Juicy Bits | Like Classical Ballet, Fashion Monasticism Promotes Emotional Disengagement

Irma Weij | Matthew Shave | 'Body Unconscious' | Karen Magazine AOC Body Politics

Note | Nudity A major new study came out of UC Berkeley that confirms Anne's argument that size 0 models and today's Karl Lagerfeld-led trend of Fashion Monasticism represent more than a determination to dominate one's body with rigorous self-discipline.

The study says that 'Black Swan' ballet dancers are very detached from their emotions. On the opposite end of the spectrum, yoga practitioners are holistically connected and more empathetic emotionally.

Observing film stimuli designed to evoke psychological and emotional reactions from the participants, both groups hit the dial registering their emotional reactions almost identially. In the case of the ballet dancers, the reaction appeared not to be authentic.

The participants were 'wired up' to sensors monitoring their physiological responses. Among the yoga practitioners, body and mind were in perfect unison.

With the ballet dancers, their actual body responses showed no real emotions, creating a disconnect between what they reported intellectually and what their body really told researchers.

The yoga practitioners -- and this was meditation, not only yoga for exercise -- would more likely be sensualists like Isabeli Fontana as 'The Eco Warrior'. By contrast . . .

Woman | Isabeli Fontana | Richard Bush | 'The Eco Warrior' | i-D Spring 2010 AOC Private Studio

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Juicy Bits | Lady Gaga | Blood & Semen | Black Swan | Body Image

Lady Gaga Ignites Global Interest in Smell of Blood and Semen AOC Sensually Yours

Always the provocateur, Lady Gaga said yesterday that her 2012-release fragrance will smell of blood and semen. Tracking that statement from a big picture of possibility, Anne believes that Lady Gaga might be talking mighty big about the intersections of war, religion, testosterone, blood shed and masculinity.

Her summer video 'Alejandro', produced by Steven Klein is based on these themes. Klein's video and also the controversial artwork of Andres Serrano's blood and semen series are the topics of Anne's Gaga-focused writing about blood and semen.

Turning to the ideal woman and the world of ballet, Jason Schmidt's editorial of Denisa Dvorakova in Vogue Russia's February 2011 issue, inspired Anne to return to a key topic at Anne of Carversville -- body image, feminism, and man's need to control women's bodies.

'Black Swan' | George Balanchine | Battling BMI Beauty in Ballet AOC Body|Beauty|Culture