Are you slick enough?
Last night was our very first City Slickers event brought to you by Big City Life. This is Big City Life’s first event of the year. Our last event was back in September remembered as, “Big City Life Fashion Show”.
This event is a private, inviting Hamilton’s City Slickers who want to help build positive impact down town through entertainment. We hosted this event at The Pearl Company, which we have fallen in love with entirely, don’t even get me started!
Last night we featured the adorable Josette Cacnio as our fashionista of the night. She displayed her clothing and had our gorgeous Big City Life models having a fun night in her “Fuck Him” shirt line for women. She has a mix of Lady Gaga and Betsy Johnson look to a lot of her work, which kept the fashion side of City Slickers very wild and fun. We love @JuicyJosette! (Sorry for the profanity mom, but FH is a much shorter abbreviation than FML. Sometimes we are way too hard on ourselves…)
We featured Bryce Huffman as our artist of the night. His work really pulled together a great feeling to the theatre of The Pearl Company. You can find his work at Cottage 13 and 220 King. I hope he gets involved again with City Slickers, we love #BryceHuffman and his amazing work!
Defining Movement shares a big part with Big City Life. Last night Josh Court and Brianne Robertson performed Adele – Turning Tables. Josh Court and Josh Taylor are amazing dancers, choreographers and instructors. They help out Big City Life in many ways, being big supporters and amazing friends. We altogether beam with some wicked energy and want to get fun creative things going, bringing everyone a #hellofagoodtime. Hollaaaa @jcDMD #MalloryFreed; @ZacheryEllis , @everybodybutme! and don’t forget about me/ @bclhamilton we <3 BCL like it’s Jersey Shore….
The sound was pretty jammin’ too! DJ Engrish was helping me host the night, love @220King! Along with Adam Carter aka The Human race. You guys set some serious “ambiance”… did you go to school to learn those dirty skills?
We adore The Pearl Company <3 I think we found our favourite place in Hamilton…
And we raised… ahem,drum roll please! $55 for the Red Cross Japan Relief, with our I <3 Hamilton photo shoot @hainingphoto. Our top models made sure everyone was having a good time #fuckhim.
Find your I <3 Hamilton photo on our Facebook fan page!
City Slickers: Our first event of the year!
Every City Slickers event will involve new flavors of fun involving Hamilton and surrounding cities. These events allow the team of Big City Life to scout for talent, community programs, dancers, designers, models etc. We want our year-end event of Big City Life fashion show to have more talent, more involvement and bring as much positive impact to the downtown core as possible.
** I <3 Hamilton photo shoot goes to the Red Cross Japan Relief ***
Oh I didn’t see you there…
I guess next to none of you will know me, so… My name is Zach Ellis and I do, well, something with BCL. I have trouble describing my position as guy that helps make things happen and stuff, while also performing the duties of guy that focuses on certain aspects. Like making sure this blog exists and has a URL. All this is irrelevant to why I am blogging here and over here though.
If you live in Hamilton or the surrounding area and love local art you may have heard of the James ST North Art Crawl. The scene is amazing to be honest and for me it is close to home and heart. I spent three years studying art dreaming of doing what my peers now do. They are talented and dedicated people channeling creativity like I never could. While the next Crawl-Proper doesn’t occur until the second Friday of April 2011 a lot of artists are showing between now and then at the many galleries and alternative venues in the neighborhood. So grab yourself a fair trade coffee here and check out some of the talent on James Street.
eNJOY.
Chapter 1 – Amanda.Land
So if you know me, you know that I used to blog back in the day on a more personal level. I posted my thoughts, poetry, aspirations and energy. It was a way for me to clear my mind and thoughts, with a punch line and picture.
Writing about anything possible helped me learn, explore, think freely, and state my opinion. It was the reason I decided to go to school for Journalism. Always being on the hunt for a good story to share with the rest of the population, it seemed like the perfect career.
I lost total care for Journalism once the structure of politics, the hour drive in snow and the love for my other interests all kicked in. The idea to add them all together to make an Amanada.land recipe and stir the pot seemed like an even better idea!
So I sat down and made a list of what I love + enjoy and how I can make them all form = into one passion.
Art
Creativity
Beauty
Community
Writing
Dance
Live performance
Inspiration
Talent
Working with children
Business
Networking
Events
Creative Ideas
Teamwork
That list grew into one idea that I couldn’t let go.
While I was sitting at my desk, I was jammin’ to this song, feeling high on ambition, motivation and completely ignoring the fact I hadn’t studied any definitions for my Politics test the next day. My idea of having a fashion show became something I had to chase. Mattafix was playing just at the right time, it all made sense. Big City Life.
