Month: September 2013

I went to the same rural school as David Bromstad, of HGTV fame. You know how the younger kids always know who the older kids are; he was no  exception. I remember him, though he left for the suburbs after 8th grade. His talented family had an impact on our small communities and consolidated school district. Our towns are more conservative than not; our people tend toward the monochromatic in attitudes, behavior, expression, and pallor. Or, that’s how it seemed, then. His trademark smile, shared by the sisters that I knew, made our communities brighter.

Or course, no matter how homogeneous a community might appear, we know it’s got its differences within. There are positives. We make them and we find them. A hometown is always where we each began. It’s where we are constructed, in part, to be who we are today. David Bromstad was a bright, colorful force in what presented itself as a united beige. Miami in Minnesota. A “Color Splash,” as one of his television shows was so aptly named. Here’s an interview with the Minnesota-Boy-Gone-Big, HGTV STAR‘s David Bromstad.

There’s quite a nice number of out and proud D-C expatriates. You’re probably the most famous of the bunch. How do you like them apples?

I love them apples. Them apples are delicious! And just for the record, I went to D-C for K-8 grades and moved to Plymouth, Minnesota and graduated from Wayzata Senior High School. I was the only one from my family including my mom and dad NOT to graduate from D-C.

In your own words, you were “After School Special” bullied. You were pretty badly treated in our rural Minnesota school. Would you care to expand on that? Share what happened and how you got through it?

I was constantly harassed for, really, nothing. I was a new kid that entered into an environment that was so foreign from the familiar halls of D-C. I really didn’t know who I was after I left Cokato. It turns out I was a very shy person. The girls loved me and the guys hated me for it. I was awkward and had a hint of gayness which was then elevated by the guys. Going to school was torture for me and I dreaded going to school for fear of being tormented everyday. I was always the center of every joke and always laughed at. “Faggot” became a term that I never adjusted to on a daily basis and to this day hate the word. I don’t know if there is any way to let you know how I got through it. I just did. I woke up, I dressed myself and I just had to go through it. My strength came from my church group. If it weren’t for my relationships with my buddies from the Wednesday night youth gathering, it would have been a much harder road. The best part of being a part of that group is that no one from my school attended my church. It was a massive relief knowing this.

Do you have any advice for any of the unicorns out in Dassel-Cokato and other rural schools today.

I do. Hold strong; surround yourself with people who want to be your friend and fight back. When I say fight back I don’t mean with fists or words, but mentally. If you put your mind to something, you can do anything. Just remember: these bullies are insecure buttheads that are taking out their insecurities on someone who they think is less than themselves. Talk to your teachers and counselors. It gets better and there is help out there if you just reach out. Many kids are so scared to reach out because they haven’t accepted their sexuality, especially at a young age. Find local organizations and never, ever let someone bring you down. You have the inner strength to fight and rise above. So my advice is fight and fight like hell.

You came out at age 22. How do you think things would have been different for your coming out experience in 2013?

Times have definitely changed since I came out. People are becoming more accepting and sensitive to my community, which is great. I do believe it’s still more difficult to come out in communities with less diversity, like in rural areas. People are close-minded and unfortunately, kids are still locked inside their own closet for fear of being bullied and made fun of. The winds are changing, but we need to fight to ensure they continue to change—and quickly.

Some of the most recent information I could find is that you now live in Miami with your partner and dog, can you tell us more about your life?

I love my life. Miami is my home and I enjoy every minute of it. The city is so colorful and full of people from all ethnic backgrounds. I’m proud to live in a city that is so accepting. I am always busy, so one of my favorite things to do with my partner is just relax on the beach or sit on the couch with my dogs and my partner and just chill out. It’s my peace and I am very blessed in life.

Do you come back to Minnesota often? What do you like to do in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

I do come back at least once or twice a year. Family time is so important and when I go home for the holiday or any celebration, I do nothing but relax and take in the gorgeous crisp air. I always stay at my sister’s house on Prior Lake. I just wake up and take in the beautiful scenery and enjoy every minute with my family.

Are you taking interior design clients? Would our readers be able to hire you for their homes and spaces?

Absolutely. This is a new venture in the last year and I am currently working on several personal interior design projects as we speak. It’s really challenging to do private work, but I am enjoying it. For more information on my design service, you can check out my website that will lead readers to the appropriate section: www.bromstad.com.

Now HGTV Design Star has become HGTV Star and you’re the host, mentor, and original Design Star. What do you find rewarding about this role?

It’s such an honor to be hosting the show that started my career. To mentor and host these talented designers on their journey is really exciting for me; it’s like looking in a mirror. I know the stress they are going through and it’s really interesting to see it from a different perspective. I’m so proud that I can be there to help them through this intense and overwhelming process of what is a reality competition show. I’ve been there and done that and I think the designers really appreciate that my perspective is right on point with their own.

