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Month: November 2020

Interview: Prima Ballerina Isabella Boylston 

by: Brisa Trinchero
10/11/2020

Monaco Life, in partnership with the Princess Grace Foundation-USA, is thrilled to introduce a new monthly series highlighting the lives and artistic work of the Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s illustrious Award winners. In this month’s exclusive interview, Princess Grace Foundation-USA’s CEO Brisa Trinchero catches up with Prima Ballerina Isabella Boylston.
 
Isabella is one of the most renowned ballerinas in the world. A principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre in New York City, she’s danced iconic roles in ballet such as Swan Lake and Romeo and Juliet. Look no further than to her enormous Instagram fan base from around the world to understand that she is one of the brightest lights from the dance world. She’s also an entrepreneur, a devoted bibliophile and an avid foodie. Isabella received a 2009 Princess Grace Award in Dance while a soloist at American Ballet Theatre (ABT).
You started dancing at the age of three in your hometown of Sun Valley, Idaho, but from a very young age, your talent became evident. Can you tell us how you went from Sun Valley to the stage of American Ballet Theatre?
Sun Valley is a big ski town so when my mum signed me up for local ballet classes, that was probably my favourite activity in addition to skiing. I just loved the musicality, the expressiveness of it and also the extreme challenge of mastering each new step that came my way. I finally begged my parents to let me go to a ballet boarding school for high school, and they relented because at that point I had been commuting to and from classes and it was just too much to maintain my academics at the same time as seriously pursuing ballet. So, I attended a ballet boarding school in Florida. After my junior year in high school there, I was scouted by the director of the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company, which is the junior company of American Ballet Theatre, and offered a spot. But my parents wouldn’t let me go because I still had one more year of high school, so I deferred the opportunity and then came to New York in 2005 and have been dancing with American Ballet Theatre ever since.
You received your Princess Grace Award in 2009. Tell us what the award meant to you?
It was such a huge confidence booster, honestly. It says that you’re on the right track, you’re doing great, keep up the great work, and we see you.  Honestly it was such a gift to be able to receive that kind of motivation; and the assurance that people believed in me at that point in my career where I was still trying to ascend through the ranks of ABT.
Your dancing is stunning and appears to be effortless. But we all know it’s the result of many hours of training and hard work. What is your training regimen?
I train for up to nine hours a day, starting with ballet class at 10:15am. There are days where I literally rehearse straight through until 7pm and that’s brutal. Luckily that’s not the norm. A more typical day is probably closer to five to seven hours of rehearsal.

Wow. Is that always preparing for a specific role?
Yes, the way ABT is structured is that we have our Met [at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City] season, which is our big spring season, akin to a playoff season, for eight weeks and every week is a different ballet. It is unique in that we’ll be rehearsing for eight or 13 ballets at a time to get ready for that next season whereas a lot of European companies have a much more slower pace where they’ll be performing one ballet at a time, so they’ll have a couple of months to prepare for that ballet and then they’ll move on to the next production. But ABT is really unique and I don’t know of any other company that maintains that insane pace.
You’ve also studied acting. In fact, you got a second Princess Grace grant to hire an acting coach. How has that affected your approach to preparing for these roles?
I’m so thankful to the Princess Grace Foundation-USA for giving me the Professional Development grant so that I was able to hire an acting coach. I do feel like there are certain gaps in a dancer’s education. For instance, I play so many different characters, but there was never anything that got me ready or gave me the tools to build a character. It was such a game changer for me to get that grant and be able to use the funds to really feel like I could learn a new skill that I could immediately apply to my ballet career.
Speaking of acting, you were Hollywood star Jennifer Lawrence’s ballet body double in the film Red Sparrow. What was that experience like?
It was so cool. We shot it in Budapest. I went in January and it was freezing but such a beautiful city. It was a really interesting and totally new experience for me. Seeing how films work and getting to work with Jennifer Lawrence and Francis Lawrence, the director, was amazing. They’re both such professionals and artists. The biggest difference for me was the schedule – I’m not a morning person and I would have to wake up at 3am or 4am to get into hair and makeup. That was rough! But one of the cool things about film is you can do as many takes as you need to get it perfect, unlike live performance when you just have that one shot and you don’t get to edit it or do it over.
Are you going to do any more films?
I would love to. I have a documentary in the works, actually, with director Jon Avnet who has done a lot. He directed Risky Business and Fried Green Tomatoes. I’m excited about that. Our schedule has shifted dramatically, but I’m really honoured that he wanted to feature me.

