Showing posts with label how to. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how to. Show all posts

Sunday, July 10, 2016

CONTOURING FOR STAGE MAKEUP

Believe me- that jawline, cheekbones ( and my cleavage) were NOT given to me by Mother Nature...just sayin'!
 Photo by Maryann Bates

Contouring has always been around, but suddenly it seems to be all the rage. The shading and highlighting techniques that were once the sole realm of  high fashion  photo shoots- or drag queens- have practically gone viral- suddenly; everyone is chiseling, shaping and molding their features as part of their every day makeup application. All the major cosmetic lines have introduced contouring kits, and every inexpensive drug store or knock-off brand has followed suit.

With the right colors and  a little practice, we all can have higher cheekbones, a defined jawline and a longer- or shorter, or narrower nose.

But contouring for the stage is a very different animal than just adding a little boost to the face that your gene pool gave you.

 To begin with, you must understand - and most of you already do- that strong, bright stage lighting will erase every one of your features. Seriously, if you’re thinking of wearing daytime (or even party-time/clubbing make up) on stage, your face will appear blank and washed out in performance.

 You need to pile on everything from lashes to lip color…and even then, it might not be enough! Trust me: when done properly, stage makeup contouring will look downright horrifying up close, but under the hot lights, you’ll look like a perfect Grecian statue.

Though it’s always fun to get new make up, you really don’t need any special contouring kits for this. Often, you can find the perfect shades among the cosmetics you already own!  Go ahead and splurge on Mac, Anastasia Of Beverly Hills  or Kat Von D if you want to, but it’s totally not necessary to get the look you’re after. It really doesn’t matter at all if you’re using an eye shadow to sculpt your cheeks- it’s only the color that counts!  

However, I will say that while cream formulas work fine for every day contouring,  for  the stage you’ll probably want to use powders or pressed pigments - they stay better, last longer, and are much easier to work with when building your performance look.

 First, you’ll highlight areas you want to bring forward, like the planes of your cheekbones, the tip of your nose, the jawline, and the inside corners of your eyes. For day-to-day make up, depending on your skin color, you’d be using a matte ivory or maybe a very light rose gold, or  bronze color for darker skins.

 Onstage, you can use matte shades to highlight, but frosty shades look much better, because they attract and refract light. What might look over-the-top and…yeah, kind of…crazy... in real life will be just right for a large stage!  Depending on your skin tone- and the effect you want to project in performance- you can use any color for your highlights, from bright pearly white to lavender, light pink (or even baby blue) to metallics like bronze, silver or gold. With a fluffy brush, get a load of pigment on your brush, and tap or blow off the excess. Then go to work on any features you’d like to bring forward.

I used a light blue highlight on my temples and  cheekbones 
 Swirl the frosty highlight color on the tops of your cheekbones, working it all the way into your temples. Dust a faint line down the center of your nose, and lightly around your jawline- not underneath it, but right along the jawbone itself. Blend all of these areas a little but not too much-remember, you’re doing this for the stage, not every day life! Onstage, we want our features to pop, in order for them to look “natural”.

 With a fine-tipped brush, use the same frosty shade to draw a thin pearly area just under your eyebrow and the brow bone itself.  Dab in some “eyelights” at the inside corner of each eye. This will give a gorgeous, wide-eyed affect, really opening up your eyes-no matter what size they are. To do this, use a Q-tip, placing it just above your tear-ducts and slightly into the side of your nose. Just load the cotton swab with pigment, blow or tap off the excess, and place a precise dot of highlighter at the inside corner.  This doesn’t even need to be blended. It will look quite odd up-close but the illusion onstage will look fantastic.  If you want to exaggerate the wide-set, doe-eye look, bring the color up the inside of the eye to the eyebrow, blending it into your eye shadow.

For all the areas you want to recede, you will use a matte color.  Do not use pearly or frosty cosmetics for shading, because they attract light, and you’ll be using your contouring colors on the specific areas you want to appear to be shadowed. Once again, there’s a wide range of colors that can be used for shading, depending on skin tone.  Pick out colors that are about two  shades darker than your own complexion.  Darker skinned gals can use anything from a matte medium brown to chocolate brown; olive-skinned dancers should use a taupe or dark beige, and a slightly rosy brown or even a brick tone will work well for those with fair skin.

