NEWSFLASH  - Grads in new Supre TVC Choreographed by Adam Williams!

Next time you see an ad on TV for Supre’s tights be sure to look very closely… and you’ll see a few Electric Safari Graduates dancing and pointing their toes wearing nothing but tights!!!! PJ supplied all the dancing talent for this shoot including Grads Jemma Huggins and Lauren McKinnon.A big congrats to the girls who look fabulous and got the chance to work with one of this country’s most sought after Choreographers and personalities…

WATCH THE AD HERE!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IljVniNluno

*** If you would like to get inside tips from Adam Williams and Ame Delves be sure to sign up for their Electro Pop one day workshop in August - head to THE SHOP for more info!

NEWSFLASH - Hair Expo 2010

June in Sydney means Hair Expo time, and this year lots of our Grads had the opportunity to audition for places in the many shows that take place.

Congrats to everyone who took to the stage this year - we have brought you some great pics of Corey Blake and Persia Hegarty who performed in the Schwarzkopf show and worked with renowned choreographer Sally Clark - love the over the top costumes!

A special mention also to Grads Christina Nouri and Jemma Huggins who had the privilege to not only also work with Sally Clark but also with legendary Hairdresser Sharon Blain form The Art of Hair - pics are to come but we heard it was a HOT show! (Plus check out some of Sharon’s work at Australian Fashion Week this year in our Styling Section)

NEWSFLASH - More Grads Appear in Girlfriend Magazine - Go Sammy and Lindsay!

We were thrilled this month to open Girlfriend mag and this time see the gorgeous Lindsay Page and Samantha Risteski (AKA Sammy Jo) showing us outfits inspired by celebs! Love it - Congrats girls!

STYLING  - GETTING INSPIRED FOR SPRING: Nikki’s Picks from Rosemount Australian Fashion Week 2010

Ok so it’s freezing outside and you need to wear gloves to catch the train in the morning… BUT what better time is there to start planning (and dreaming about) Spring Fashion???? None I say!

So I thought I’d do a mini Fashion Week wrap up to see what the hottest Aussie Designers have in store for this Spring/Summer… the great thing about the three shows I have chosen (two for girls and one for guys) is that you can see some key trends coming through which you can use as your inspiration whatever your budget or personal style… (all pics are above)

Favourite Show #1 - Rachel Gilbert

Rachel Gilbert = Luxury fabrics and sexy evening dresses. It’s her thing! And the ones she showed at RAFW were smokin! I think her dresses show us that edgy and classy can work hand in hand and her stylish take on evening wear makes me want to create an event just to have an excuse to get glammed up!

Key trends seen here include the timeless Little Black Dress and the cleverly used cut-outs. Plus I love the Charlotte-esque (for SATC Fans) ruffle on the pink skirt pictured above. All in all this show was a nod to sexy yet classy evening wear.

(Beauty Notes - I love the hair by Sharon Blain in this show - I haven’t seen a giant bun look so good since the SATC TV series!!! And note the strong eye brow make up look - Mel mentions this in her Grooming section this month too.)

Favourite Show #2 - Premonition (Menswear)

First of all I loved the boxing theme of this show complete with the boxing boots, ghetto-gold jewelry and “Eye of Tiger” remixed soundtrack. The genius styling came to us courtesy of our favourite stylist Heather Cairns and it was great to see one of our favourite choreographers Michael Boyd hit the runway as a model.

Premonition highlighted some of the key trends for guys showcasing blazers with just the right amount of playfulness, great prints in shorts and lots of reminders that harem pants and bow ties are not going anywhere anytime soon - Hot!

* You can shop online at Premonition at order the latest looks right away at https://premonitiondesigns.com/index.php

Favourite Show # 3 - Francis Leon

This up and coming designer made me happy to be a girly-girl! I love the modern-day elegance of this collection… feminine pieces with a hint of sportswear or structure. It’s like a cool version of ladylike dressing - I love the pussy-bow blouses and the unexpected twist on the Little Black Dress which is actually knee-length and navy! Love it!

*Spring Fashion will be hitting the stores very soon so start have some fun putting your “look book”, mood board or wish list together now!

Nikki X

GROOMING - Tricky Trends with Mel Burnicle: Dark Lips & Super-Bright Eyelids! (But not at the same time!) By Nikki D

This month we are looking at a couple of “Tricky Trends” and asking Make Up Guru Melanie Burnicle to help us get our heads around them and make them work for us… 

 I have noticed the Super-Dark Berry lip recently on Celebs like Rihanna as well as on the runway for Sass and Bide…. What are your tips for trying this look???

