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balanchine-ballet-master · 2 years

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Books on Balanchine

I’ve been meaning to list as many of the Balanchine- and NYCB-related books as I can. This post is limited to biographies of Balanchine, memoirs of Balanchine, and biographies of those closely associated with him. (A few are by or about people who didn’t work with him but who talk about dancing his ballets.)

Later posts will list books relating to his ballets, his teaching, criticism, NYCB history and general, School of American Ballet, fiction (yes, there is some!), and maybe the Ballets Russes (Balanchine-related).

Balanchine Biographies Bethany, Reine Duell Balanchine—Russian-American Ballet Master Emeritus (author is the sister of Daniel and the late Joseph Duell)

Buckle, Richard George Balanchine, Ballet Master (friend of Balanchine’s)

Charles River Editors George Balanchine: The Life and Legacy of One of the 20th Century’s Most Influential Choreoraphers (80 pp.)

Costas Balanchine: Celebrating a Life in Dance (photos)

Gottlieb, Robert Balanchine: The Ballet Maker (concise)

Homans, Jennifer Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century (Nov. 1, 2022)

Kendall, Elizabeth Balanchine and the Lost Muse

Krista, David George Balanchine: American Ballet Master (for children)

Portrait of Mr. B (photos, with introduction by Lincoln Kirstein)

Shearer, Moira Balletmaster (Royal Ballet ballerina who worked with Balanchine)

Taper, Bernard Balanchine: A Biography: With a New Epilogue

Teachout, Terry All in the Dances: A Brief Life of George Balanchine (concise)

Memoirs of Balanchine Ashley, Merrill Dancing for Balanchine (ballerina, 1960s-1990s)

Bentley, Toni Winter Season (journal of a corps member from the 1970s)

Boal, Peter Illusions of Camelot (principal, 1980s-2000s) (Oct. 18, 2022)

Bocher, Barbara The Cage: Dancing for Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine 1949-1954 (soloist)

Clifford, John Balanchine’s Apprentice: From Hollywood to New York and Back (principal, 1970s)

Danilova, Alexandra Choura (second wife)

Farrell, Suzanne Holding on to the Air (ballerina, 1960s-1980s)

Fisher, Barbara Milberg In Balanchine’s Company (soloist, 1950s)

Geva, Tamara Split Seconds (first wife; wonderful book)

Hayden, Melissa Melissa Hayden, Offstage and On (ballerina, 1950s-1970s)

Karz, Zippora The Sugarless Plum (soloist, 1980s; title refers to her diabetes)

Kent, Allegra Once a Dancer (ballerina, 1950s-1980s)

Kirstein, Lincoln Mosaic

Kistler, Darci Ballerina: My Story (for children) (ballerina, 1980s-2010s)

Martins, Peter Far From Denmark (principal and NYCB director)

Martins, Peter and Steven Caras Balanchine: Photo Album and Memoir (mostly photos; 62 pp.) (Caras was a corps member, 1960s-1980s)

Mason, Francis I Remember Balanchine (hefty volume of reminiscences from all periods of Balanchine’s life)

Newman, Barbara Striking a Balance (interviews with Doubrovska, Lifar, Christensen, Youskevitch, Shearer, Nerina, Le Clercq, Mason, Kelly, Bonnefous, Martins, Ashley, Ananiashvili)

Newman, Barbara Grace Under Pressure (interviews with Schorer, Tomasson, Russell, Frohlich, Verdy, Denvers)

Ohman, Frank, and Emily Berkowitz Balanchine’s Dancing Cowboy (soloist, 1960s-1970s)

Patelson, Alice Portrait of a Dancer, Memories of Balanchine (corps, 1970s)

Soto, Jock Every Step You Take: A Memoir (principal, 1980s-1990s)

Tallchief, Maria, and Larry Kaplan Maria Tallchief, America’s Prima Ballerina (ballerina, 1950s-1960s)

Tracy, Robert Balanchine’s Ballerinas: Conversations with the Muses (interviews with Danilova, Geva, Doubrovska, Toumanova, Boris, Reiman, Marie-Jeanne, Moylan, Tallchief, Hayden, Adams, Kent, Verdy, McBride, Farrell, Mazzo, von Aroldingen, Ashley, Kistler)

Villella, Edward Prodigal Son (principal, 1950s-1980s)

Zorina, Vera Zorina (wife #3)

Biographies of Balanchine-Related People Duberman, Martin The Worlds of Lincoln Kirstein

Jowett, Deborah Jerome Robbins, His Life, His Theater, His Dance

Kavanagh, Julie Secret Muses: The Life of Frederick Ashton

Kavanagh, Julie Nureyev

Lawrence, Greg Dance with Demons: The Life of Jerome Robbins

Leddick, David Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle

Lesser, Wendy Jerome Robbins, a Life in Dance

Lobenthal, Joel Wilde Times: Patricia Wilde, George Balanchine, and the Rise of New York City Ballet (ballerina, 1950s-1960s)

Osato, Sono Distance Dances (minor mentions)

Protopopescu, Orel Dancing Past the Light: The Life of Tanaquil Le Clercq (fifth and final wife; principal, 1940s-1950s)

Robbins, Jerome Jerome Robbins by Himself (letters, journals, drawings, etc.)

Sills, Bettijane Broadway, Balanchine, and Beyond: A Memoir (soloist, 1960s-1970s)

Vaill, Amanda Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins

West, Martha Ullman Todd Bolender, Janet Reed, and the Making of American Ballet (principals, 1940s-1950s)

#Balanchine #George Balanchine #ballet #New York City Ballet #books #ballet books #dancers #choreographer #dance #dancing #biography #memoirs

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loveablehands · 3 years

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** MUSE LIST. ( bios to come. )

FANDOM: MARVEL.

BUCKY BARNES. ( he / him. bi. )

GAMORA. ( she / her. lesbian. )

THOR. ( any. n-b bi. )

SAM WILSON. ( he / him. bi. )

PETER B. ( he / him. trans bi man. )

LOGAN / WOLVERINE. ( he / him. trans bi man. )

REMY LEBEAU. ( he / him. trans bi man. )

BILLY KAPLAN. ( he / they. n-b trans gay man. )

TEDDY ALTMAN. ( he / they. n-b trans gay man. )

NICO MINORU. ( she / they. lesbian. )

CHASE STEIN. ( he / they. bi. )

KEN MACK. ( he / him. bi. )

JENNIFER TAKEDA. ( she / her. bi. )

FINESSE. ( she / her. lesbian. )

FANDOM: DC.

BRUCE WAYNE. ( he / him. trans bi man. )

CASS CAIN. ( she / her. lesbian. )

JASON TODD. ( he / him. bi trans man. )

TIM DRAKE. ( he / him. bi trans man. )

ALFRED PENNYWORTH. ( he / him. genderfuck gentleman. )

CLARK KENT. ( he / him. n-b bi man. )

CONNER KENT. ( he / they. n-b bi. )

LOIS LANE. ( she / her. bi trans woman. )

MEGAN / MISS MARTIAN. ( she / her. bi trans woman.. )

KALDUR’AHM. ( he/him. bi. )

SLADE WILSON. ( he / him. scumbag, but if you must know, he is bi. )

DONNA TROY. ( she / her. lesbian. )

KORY ANDERS. ( she / her. bi. )

JADE NGUYEN. ( she / her. bi. )

ROY HARPER. ( he / him. bi trans man. )

POISON IVY. ( any pronouns. butch lesbian. )

HARLEY QUINN. ( any pronouns. n-b bisexual. )

FANDOM: OTHER SUPERHERO.

