hallvord.com > Blog

Blog overview

Bye, Facebook

For both personal and political reasons I've decided to deactivate my Facebook account. Time will show if I some day want to log in again. Meanwhile, please contact me by E-mail or on Twitter (accounts @hallvors for personal miscellany and @hallvord for public and often work-related stuff.

Scary fairytales

Are fairytales too scary for children?

Scary things happen in fairytales. H. C. Andersen's Tin Soldier is threatened by a rat and swallowed by a fish. Can it be harmful to a child to listen to such things?

There are lots of children's books that are nothing but sweet and kind throughout. Some of them - for example some of Elsa Beskow's books - are beautiful books that I'm fond of and use. It's perhaps easy for a parent to choose to read only the kind and easy books with their children. You can also likely find experts who recommend doing just that, and view traditional fairytales with a certain scepticism. But I think that the "all-sweet" b... More

Naoshima

A family travel letter - to the family

Firstly, the journey. Thank you for using the train even though it was harder work and slower. Switching from car to train changed the way we were travelling together. The atmosphere became more relaxed, with small talk and food sharing. While waiting for the next train, we would play together in interesting spaces. Suddenly, we could enjoy the journey, not just the destination. Harder work, more memories.

Naoshima is an island known for museums and art projects. We went to see several of them... More

For Rashpal - in memoriam

I remember Rashpal's kind thoughtfulness and VERY generous smile.

I remember early EDge rehearsals, watching parts of Wayne McGregor's choreography "Phase Space" transferring itself from a person in a video onto Rashpal's very different body. Rashpal had a big solo in that piece, and the movement came across with a beautifully effortless sincerity. I probably never expressed my admiration for the work you were doing, assuming you knew its quality - and all of a sudden, you left the group. I never saw you struggle, Rashpal - thi... More

Grandmother's birthday menu

Cooking in somebody else's kitchen can be scary. You have no idea what ingredients are available and where tools are - it's a good lesson in how much you know without being aware of it when in your own kitchen. However, Martin and Tali had a stack of superb ingredients and usable tools to when we took on the task of preparing the dinner for my grandmother's 83rd birthday there was no reason to panick.

Chicken fillets were turned in melted butter with plenty of tarragon and a few drops of balsamico vinegar. Then we half-wrapped them in thin slice... More