with a cover after a famous painting;
Books: S. N. Behrman, Duveen: The Story of the Most Spectacular Art Dealer of All; Orlando Whitfield, All that Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud and Fine Art, Francis Huxley,The Eye: The Seer and the Unseen;
For a person enrolled in a museum-related academic programme: a student membership for ICOM, the International Council of Museums. The membership gives discounted or free entry into many museums and exhibitions around Europe for twelve months.
And a few more...
A tea mug with a nice art print on it;
A framed poster of a favourite painting - or even an original print / lithograph/
Olivia Merola, Dance
PerfectFit Toe Pads:These were a lifesaver when I was en pointe for hours at a time in rehearsal. They mold to anyone's foot, are completely customizable, and are nearly indestructible, allowing for years of use to come!
Dancer Journal: Every dancer should have a journal to track your mistakes, teachers' comments, and scribbling down choreography before it disappears from your brain! I love these ones from Leuchtturm and have carried one with me throughout my dance career.
Why Dance Matters by Mindy Aloff : For the dancer who wants to remember why we do all of this in the first place. This thoughtfully curated collection of essays explores how dance shapes us individually and globally. It is a must-have for any dancer's bookshelf!
Kate Purdum, Dance
A subscription/membership to a local dance theater or performance venue. Many such theaters have youth/student programs or memberships, making this a perfect gift for a dance lover in your life, particularly a student who would benefit from a yearlong exposure to live dance performances.
Book: The Essential Jill Johnston Reader. Jill Johnston was a dance writer always on the cutting edge of both the written and the danced form. Her writings, collected here from across her storied career spanning The Village Voice, The New York Times, and elsewhere, is as fluid, astonishing, and groundbreaking as the dances she captured. Anybody who enjoys reading about dance must read Jill Johnston!
Degas Christmas ornament from the Metropolitan Museum store. A perfect holiday gift for a dance and/or art history lover!
Cozy warmup gear. In these cold winter months, warmup gear is more crucial than ever. From leg warmers to booties, give a dancer in your life a comfy and functional gift, especially if you're less experienced when it comes to shopping for more technical gear elements!
Daniel Liu, Music
A wind-up music box which comes with paper onto which you can write your own melodies for the music box to play;
Ian Bostridge's Schubert's Winter Journey, an introduction to Winterreise, covers lots of art and literature from the time too, very accessible and non-technical.
Natalie Tero, Music
Practice Journal: Keeping a record of your aims and accomplishments can really help to structure your practice and remind yourself what you are proud of. Giving someone the opportunity to engage with practice and journaling this way with a nice new book makes it even more enjoyable, and is a great habit to get into in the new year!
Book about their favourite composer: Learning more about the personal lives, joys and struggles of musicians you love can make playing and listening to their music so much more rewarding!