WILLIAM BUTCHER. ( he / him. trans bi man. )

STARLIGHT. ( she / they. n-b bi. )

QUEEN MAEVE. ( she / her. bi. )

VANYA HARGREEVES. ( they / he. n-b lesbian. )

DIEGO HARGREEVES. ( he / him. n-b trans bi man. )

LUTHER HARGREEVES. ( he / him. gay. )

FANDOM: DISNEY.

ELSA. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

ANNA. ( she / her. bi. )

KRISTOFF. ( he / they. bi n-b man. )

HANS. ( he / him. gay trans man. )

BEAST. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

CRUELLA. ( she / her. n-b lesbian. )

RAPUNZEL. ( she / her. bi trans woman. )

EUGENE. ( he / they. bi n-b trans man. )

GOTHEL. ( she / her. n-b lesbian.. )

FANDOM: OTHER WESTERN ANIMATION.

JACK FROST. ( he / him. trans aroace. )

ADORA. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

CATRA. ( she / they / he. n-b lesbian. )

SCORPIA. ( she / her. lesbian. )

GRACE MUNROE. ( she / her. n-b bi woman. )

LAKE. ( they / he. n-b gay. )

MARCELINE THE VAMPIRE QUEEN. ( she / her. bi. )

EDA. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

BOLIN. ( he / him. bi trans man. )

TOPH. ( she / her. lesbian. )

SOKKA. ( he / him. bi trans man. )

TY LEE. ( she / her. bi trans woman. )

MAI. ( she / her. lesbian. )

KATARA. ( she / her. bi. )

LIN. ( she / her. lesbian. )

KORRA. ( she / her. bi. )

ASAMI. ( she / her. bi trans woman.)

FANDOM: ANIME / MANGA.

HARUKA. ( she / they / he. n-b lesbian. )

MINAKO. ( she / her. n-b bisexual. )

SETSUNA. ( she /her. bisexual. )

USAGI. ( she / her. trans bi woman. )

UTENA. ( any pronouns. n-b lesbian. )

ANTHY. ( any prnouns. n-b lesbian. )

JURI. ( she / her. butch lesbian. )

NARUTO ( he / they. n-b gay trans man. )

SASUKE. ( he / they. gay. )

SAKURA. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

GAI. ( he / him. gay. )

INO. ( she / her. lesbian. )

TSUNADE. ( she/her. trans lesbian.. )

FANDOM: VIDEO GAME.

EDELGARD. ( ANY. n-b bi woman. )

CLAUDE. ( he / they. n-b trans man. )

DEDUE. ( he / him. bi trans man. )

DOROTHEA. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

DIMITRI. ( he / him. bi. )

ZACK FAIR ( he / him. transmasc lesbian. )

LIGHTNING. ( she / her. lesbian. )

FANG. ( she / her. trans lesbian. )

AERITH. ( she / her. trans bisexual woman.)

JECHT. ( he / him. bisexual.)

KANJI. ( he / him. bi. )

NAOTO. ( she / they. bi trans woman. )

YUKIKO. ( she / her. bi. )

CHIE. ( she / her. lesbian. )

DR. MARUKI. ( he / they. transmasc lesbian. )

SHIHO. ( she / her. lesbian. )

AKECHI. ( he / they. a menace. )

LADY DIMETRESCU. ( she / her. lesbian. )

FANDOM: OTHER.

SOPHIE HATTER. ( she / her. bi trans woman. )

HOWL. ( he / they. transmasc lesbian. )

HANA NAOMI, OC . ( she / they, bi, competitive vaper . )

SEAN JORDAN, OC. ( he / they, bi, real life batman, real life fanboy. )

KAT GOLD, OC. ( she / her, lesbian ex-delinquent turned runaway. )

LEXI LEBEAU, OC. (she / her, lesbian. mean, mean girl. )

GLINDA THE GOOD WITCH. (she / her, lesbian. )

#[ ooc: muse list. ]#[ ooc: ref. ]

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delusionland · 3 years

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( muses include ) : SAM WILSON *, steve rogers, bucky barnies, wanda maximoff, PIETRO MAXIMOFF *, PETER B. PARKER *, peter quill, GAMORA *, mantis, gert, chase, NICO *, billy kaplan, teddy altman.

like for a starter if you are interested in ANY of these muses, comment if you are interested in a SPECIFIC muse. will default to a verse/au that FITS YOUR CHARACTER & VERSES. just im me or send me an ask if u would prefer to plot something out!

* denotes that i have extra muse for this particular muse.

#ooc: starter call #ooc #fandom: marvel #ok now i gotta like do stuff and shit besides fucking around

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ercelhande · 3 years

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p-plots please 🥺 you don’t have to come up with new ones but this is my public declaration of wanting to write with you so badly

send me “plots please”.

COME WRITE WITH ME LEESH !!!

“i’m that one celebrity that you hate that you win a date with au” for JAYDEN BLACK or KNOX REYNOLDS as the celebrity

this for DANTE LOMBARDI or LEONARDO MARTINEZ or ALESSANDRO VITTORI as the demon

this for JOSHUA CARTER as muse a or for DAHLIA BOWEN as muse b

this for HAYLEY STEVENS or AYLIN DEMIR as the girl or for LEON SANCHEZ or RAFAEL DIAZ as the boy

this for MELISA KAPLAN or DELILAH HALE or for KAI LOMBARDI or CAIN HOWELL

#ooc: answered.#wearyhands

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gwenastor · 4 years

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her full name is alaia kaplan, but she sometimes goes by n/a. caucasian cisgender female, twenty-seven years of age, with she / her pronouns. she was last seen working at the phoenix as a bartender and a soldier for valencia's street level sector. ( @redridgeimp )

❝ I AM FIRE. IF YOU WANT SOMETHING SWEET, WITH NO OPINION, I AM NOT THE WOMAN FOR YOU. I SPIT FLAMES, OFTEN. ❞

⇨ aesthetics ⍮ deft fingers stained with charcoal and oil paint, the melodic chime of piano keys, delicate digits adorned with moonstone gem rings, a coy smile spread across full crimson lips, long chestnut locks blowing in the cool breeze of a summer’s evening, battered books with dog-eared pages, the silvery glint of old scar tissue, ripped leather jackets and worn jeans, & blades concealed inside combat boots.

BONJOURNO. it me, chrissie, back at it again with a second muse. this gal right here is my fiery sassball alaia. she’s been thru some shit n has seen some shit so expect tons of sarcasm and attitude tbh, oop. once again, you know the drill, show this some luv n i’ll come pester you for plots : )

FUNDAMENTALS.

full name. alaia saphira kaplan.

current age. twenty-seven.

birthday. january twenty-seventh.

gender. cisgender female.

pronouns. she / her.

nationality. turkish.

religion. islam.

hometown. sivas, turkey.

past residence. manhattan, new york city, united states.

current residence. red ridge, nevada, united states.

sexual orientation. bisexual.

romantic orientation. demiromantic.

education. high school graduate.

occupation. soldier for valencia, & bartender at the phoenix.

CONNECTIONS.

birth mother. emel kaplan. †

birth father. kamâl kaplan.

step-mother. cemile kaplan.

full blood siblings. none.

step-siblings. none.

maternal grandmother. unknown.

maternal grandfather. unknown.

paternal grandmother. esrin kaplan. †

paternal grandfather. omer kaplan. †

maternal aunts. unknown.

maternal uncles. unknown.

paternal aunts. bahar kaplan.

paternal uncles. none.