  Use the same size brush (or a slightly smaller one) than the one you used for highlighting to dust on a darker contouring shade to the places you want to recede. The shadowed areas will usually be just under the places you’ve highlighted, such as underneath the natural cheekbones, and under the jawline, from ear to ear. When working on the jawline, make sure to dust the contour shade all the way from the center of the neck to past your earlobes, and all the way to the bottom part of the tip of your chin.   To make a wide nose appear narrower, apply a thin line of the shading tone up each side of the bridge, blended well. To make a long nose appear shorter, dust some of the contour shade under the tip of your nose, again blended thoroughly.   With a clean dome brush, make sure you buff out and blend the shadowy parts- because you want to look like a chiseled goddess, not a trashy 1980’s Mall Rat!

 If you want to make your lips look fuller, you can contour  them, too. This time, you’ll be using your lipstick and lip pencils. To give the illusion of a pouty lip, use a darker lipstick on the top lip, and fill in the lower lip with  a color in the same family, but one or two shades lighter.  If you want your lips to look lush and bee-stung,  start out by lining them with a flesh tone or white  pencil.  This will bring out your natural lip-line and make it look more pronounced and prominent. Next, use  just one  shade for the top and bottom lips- a true red with blue undertones works best  and has the added bonus of  making your teeth look whiter, too. After you’ve applied the color, blot it, apply a second coat, and  take a finger full of frosty white, light pink or gold powder and smudge it into the  center of the lower lip. Bingo- better than having “work” done and your lipstick will stay put through your performance without smudging!

These same face contouring techniques can be used to highlight your body, especially when wearing costumes that show a lot of skin, to accentuate your muscles and curves. It’s a pretty simple process: whatever body part is lighter will stand out, and those that are darker will recede.


With a full, fluffy brush, apply a thin-ish stripe of pearly white, pinkish bronze or golden highlighting powder down the center of the arms and legs to make them look longer. While you’re at it, dust some of the same powder around the curves of your shoulders, and lightly across the tops of the breasts to make them appear fuller and more prominent. Drawing a soft, smudged line in the center of your cleavage will accentuate it and make it seem deeper. Make sure the actual line isn’t visible- blend it very well- you can even dust on a coat of translucent powder over the highlighter and contour colors instead of blending it. Since your arms, legs and torso are much larger areas than your face, you don’t need to be quite as careful with the blending.

 Play around and experiment with these applications, and with the colors you use, then snap a selfie or two to see what looks best on you.  With a little practice, you’ll get these looks down to a science!

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 For even more make up tips, purchase my instructional  how-to stage make up DVD  “Bombshell: Dramatic Looks For The Stage, Photos and Glamorous Occasions or  “The Belly Dance Handbook here: 
http://www.princessfarhana.com/shop.htm




 Bombshell: Dramatic Makeup For The Stage, Photos And Glamorous Ocsaisions,  instructional stage makeup DVD
Photo by Dusti Cunningham


 August 1, 2016 I'm teaching a 1970's retro stage makeup look as part of  the "LA Legends Of Belly Dance" intensive. Info here:
www.dancegardenla.com

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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

HEAD GAMES: MENTAL PREPARATION FOR DANCE


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HEAD GAMES: MENTAL PREPARATION FOR DANCE


 Ever had one of those moments where you’re about to dance and your mind totally blacks out?   In rehearsal, you’re not sure if you remember the choreography that you’ve known for ages. Or maybe you’re   in the wings waiting to go on and can’t even recall how the song you chose goes?  The panic is indescribable and very real…until the music comes up.  Then, as if by magic, everything is ok.

 As dancers, our bodies know exactly what to do when the music starts because it’s ingrained in our muscle memory.  It doesn’t matter whether we’re taking a class, teaching a class, or stepping onto the stage, our bodies understand why we are there and what we need to do. The only problem is, our minds don’t always get the memo!

 Or maybe you have extreme stage fright or are feeling unmotivated. Perhaps you feel like you’re falling behind in class even though you work as hard as you can, or that you’ve hit a plateau and are stuck in a personal rut.

The reason all of these things come up is because we don’t train our minds to perform in the same the way we train our bodies.

