Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue, are a set of commandments which the Bible describes as having been given to the Israelites by God at biblical Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments are listed twice in the Hebrew Bible, first at Exodus 20:1–17, and then at Deuteronomy 5:4–21. Both versions state that God inscribed them on two stone tablets, which he gave to Moses. According to New Testament writers, the Ten Commandments are clearly attributed to Moses (Mark 7:10, see also John 7:19).

Modern scholarship has found likely influences in Hittite and Mesopotamian laws and treaties, but is divided over exactly when the Ten Commandments were written and who wrote them.

The commandments include instructions to worship only God, to honour parents, and to keep the sabbath; as well as prohibitions against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, dishonesty, and coveting. Different religious groups follow different traditions for interpreting and numbering them

Terminology

The Decalogue (TV series)

The Decalogue (Polish: Dekalog, pronounced [dɛˈkalɔk]) is a 1989 Polish television drama series directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and co-written by Kieślowski with Krzysztof Piesiewicz, with music by Zbigniew Preisner. It consists of ten one-hour films, inspired by the Ten Commandments. Each short film explores one or several moral or ethical issues faced by characters living in an austere apartment block in modern Poland.

The series is Kieślowski's most acclaimed work, has been said to be "the best dramatic work ever done specifically for television" and has won numerous international awards, though it was not widely released outside Europe until the late 1990s. Filmmaker Stanley Kubrick wrote an admiring foreword to the published screenplay in 1991.

Production

Though each film is independent, most of them share the same setting (a large housing project in Warsaw), and some of the characters are acquainted with each other. The large cast includes both famous actors and unknowns, many of whom Kieślowski also used in his other films. Typically for Kieślowski, the tone of most of the films is melancholic, except for the final one, which, like Three Colors: White, is a black comedy, and features two of the same actors, Jerzy Stuhr and Zbigniew Zamachowski.

Sufjan Stevens

Sufjan Stevens (/ˈsuːfjɑːn/ SOOF-yahn; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He first came to wider recognition with the 2000 album, A Sun Came, which was released on the Asthmatic Kitty label he co-founded with his stepfather. He is perhaps best known for his 2005 album, Illinois, which hit number one on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart, and for the single "Chicago" from that album.

Stevens has released albums of varying styles, from the electronica of Enjoy Your Rabbit and the lo-fi folk of Seven Swans to the symphonic instrumentation of Illinois and Christmas-themed Songs for Christmas. Stevens makes use of a variety of instruments, often playing many of them himself on the same recording, and writes music in various time signatures. Though he has repeatedly stated an intent to separate his beliefs from his music, Stevens also freely draws from the Bible and Christian tradition.

Biography

Early life

Stevens was born in Detroit, Michigan, and lived there until the age of nine, when his family moved to Petoskey, in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. He was raised by his father Rasjid and his stepmother, only occasionally visiting his mother, Carrie, in Oregon after she married her second husband Lowell Brams. (Brams would later become the head of Stevens' record label Asthmatic Kitty). He attended Petoskey High School, Interlochen Arts Academy and graduated from Harbor Light Christian School. He went on to attend Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and earned a Masters in Fine Arts from The New School in New York City.

Justin Peck

Justin Peck (born September 8, 1987) is an American choreographer and dancer associated with New York City Ballet.

In July 2014, he was appointed as Resident Choreographer of New York City Ballet. He is the second person in the history of the institution to hold this title.

Early life

Peck was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in San Diego, CA. He began tap dancing when he was 9 years old, after seeing a performance of Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk. When Peck was 13, he witnessed a performance of American Ballet Theatre in Giselle, which inspired him to begin training in the ballet form.

Career

At 15 years old, Peck moved to New York City to attend the School of American Ballet. In 2006, When he was 18 years old, he was invited by Peter Martins to join the New York City Ballet as an apprentice. In June 2007, he was promoted to corps de ballet. In February 2013, he was promoted to Soloist. At New York City Ballet, Peck has danced extensive repertoire, performing in existing and new works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Peter Martins, Benjamin Millepied, Alexei Ratmansky, Lynn Taylor-Corbett, and Christopher Wheeldon.