PROFICIENCIES.

spoken languages. english, & turkish.

negative traits. capricious, ornery, brusque, reckless, & deceptive.

positive traits. ardent, resilient, independent, determined, & courageous.

strengths. etiquette, bold, rational, practical, original, perceptive, direct, & sociable.

weaknesses. dramatic, impulsive, quick-tempered, insensitive, impatient, risk-prone, unstructured, misses the bigger picture, & defiant.

skills. skilled with blades and various knives, hand-to-hand combat, perception, persuasiveness, good judgment, & able to use initiative.

talents. piano, retaining information, memory recall, knife throwing, & quick thinking.

APPEARANCE.

eye colour. light brown with amber flecks.

hair colour. natural, chestnut brown.

height. five feet, eight inches.

weight. 52 kg.

build. she is considered tall for a female and is of slender stature with mild curves.

dress size. uk size eight / us size four.

shoe size. uk size five and a half / us size six.

scars. a long, silvery one running along half her spine.

tattoos. none.

piercings. one on each earlobe.

prominent feature. wide, dark eyes.

MISCELLANEOUS.

zodiac. aquarius.

element. air.

house. ravenclaw.

myers briggs type. estp-t.

alignment. chaotic good.

enneagram. type seven.

temperament. sanguine.

intelligence type. interpersonal.

character label. the orphic.

past mental disorders. depression.

current mental disorders. depressive episodes.

addictions. cocaine.

vices. lust, wrath, & pride.

virtues. temperance, diligence, & patience.

allergies. peanuts.

diet. vegan.

accent. mostly turkish with a slight american twang.

dominant hand. right.

blood type. b negative.

felonies. none.

vehicle. bottle green 2015 volkswagen beetle.

BACKGROUND.

trigger warnings. implied child abuse, implied child neglect, implied alcoholism, implied violence, a brief mention of adultery, a mention of verbal abuse, mention of death, implied depression, & a brief mention of drugs.

[ tw ; implied child abuse, & neglect. ] Born into a world of devastation and loss, Alaia Kaplan's arrival into this universe was far from being a tranquil one. Instead of the welcoming arms and loving smile of her mother, the first sight the innocent girl witnessed was the weeping of her father. It wasn’t long until his tears eventually turned into angry fists and hatred shining in dark eyes. This was the only form of her father that Alaia knew, the only element of him that she could recall. From the instant she was old enough to figure it out, she knew that her father despised her. She knew that he blamed her for the death of his wife. Regardless of her upbringing, Alaia had remained optimistic and bright; both incredibly intelligent and adept. She was able to captivate others with both her appearance and her capabilities. Those in her company hung off her every word, often discovering themselves enthralled by a charming and sincere young girl. Regardless of her father's secured position within their community, she never looked for more than his approval and his affection. Though neither she ever received.

[ tw ; mentions of alcoholism, infidelity / adultery, & verbal abuse. ] Within the span of ten years, Alaia's father had found himself in the clutches of a bitter yet wealthy woman of upper-class. Soon, this woman became Alaia's stepmother and things only plunged further south afterwards. The woman drank copious amounts of liquor, ran around behind her husbands back, verbally abused Alaia and the list went on. She managed to manipulate her husband, able to further demolish any semblance of a relationship Alaia shared with her distant father. During this time, and within the blink of an eye, the girl turned hostile and indifferent. It was as if she had transformed into a polar opposite version of what she’d always been; metamorphosing into an alternate version of her former self. Once an upbeat and positive child, she became cold, less vibrant; void of both emotion and interest. She picked fights with her stepmother for the sheer kick she got out of it, rebelled against her father and found her once soft heart hardening as a result of years of enduring torment at the hands of her legal guardians.

[ tw ; mention of death, & implied depression. ] It wasn't long until Alaia was shipped off to live with her grandmother and aunt in the Turkish countryside. At first, it had taken the girl quite a while to adjust, to slowly convert into a portion of the person she was as a child. Alaia's adolescent years were a stark contrast to her life with her father. She was respected, admired and genuinely loved. Throughout the duration of her time there, Alaia was homeschooled, taught how to play various instruments, and how to speak multiple languages. She attended ballet lessons, joined art classes, held a strong passion for Literature. However, as all good things do, they come to an end. In Alaia's case, those few blissful years reached a rather abrupt cessation, taking a drastic plummet into darkness. She was eighteen when her grandmother passed away. As a result, Alaia lost control of herself and of her path in life. She spent weeks alone and aimless, wavering on her tracks. It wasn't until she and her aunt moved to New York City that Alaia's life began to turn around one more.

Back home, her aunt had been involved in the diamond industry, ensuring the quality and legitimacy of each rock she was handed. She'd allowed Alaia to shadow her, to study her methodology, and to assist under her direction. It was through this outlet that Alaia grasped the concept of gemology. Of how to examine precious stones and how to value them accordingly. It was a field that the brunette became extremely interested in and equally as intrigued by. Ultimately, in the end, the girl opted to pursue a temporary career in the jewellery business. It was during this period that a then twenty-one-year-old Alaia was approached by a member of a wealthy family, the type of wealth one gained by drug smuggling. She was offered the position of a quality assurance technician in their jewellery company. Little did she know, this meeting wasn't by sheer chance. It transpired that her aunt had connections with the syndicate, having brought her niece to the States to enlist her. It was due to this that the syndicate reached out, only too eager to hire Alaia as they had previously hired her aunt many years before.

[ tw ; mention of drugs. ] In the beginning, Alaia's role within the business was as innocent as she'd expected. She'd spend hours in the back, analysing gems and printing her signature on certificates. Obeying by every rule, following each order and never once questioning her superiors. After months upon months of this process, Alaia soon found herself roped into the world of drug dealing. Of smuggling little white pouches through emerald deliveries only to pass these packages through the appropriate channels. It was through this that she crossed paths with a client who, after many weeks, kindly invited her along to spectate an underground fight that he'd placed a hefty wager on. Immediately Alaia bought into the atmosphere of the arena, of the adrenaline pumping through her veins at the sheer vision of it all. It wasn't long until she wondered how exhilarated she could feel if she was the one in the ring, throwing the punches and sidestepping the blows. It was this passing thought that brought the girl back continually, placing bets and soaking in the ambience of it all. It was no surprise that she wound up deeply engrossed it becoming a part of it all. Thus, she trained as hard as she could, fought as hard as she could, made her mark upon the underground world and gained the respect of opponents and spectators alike.

Fast forward a few years and through her aptitude for fighting and her ability to outwit her opponents, Alaia found herself promoted to a regular within the club. For many months she continued to work at the jeweller's while regularly engaging in underground fights, maintaining a semblance on both worlds without permitting them to collide or spill over into her personal life. Finally, having grown tired and with a lust for change, she bid her time until the empire granted her release. Though she was no fool, packing up her belongings and venturing to finally set roots in Red Ridge. Naturally, she found herself drawn to Rogue’s Club where due to her strength, commitment and determination, a member of Valencia approached her. After some time, Alaia found herself promoted to a soldier. The promotion made sense and once it was offered, the girl seized the opportunity with both hands. All her life she had been determined and destined for greatness, even despite the cruelty of her childhood home. Nowadays, although Alaia continues to partake in arena matches every once in a while, her main priority is her duties as a soldier. Admittedly, it had taken Alaia a decent amount of months to adapt to the city of Red Ridge upon her arrival but eventually, she became well acquainted with her environment; never once wishing to go back to where she came from.