In addition to your work with HGTV, you also have artwork for sale–Fine Art by Bromstad on Penny Lane. What role has art played in your interior design and how do you incorporate your art into clients’ surroundings? How do you hope that the general public might incorporate your art into their spaces?

Yes, I have partnered with a wonderful company: Penny Lane Publishing. My art is available on their site (www.pennylanepublishing.com) and a link to the art is also on my website. Art is a huge role in my design for clients. It’s always been something I leave my clients with to add a personal touch to their space. I always wait to the end of my projects before creating a personal piece for them. I like to find out personal things about my clients and what they like and dislike in life. After the space is complete, then I can create something for them inspired by what I know about them and their families. My art can be put in any type of décor from contemporary to traditional. My art is always fun and colorful and it’s a great addition to any space.

Color seems to be your niche–would you agree? How does your relationship with color set you apart from other designers?

Yes, color definitely is my niche. Color is huge in my life, always has been, and forever will be! In fact, I have given many presentations on color and the meaning of each color and what roles color has in each of our lives. I think, as a designer, people know that I am not afraid to use color, but most people are so frightened by color that they shy away from it completely. Using bright, vibrant color and utilizing it in a way that is not only pleasing to the eye and soul, but is livable. Color is so powerful and many people are afraid of it until they realize it can be used as an accent to liven up any space in their home. Color is my entire world.

Color Case Study 1

For all of my spaces, I usually start with a fresh palet unless the owners have a unique piece that will add something special or unique to my design. I love to take an old piece of furniture and restore it to fit the new design. The three examples below consist of everything new. I didn’t use any of their existing pieces because the space didn’t call for it and my clients were eager to start fresh.

This room is still one of my all time favorites. Turquoise was the color of the year when I designed this room. It was a condo on Key Biscayne that was really large. The design consisted of the living and dining rooms and hallways of the condo. My favorite piece in the room was the custom oversized tufted ottoman you see in the front of the picture. The use of turquois with touches of brown and neutral walls really gave this space an incredible feel. Notice how the turquoise is carried throughout the space bringing the room and color together beautifully. Another focal point is the wall mural in the backdrop. It really gives the room a unique touch and adds visual interest and depth to the space. Interestingly enough, shortly after putting this mural up, I partnered with another wonderful company: www.muralsyourway.com. I thought, how fabulous would it be to have my art blown up and made into a wall mural. So now, all of my art can be purchased either as a canvas, or made into a gorgeous wall mural in any size. How fun!

Color Case Study 2

I had so much fun designing this dining room for the client. They were so not afraid of color, as you can see. She wanted color and Bromstad delivered. The custom yellow, oversized, dramatic dining bench could easily fit 20 people in the back. White walls really bring out the color in the room and they all pop. The use of yellow, pink, orange and turquoise shows you that you can combine many different colors in a space and it works. The client just so happened to have French Bulldogs, just like me.  So I created these custom pieces for her to add a personal touch.

Color Case Study 3

I loved designing the traditional space below. So many of my clients in Miami request a contemporary design, so I was thrilled when I was asked to design this traditional space. The neutral walls are custom designed with tufted fabric bringing an elegant, soft touch to the space. The use of red, which I adore, brings in a rich feel to the room that complements the neutral tones on the walls. This house had a very large living area and because of the size, we had to ensure the room was comfortable and livable. I created several different seating areas to fill the room because the client requested a room to sit and entertain in. My custom canvas above the fireplace is a focal point in the room as an example of how a piece that appears contemporary at first glance can be incorporated into a traditional setting.

Find David on these social networks:
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/davidbromstad
Instagram: www.instagram.com/bromco
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DavidBromstadTV
Twitter: www.twitter.com/bromco

“As with any Cirque show, you can let your imagination run wild. That’s why there’s no story line or words that are given out so that each individual that comes can be taken and transported into their own individual journey.”
Mark Pawsey, Artistic Director of  Amaluna

The big top is in a parking lot in Denver. In the daylight, it looks similar to how it will appear when Cirque du Soleil puts its tent pegs into the asphalt at the Mall of America. A blue-and-yellow striped tented oasis in a stretch of black hardtop. I’ve been to Cirque shows in different locales: the Target Center, the Mall of America, Lowertown St. Paul, and, my favorite, the Sculpture Garden at the Walker Art Center. When the blue-and-yellow delight was tucked into the Sculpture Garden near the 394/94 interchange in Minneapolis near the likes of the Basilica and the Cherry and Spoon, Minneapolis seemed more like an urban Wonderland than ever. Regardless of where it is, there is always magic within.

