Cirque du Isabel

Isabel has long been one of my all-time favorites (does it seem like I say this about everyone? I mean it every time it's said...). When I first barely knew her, she had requested that I work her birthday party, 2 and a half years ago. Since that time, she and I have only grown closer together. A very sweet, good-natured kid.
Rarely seen (we tend to lose her during soccer season...then there was that period where she had broken her arm...), I always look forward to Saturdays, for that's when there's an outside chance of her being at gymnastics practice.
Isabel's also an accomplished violinist. Her parents chose the music for her video, which was made upon request for Izzy's grandmother (celebrating her 80th birthday this January!). Apparently she loves these songs from Cirque du Soleil. They kind of grew on me too, as I edited the video. Overall, I'm pleased with how the video turned out and I hope it is enjoyed by Isabel and her family.

The footage was taken throughout 2005, with the bulk drawn from summer camp and winter camp.




Isabel's always been thoughtful, and over the years, she's made me a few things. I think I still have some origami in my locker that she folded for me; and a bead...she gave me a bead! I'm pretty sure I still have that inside a groinpack (I wear my buttpack in the front so as not to get robbed..hence: "groinpack)I no longer wear. Since it's from her, I treasured it! This is a drawing she made me a couple of years ago:
















And here's a poem she made me last week, during winter camp:

Waterbombs Keep Fallin' on My Head

Filmed during a slow Friday at Summer Camp, 2005. Before camp officially began, I entertained Emily by having her fold a waterbomb. The thought then occurred to me that I had never thought to fill it with water before. The traditional papercup origami model holds water; I wanted to test if the origami waterbomb does as well. Linda watched me throw it against the wall outside, and said we could do that for art. I said the kids didn't have a change of clothes, but Linda just shrugged that off. So.... since there were only a few kids in both groups, we combined them for art and a gymnastics contest. It worked out pretty well. Difficult to find appropriate music for the video.