Throughout her twenty-seven years of life so far, Alaia has built herself back up time and time again. With every punch swung her way, physically and metaphorically, she has risen to her feet each time. For as clever as she is, she is just as resilient and stubborn. The need to prove people wrong is almost overwhelming but never to her detriment. While she continues to bear the emotional scars of her past, Alaia refuses to write herself off. She allows herself to admire people, history, art, music but she never grows comfortable enough that she is prepared to show even the people closest to her, her innermost, truest self. As a result of her upbringing, fragments of Alaia are broken beyond repair, lost to the depths of her mind yet deep down inside, the faintest sliver of that optimistic little girl remains. Was this the life she had envisioned for herself when she was a child with big dreams and wide eyes? Not exactly. But was it better than any alternative where she hadn't escaped the clutches of her horrid family? Without a shadow of a doubt. Where she is now is precisely where Alaia wants to be and perhaps this is the exact path she needs to take in order to fully emerge from the ashes of her haunting past.

WANTED PLOTS.

give me all of the connections from friends, frenemies, enemies, hookups, exes, rivals and everything else in between. added bonus if there’s angst or drama. if you have anything in mind feel free to throw it at me, i’m open to the majority of things and have zero triggers so come at me bro !! below you can find some connections i’d love for my lil ball of anger :

you’re a ghost from my past, haunting me. i think it would be very interesting to see alaia come face to face with someone who knew her before her arrival in red ridge. it would be even more interesting if this somebody knows her previous affiliation as a drug smuggler. maybe this person decides to blackmail alaia? or maybe they just want to know why she did what she did? maybe they are an ex-lover? either way, it would be exciting to see that kind of connection play out.

guardian by proxy. given her rebel nature and sarcastic outbursts, i feel that this chaotic girl needs some kind of parental figure in her life. lord knows, she needs one as she’s never had one. perhaps there is one particular person who knows her better than the rest? someone who knows her on a personal level and feels protective over her? maybe this person secretly checks up on alaia and keeps an eye on her from afar. really, this connection has endless possibilities but i feel that alaia having someone in her life that wholeheartedly has her back would help tame her wild side a little.

i don’t trust many but i do trust you. although alaia doesn’t make friends as easily as she did before, there would be one person in her life that she would deem worthy enough to confide in. this would be somebody that she could actually stand to be around and not under any false pretences either. it would have to be somebody that she knows she can trust 100% so for that reason, i would say they would have to be valencia affiliated. either way, i can see this person being someone that alaia actually cares for, somebody that she talks to regularly and spends time with.

there’s no friends like the old friends. this would be somebody who would have known alaia back in turkey or nyc. they could have been close friends or just acquaintances but this person might have known alaia’s family and possibly certain elements of her life when her father remarried. maybe they were a family friend or a friend she made when living with her grandmother. or somebody who knew her from her stint working in nyc. whichever, i imagine this person would be one of the rare people who actually knew the old alaia.

#xiii. 𝙵𝙸𝙻𝙴𝙳 𝚄𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁 : alaia kaplan / introduction.#redridgeintro #abuse tw #violence tw #adultery tw #drugs tw #ok so this got hella long oops??#anywhooo come show this bby some love!

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mrisclnvrro · 4 years

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BASICS:

name: marisol ‘mari’ navarro

dob: february 8 , 1988 (aquarius)

age: thirty - two

pronouns: she/her

status: single

sexuality: pansexual

job: graphic design consultant

ABOUT: tw: physical abuse

full bio here

lived the first five years of her life with her mother who filled her head with ideas of an adventurous life

father found the both of them. turns out mama navarro ran away with marisol after she gave birth

they decided to try to be a family. the deciding factor was papa kaplan threatening to sue for custody

marisol ignored their fights even when things got physical. she developed the same tactics when girls from her school tried to bully her.

met angel emmerson at the age of seven: the only friend she trusted / the only friend she let get close.

dated in high school but decided it wouldn’t work. is now her best friend.

at age eighteen, mama navarro left without an explanation. papa navarro supported marisol until she graduated with a degree in graphic design. (is actually pretty good at it; working with top influencers, their brands, and their branding)

once she saved up enough money, she would travel to random places with no plans and no end goal. somehow something would always go wrong and she’d come back to redwood.

recently she messed up big time and is planning on staying at redwood a little longer than she’s used to.

back in redwood since march.

PERSONALITY:

denial queen. will never tell you what’s wrong.

likes to deflect questions concerning her feelings.

because of that, she’s always ‘happy.’

angel is the only person she can be real with

runs away from problems , flight risk

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

BEST FRIEND [ 1 / 1 ]: Angel Emmerson. Childhood friend since she was 7. Dated in high school but figured they’re better off as friends. The only person who knows the ‘real her.’

ROOM MATES [ 0 / 2 ]: Marisol lives down town in a three bedroom apartment. Muse A and Muse B have their own rooms. Although they do live together, Marisol is still a bit hesitant on getting close with them.

HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS [ 0 / ??? ]: Your muse knew her as the one who wouldn’t shut up about getting out of there. While she didn’t let you get close, she was friendly.

COLLEGE FRIENDS [ 0 / ??? ]: Marisol got her degree from the local university. She was the type that carried her sketch book everywhere (she only chose graphic design because her father wouldn’t pay for an art degree). Could be study buddies? Could be Chad McFratboy/Becky McSororitygirl that she went to whenever she needed some lovin’.

HOOK UPS / FLINGS [ 0 / ??? ]: Marisol isn’t one for feelings so if your muse needs a quick romp with no strings attached, she’s the gal for you.

BET [ 1 / 1 ]: Rose Bennet. Marisol likes to do a lot of things out of spite. Because she gets bored real fast, your muse would be the one to challenge her with crazy pranks, dares, and everything in between. You both try to one up the other and it results in either running away from authorities or something as simple as owing money to the other.

NEIGHBORS [ 0 / ??? ]: Marisol works from home and the need for a distraction comes through with bothering her neighbors for things. Your muse could welcome this or be annoyed by it.

THE ONE THAT BREAKS HER [ 0 / 1 ]: This will be based on chemistry bec yknow. But there’s gotta be that one person that breaks Marisol’s heart.

i might add more :’ )

#marisol * / about .#redwood:intro

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chaosiica · 4 years

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PLAYER: Billy Kaplan / Wiccan

► Aesthetic

dark colors. bright colors. neon colors. soft colors. blood. forests. space. mansions. ghosts. asylums. wastelands. fire. injuries. hands. bare feet. dolls. fog. storms. galaxies. snow. dawn. midnight. cold. animals. sharp teeth. neck. shoulders. bruises. freckles. legs. feminine. masculine. burns. colorful hair. witchcraft. lips. webs. fields. corn fields. tears. sweat. glitter. flowers. plants. magic. fear. pain. murder. guns. blood in the snow. scars. missing posters. old paintings. strange eyes. explosions. creatures. weapons. lingerie. kissing. playfulness. metal. diamonds. rust. iron. stealth. running away. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. fur. lace. leather. synthetics. robots. monsters. childhood fears. cigarettes. alcohol. cameras. video cameras. polaroid cameras. angels. phones. computers. war. peace. decay. sadness. red lipstick. powder puffs. abandoned cars. skeletons. strangling. overcoats. puppets. torture. syringes. old cottages. loyalty. hospitals. teeth. scary basements. butterflies. prosthetic limbs. cats. dogs. dreams.