 Remember for every day use make either your lips or the eyes the feature. Do a bare eye and a strong lip. Make sure you get a straight line on the lip line because it will be obvious if you don’t.

The Makeup Store are doing a fabulous berry lipstick at the moment! You can use a liptsick and stain the lips, or go for a big glossy effect over the berry. For a Stage look a strong eyebrow and a dark lip would look amazing. Big brows are back so have some fun with them!

 And secondly, I have seen a few mags and blogs talking about rocking super-bright coloured eyeshadow… this sounds very tricky to master… any tips???

Love, love, love the look! Especially for stage! Just be careful of the fall out from the product… if your eyeshadow application isn’t the best, apply the eyeshadow first, clean the skin and then do the foundation and everything else after. Don’t let bright colours scare you. My fave at the moment is a metallic grape pigment by MAC. I used in on a music video for Zoe Badwi last week - hot hot hot!

Thanks Mel!

TIPS AND TRICKS - Getting Fit and Staying Fit Part 2 - with Anthony Ikin

Last month Anthony Ikin (Dancer, Aerobics Champ, Former SYTYCD Finalist and Director of Ikin Dance) outlined the benefits of being a fit and healthy person… plus he indicated that jogging or running was one of the best ways to increase fitness. So this month we take it a little further and get Ant to take us through some of the specifics like how long should you run for? How often? Is heart rate important? How do I get myself off the couch (oops, no that was just my question - sorry, ND). Over to you Ant… 

Time to get moving…

 So it is that time of the year when most of us have spent many nights at home watching DVDs, eating yummy food and doing less exercise than normal.  Don’t worry, it is a very common problem in the fitness industry called “Winter”.  But before you know it Spring knocks on our door, and then SUMMER!  What does that mean? No more baggy clothes! Nowhere near as many nights in! Which is why it’s time to get off the couch and start working on the summer body now!   Run, Run, Run!  It really is the most effective way to get your heart rate up and  burn excess fat.. But in this issue I want to give you a program that really works.    

How many runs? How long?

Last month I mentioned to start with 2 runs per week - that is if you are new to running. Once your fitness level improves you can take it up to 3 or 4 runs per week.   The ideal length of time to run is between 30-45 minutes.  But don’t freak out if you can only do 15-20 minutes when you start, you will improve with every run you do!  For those of you who like that extra challenge, I would suggest to make your runs through hilly areas.  This will definitely increase the difficulty of your run!   A great way to measure your improvements is to time your runs.  Each time you run try and take a few minutes off the time before.  You will be surprised how quickly your time will drop!   

Is your heart rate important?

If burning fat is one of the main factors you have decided to take up running than I suggest that you get a heart rate monitor.  Our body has a fat burning zone when exercising and you need to measure your heart rate to be able to know this.  To be in the fat burning zone, which means that your body is using/burning stored fat as its source of energy you need to follow the equation bellow.  

220- your age = 

60-85% of the above answer =

The answer is your required heart rate to be in the fat burning zone.  

Example, for a 22 year old

220- 22 = 198

60-85% of 198 = 118.8 to 168.3

Fat burning zone for a 22 year old = a heart rate between 118.8 beats per minute and 168.3 beats per minute, and try and keep your heart rate in this zone for 30-45 minutes.  

One of things I constantly say to myself when I need that extra motivation to go for a run or any kind of hard workout is-   “If you have a goal or a dream, you can get there.. but only if you are willing to work!”  

Enjoy the above running program guys, I promise you it produces GREAT results!

Thanks Ant! I am off to find my trainers and some warm running gear…. :)
 

* Anthony Ikin is not only a former “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist and a former gymnast and aerobics champion, but he has also developed his own school, Ikin Dance and he runs a brilliant full time course for dancers in both QLD and NSW. With Anthony’s passion for health and fitness, it’s no surprise that one of the of the coolest things about the Ikin Dance Full Time is that students not only learn all the important styles of dance, but Ikin students graduate with a certificate III and IV in Health and Fitness.

For info on Ikin Dance Full Time, contact Anthony fulltime@ikindance.com

GRAD TO WATCH - Victoria Yannopoulos by Nikki D

Each month we profile a Graduate who is making the most of opportunities in the Industry since graduating and Victoria is one who I have seen getting out there and in amongst it!

Victoria has completed two ES Workshops and this year alone she has appeared in Frocks at The Rocks fashion shows, The Hair Expo, a shoot for a prominent Sydney hairdresser as well as a shoot for Girlfriend Magazine (out soon!)