 Intellectual preparation for dance is not something that most instructors teach-or even address- in their classes.  Dancing, of course, is a physical activity. But in order for a dancer to excel, there needs to be mental and emotional technique in place, too!

 Physically, we’ve learned to dance through repetition by constant drilling or rehearsing. Through repeating and perfecting technique, combinations or choreography sequences, we unconsciously merge the mental memory of those actions with our motor control skills, so we barely need to think about what we’re doing. This is why we can perform every day tasks with little or no thought, or why we can go ten years without riding a bicycle, then hop on one and ride away as though we’d never stopped for an entire decade!

 Mental preparation for dancing is hugely important, because it actually helps your brain to stay focused intellectually on what you are doing physically. It also helps you to get emotionally “ready” for what dancing onstage, in rehearsal or a class.

 Here are some ideas that ought to help you get mentally prepared for dancing.

  Before you enter a studio for rehearsal or class, Focus on what you’re about to do.  This means completely clearing your mind of any non-dance clutter that could interfere with what you’re about to do.  If possible, arrive a little bit early, and start warming up your own. The warm-up will prepare you physically, but it’ll also help you to shift gears, providing a smooth transition into your dance headspace. 

If you tend towards stage fright, as you warm up for class or rehearsal, take note of your muscles, where they are tight and where they’re loose.   As you work each muscle, think or say these cue words: Loose and Tight. If your shoulders feel like steel, think “tight”, as they loosen up, acknowledge that they are now feeling supple by saying or thinking “loose”. This might seem strange, but if you make this a regular part of your warm up, it will become a habit, the same as your muscle memory.  When we get stressed or nervous- like in an episode of stage fright- many of our muscles automatically clench up.  If you’ve taken the time to train your mind to be aware of this, when you’re at a show, audition or competition and experiencing stage fright, you can put this concept into play and your muscles will co-operate by limbering up and relaxing.  Also, remind yourself to Breathe.  Often when we concentrate, we unconsciously hold our breath.  This can make your dancing look stilted cause it impedes flow.  If you’re nervous or anxious before a performance, taking a few deep, even, slow breaths will calm your jitters.

 During Tech Rehearsal especially, stay focused. Teching is a long and sometimes boring process, but if you don’t pay strict attention to what you’re doing, the odds are against you for having a quality show.  As you wait for your turn onstage, watch the other performers doing their tech, and take note of where the lights are the hottest and where the stage is dark- this will save valuable time  when you’re onstage for your own tech.

If you’re working in a venue where there isn’t a tech rehearsal, scope out the stage or performance area thoroughly.  You’ll want to look for lighting, but also other things, like a uneven floor surfaces and possible areas of danger, such as cords, musical equipment or sound monitors on the stage.  Also look for the best places to enter and exit the stage smoothly.


Observation is a powerful tool. It’s something you can do with your eyes in class, and with your mind’s eye before a performance. In a class or workshop, watch the instructor demonstrate combinations or choreography before you try to perform it. This is hugely important, because your brain will then have a visual frame of reference when it comes time for you to act physically. You know how everyone says that little kids absorb everything like a sponge? That’s literally what they’re doing!  They simply sit back to observe and absorb, allowing the all the information soak into their brains completely before attempting to do what the adults around them do. Watch your instructor run whatever it is you’re learning before you jump right in and start trying the moves yourself. At first this may seem counter intuitive, but believe me, it’ll make a huge difference.

 For Performance Preparation, we warm up and run our number, but often don’t address the mental and emotional aspects of our dance. On the evenings leading up to a show, go over the choreography in your head just before you fall asleep. Envision yourself dancing to it onstage and excelling at it. Connect to the character you’re portraying; think about their motivations. If you’re not going into character, but just dancing as YOU, imagine the lights on your skin, the way your costumes feels, and picture yourself looking out at the  appreciative crowd as you glide across the stage.

Research has proved that going over the movements mentally will help to ingrain them into your psyche as well as your muscle memory. It’s the same for your character work- your pre-sleep “fantasy” will allow you to connect emotionally to your characater and the  music as well.