► Appearance

thick ass. bubble butt. flat ass. toned ass. thick waist. narrow hips. average hips. wide hips. curvy frame. muscular frame. chubby frame. petite frame. lanky frame. voluptuous frame. lean frame. skinny. long legs. stumpy. average legs. thick thighs. muscular thighs. toned thighs. slender thighs. beer belly. toned stomach. flat stomach. feminine frame. masculine frame. six pack. big boobs. small boobs. no boobs. harsh facial features. baby face. soft features. freckles. scars. moles. dimples. braces. tattoos. piercings. pigtails. messy hair. pixie-cut. bald. long hair. short-shaved. ponytail. clipped back fringe. shoulder length. bob cut. old-fashioned hairstyle. dreadlocks.bun. braids. shaved side. mohawk. buzz cut. afro. asymmetric. crown braid. wavy short. cotton buns. fade. comb over. side part. facial hair. styled goatee.

► Wardrobe

tight pants. jeans. shorts. short-shorts. jean shorts. pajama pants. dungarees. skirt-dungarees. leggings. tights. yoga pants. basketball shorts. lingerie. boxers. briefs. thongs. knee-high socks. socks. pencil skirt. long skirt. mini skirt. tutu. corset. sports bra. t-shirt. sweater. sweater vest. tight shirts. leather jacket. tank top. blouse. cardigan. button-up shirt. v-neck. crop top. flannels. hoodies. polo shirt. racerback shirts. boob tube. sun dress.1-shoulder dress. strapless. jumper dress. apron dress. shirt dress. ball gown. nightgown. High heels. ballet shoes. jelly shoes. sandals. rain boots. sneakers. stripper heels. flats. knee-high boots. cowboy boots. timberland boots. dr. martens. slip-ons. slippers. motorcycle boots. chukkas. loafers. dress boots. lots of layers. beanies. top hat. sunhat. cap.

► has your muse ever…

broken something. had a near death experience. killed someone (and succeeded). killed someone (and failed). self-harmed. attempted suicide. had surgery. kissed the same sex. had sex. had sex and regretted it. lost a loved one. had a pet. gotten arrested. gotten married. divorced. cheated. gotten shot (at). been stabbed. witnessed death. taken drugs. gotten drunk. played with an ouija board. been in a car accident. gotten stitches. invented something. had a kid. had something slipped into their food / drink. been kidnapped. been sexually assaulted. been bullied. bullied someone. had a stalker. been betrayed. been a traitor. been abused. gotten away with crime.

tagged: by @chxotic-mxgic

tagging: anybody on my dash bc i...really need to follow more people

#live like shooting stars ( *・°☆ ISMS )#finding out who i am ; — confusing that with what i dream ( *・°☆ HEADCANON )

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mollymauktealeef · 4 years

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will fic for tea

quarantine is reminding me i have wip’s to complete but (a) i’m a professional procrastinator and (b) i have zero inspiration

so i’m trying to kick start my muse into sprinkling me with fairy dust and also earn a few quid as i do so

SO if you’d like a wee fic/drabble then hmu! for the low low price of £3 i will write something for you! the following is a list of fandoms/pairings that i write for right now so pick and provide a prompt (check out my writing prompt tag for ideas if you’re stuck):

fandom/s + pairing/s

young avengers

billy kaplan/teddy altman (billyteddy)

tommy shepherd/noh-varr (nohmmy)

kate bishop/america chavez (amerikate)

marvel

leo fitz/grant ward (fitzward)

the magnus archives

jon sims/martin blackwood (jonmartin)

alice "daisy" tonner/basira hussain (daisybasira)

the untamed

lan zhan/wei wuxian (wangxian)

torchwood

toshiko sato/owen harper (towen)

jack harkness/ianto jones (janto)

gwen cooper/rhys williams (gwenrhys)

so once you have your prompt and pairing, donate via my ko-fi here:

ko-fi

and then send me an ask with the name you donated using and your chosen prompt and pairing and wa la i shall begin the process of corralling the plot bunnies

simple

(list of things i will not write no matter how much you pay me: a/b/o, mpreg, anything rape or rape related and sex...listen the last one is because i am bad at it, trust me you do not want it so i shall spare the masses okay)

#the magnus archives #torchwood #young avengers #the untamed #fitzward #wangxian #towen #janto #gwenrhys #jonmartin #daisybasira #amerikate #nohmmy #billyteddy

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paralleljulieverse · 6 years

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Star!, the 1968 musical biopic of Gertrude Lawrence celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, signalled a substantial shift for the on-screen persona of Julie Andrews. Although the actress had tackled slightly ‘darker’ roles in some of her previous dramatic films –– notably, The Americanization of Emily (1964), Hawaii (1966) and Torn Curtain (1966) –– her star image in this era was primarily defined by the trio of hit screen musicals –– Mary Poppins (1964), The Sound of Music (1965) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). Together these family-friendly blockbusters cemented a popular ‘nice girl’ image humorously described by one commentator of the time as “Miss Sunshine of the Sixties” (Coleman, 118).

The part of Gertrude Lawrence, by contrast, was no sunny musical ingenue. As depicted in Star!, she is an ambitious arriviste driven to theatrical and social success at all costs. A self-absorbed hedonist, Gertie drinks, swears, and leaves a trail of broken romances and –– perhaps, most subversive vis-à-vis the traditional Julie Andrews screen image –– abandoned children in her wake. Much of the film’s commercial underperformance has been attributed to the difficulty audiences of the time had in accepting Julie Andrews in such a radically atypical role (Kennedy, 154; Silverman, 131). Even the Dame herself subscribes to this theory, musing in retrospect that:

“It was a time of enormous change for me and for movies…And people then were not ready to accept me in an unsympathetic role like Gertrude Lawrence in Star!” (Anderson, 27).

Things weren’t possibly helped much by the film’s pre-release publicity campaign. The second of two films that Julie was contracted to make for Twentieth Century-Fox, Star! was initially announced in late 1964, before her first film, The Sound of Music was even in the can (Scheuer, V-15). By the time Star! was ready for production, The Sound of Music had become the highest grossing film of all time and Fox spared no expense in promoting their new big Julie Andrews musical. The studio assigned not one but two Publicity Directors to handle the film, Howard Newman and Mike Kaplan. Together they helmed what was described as “the biggest publicity barrage in Hollywood history” with countless media releases, photographs, interviews, and PR stories (Edwards).

From the outset, Fox was quick to promote Star! as a reunion of the “dream team” behind The Sound of Music: star Julie Andrews, director Robert Wise and producer Saul Chaplin (”Movie Call Sheet,” IV-10). “Julie Andrews…returns to singing and dancing in Star! with the same two movie makers who guided The Sound of Music,” trumpeted a widely syndicated press release to mark the start of shooting in early 1967. “If any picture is likely to match The Sound of Music in public popularity, it will be Star!” (Kaplan, B-10). As a purely attention-grabbing marketing strategy, it made sense to play up The Sound of Music connections, but it arguably served to foster false expectations that Star! was set to be another upbeat family musical.

During the film’s long 18 month production, media articles started to hint that Star! marked a change of pace for Julie. However, the focus was largely on change at the level of visual style with Star! framed as little more than a cosmetic makeover for “our Julie”:

“To play Gertrude Lawrence should give Julie Andrews a much deserved chance to prove what a charmer she is. On the screen Julie has been hidden under nun’s robes and missionary muumuus for the past two years…In Gertrude Lawrence’s chiffon and ostrich she should come alive as a glamorous woman instead of a wholesome girl” (Sheppard, D1).

