While I think it is imperative that dancers immerse themselves in the culture and history of their own art form, I often find that I find my biggest inspiration comes from other places. I cannot think of a piece of art that has inspired me more in the past year than Marion Cottilard’s Oscar Winning performance in La Vie En Rose. The way that she immersed herself in the character of Edith Piaf, embodying every nuance of the legendary French singer, is one of the most successful transformations I’ve ever seen on screen.

For those who had seen the movie, but never seen the actress before, the Academy Awards were quite the shock. In the movie she borders on grotesque as an elderly Piaf, but in person she is a startling beauty. She’s been in the news a lot over the past few weeks for her comments on 9/11, but I wanted to share this mural I found that was painted in LA recently. The quote is taken from her acceptance speech at the Oscars ( Olivier is her La Vie director) and represents the infectious joy she exuded at the podium.

If you haven’t watched the movie, I suggest doing so! It’s something every artist should experience.

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