Once you’re backstage, it’s a given that everyone’s out in the hallway with their iPods on, dancing full out.  Instead of joining them, try avoiding the hallway (it’s pretty crowed anyway!) and find a quite corner to get into your zone. You’ll notice that from the previous nights you’ve spent running your number before sleeping, that your connection will now be full and effortless.  Run the number in your imagination  a few  times, both with and without music. This quiet time will center you and allow you to re-familiarize yourself with your piece in a calm, serene way, so you can really own it once you get onstage.


Positive Self Talk is something we humans-let alone dancers- don’t engage in nearly enough. We’re constantly judging ourselves, and often the “judging panel” can get awfully vicious.  We’re too fat, too skinny, too old, too dark skinned or white as a ghost. Our noses are too large, our eyes are too small, our legs are too thick, too thin, or they don’t have enough muscle tone.  Oh yeah, and we can’t dance: our technique sucks, we can’t retain choreography, and we’ll never be able to master certain props. 

Stop that right now!

 Anytime you have a negative thought about your body, your technique, your learning curve- whatever- you’re literally wiring your brain to believe that it’s true. Would you be this blunt or mean with a friend?  It’s highly doubtful. So whenever a negative thought rears it’s ugly head, take a moment to assess it.  Be logical and rational: is what you’re saying actually a fact? Are you devaluing yourself? Why? Is this coming from a moment of exasperation? Would anybody else think this about you? More importantly, would you actually talk like this to a family member, friend or another dancer?  No, you wouldn't. We all have our moments of self-doubt, but constantly putting yourself down is emotional abuse. If someone else spoke to you like this, you’d probably cut them out of your life!

 Change the tone of your inner voice from critic to cheerleader. You can’t constantly degrade yourself and then expect to perform to your best capabilities.  Do whatever you can to be gentle with yourself without allowing mediocrity.  Acknowledge your weak points, but give yourself credit for trying… and then try harder.  Be constructive in your self-critique, not destructive. If you feel like making affirmations out loud or leaving encouraging notes around the house for yourself, then by all means go for it, but just start focusing on urging yourself to excel. Executives do it, athletes do it, actors do it… and they do it cause it works.  Try it.


  For dancers, there’s almost nothing as important as getting enough Sleep, unless it’s Nutrition.  Without sufficient rest and fuel, your body cannot perform to its best ability…and the same goes for your brain!  These days, eating and sleeping well seems like a tall order. We’re always rushing around, focused on getting everything done or being distracted by  calls, texts and social media.  After a great show or inspiring class, sure, we’re all jacked up.  But there’s ten million other things  that happen every day, and they sometimes prevent us from eating nutritious  food  or getting quality slumber.

Make conscious choices about what you’re putting into your mouth, and prepare healthy snacks to bring to gigs and classes. Put your damn phone down, get off Facebook, and get into the groove of relaxing before going to bed.  We need sleep to keep our brains alert and stay on top of our game. With poor sleeping habits, your dancing will suffer. Your memory disintegrates and you won't be able to retain anything you learned in class or practiced at rehearsal. You’ll be so tired that you won’t get those flashes of creative brilliance while you're building a performance. If you’re running on empty, you  also might get cranky and emotional, which can potentially lead to diva-like behavior that’ll alienate those you work with- including show producers...and you want to be doing more gigs, right?  Show and festival orgamizers hire performers who are easy to work with and behave professionally, not those prone to  flakiness or temper tantrums.  Be vigilant about getting your rest and  it’ll make you a better dancer- and better to work with all around.

Last but not least, before you take the stage, remind yourself to Relax and to Believe In Yourself.  Whether you’re a newbie at your first performance or a seasoned pro, remind yourself that you’ve been working towards your goals for a long time, and right now is when all those endless hours of training and striving are about to pay off. You can do it!


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 Wanna get yourself fully prepared  for the stage physically and mentally?
Dangerous Beauties’  Wicked Drills And Elegant Technique  covers everything from  technique, combinations and  conditioning to acting excercises, breath work and stage makeup. 
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Order this 2-disc  set and have it autographed  here:

 Watch the  Dangerous Beauties DVD trailer here:






To get a Tarot card reading from me or to check out what I do when I’m not dancing, click here: http://www.pleasantgehman.com/















Monday, February 16, 2015

PROTECTION FROM POISON: HOW TO DEAL WITH A TOXIC DANCE TEACHER



   I just had a very peculiar experience… on my way home from an afternoon walk, I passed my first dance teacher.  Initially, I didn’t realize it was her. It wasn’t until she jerked her head quickly in the other direction with a a familiar grimace on her face, that  it dawned on me who she was...because I haven’t spoken to her in over two decades.