Or again:

“In ‘Star!’ [Julie is] playing her first glamorous role, a musical comedy star based on the life of Gertrude Lawrence. Donald Brooks designed a $250,000 wardrobe for her, not including the $2,500,000 worth of real jewels supplied by Cartier’s in New York…It’s a chic and elegant Julie you’ll be seeing in ‘Star!’, singing more than two dozen songs by Noel Coward, Kurt Weil, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and other great composers” (Sherman, B-3).

The net effect of these widespread media reports was to present Star! as a variation on the classic Cinderella ‘makeover’ musical which had been central to Julie’s stardom from My Fair Lady to Thoroughly Modern Millie (Cantu 2015). Small point that Julie’s new character was possibly more Wicked Stepmother than Cinderella.

One of the most spectacular examples of the promotional framing of Star! as fairytale makeover is this lavish cover spread from the popular US weekly magazine, Look. Hitting the stands in mid-September 1967 –– nine months before Star!’s UK premiere and a full year before its US release –– the magazine spread is essentially a photographic panegyric to Julie as ‘glammed up’ princess with costume designer Donald Brooks cast in the the role of symbolic Fairy Godmother:

“At this point, Star! is only half-born…However, publicity on the Robert Wise production for 20th Century-Fox starts now, and its uproar will echo immediately through the world of fashion. Julie will wear 124 different costumes in Star! They are all glamorous, a word invented for the likes of Gertie Lawrence and captured now by designer Donald Brooks. For women who do not want to follow the hippie road or slick moon-blast to fashion, here is salvation” (Zill, 63).

In glossy full page shots by famed photographer, Cal Bernstein, Julie is showcased in some of Brook’s most lavish costumes, set against a series of fantasy backdrops courtesy of the Fox prop department: Julie as darling flapper, as ‘swellegant’ society lady, as landed gentry. It’s a stunning preview of "Julie’s Dazzling New Look” but it offers nary a hint about “Julie’s Acidic New Personality”!

On its release, reviews of Star! were sharply mixed. The film garnered more praise than is often remembered, but among the many brickbats, critics were quick to highlight the jarring disjunction between Julie’s received star image and her waspish new role. In a typical example, Renata Adler* of The New York Times wrote:

“Miss Andrews, who plays Gertrude Lawrence, is not at her best in this one. There is some sort of clash between her special niceness and innocence and the attitude that the film, directed by Robert Wise (of ‘The Sound of Music’), has toward the star of ‘Private Lives’ and ‘The King and I’" (Adler, 21).

Could this type of response have been averted with a more careful pre-release framing of the film and its casting of Julie ‘against type’? Possibly, but then Star!’s problems were never limited to the film’s surprise revision of Julie’s ‘girl next door’ persona. Failure may be a proverbial orphan but in the case of Star! it most definitely had ‘multiple fathers.’ Some of the other factors operative in the film’s underperformance will likely be flagged in future posts but the Look magazine cover from 1967 provides a telling insight into one of them. The cover’s uneasy juxtaposition of Julie’s fantasy glamour makeover alongside headline allusions to the war in Vietnam and rising murder rates serves a symbolic snapshot of the rapidly brewing social tumult that would rise to engulf America and bedevil the reception of Star! and other big screen musicals of the era.

Variously dubbed ‘the year that rocked the world’, 'the year of awakening’, ‘the year of revolt’, 1968 was nothing if not a watershed moment of profound social upheaval. As post-war baby boomers came of age and countercultural youth movements reached critical mass, “there occurred a spontaneous combustion of rebellious spirits around the world” united by “a sense of alienation from the established order and a profound distaste for authoritarianism in any form” (Kurlansky, xvii). In such a context, the complexion and tastes of movie audiences were, like the times, a-changin’ fast. Small youth-oriented and iconoclastic social realist films like The Graduate (1967) Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Easy Rider (1969) were the new order of the day and, almost overnight, big budget musicals like Star! were deemed woefully old-fashioned, even irrelevant.

In a remarkably hostile piece that is possibly more cultural symptomatology than actual film review, Robert Kotlowitz, resident critic for Harper’s magazine, took Star! to task for what he saw as the film’s reactionary obliviousness to America’s changing zeitgeist. The filmmakers, he writes, seem to:

“have simply strolled over to Hollywood’s immense fantasy bin –– in which slivers of our national psyche lie buried –– and casually plucked dozens of the gaudiest clichés from the dust and packaged them as a Technicolor extravaganza…[Star!] is less concerned with the biography of Gertrude Lawrence than with using the rags-to-riches, triumphs-and-heartaches outline of her story to define an extinct type of glamor, the ideal of an anti-serious and pre-pop generation…it’s impossible to imagine the John Lennon legend ever receiving this kind of treatment “ (169).

Not sure about John Lennon –– though fifty years after the fact, one would be hard pressed to claim his legend hasn’t been subject to its own forms of clichéd idealisation –– but Kotlowitz’s diatribe certainly gives a sense of the extent to which Star! suffered substantial fallout from the era’s rapidly transforming social climate.

And, pace Kotlowitz’s testy dismissal of the film as “extinct glamor”, Star! possibly offers its own eloquent rejoinder when, in a spirited defence of Gertie’s mercurial eccentricities, Noël Coward grandly declaims:

“I know she’s maddening, infuriating and impossible…but she’s also probably the most beautiful and entrancing creature ever to walk onto a stage. Glamour is a very overworked and quite indefinable word but I think the world could do with a little of her brand of it at the moment” (Fairchild, 142).

Five decades on, some of us are still entranced by the glamour of Star!…warts and all! ___________________________

Notes:

* It was widely reported that Renata Adler left the press screening of Star! early due to illness. The fact that she went ahead to file a negative, and dismissively short, review despite only having seen half the film prompted an outraged letter to the editor from Twentieth Century-Fox head, Daryl F. Zanuck. It was one of several gaffes that marked Adler’s brief but tempestuous tenure as resident film critic at The New York Times (Roberts, 181ff).

Sources:

Adler, Renata. “Screen: ‘Star!’ Arrives: Julie Andrews Featured in Movie at Rivoli.” The New York Times. 23 October 1968: 21.

Anderson, George. “Andrews Garned in New Image.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 23 March 1982: 27, 30.

Cantu, Maya. American Cinderellas on the Broadway Musical Stage: Imagining the Working Girl from Irene to Gypsy. London: Palgrave MacMillan, 2015.

Coleman, John. “Per Adua ad Julie.” New Statesman. 26 July 1968: 118.

Edwards, T.J. “The Saga of ‘Star!’”. Star! Special Edition LaserDisc. Beverley Hills, CA: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 1993.

Fairchild, William. Star! Unpublished screenplay. Final version: 26 January 1967.

Kaplan, Mike. “Julie Andrews to Film ‘Star’.” The San Bernadino County Sun. 29 April 1967: B-10.

Kennedy, Matthew. Roadshow!: The Fall of Film Musicals in the 1960s. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.

Kotlowitz, Robert. “Films: ‘Star!’, ‘Finian’s Rainbow’, ‘Hot Millions’.” Harper’s. Vol. 237. No. 1422, November 1968: 168-171.

Kurlansky, Mark. 1968: The Year that Rocked the World. New York: Random House, 2004.

“Movie Call Sheet.” The Los Angeles Times. 24 May 1965: IV-10.

Roberts, Jerry. The Complete History of American Film Criticism. Santa Monica: Santa Monica Press, 2010.

Scheuer, Philip. “Julie Andrews Just Right for Gertie.” The Los Angeles Times. 2 December 1964: V-15.

Sheppard, Eugenia. “Julie Will Play Gertrude Lawrence Role.” The Honolulu Advertiser. 7 November 1966: D1.