Like circuses of yore, Cirque du Soleil finds a blank canvas, sets up camp, and then departs without leaving a trace. One day it will be here, one day it will be gone. In their sophistication, sometimes they even leave a space better than how they found it; it’s part of their agreement. If they had to remove something, they put it back. If they had to repave something, they leave the new pavement. For most of us, they leave only memories and mementos; regardless, they leave us better than they found us.

Walking into the tent, the air becomes different. On a hot day, it becomes cooler. Light takes on a different value of color and consistency. It smells of popcorn. It’s the staging area for showtime. Earlier in the day, I went behind the scenes at Cirque du Soleil and visited the different areas of the multiple tents. It was a bit like walking through a church when it’s empty and dark; everything was set in its place and people were quietly going about their preparations for performing the rituals and sacraments of Amaluna. I didn’t want to bump or touch anything and thought that speaking in a low hush seemed appropriate as I tried to stay out of the way of the performers who were rehearsing and the crew that was literally setting the stage for the show. But no such reverence was required. As an outsider looking behind the curtain, I was welcomed and shown a community that is serious and playful, one that is full of professionals from as many as 18 countries.

Cirque du Soleil and its people are as much of an ideal community as some of the dream worlds it shows us. Welcoming, with an “anything goes in the circus” kind of attitude, Cirque isn’t flippant about its diversity, but it’s more of a non-issue than anything. People are from different countries; people have different shades of skin; people cover the whole spectrum of sexuality. Being a Canadian company, Cirque’s employees have the benefit of Canada’s years of marriage equality for same-sex couples. It’s a dream that is becoming our reality, our future, here in the United States and Minnesota. Knowing that the arts community as a worldwide group has been more progressive in social issues for the GLBT community is one thing; seeing it as a way of life in Cirque du Soleil makes the whole Amaluna experience even more enriching.

Back in the big top as I wait for the show to begin, a peacock sits in my lap. The spotlight finds us and she waves to the rest of the crowd from where she sits on me, her perch. Around us are some of the nearly 2500 people who fill the circular seating under the big top in which every seat is a good one. We are surrounding the stage that is circular, but actually extends all the way up to the top of the tent. Cirque du Soleil includes aerial acts and uses as much of its own space as possible in the tent shows—something that I value more than the arena shows where the action is all on a one-sided stage. Performers use the tent and its high-tech poles and pulleys as well as its audience, particularly in the time before the show begins. Looking up at the source of some commotion, there is Cali, the half-human, half-lizard character perched high on a pole, throwing popcorn at people as they take their seats. Something as simple as a one-sided food fight warms up the crowd for what is to come: art, athleticism, music, and motion with comedy and playfulness infused throughout.

The story of Amaluna is based on The Tempest by William Shakespeare. Seated in the big top, with or without a peacock on the lap, the set and imagery leaves much to our imagination. Mine took me further into Greek mythology and lore as well as into my own childhood’s pop culture. As I’d read about the show, the story of an island of Amazon women reminded me of Sappho from the Island of Lesbos, not to mention Diana’s Paradise Island in Wonder Woman. But, as the story unfolded, it was definitely on-theme with Shakespeare’s story, as far as the characters and events were concerned. A mother (Prospera instead of Prospero) with a daughter (Miranda) live on an island. There is a storm (assisted by the spirits, Arielles), there is the addition of a love interest for Miranda (Romeo instead of Ferdinand), and there is an impish character (Cali instead of Caliban). But, central and above much else, is Amaluna, which symbolizes the most significant departure from The Tempest: the women.

Amaluna is the name of the mysterious island where this story unfolds. It means “mother moon,” something that is visually enforced as often as Prospera—the mother, the queen, the sorceress—flies through the air with the Moon Goddess. At times in the story, her visibility is more obvious than others, but the roles of both the moon and Prospera are ever-present. The Tempest had one primary female character in Prospero’s daughter, Miranda. Amaluna’s cast is over 70% female, something that is not only a departure for Shakespeare (which often had men playing the roles of women), but for Cirque du Soleil as well. It’s a coming-of-age story for Miranda. The Amazons are female gymnasts. The clowns—who are more “clowning” than acting as traditional “clowns”—are actually a same-sex couple, thanks to cross-dressing. The sailors-turned-castaways and Romeo are young and strapping men, something which is just as pleasing as the fact that the show is so female-rich. Most remarkable, for the first time in Cirque du Soleil’s history, the band of musicians is composed entirely of women (and directed by a “Lavender leader”). Music is as central to Cirque du Soleil’s productions as the stories, the performers, the costumes, and the acts. It creates as much of a setting as the stage and tent do. To intentionally carry the prominence of female characters and themes to the music is significant and superb.

