"If you must blink, then do it now..."

I arranged for a team-bonding day with some of my gymnasts, for the movie Kubo and the Two Strings.


If you must blink, do it now!  (Or hit the replay button and re-read the post....)



Decent turnout (from the pool of gymnasts I have; turnout for the movie from the general populace apparently isn't as good as it deserves).  We killed some time with some origami and am thankful no security came over to scold us for throwing this over the balcony.

The movie has a decent story and message; but is probably too intense, serious, and heavy of a storyline for young kids to follow; and not get scared.   The parents seemed to all enjoy it.

I grew up liking traditional Japanese ghost stories; and this movie evoked a certain sense of that.

I do feel that this movie is a good promotional for generating interest in origami (even though much of it has to do with magic than strict paperfolding).

After the scene with the birds, I now kind of want to fold Jared Needle's bird, whereas I didn't have a great deal of interest before.

Focus Features Los Angeles Premiere of LAIKA "Kubo and The Two Strings"

Art Parkinson seen at Focus Features Los Angeles Premiere of LAIKA "Kubo and The Two Strings" on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, in Universal City, Calif. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Focus Features/AP Images)

 I wonder if any artists out there have the inclination to fold some of the characters from the movie, after seeing it?

The movie was made in stop-motion.  Not CGI.  This movie deserves respect.

Origami Gymnast Folding Under Pressure on Pbars

2-26-2015
Gymnast on Pbars
Designed by Luigi Leonardi (Italy)
Folded by Michael Sanders
Diagram source: OUSA Convention book '95

Acrobatic Paper Airplane

Happy Halloween!

Offered them toothbrushes for their Halloween treat; but they didn't go for that. So gave them origami flapping bats instead.

Person on a Balance Beam

6-2-2014
Person on a Balance Beam
Designed by Jeremy Shafer
Folded by Michael Sanders
10" x 10" square of American foil paper

Diagrams: BARF Fall 2005 and OUSA Convention book 2006

A +....

Reflections for the Week

I learned Tuesday that when a 5 yr old tells you she has to tinkle, now means now; and it's better to play it safe than to work it sorry.  I have never seen so much....  :-(  .....and am thankful I was needed to continue with the class than to be the one with the mop.


Wednesday I introduced power skips as part of the Hot Shots' vault warm-up.  I think I must have looked absolutely horrified by their lack of poetic athleticism and coordination in trying these, because 6 year old Mischa looks over at me, puts one finger up into the air, and with one nod of her head and lack of concern in her voice, comforts me with the following words: "We're still learning."

Wednesday I also walked right into a low bar- so hard, that it knocked me off my feet.  No discoloration, but am bruised right over my left eyebrow.

 Thursday, one of my level 3's made me a tsuru:

My Hot Shot, Mischa, made it a point on Wed and Fri to claim that I owed the class TWO origami this week, since I missed last Friday (and handing them origami on Fun Friday seems to have turned into a weekly, ritual expectation).

The Paper Weight

What goes around, comes around

One of my Hot Shots folded me a paper glider.  (Whether it flies or not, remains untested).

Monday I folded paper gliders for every kid that got to the gym early and asked for one.

I currently have 5 Hot Shots; and every Friday I give them origami at the end of class.

Hollow Rocks, Paper Folding, Scissor Legs

Folded with exquisite neatness by "E" and given to me on 3-23-2013- from some book she got it out of.
 

Men's Parallel Paper Bars

Gymnast with Apparatus

Created by Luigi Leonardi

Folded by Francois Ziegler

Diagrams in OUSA '95 and 

possibly BOS 161

 Personally, I'd call this next one "Crumple-gami" ('cept that "gami/kami" means "paper"), sculpting with aluminum foil:

When Paper Stands Up and Walks....

Acrobat

Created and Folded by

Charles Santee

Single square

As a former gymnast and coach, my critique on the realistic capture:


Love that lower back, archy-pike, legs swimming apart, and head sticking out- realistically sloppy.

What's impressive is that it looks to be balanced in mid-motion on one arm.

Origami Gymnastics Sequence

 Catching last year's Olympic fever, Marcela Brina folded a couple of gymnasts:

After browsing a few books, looking for ideas, I found two appropriate models designed by Akira Yoshizawa.  So here is my simplified version of a scene at the Olympic Games: an athlete preparing for the Floor exercise in the Artistic Gymnastics competition being encouraged by his coach.

Click the link for the photo

The Man, and the Man Standing on Hands, are two models designed by Akira Yoshizawa, that can be found in the book, Origami Full of Life,

 It reminded me that back in 2003, I had folded some and tried to pose them in an action sequence:

4-28-2003

4-30-2003

"May the Fourth be with You!"

March 29, 2010 Winner of the Word of the Week ("Respect").  Prize was an Origami Yoda (Folded from a single square)

"Try not.  

Do; or do not.  There is no try."

-Jedi Master Yoda