Sherman, Eddie. “’STAR’ Communique.” Honolulu Advertiser. 8 August 1967: B-3.

Silverman, Stephen M. The Fox That Got away: The Last Days of the Zanuck Dynasty at Twentieth Century-Fox. Seacusus, NJ: Lyle Stuart, 1988.

Zill, Jo Ahern. “Julie Plays Gertie.” Look. Vol. 31, no. 19. 19 September 1967: 63-68.

#julie andrews #star!#fiftieth anniversary #star50 #gertrude lawrence #hollywood #musicals #donald brooks #20th century fox #robert wise #1968 #look magazine #cal bernstein #fashion #photography #film criticism

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your-dietician · 3 years

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What will ESPN’s coverage of the NHL look like next season?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/nhl/what-will-espns-coverage-of-the-nhl-look-like-next-season/

What will ESPN’s coverage of the NHL look like next season?

The network’s coverage starts with the July 21 Seattle expansion draft, hosted by Chris Fowler on ESPN2. John Buccigross will host the NHL Draft two days later. Those shows will be produced by NHL Network.

When Gross spoke over the phone this past week, ESPN (which reportedly paid $410 million a year for seven years of NHL rights) and Turner ($225 million a year over the same period) still hadn’t divvied the games. The NHL had yet to release its 2021-22 schedule. Its puck- and player-tracking data has not seen the light of day.

“One thing we’re trying to get our arms around is what analytics teams and coaches use to showcase in our game coverage, our studio coverage,” Gross said. “Camera positions is another thing we’re looking at, talking to the league to see how we can showcase and document the games.”

Strategy and speed are the buzzwords Gross hears in his daily conversations with NHL people. Capturing both, while serving hard-core fans, hooking viewers from the massive pool of casual sports viewers who don’t give hockey much thought, attracting diverse genders and backgrounds . . . all are among Gross’s concerns.

“There has to be a level of entertainment without it being forced,” he said. “There’s really nothing worse on TV than forced fun. We have to find our spots, when we get [Chris] Chelios and [Mark] Messier together, who have a relationship. We’ll mix and match with other folks.”

Chelios and Messier, along with Steve Levy, will likely work the major events. “We know how that works,” Gross said. Hearing the two Hall of Famers, owners of some sharp elbows, chime in on player safety decisions should be interesting.

While he may not be hockey’s answer to Charles Barkley, Chelios does seem like a straight shooter. In a phone call, he acknowledged he wasn’t looking for a gig when he reached out to ESPN after the announcement. He was calling as a dad, hoping that his daughter, Lightning TV reporter Caley Chelios, was on the network’s radar.

“I like to think I’ll call it like it is,” said Chelios, 59, “Even though it’s a little different than when I played, hockey’s hockey.”

Messier, Chelios, Hilary Knight, Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher, and Cassie Campbell-Pascall were among the first names Gross mentioned when speaking about his roster, but a lineup has yet to be solidified. He noted that women will be featured prominently in on-air roles.

The list of local connections is long, from Boucher (Woonsocket, R.I.), A.J. Mleczko (Nantucket/Harvard), former Red Sox play-by-play man Sean McDonough (Boston), Buccigross (who has Boston roots), Rick DiPietro (Winthrop/Boston University), ex-Boston College Eagles Blake Bolden and Bob Wischusen, and Emily Kaplan, a former Globie.

Gross said another fan favorite from the past, play-by-play announcer Gary Thorne, remains an option. He spoke with the agent for Thorne, 73, this past week.

“We’re not done yet,” Gross said. “We want to see what the schedule looks like, and what other decisions we have to make. We still have time.”

What’s the game-changing idea that will separate ESPN? It won’t be glow pucks and robots (fun as they were for younger fans in the ’90s). What’s hockey’s version of the K-Zone?

“Some people thought the first-and-10 line would be too intrusive,” Gross mused. “Now you can’t really watch a game without it.”

AWARD SEASON

One voter’s ballot in depth

Connor McDavid became the first unanimous MVP since Wayne Gretzky in 1982, collecting all 100 first-place votes for the Hart Memorial Trophy.DARRYL DYCK/Associated Press

I consider it a privilege to vote on year-end NHL awards as part of my duties with the Professional Hockey Writers Association. I’m not alone. My peers and I want to get it right.

When it came to this season’s MVP, I believe we did.

Connor McDavid earned all 100 first-place votes for the Hart Trophy, becoming the second unanimous MVP ever (Wayne Gretzky, 1982). McDavid’s 105 points in 56 games goes down as one of the most dominant seasons in league history. He was playing at a different speed than everyone else.

In the voting bloc — trimmed from about 175 to 100 members, and dispersed regionally to address imbalances created by the divisional-only schedule — we saw some refreshingly progressive thinking, and as always, some strange calls. One Edmonton writer voted McDavid’s teammate, Leon Draisaitl, second for the Selke. Draisaitl made strides this season, but it would be generous to call him an above-average defensive forward, much less elite.

In this space last year, I delved into my methodology, which blends in-person viewings, video study, and number-crunching. Obviously this season, I relied more on the latter two. I was among the few beat writers who traveled all season, but I only watched the East Division up close.

My ballot, and some quick takes:

Hart Trophy — 1. McDavid; 2. Auston Matthews; 3. Nathan MacKinnon; 4. Aleksander Barkov; 5. Brad Marchand.

Relatively easy calls. McDavid was incredible, and the other four were the driving forces on good teams. Marchand was ranked as high as No. 2 on six ballots.

Norris Trophy — 1. Adam Fox; 2. Cale Makar; 3. Charlie McAvoy; 4. Dougie Hamilton; 5. MacKenzie Weegar.

A youth movement, and an ECAC/Hockey East top three. Makar (UMass) missed 12 games, or 21 percent of the season, leaving the door open for Fox (Harvard), who was the Rangers’ MVP in his second season. McAvoy (BU) might be the best five-on-five defender in the game. Weegar opened eyes after Aaron Ekblad’s injury. Eleven blue liners earned top-three votes. Victor Hedman was down-ballot for me, after an injury-plagued regular season. Don’t ask me why someone gave Kris Letang a first-place vote. Fun fact: Fox is the first player of Jewish descent to win a major NHL award.

Calder Trophy — 1. Kirill Kaprizov; 2. Jason Robertson; 3. Alex Nedeljkovic; 4. Josh Norris; 5. Igor Shesterkin.

Kaprizov (27 goals and 51 points in 55 games) was a slam dunk, though Robertson had a brief midseason run that made it interesting.

Lady Byng Trophy — 1. Jaccob Slavin; 2. Jared Spurgeon; 3. Barkov; 4. Roope Hintz; 5. Johnny Gaudreau.

I’ve said before that writers should not vote for this. Referees should. Slavin, an elite defender playing heavy minutes, committed one penalty all season (for shooting the puck over the glass). Good enough for me.

Selke Trophy — 1. Barkov; 2. Patrice Bergeron; 3. Joel Eriksson Ek; 4. Phillip Danault; 5. Joe Pavelski.

Barkov had a strong MVP case, but his 200-foot excellence was properly recognized here. Bergeron is still Bergeron. Could see Danault, after his lockdown playoffs, be front of mind for a lot of voters next season.

The PWHA does not vote on the Vezina Trophy (the general managers selected Marc-Andre Fleury), but we do pick the year-end All-Star teams. My goalies, in order, were Andrei Vasilevskiy, Fleury, and Juuse Saros. We also pick All-Rookie teams. I had Kaprizov, Robertson, and Norris as my forwards, Ty Smith and K’Andre Miller as my defensemen, and Nedeljkovic in goal.