This woman was abusive and such a supremely evil sociopath that over the years,  whenever I thought of her (and trust me, I did that as little as possible) it absolutely shocked me that I ever even entertained the thought of  continuing to dance!

 I will never mention her name, and  have never given her credit as being my first teacher, she was that bad. She was a decent dancer, but she was also pure poison to everyone who had the misfortune of taking her classes. It’s not like I a sensitive kid when I started taking from her either.  I started belly dancing at the age of thirty as an adult with a full life, as were many of her other students. At that point, it didn’t occur to me that I would ever turn professional; I just wanted to take a dance class. Twenty-five years later, I’m well into a dance career that  has been my number one passion and raison d’etre.  Bumping into my former teacher  actually unsettled me- and believe me, that’s not an easy thing to do!  Before I continue with this anecdote, I must tell you that this story has a happy ending.

She Who Has No Name wasn’t just a stern teacher, or one who had high standards and a no-nonsense personality.  She was, for lack of a better description, bat-shit crazy. This was in 1990, waaaay before the internet was commonplace and finding something as obscure as a belly dance teacher, even in a large city like Los Angeles, wasn’t easy, so I stuck it out. Even as a brand –newbie, belly dance was so important to me, I figured it’d be worth it, but her abuse still affected me big time.  She continually told me that I was clumsy, lacked talent, was ugly and would never be a dancer.  If I asked her to break down a step or combination, she’d roll her eyes as though I’d just demanded something impossible. And for the record, I wasn’t the only one she did this too, either- everyone was fair game! She was also insanely jealous. If any of her students started doing well or a little too well for her taste- she viewed them as competition, and did everything in her power to tear them down.  She was also a raving bitch over smaller, inconsequential things. If a student of hers happened to get a new hip scarf or bought a secondhand costume, she’s sniff derisively and roll her eyes. When any of her students tentatively started gigging, she’d badmouth us to our faces…and to anyone else who’d listen!

On one of many evenings that I cam home from her class upset, my boyfriend confronted me.

 “ I thought you said belly dance was your favorite thing that you’ve ever done,” he said compassionately,

 “So let me ask you a question: why are you crying?”

 It was then I knew I had to leave her, so I did.

  Finally, I met a decent teacher, a real teacher, someone who not only knew her technique, but also was a talented performer…and a well-adjusted human being. She also knew how to address students with different needs and learning styles, was encouraging of her pupils’ growth and gave them performing opportunities and professional advice.

 Though it would be another five years before I became an instructor myself, I immediately saw the difference in these two women, and vowed that if I ever taught dance classes, I would be  like my second instructor…the one I actually acknowledge as my first teacher, since She Who Has No Name was, at least chronologically, the “real” first teacher.

But she was so toxic that the only thing she ever really taught me was HOW NOT TO BE.

Sadly, I’m not alone in this experience. In the dance world, many of us have to deal with toxic teachers.

Toxic people are that way because they unhappy- and the only thing that brings them joy is making others feel  the same way.

 A toxic teacher actually delights in ruining the self-esteem of her pupils because she sees them as a threat.  Sometimes this abusive behavior is constant, other times there’s a Bi-Polar quality; your teacher will be nurturing and nice one moment, then turn on you. They play favorites and pit students against each other. Others are merely pessimistic, but their negative feelings and “glass half full” outlook on life is contagious.  They see themselves as victims of fate and circumstance, feel entitled and complain constantly. They gossip and never have anything nice to say- about anyone! They isolate their students and threaten them if they want to take classes with others or desire to join in on other activities in the dance community, like showcases or other performance or volunteering activities.
  Sadly, your toxic teacher might also be very talented.  Just because she is crazy doesn’t mean she’s not a gifted artist; she might be the best instructor in the area. And even worse, she may be the only teacher around- many of us live in smaller towns or places where there is only one local teacher and no other options!