One year later, here I am still chasing, working on that list. Trying to figure out how I am going to balance my new job in Toronto, my Big City Life in Hamilton and first and lasts rent to move out and be on my own. The dilemma that I face today….
I love Toronto, it has been my biggest goal since I was 15 to live and work there for my adult youth. I am watching that dream become reality, and like Nikki Minaj, I believe that life is a prize. So I have to take what I can to survive. But I am so into what I have in Hamilton and everything I have worked for. If I leave right now, will my goal ever be accomplished?
My business partner for Big City Life, Zach Ellis, called me up today. He was listening to me stress like a fish out of water and told me to blog about my life. Not just Big City Life, but just life. The ups, downs.. ins and outs. To make Big City Life blog not just a blog for our business, but a blog from a real Big City Life.
Don’t you ever get lonely from time to time…. don’t let the system get you down.
What Movement Defines You?
Photos by: Gustavo Jimenez
So, if you haven’t heard about Defining Movement Dance yet…
Every Monday I take class with Josh Court and Josh Taylor… these guys can not only bring it… but teach it!
They teach from a male perspective, so it is easy for men to learn without feeling like they have no rhythm. Josh Court always reflects hip-hop to sports, which helps men feel the strength in the movement.
Us women, we learn the real deal and how to smooth it out.
The whole class is learning how to flex, pop, lock, groove, while looking and feeling extremely sexy.
They also provide Salsa, Tango, Swing, Waltz, Bachata and Hustle lessons.
“Defining Movement Dance provides professional performances, workshops and on-site group classes in a variety of dance styles. DMD has appeared at elementary & secondary schools, universities, weddings, special events for businesses, community centers, charities and more. .
In the past year, Team DMD has performed for the Art Gallery of Hamilton, McMaster University, City Kidz, Super Crawl, Big City Life, and CANUSA games.”
DMD Studio is located downtown Hamilton, 28 King st. 3rd Floor (Gore Park)
Contact Josh Court & Josh Taylor: info@definingmovementdance.com
NEW UPDATED WEBSITE>>www.definingmovementdance.com
Downtown Showdown!
We have an event coming up to kick- start our second year of Big City Life.
The date is fastly approaching, yet not revealed.
We are on the lookout right now for a live up beat music performer.
The less cords with the most talent… (BUSKER, BUSKER, BUSKER)
This is not a rock show… it is a feel good event.
This event will be featuring art, dance, music, photography and a few that we are keeping secret!
Send us your video of performance to our Facebook fan page! www.facebook.com/#!/big.city.life.hamilton
Get creative!
Email me for any inquiries @ bclhamilton@gmail.com
Join us!
Become friends with us on Facebook!
We have a very good-looking Facebook page and we don’t want to be the only ones who use it.
Share with us upcoming events, videos of local talent, pictures and more!
We want to see who we can reach out to!
This is more for group discussions. A unconnventional way to meet with people, who know whats up!
For us to post videos of our where abouts and share the good times with you.
Post any auditions, events, challenges, parties… you get the idea!
So… LIKE us, and we will like you 
Studio time with Haining!
CHARM
Working down town Hamilton, I see it all. I could probably write a book of the everyday life in down town. The charm has not died, it still is alive. Maybe not as much charm as there was 20-30 years ago, but why are people letting go? I hear the stories from all the old folks, and how disgusted they are with down town now. My debate: we weren’t the ones who let it all go! This generation is eager and ambitious, we want to make a difference and we want to see change.
Moving to Toronto is an option for a better big city life, fact! My heart has always been in Toronto, which is the reason why I yearn to see improvement in Hamilton before I leave. We do have a lot to offer, you just have to get off your high horse and figure it out! If you can actually prove that Hamilton is a boring, dull city; then leave. The rest of us are looking up and having fun!
There will always be people bugging you for your hard-earned change, for who knows what addiction they crave. Maybe it actually is to get out of the cold to afford a bed at the YMCA, but we all think we know better than to believe that. Ever try talking to them to figure out what they need, what happened to them?
We will always have a city full of beautiful culture, mix matched people, soul and charm. Outweigh the good with the bad. Let’s build positivity towards our down town core. King and Main St. are the busiest most used streets, I am sure of. Make use of your city life, open your mind and enjoy down town. I will keep posting reasons why this city is not a lost cause. I will keep posting reasons why everybody thinks it is a lost cause.
It’s all about the buzz baby!
Defining Movement Dance!
Since I am being a lazy slacker with the real world today, I am making up for it by being a social media butterfly!
Just getting ready for DMD hip hop class! Wanted to throw a post out for the DMD crew!
Interested in classes?
Contact Josh Court or Josh Taylor to find out what movement defines you!?