I caught up with her to get an insight into her experiences so far…

What was the main thing you took away from your ES Courses?

The main thing I took away was how to approach and speak confidently with people in the industry as well as how to was and dress appropriately for castings and gigs. Also the courses are such great confidence builders!

What has been your favourite gig so far?

I loved working on Hair Expo this year - I did a show for SKATT and it has a 30 metre runway, big gowns and big hair! It was the biggest show I’ve done so far and I got to work with lots of professional models, performers and hair artists.

Also I loved doing the Girlfriend shoot - every one on set was so nice and it was a great experience.

What would be your dream gig?

I would have to say, doing a runway show for Victoria’s Secret!

NEWSFLASH - Grads shoot a new film clip with Brian McFadden

At the beginning of May, PJ was asked to cast a number of ES Grads into dancer roles for Brian McFadden’s new film clip “Chemical Rush”… so when you see it on TV look out for Tiffany Jones, Alex Warren, Laura Webb, Kristyn Walton and Ally Hill sporting some serious body art (as pictured above). Can’t wait to see the final clip!

BEHIND THE SCENES - A Day in the Life of a High Fashion Model @ The Fashion Forward Festival with Alana McAleer…

A number of our Grads got to experience walking the runway (and posing for the barrage of photographers at the end of the runway) wearing high fashion looks. We asked one of them, the divine Miss Alana Mcaleer to diarise her Fashion Forward experience – from rehearsal to fittings to hair and make up and backstage madness - to share with all of us…

1pm: Arrival and Rehearsal

I walked in and there were around 50 models in the room - wow!

During the rehearsal we were briefed, given the running order and taken through the entrances and exit points of the catwalk. The catwalk was shaped like a triangle so few of us had never walked a catwalk like it. Therefore we ran each show under PJ’s guidance in order to ensure that everyone knew exactly what was expected of them. There were a few girls missing during the rehearsal so some of us, myself included, got to fill in for them which was great because it gave us some extra practice time.

3pm: Fittings

I was given this singlet style dress which was really cute and a TONNE of jewelery to go with it! I think in the end I ended up wearing about 3 large rings all on one hand and another 2 on the other. I also got to be a “muse” after the show (which means I was like a live mannequin on a designer’s stand) and I got to wear this really cute white, strapless baby doll style dress that had a huge bow on the bust and a hole in the back. I loved both of these outfits however the strapless bra that I had with me did not fit properly under the first outfit so I had to use fashion tape! So NOTE TO ALL THE LADIES; always pack strapless bras of different shapes and cuts!

4pm: Hair

Off to Toni and Guy where they OF COURSE wanted to straighten my hair! If you have ever seen my hair you will know that it is incredibly thick and very curly (think Afro, only longer and you’ve got my hair) so styling it into a dead-straight high pony tail was definitely a challenge. In the brief we were given prior to the show we were asked to arrive with straight hair so I had straightened it before I got there, but when I got to Toni and Guy they wanted to go over it. It took 2 people and about half an hour to just get it as straight as they needed it but we go there eventually!

 5:30pm: Make Up

The make-up team was great! Martin Bray and all the girls on his team were lovely. I had already had my base and lips done but now that my hair was done I was ready for my “purple head” to be applied (see pics). The “purple head” (affectionately named The Avatar by the end of the evening) was definitely a surprise, but not as much as the old school paper 3D glasses that completed the look. When they were first handed to us we thought they were joking but it turned out that we all had to figure out a way to see properly on the catwalk through one blue eye and one red eye and hope not to fall off the end. But the final look was very cool and very fashion forward!

8pm: THE SHOW!

Backstage is always crazy no matter what show you are doing but I had never been involved in one as crazy as this! the change area was fairly small and therefore caused changes to be even more chaotic then normal. There were several times where people didn’t think they were going to make it back to the front of the line in time for their next walk and often the line had to just keep moving with or without people but in the end every item got shown and the show was a success!

I loved the big crowd and all the cameras!! It seemed like the show was over to quickly!! I love feeding off the energy of a large crowd for a performance because it makes me want to perform better. And as for the cameras I just see them as another audience member that you have to make sure you perform for in order to get that perfect shot at the end of the catwalk.

What was the coolest part of this gig?

While the actual show was great and a lot of fun the coolest part of it all was just getting to hang out with all the girls back stage. A group of us ended up playing cards which was random but so much fun!! Everyone was so nice and fun and the energy back stage was just amazing!

What did you take away from the experience?