Red Sparrow, Isabella Boylston

In addition to being one of the most accomplished ballerinas in the world, you’re also an entrepreneur: starting a summer dance festival in your hometown and founding the Ballerina Book Club. Is there an opportunity – perhaps a dance role or a business accomplishment – that is still on your bucket list?
A couple of years ago, I was able to attend a program at Harvard Business School called Crossover into Business for Pro Athletes. After I did that program, I started to think that maybe I would like to start my own business one day.
You are also a “foodie”. If you had an opportunity to share a meal with Princess Grace anywhere in the world, where would you take her and what would you eat?
I love that question! Pasta is my favourite food, so it’s definitely going to be somewhere that has good pasta. Well, Tokyo does Italian food really well actually; it would be wild to go somewhere in Tokyo. There’s a little pizza place that I love in Tokyo called Savoy, so maybe that. Or honestly, just sitting outside in Rome somewhere and having bucatini all’amatriciana, I think that would be pretty hard to beat.
I like the idea of eating Italian food in Japan with Princess Grace. That would certainly be incredible. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to say to the Monaco community?
Ballet is essential. Being able to connect with people from all over the world, dancers from all over the world via Instagram, and the classes that I’ve been doing on my Instagram Live has really made me realise even more how essential art is in connecting us and lifting us up during difficult times. The arts are really more important than ever.
 
Follow Isabella on Instagram and TikTok at @isabellaboylston and follow Isabella and her dance partner James Whiteside, together known as ‘The Cindies’, on their YouTube channel.
 
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is dedicated to honouring the legacy of Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco. Her mission to advance the arts in the United States is sustained by the Princess Grace Awards which supports and elevates extraordinary early career artists in theatre, dance and film through game-changing grants, and nurtures and supports Princess Grace Award winners throughout their careers.
 
 Photos provided, all rights reserved
 
 

New vaccine offers hope, but for who and when?

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/11/2020

With the announcement of a new vaccine showing early promise of preventing 90% of people from getting Covid, the next question is: who will be receiving it first?
When pharma giant Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech announced this week the possibility of a light at the end of the Covid tunnel with a new vaccine that has been tested, and found effective, on 43,500 test subjects in six different countries, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Though these are still early days, the shot has proven itself to be safe enough for the companies to call for fast-tracking so that it can be on the market by the end of the month.
This is the first time an inoculation has gone from zero to market in such a short period of time, and the result may be that life can go back to a semblance of normality globally by spring for many.
Who?
Now that the jab is nearly ready for common use, the obvious next question is “who gets it first?”
It is a less straightforward answer than could be expected, as each country will prioritise as they see fit, though it seems to be universally accepted that front line workers, such as health and home care professionals and the elderly, especially those living in care homes, will be at the top of the heap. But after that, it begins to vary according to the country.
France started putting together a general outline of priorities last summer by CARE/ Covid-19 Scientific Committee/Covid-19 Vaccine Committee. These three entities joined forces and cited that more than half the population would be eligible to be in the front of the line.
This group includes the 1.8 million people stated above.
Another group of roughly five million includes shop workers, pharmacists, those who work in schools or public transport and hospitality workers. In addition, those working in confined spaces, such as construction workers, taxi drivers and abattoir staff would also apply.
Then there are the 23 million who are considered to be most vulnerable. This includes those over 65 years of age or suffering with obesity or chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular illness.
Finally, there is a sector of 250,000 people who are considered “precarious” and therefore will be prioritised.
When?
The next wave of jabs would be available to the second tier population encompassing roughly five million people. These are people living in specific departments, including the overseas territories, who are in danger of running out of hospital beds as well as firefighters, police officers and military personnel. Also included are those living in “at-risk” sites such as psychiatric facilities, prisons and disabled care units.
The rest of the populace will then be authorised to get on the list, but how this step is to be carried out is yet to be determined. Presumably, there will be a system to prevent total chaos in the rush to be inoculated, but no details on this are available.
The data so far shows that two doses, three weeks apart are necessary and that protection up to 90% is achieved a week after the second dose. The test subjects came from Germany, Brazil, Argentina, the USA, South Africa and Turkey. Of the total number of those in the study, only 94 volunteers went on to develop Covid, based on the preliminary results.
Chairman of Pfizer, Dr Albert Bourla, said of the vaccine: “We are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis.”
For many, this news couldn’t come soon enough.
 