 If your teacher is poison, here are some things you can do to stay sane.

First of all, don’t take anything your toxic instructor says to heart.  

 A healthy student/teacher relationship is built on equality- and it’s also a paying business relationship.  You are paying for your knowledge; therefore you are actually your teacher’s employer!  Remember that her main objective is to drag everyone down to her level. Shield yourself emotionally as much as you can. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can, and that your own dance practice is just as valid as anyone else’s.  Don’t take anything personally.

If you need to discuss your feelings or vent about your teacher, do it with a non-dancer pal, significant other or a family member. The last thing you want to do is have something you said get back to the teacher herself.  Toxic people often have minions; spies that they employ to report back on the activities of other students. Don’t play into her web of craziness by making any sort of comments about her to anyone who might repeat them.

Obviously, if you have other options for classes in your area, leave your current class.  Do this as quickly and painlessly as possible; just stop attending class.  In case your teacher questions you about your decision, don’t make a big deal of it. So as not to make waves, offer a brief explanation that seems plausible, something like your work schedule won’t allow you to continue at this time slot, or you have family obligations.  Thank your teacher for the learning opportunity, and do not engage otherwise, just depart. If you are going to take with another instructor, keep it on the down low.  Any sane teacher welcomes her student studying with others, but if your crazy instructor gets wind of your departure she’ll do what she can to ruin your plans- an your reputation!

If your toxic teacher is the only instructor in your area, again, do whatever you can to protect yourself emotionally.  Remind yourself that you are here to learn, not to be abused. Rise above, and keep to yourself. Do not engage in her drama, and try not to let it affect you. Keep a healthy distance. Arrive at class, take class and leave. All business, all the time, you’re there to learn, period! 

 Take everything your teacher says with a grain of salt, because her negative opinions- about you, about other students, about the dance world in general- is just that, only opinions, not fact. And it’s already been established that they’re distorted, petty and mean-spirited.

If you live in a remote area, learning from DVDs  will tide you over. This is usually supplemental, but if your options for live instruction are limited, this is a good way to go- at least at first.  Also, a great option for you would be taking online classes- there are many available now, and you’ll be able to study with competent teachers who don’t live anywhere near you.  Many studios offer monthly discounts   for live, real time instruction or downloadable online classes.  Google your favorite dancers and see if they offer these kind of classes. You can also investigate taking a group or private Skype session every so often.

 If you happen to see your teacher at a local dance event, don’t get freaked out- this is bound to happen.   Be prepared for it. Make sure the interaction is impersonal and amiable.   Keep it brief. Compliment her on her performance, or just say hello. There’s a good chance she may get nasty- that is, after all, her M.O.  Brush it off and don’t engage.  You’ve done nothing wrong.   The last thing you want to do is get sucked in and involved with her again!

If you are starting to get gigs-or if you’ve already been gigging, your instructor might try to ruin your chances by gossiping about you.  If your teacher starts spreading rumors just ignore them!  Don’t feel the need to explain the situation   anyone, keep your mouth shut. Bullies delight in   their target’s reactions.  Don’t let anyone know this is affecting you. There’s a great chance she’s done this   to others… and an even better chance that everyone else sees her for what she is, and realizes she’s full of it!  As the Internet meme goes, just Keep Calm And Carry On.

 Hopefully, these tips will help you to break the chain of Toxic Teacher abuse. And now for the happy ending of my own story…

  Seconds after I running into my own toxic ex-instructor, I got a text from one of my students. She had just placed in a huge belly dance contest!  She was absolutely giddy.  The text thanked me  “for all your help and wonderful advice”.  Though I’ve trained many professional dancers and lots of champions over the years, their success never fails to touch me; it makes me ridiculously gratified to know that I’ve had a hand in the success of others.  It never gets old- as a dance teacher, this is what it’s all about, sharing   knowledge, love and passion for the dance with others.

With a little tear of happiness in my eye, I texted my student back congratulating her, and typed in so many hearts and flowers and smiley faces that I was definitely guilty of Emoji Abuse.

 It was also the best F**K YOU  possible to She Who Has No Name!

I delighted in knowing once and for all that I’d broken her chain of abuse…and you can do it with your  Toxic Teacher too!

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