July 1, 2014  

Gala of the Royal Horses Featured in Parade Magazine!

| Jul 1, 2014

You have to see it to believe it. The Gala of the Royal Horses show, now touring in the U.S. for the first time, features stallions trained to gracefully trot and jump to music. Flamenco dancers will join them to complete the show—check out tour dates here.

Wondering how these horses learn to dance? Riding master and tour creator Rene Gasser, who comes from a family that’s worked with horses for seven generations, answered our questions about how these graceful animals are trained and cared for.

What is the training process like? What are the steps of training a horse a new movement?
Very much like a child going to school, we teach the horses the ABC’s; then when they have learned the basics, we move them onto [more difficult] movements. The horses are trained systematically. We start with very easy movements first, and as soon to they react what we ask them, we immediately reward them with a carrot or other treat. We make a big deal out if small movements as soon as the horses do it, so they know that they will be rewarded. Ask for a lot, be content with a little, and reward often.

Read more: Here

June 26, 2014  

Lisa Vanderpump’s Cover Feature in Frontiers Magazine!

| Jun 26, 2014

Once upon a time there was a woman named Lisa who lived in a crystal palace nestled in the hills above Rodeo Drive. In her kingdom, called Villa Rosa, no one argued, all was peaceful and idyllic, and she spent her days surrounded by animals, eating pink chocolates, in a sea of pink flowers.

“This is Hanky,” Lisa Vanderpump says as she greets me, leaning over to stroke the neck of one of her pet swans floating in the pond in front of her house. She is dressed casually in jeans and a white, see-through shirt, revealing a bright orange tank top beneath. Her bare feet are adorned with pink polish. Her hair is blown-out and she’s wearing false eyelashes, but as if that’s how she’d woken up this and every morning. She rubs the swan’s neck and kisses him lovingly on the head, leaving a ring of lipstick—her signature color, pink—stamped on his crown.

“And this is Panky.” She crosses the glass-topped bridge that divides the pond to the other side, dropping more brown pellets into the water. Is it dog food? Do they make swan food? For Lisa Vanderpump—the restaurant magnate, Dancing with the Stars contestant, and star of two Bravo shows, Vanderpump Rules and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills—I think they would. “You see, I can pet them, and it’s very rare to be able to do that,” she says. “It’s because I raised them since they were little.”

Read more: Here

June 24, 2014  

Alexander Kariotis Featured on Top40-Charts

| Jun 24, 2014

When people think of great rock voices, Steve Perry (Journey) and Freddie Mercury (Queen) are some of the names that come to mind. Take their vocal styles, add to them the sublime sounds of great operatic composers such as Puccini and Verdi, and “Voilà” you have Alexander Kariotis, breathing new life into the rock opera-genre.

“There’s room for both rock and opera, even in the same song,” Kariotis explains. And this phenomenal singer does just that throughout his debut album, Alexander Kariotis and the Rock Opera Orchestra (VMG – SONY/Red), released in June 2014, exclusively on Amazon.com.

The iconic jazz saxophonist David Sanborn joins Kariotis in a beautiful jazz/opera fusion song Ho Bisogno Di Te. Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of RUN DMC joins Kariotis in a hip hop/opera collaboration of a remix of Alexander’s original composition called Vesti la Giubba – Hide the tears.

Read more: Here

June 19, 2014  

Natalia Safran Featured on C Social Front

| Jun 19, 2014

Singer-songwriter Natalia Safran recently hosted the first Music Unites Salon Series at her Beverly Hills home on June 11th. The rhythmic evening featured an intimate performance by the Jazz Ensemble from Music Unites Centennial High School.

Safran was joined by David Arquette and Nadine Velazquez in addition to Music Unites Ambassador and guest host, KIIS FM’s DJ Skee. Music United Founder and Executive Director Michelle Edgar developed the program in conjunction with Compton Unified School District.

Read more: Here

June 11, 2014  

Lisa Vanderpump Featured on ET Online Part 1

| Jun 11, 2014

After a tumultuous season on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, original cast member Lisa Vanderpump is contemplating her future on the Bravo reality TV show. ETonline’s Denny Directo recently chatted with Vanderpump at her new West Hollywood restaurant and lounge Pump, where she reveals she is still uncertain whether she will return to the show.

“Well we’re in talks. I have to say we’re in talks,” Lisa explains. “My initial reaction was, ‘I would never.’ That’s just how I felt.”

This past season viewers saw Lisa go from member of the “Dream Team,” forming what appeared to be a strong alliance with fellow cast mates Brandi Glanville and Yolanda Foster, to drawing constant scrutiny of virtually every member of the cast as the season progressed.

“There has been a lot of speculation and I have been asked back, but it was really difficult for me last season,” she admits. “It was all a bit much. I felt beaten up.”

And while plans of returning for a fourth season of the Housewives franchise are still up in the air, she assures us that we still see her on Bravo. Her spinoff series, Vanderpump Rules, which follows the antics of her staffers at Sur Lounge, is currently filming season three.

Watch video: Here

May 29, 2014  

Gala of The Royal Horses Featured in The Morton Times-News!

| May 29, 2014

The first tour of the Gala of The Royal Horses in North America includes a stop in Peoria.

Riding master Rene Gasser will be in Peo- ria with his horses at 7 p.m. June 7 at the Peoria Civic Center. Gasser is the seventh generation in his family with experience with horses.

“When I was very young, my grand- mother bought me my first pony,” Gasser said. “From the moment I hugged him I fell in love with the idea of working with horses.”

He started training horses at a young age and showed his first horses 25 years ago in Europe and Australia. His favorite breed, he said are the old baroque breeds “because they have been bred for the movement that is shown in our performance.” However, he loves all breeds, he said. Eventually, Gasser started training to be- come a riding master.

“To become a riding master you have to study many years with riding masters, and the only time you know you are a riding master is when old riding masters themselves tell you that you are,” he said.

Gasser then created and produced the Gala of The Royal Horses, which has been per- forming around the globe, including in Australia, New Zealand and Asia, but never in North America until this year.

Rene Gasser and his horses will present the Gala of The royal Horses June 7 in Peoria. The Gala recreates an event that is normally only able to be seen at riding schools in Vienna and Spain.

“Gala of The Royal Horses is a presenta- tion of all the royal breeds; it represents the culture of these horses,” Gasser said. “We are privileged to bring the horses and the show here in North America.”

During the show, horses show off various maneuvers they’ve been trained to do, including maneuvers once used on the battlefield that is now called “The Airs Above The Ground.”

Breeds seen in the Gala include the Andalusian, Friesian,Lipizzaner and Arabian horses. In addition, flamenco dancers ac- company some of the stallions during the performance to recreate a Spanish feel. Gasser said that he has heard nothing but great things in getting ready to perform in Peoria.

“A lot of people have mentioned how they regret missing the show because people they know have seen
it and how much they enjoyed it,” Gasser said. “So, make sure you don’t miss out.”