Amaluna starts with a darkened stage. A single piece of fabric is swept by wind into the air, lit so that it glows. The music starts low and rises with the throaty alto voice of Prospera, establishing her as a strong and prominent force in the story. We are introduced to many of the characters on the island of Amaluna and then quickly thrown into the storm, “The Tempest,” which is largely depicted through music and reminded me of “Smooth Criminal” by David Garrett or 2Cellos. I’d been told that the music of Amaluna was reminiscent of that of Coldplay, but I heard so much more than that, throughout. At times, it was Florence + the Machine. When the Balance Goddess performs her hypnotizing act (that can’t be described in words adequately), I heard shades of Sweet Honey & the Rock and Bobby McFerrin. Prospera performs with a cello in a number of pieces, so my rock-cello-loving self was very pleased. A shredding guitarist reminded me of Prince in her long purple coat and charismatic musicality, while another had the edge of tattooist Kat Von D.  There are moments of Enya and stretches of Marilyn Manson. Hand-drumming and driving percussion bring the music back to more of a tribal feel, especially while the Amazons perform. A few times, I swear I heard Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant being channeled by the lead singer of the band. I make these comparisons not to make the Amaluna music sound as if it’s not original or authentic, but to show just how varied and diverse it is, much like its cast and audience.

Visually, Amaluna is a masterpiece. The correlation of a performer to his/her surroundings, costume, and make-up constructs a whole vision made of so many separate works of art. Each cast member applies his or her make-up to the specs that are required for their character. There are airbrushed tattoos for some of the musicians and Valkyries while Miranda and Romeo must wear cosmetics that can withstand the waterbowl. Wigs and colored contact lenses and jewel-toned hair stripes and face shadings show the audience that they are in the presence of more than mere mortals. As I sit and take in the performance, each act’s change in tone and timbre is accompanied by a shift in vision, carried out by the numerous costumes and props of each character. From the washable leather pieces to the swimwear to the lightweight peacock plumage to the softening denim to the scales of the lizards, each inch of each costume is optimized for beauty and movement.

What amazes me with each and every Cirque du Soleil show I see is the flawless execution of what seem to be impossible acts of talent and athleticism. This show is no exception. Valkyries and Wind Gods dance through the air on aerial straps. Acrobats spin watermeteors and each other showing off Icarian Games. Amazon gymnasts soar from uneven bar to uneven bar. Castaway men launch and land on the teeterboard. Cali juggles orbs with grace and skill. Lovers swim in the 6000-pound waterbowl. Romeo stops just short of certain death on the Chinese pole. The Peacock Goddess (on this issue’s cover) dances with grace and caprice. With a seemingly random pile of sticks, the Balance Goddess takes our collective breath away. All of the acts, though more numerous than mentioned here, pull together the story of Prospera, Miranda, and Romeo on the Island of Amaluna, and will surely thrill the audience, time after time.

I was on my feet in an instant at the end of the show. Without question, I can say that this is my favorite Cirque du Soleil production. It will thrill first-timers. For those who have already experienced Cirque du Soleil, it will be an exquisite departure from some of the recent touring shows we’ve seen here in Minneapolis. It’s different and it helps us to dream. As Artistic Director, Mark Pawsey, said:

“This is the joy of Cirque du Soleil. There really is no right or wrong. It’s what everybody’s individual journey is within the story. 2500 different people will have a different emotional reaction and a different emotional journey. When you give people joy to feel and they feel it together, it’s fantastic. If we do our job properly, we’re connecting the 46 artists we have to ignite the people in the audience to relate to each other and feel together. It’s like we’re on the ocean together, not struggling, but on the same boat going the same direction. People will see different things in the panorama—some will see mountains, some will see trees—and that really what appeals to me in this company and this product. It’s about your imagination. There are no rules to that. It’s about where you let your imagination take you. If you let it transport you, it’s unbelievable. It can change your life. You can think differently. It’s not that your life is different because of it, but it influences people to do differently. We inspire others to be better people, to want more out of life, because we enable people to dream.”

You have experienced Amaluna through me. This was my journey. You’ve seen what I pulled from interviews with the people who put the show together as well as the performance of the show, itself.

Be sure to have your own experience with Amaluna. See more because of it, dream more because of it. Release your imagination.

Interviewing the following people provided a wonderful context for the writing of this piece, and I am grateful to them: Mark Pawsey, Artistic Director; Jamie Reilly, Company Manager; Larry Edwards, Head of Wardrobe; and Janine de Lorenzo, leader of the band (who took a quick moment to not only tell me that she reads Lavender when she’s in Minneapolis, but that she’s a “Lavender leader”). Please be sure to visit lavendermagazi.wpengine.com to see photos of them and their surroundings from my behind-the-scenes visit to Amaluna in Denver.

Cirque du Soleil – Amaluna
Mall of America – North Parking Lot
September 26-October 20
www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/amaluna