I walked into this gig thinking that I had been hired as a muse for after the show and I ended up walking in the show… so the main thing I took away from it is to be prepared for ANYTHING!! At the last minute girls can drop out or get sick or designers can decide that they want another outfit in the show that they need someone to wear and that someone could be you! So no matter what you may think you are going to be doing in a show always be prepared for everything because if you’re not then they will find someone else who is!

STYLING - WINTER STYLE TIPS: Staying warm and looking hot with Heather Cairns

Given that we are now experiencing chilly temps, how do we keep warm whilst NOT looking like the Michelin Man? (Or wearing the one coat 24/7?) Over to you Heather to help us out here…

It is definitely too easy to gravitate toward “Michelin Man” styling when the weather is cold, but this is easily avoidable with the right fashion! A crafty combination of layering and accessories should combat the cold whilst making you look attractive.

Have you ever noticed how freezing you become if you take off a scarf or a beret? Accessories which protect your head, neck and hands will really make a difference to your body temperature. In the coldest months, by wearing a long belted jacket or trench coat (to accentuate your waist) and accessorising with a scarf, beret and gloves, you will look stylish and still cut a killer silhouette.

There are some fabulous accessories available at Forever New at the moment. They have about ten varieties of ‘gaga’ style leather gloves all under $40 that I think are almost a must for the season.

Another way to tide your Autumn clothes over to winter is to add a pair if tights or stockings to dresses, skirts and dress shorts. These lightweight wonders will show off your pins whilst keeping you warm. Sportsgirl seems to have a wide variety of fashion tights including fabulous floral and leopard prints. For quality tights that last longer I don’t believe you can go past Leona Edmiston stockings they are BRILLIANT - I swear by them!  If you have the right legs a pair of fashion tights can bring your outfit to the next level for a small price.  If you are conscious about your legs team them with a dress or skirt that falls to or below your knee.

Is layering the answer? 

Layering can be great, but no need to go too far. We live in Australia and can often survive the winter with some fabulous boots, a few jackets, tights and warm accessories. If you do layer try to keep your clothing close to your silhouette.  One of my favourites is to wear a top/cardigan/scarf combination and belt it to bring it in at the waist. There is an abundance of belted cardis on the catwalks in Europe!

Can you really wear tights with everything? Even peep toes boots/shoes? 

I think there are no rules but just make sure you keep summer peep toe shoes off the menu in winter.  If it is a peep toe bootie and you want to wear a pair of tights you should do a colour match so if the shoes are black your tights are black. I think mixing any type of winter shoe with tights its fine.  It is just summer shoes especially strappy ones are a big no no during winter. Instant disqualification on the style stakes! He he!
 

Which coats work with which outfit? Are there rules?

It is more how you style yourself. Look at Carrie from Sex and The City… so many times there is an element of surprise in her outfit, that she always pulls off. Trench Coats can go with dresses. A fantastic leather jacket looks as great on a party dress as it does on a pair of jeans with cons. And if you are smart enough to invest in a Balmain-esque Military jacket this season you should enjoy rocking it with a large heavy floral print and much as your sexiest pair of denim.  

Remember fashion is fun especially when you’re young!!!

Heather x

GROOMING - Winter Skin: Staying smooth and scale-free during the colder months! By Lita Stathis

How can we keep our bodies from suffering from dry winter skin?

Winter is the season for hibernating and recharging but not growing feral and festy!  

 We all suffer from dry skin from time to time so I recommend using a body cream or oil straight after a shower to lock in moisture and keep those necessary winter spray tans looking fresh.  Remember, just because it is winter it doesn’t mean the casting agents allow you to look pasty and insipid when auditioning.  Don’t go overboard with dark spray tans though, you will look completely fake. Stick to a subtle glow and don’t forget to loofa and exfoliate beforehand.

Our faces suffer in winter especially, as it is hard to shield your face from the elements. Still use your factor 30+ everyday - you are still exposed to the sun and UV rays are damaging all year round.  Amp up your moisturiser and protect your lips with paw paw ointment - this stuff is liquid gold. Keep a tube handy for when you have a cold too, it helps with the dry nose syndrome of using tissues too much.

Hands are still on show all year round so you can’t neglect them during the colder months. Use a nourishing hand cream and massage that paw paw ointment into your cuticles for a special treatment.

 PLUS: Don’t forget to drink LOTS of water to combat dryness and dehydration of skin especially if your home is heated!

 And if all else fails you can book a long holiday to some tropical island and forget all about winter. Just a thought ;)