 

Latest BeMed grants on offer

by: Stephanie Horsman
10/11/2020

BeMed, a Monaco-based organisation supporting projects that reduce plastic pollution in the Mediterranean, is calling for micro-initiative projects that will assist in their endeavours. 
BeMed is now accepting applications from Mediterranean basin based NGOs, territorial authorities, municipalities, private companies with fewer than 20 employees and scientific institutions who can offer ideas on how to curb plastic pollution in the Med.
The initiatives must come from eligible countries in the basin and include Albania, Algeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Montenegro, the Palestinian Territories, Tunisia, Turkey, Cyprus, Croatia, Malta and Greece. Currently, BeMed is supporting 53 projects in 15 nations.
The organisation has up to €10,000 to contribute to each micro-initiative chosen, with each project expected to have a 12 to 18 month maximum duration and be at a phase where it will be ready to start by May 2021.
Monaco Ocean Week 2021 will set the stage for BeMed to welcome 2019 recipients, who will be able to talk about their projects and their progress. It is also a chance to reveal the 2020 laureates.
With more than 3,000 billion of microplastic particles, the Mediterranean Sea is the most polluted sea in the world. With this in mind, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Tara Ocean Foundation, Surfrider Foundation Europe, and the Mava Foundation joined forces to create the Beyond Plastic Med initiative (BeMed), which was launched in Monaco in 2015. The association Beyond plastic Med was created in January 2019.
The closing deadline for applications is 3rd January 2021. For more information or to apply, visit the BeMed website at www.beyondplasticmed.org
 
Photo source: Pixabay
 
 

Monaco behind push for new marine technologies

by: Cassandra Tanti
10/11/2020

Prince Albert will deliver the opening speech at the General Assembly of the International Hydrographic Organisation this November, which will gather online around 400 people from across the globe to talk digital data in the maritime industries.
Hydrography, as a discipline, deals with the physical aspects of the marine environment and is the basis of all activities related to the sea. It includes the measurement and mapping of the seabed, but also the sea level, tides, currents and parameters such as water temperature and salinity.
Considering the fact that countries around the world have different economic constraints and priorities, having up-to-date hydrographic data can have significant economic benefits. Data on currents, tides and underwater obstacles are important for maritime trade routes. Information on the topography of the seabed as well as the strength and regularity of currents can be used to develop marine renewable energy projects. Environmental factors such as temperature, salinity and currents can also be used by sectors such as fisheries and aquaculture.
This up-to-date data, collected and presented according to international standards, enables countries to optimise the use of their natural resources, thereby supporting the blue economy and the sustainable use of the oceans.
The International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) was established in 1921 and is hosted by the Government of Monaco. Its purpose is to ensure that all seas, oceans and navigable waters of the world are surveyed and charted.
The General Assembly of the IHO will be held from 16th to 18th November, bringing together representatives of 90 IHO Member States, Observer States, as well as intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations.
It will be an opportunity for member state delegations to determine the main priorities and areas of action for the coming years, including the IHO Strategic Plan and the implementation of a new universal hydrographic digital data model, the S-100, which supports a greater diversity of users, products and digital data sources.
The aim of November’s discussions is to move from the development of technical standards to their application for marine technologies at the global level.
It creates a platform for cooperation in areas such as surveys at sea, the production of digital nautical charts, the dissemination of navigation warnings, and new standards.
Participants will also discuss future capacity building activities, such as e-learning in light of the current pandemic.
The Assembly will be chaired by Captain Marc van der Donck, Director of the Hydrographic Service of the Netherlands.
 
