Thursday, April 9, 2009

The Dancing Chairs!


I hope you'll love this post as much as I do.  This is another photo from the "abandoned office building adjoining the abandoned Lyric Theatre."  This photo made me smile when I took it. What made it more fun was the response my friend Bob Crowe, ( St. Louis Daily Photo),  had when I sent him some of the photos.  Bob, may I quote you???

" What are those things and how do they stand independently?  My immediate strong association was to a poor-side -of -town version of Mickey Mouse's buckets and mops in the Sorcerer's Apprentice section of Disney's Fantasia.  Whatever those things are - old chair backs? - they are dancing. "

Well, my friend and tour guide of the Alabama and Lyric, Tom Cronier, had something to add:
"Wander, wander
Faster, faster
Fetch your master
WATER  
Gushing from the buckets

See when I look at that room I see old Alabama Theatre seats that were stored  here when the Alabama got new ones.  BUT you and Bob see something magical."

What can I add,  but that these are the side panels from old seats from the Alabama Theatre across the street that are piled in this room.  You  will have to admit they seem to be dancing to the window to get one last glimpse.  

36 comments:

James said...

That is so cool to be able to walk around and take pictures of such an old place. Great post. Look at the one on the window ledge. Maybe the others are trying to talk him down. :-)

Wayne said...

Even I can see the dancing pose and I've got a feeble imagination.

Those are the sides of the chairs with the armrests.

I'm slightly concerned because my feeble imagination thinks that thing on the floor looks like a dead bird.

Pat said...

Virginia, that is the cutest, cutest photo I've seen in a long time! Just like shy little ballerinas posing. Wonderful!

Judy - So California said...

V, What I want to know is - did YOU place these panels or did you find them like this? Tee hee - that's funny - trying to talk him down off the window ledge. I think they just needed the sixth for a dancing partner! Great shot.

alice said...

Just great!

Janet said...

Gosh, I may have sat in one of these long, long ago! They truly do appear to be dancing. Perhaps they are remembering times gone by.

cieldequimper said...

Oh I love them and the caption(s). Fantastic!
I'm surprised that you can just walk into an abandoned building though...

Thérèse said...

Did you happen to rearrange the "Fantasia" scene? How fun!
I bribed a bird last weekend to bring a scene to life...

Daryl said...

They really do seem to be swaying to some special drummer

Just Roaming The Cities said...

That IS funny! And cool! They look like "Beaty and the Beast" or like yousaid, some Disney thing!

Tash said...

Oh my gosh, I DO LOVE IT. Look at the 'guy' that jumped up on the window sill to take a look out or to show off his moves.
Is it an art installation? The seat-backs seem to be bolted to the floor.
This is absolutely great, V.

Anonymous said...

Virg, you never fail to amaze and amuse! This just slapped a big smile on my face. I still don't get how you got this shot, but that's part of the magic.

Virginia said...

I'm going to say that they were bolted to the floor. I don't think they could stand alone. And no, I didn't move a thing. If you knew how dirty everything was you'd know why. I had to hold the railings when we went down the rickety steps but I didn't want to!!!

Bob Crowe said...

Well, I guess I've made my comment.

I'm hoping to get some shots in tomorrow afternoon and have something to post by evening local time.

Halcyon said...

I just love this one!! It was worth the wait. And you are right... les chaises dansent!

Dystopos said...

That is a FANTASTIC photograph.

Virginia said...

Wayne, as you know, that could very well be a dead bird or a pigeon playing dead! I don't want to talk about what else it might be. Yikes!!

Dystopos,
Well thank you very much!!!

Bob,
Have a bon voyage and I can hardly wait to see Paris through YOUR lens. I"m thinking it's going to be a real treat for us all.

Thanks everyone. I'm wondering what those guys do when noone's around ? Maybe they bust some moves and party till the cows come home???

Babzy.B said...

great post and Bob is right !

Eki said...

I would have reacted as Bob did. This pic made me smile too ... reminds me of cartoon movies where chair could dance just like these do ...

Bravo, V!

Juergen Kuehn said...

I am thrilled about this photo. A wonderful motion study of a strange ballet scene.

-K- said...

My two favorite things about this photo is (as someone else said) the chair on the window sill and, when you enlarge the shot you see "Show Of The South" on the marquee across the street. Couldn't be more fitting.

Karen said...

Old and "abandoned" rooms and buildings have a wistful aura that appeals to me. Great photo and the connection to "Fantasia" is wonderfully whimiscal. Makes me want to find my broom and dance.

PeterParis said...

Like Bob - and some others, I thought about Fantasia! Amazing! Really nice!

marley said...

That is making my mind hurt! That is very weird but a very cool photo :)

Alex said...

Hi Virgina, another great shot, love this one, you have a good eye.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Do you know why you sometimes enlarge images to shatter the illusion. I can now they are bolted, but in the small image, my over acitve imagination counjours such wondrous stories around the image. Bob, spot on thoughts but I got the Disney Alice in Wonderland Playing Cards cowering and bowing to the Queen of Hearts and teasing Alice. Make of that what you will and the fact that of course I see something completely different.

Jane Hards Photography said...

Oh Poo! Typos abound. I'm a little strung out workwise this and what with the blog blue meanies...

Ken Mac said...

wild!

Ken Mac said...

V, no sarcasm intended. I love new architecture if it's great, and this is!

Virginia said...

KM,
Oh good. I liked your photos but you're such a nostalgic kind of guy I couldn't decide if it was tongue in cheek. It's good to embrace different architecture , right? BTW, WHERE IS THE CHEROKEE? I need to get on that again don't I????


B.
Alice in Wonderland, another aspect that we hadn't thought of . This photo has provoked many many fanatasies. I just love it when that happens !!!!

D said...

I LOVE this. But I thought of the dancing in Beauty and the Beast, the Disney version.

Fabrizio Zanelli said...

It's so great and me too, at first sight, it reminded me to Fantasia (W.Disney) ;-) That's funny. Great photo Virginia !

Rob said...

When the cubicle walls come down, the chairs rejoice!

Marie-Noyale said...

Can almost hear the music in the background!!
Great eye Virginia to spot this!!

Jilly said...

How did I miss this? Well I know how - and her name is Mia. Grrrr. Seriously, just love this post, Virginia. Great photo, what fun.

Anonymous said...

Those are awesome! I really like your blog!