In defense of silliness.

Here we see some fun-loving bears enjoying a bit of mirth. (The clip to which they're lip-synching is from the fabulous TV show Glee.)

And of course some folks on the interwebs have clogged up the series of tubes by vomiting up some hateful-ass twaddle... in a nutshell, they think that our tribe shouldn't be acting silly and singing along to bouncy songs. Apparently we should all be sitting across cold tables in brightly-lit coffee houses and processing things.

To paraphrase the words of a Dallas drag queen walking through a crosswalk circa 1992... Kittens, this world is a harsh place. You could get your britches bunched all up in your tookie if you wanted to... there are plenty of injustices out there that would justifiably result in dyspepsia. The real winners in our struggle are those who can laugh heartily in the face of injustice.

Remember, my delicate little petals... anything that provides a little joy and laughter in our lives adds to the measure of good in this world.

Exquisite.

On this beautiful Saturday afternoon, I give you the incomparable Natalia Makarova. A permanent member of the Kirov Ballet in Leningrad from 1956 to 1970, she defected to the West in 1970 and performed with the American Ballet Theatre in New York and the Royal Ballet in London. She was reunited in 1989 with her family and former teachers and colleagues when she returned to the Kirov after the fall of the former Soviet Union.

Here, she performs "The Dying Swan", the iconic solo piece created by Anna Pavlova and choreographer Michel Fokine in 1905. The equally famous music is Le Cygne, an 1866 composition by Camille Saint-Saëns.

I'm struck by the combination of obvious athleticism and Makarova's delicate, almost ethereal artistry. The lyrical quality of the performance and the impeccable classical technique are breathtaking.

Enjoy.

Shake it like your mama taught you.

Joe.My.God shared this video this morning. A music festival in the town or George in the state of Washington. (Yes, that's George, Washington.) What started as one lone man dancing (sort of) became an impromptu mob of jerky, twirly, giggly awesomeness. It's really interesting to see how one person expressing his joy without shame or inhibition can create a thing of great beauty... even if it's short-lived. Those folks who joined him will remember that afternoon for a long time, I'll bet.

One lone man gyrates

Folks discover that it's fun

Safety in numbers

Walk it out, girl.

There's not enough Gwen Verdon in the world.