ETC.

League will not rush to judgment

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is waiting for an independent review of the Blackhawks alleged cover-up of sexual abuse before proceeding.Karl B DeBlaker/Associated Press

The alleged cover-up of sexual assault by the Blackhawks was the leading topic in Gary Bettman’s annual pre-Stanley Cup Final news conference this past week. Rightfully so.

Bettman said the league learned of the allegations “relatively recently” and will wait for an independent review.

According to a lawsuit filed in May, a former Blackhawks player alleges he and another player were assaulted by then-video coach Brad Aldrich during the team’s 2010 championship run. The team’s leadership, which included current GM Stan Bowman, were allegedly informed of the incident by then-skills coach Paul Vincent, whom the players had told.

Aldrich later worked at a high school in Michigan, where he was convicted of sexual assault involving a student. He is now on Michigan’s sex offender registry.

Multiple ex-Blackhawks, including Nick Boynton, Daniel Carcillo (then with the Flyers), and Brent Sopel, spoke out this past week. One unnamed player told The Athletic that “every guy on the team knew.” Captain Jonathan Toews took issue with that, telling that outlet he didn’t hear about the allegations until the end of that summer. He said he couldn’t say for sure if the team “mishandled” the situation.

Bettman, a former lawyer, pumped the brakes. “Let us see what the investigation reveals, and then we can figure out what comes next,” he said. “I think everyone is jumping too far, too fast. This is going to be handled appropriately and professionally, and done right.”

Let’s hope so.

Beijing Olympics not a given

Commissioner Gary Bettman said the NHL has concerns over the feasibility of sending players to the Olympics next winter.Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Later in his Q&A, Bettman shared the league’s “real concerns” over whether it was “sensible” to have a two-week shutdown for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Wait, what?

After sitting out 2018 — and watching interest in Olympic hockey wane — the NHL and NHLPA last summer collectively bargained to participate in the 2022 and 2026 Winter Olympics, pending further agreement with both parties, the IIHF, and IOC. But there is no plan yet.

COVID-19 variants remain a worry, and NBC isn’t likely to lobby on the NHL’s inclusion following the expiration of the TV deal. The NHL hopes to release its 2021-22 schedule shortly after the Cup Final.

“Time is running very short,” Bettman said, which came as disappointing news to Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman.

“The Olympics is one of the biggest dreams of mine and I haven’t been able to participate in one. This might be the last chance I get. That sucks to hear,” said Hedman, who was left off Team Sweden in 2014. “When you get an opportunity to represent your country on the biggest stage, it’s one of those things that you’ll probably never forget. For me, it’s obviously something I’ve been dreaming about my whole life and something I want to do before I hang up my skates.”

Pride working on title defense

The Boston Pride, two-time Isobel Cup winners, are preparing a title defense for 2021-22.Mary Schwalm/Associated Press

The NWHL’s Boston Pride are deep into an Isobel Cup summer, hauling the trophy from New England lake houses to the Grand Canyon.

As he preps for a title defense, coach Paul Mara is playing his cards close. After a few defections, he’s using his newfound salary-cap space — the league doubled the ceiling to $300,000 — to bring in some outside help.

“Working on a few things,” he said.

The NWHL is feeling momentum entering its seventh season. An influx of sponsorship dollars, visibility from its Isobel Cup playoffs broadcast on NBCSN, and a lot of player raises have elevated the mood.

Since last month, the four franchises under league control — the Buffalo Beauts, Connecticut Whale, Metropolitan Riveters, and Minnesota Whitecaps — were sold to private owners, making it a league of six independent clubs. Expansion is on the horizon, with Montreal a primary target.

Also notable: This past week’s draft, which was streamed on Twitch, included appearances from a range of pro sports personalities, including NHL league and team executives, and USA Hockey reps. The NWHL hasn’t always had such vocal support.

For all the growth, players aren’t yet earning a living wage. Contracts are yearly. Outside opportunities create a talent drain.

The Pride lost president Hayley Moore to the AHL (vice president of hockey operations), replacing her with 1998 US Olympian Colleen Coyne. They are searching for a GM, after Karilyn Pilch this past week signed on with the Chicago Blackhawks’ scouting and player development department.

They also need a few good forwards. Mary Parker, Carlee Turner, and Lexie Laing departed for job and school reasons. Czech standout Tereza Vanisova signed with Leksands IF in Sweden, which will better help her participate in a demanding Olympic training schedule.

League MVP Jillian Dempsey, recovered from shoulder surgery, returns with All-Star linemates McKenna Brand and Christina Putigna, the No. 1 defense pair of Kaleigh Fratkin (two-time NWHL Defender of the Year) and Mallory Souliotis, and netminders Lovisa Selander and Victoria Hanson. That crew, plus whomever Mara can lure to town, should keep the Pride near the top of the standings.

Unlike last season, when the Pride got a boost from No. 1 overall pick Sammy Davis (BU) and six drafted rookies, the draft won’t have a major impact. Because they lost their 2021 first- and second-round picks when they traded up to select Davis, and dealt their third-rounder to Buffalo for future considerations, the Pride picked in the fourth and fifth rounds (Weston’s Finley Frechette and Beverly’s Abby Nearis, both forwards).

The NWHL’s player pool was thinned after the NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility, leading many of the top draft-eligible players to return to school. Because of that, Boston isn’t the only team that believes next year’s draft will be loaded.

Loose pucks

Bruce Cassidy (left) has been promoting from within, with assistant coach Jay Pandolfo (center) leaving for Boston University.Winslow Townson/Associated Press

The Bruins have promoted from within of late, calling up coaches from Providence and the player development ranks. It makes sense that fourth-year P-Bruins coach Jay Leach would replace Jay Pandolfo on Bruce Cassidy’s staff, but player development staffers Chris Kelly and Jamie Langenbrunner will also get a look. Like Pandolfo, they were two-way forwards with long NHL résumés . . . As for Pandolfo, the move to BU gives him a shorter path to a head coaching gig. Albie O’Connell, who is entering the final year of his deal, has had a spotty run . . . Bruins strength and conditioning assistant Kenny Whittier also made the move to BU . . . A few first-timers joined NHL benches this past week, including two ex-players, Alex Tanguay (Detroit assistant) and Tuomo Ruutu (Florida assistant), and André Tourigny (Arizona coach). The latter move was particularly interesting, for a league that often recycles head coaches . . . Toews, after a year out of the spotlight with a mysterious illness, is back on the ice. He posted a video message to fans after a practice, saying doctors told him he has “chronic immune response syndrome,” a catch-all term for constant, debilitating stress reactions. Still dealing with a few symptoms, the Blackhawks’ captain believes the condition was brought on by a nasty bout with COVID-19 in February 2020, before the pandemic hit in full; the toll of 13 NHL seasons; and the year-round hockey training schedule he’s followed since he was a young teenager. “I think there’s a lot of things that just piled up,” he said, “where my body just fell apart.” He hopes to return in October . . . Edmonton trimmed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’s $6 million cap hit, but took a beating on term, when it locked up the No. 2 center to an eight-year, $41 million deal with a full no-move clause. He will be 36 when it expires. “No contract is perfect,” GM Ken Holland acknowledged . . . Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon’s take on game jersey ads, which are coming to the NHL sooner rather than later: “If we look like Formula One or NASCAR, that’d be fine with me.” . . . Glad to see college athletes everywhere get a chance to make some cash off their name and image, following the Supreme Court’s hammering of the paternalistic NCAA. A small step, long overdue.

Matt Porter can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyports.

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