Photo source: Pixabay
 
 

And they're off!

by: Stephanie Horsman
09/11/2020

Despite a delayed start due to heavy fog, the 9th Vendee Globe has begun with Monaco’s own representative, Boris Herrmann, skippering the Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco for Team Malizia in the solo non-stop race.
The Vendee Globe, which started from Les Sables-d’Olonne on Sunday, sees 33 hearty competitors pitted against each other in a 24,296 nautical mile non-stop, around the world solo race.
Amongst them is Boris Herrmann at the helm of the Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco, an IMOCA 60 monohull which has been kitted out with the latest foils and a raft of technical equipment, including an on-board lab to take sea samples from points around the world.
“Described by many as the Everest of the Seas, this is an extreme challenge in its purest form: sailors who battle the odds alone, against the elements, and follow their dreams to the end through the sheer force of their courage and self-sacrifice,” said Prince Albert II, President of the Yacht Club of Monaco and an accomplished sailor in his own right. “Another source of pride is the environmental aspect driving this project, in association with my Foundation, by YCM Vice-President Pierre Casiraghi and our skipper Boris Herrmann. They have equipped Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco with an ocean laboratory, allowing scientists to measure and record scientific parameters.”

Boris Herrmann on the Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco, photo by Boris Herrmann Racing Team

As the Covid crisis continues to wreak havoc, the departure, which would usually be a true spectacle with thousands of well-wishers sending the sailors off, was a quiet event. Nonetheless, Herrmann received support from those rooting for him in the Principality via a video message from Prince Albert and Pierre Casiraghi, who spoke on the behalf of all of Monaco.
“We are sorry for not being there in person to support you,” said the Prince in the video, “but the Yacht Club, the Foundation and all the Principality, we are all with you.”
“Thank you, Boris for holding on all these years for the preparation,” Pierre Casiraghi added. “We are confident of your ability and I know that the boat is really well prepared by the team. I really wish you fair winds and see you soon on your return. Dahge Malizia!”
Watch the video message by Prince Albert and Pierre Casiraghi here: https://fb.watch/1EWRmZ_evu/
Follow the Boris Herrmann on his Vendee Globe adventure here: www.borisherrmannracing.com
 
Photos: Boris Herrmann Racing
 
 
 
 

Formula E game joins blockchain revolution

by: Cassandra Tanti
09/11/2020

Animoca Brands has secured a digital content licence agreement with Formula E to develop a blockchain game and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) based on the world’s first all-electric single-seater racing series.
The new game will utilise the company’s ​REVV Token as its primary in-game currency, joining a growing decentralised REVV ecosystem that already includes other leading global motorsport brands Formula 1​ and MotoGPTM.
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship showcases industry-leading technology and blends the real and virtual worlds, on and off the racetrack. Interactive racing features such as ​Attach Mode and ​FanBoost are fully integrated into the sporting product, while Formula E’s debut esports series, which ran earlier in 2020, offered a real-life driving opportunity for the winning sim racer.
Founded to counteract climate change by accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles, Formula E is the first sport in the world to be certified as net zero carbon and has more automotive manufacturers on the grid than any other racing series. In its six-season history, Formula E has become recognised as a purpose-driven innovator that works closely with top global carmakers and commercial partners to develop electric vehicles and sustainable mobility technologies that improve the performance and efficiency of electric road cars.
“Animoca Brands is delighted to have signed a multi-year partnership with Formula E with a non-exclusive worldwide licence that will enable Animoca Brands to develop a blockchain game and associated NFTs using the intellectual properties of Formula E, including the World Championship’s teams, sponsors, drivers, cars, and tracks,” said the company in a statement.
The Formula E blockchain game will have a collectible component based on NFTs, which will include cars, drivers, and race tracks, and a racing component that utilises those NFTs. The game will use REVV as the primary in-game currency – the ERC-20 utility token for branded motorsport blockchain games that are produced by Animoca Brands.
The REVV Token is designed to enable digital ownership of game assets, giving players freedom and control over in-game content. Supporting games include ​F1​ Delta Time​, a blockchain game based on MotoGPTM, and now the Formula E blockchain game, expected to begin launching in 2021.
Like other products in the REVV Token ecosystem, the upcoming Formula E blockchain game will grant its users full ownership over their in-game assets, including the freedom to trade or sell the assets on third-party marketplaces. This is in contrast to traditional games, which only provide users with a license to utilise – not own – in-game content and which typically do not allow users to trade outside of the game’s proprietary platforms or to monetize in-game assets.
 
(Written with press release)