This Valentine’s is all about passion.
We’re talking obsession, we’re talking life-changing love.
We’re talking hula-hooping, nunchucks, dancing and boxing.
Our new Valentine’s campaign Love Your Passion is shining a spotlight on the passions that bring light and joy to our lives. Whether it’s extreme sports or spoken word, art or music, we all have a personal passion that fires us up and makes us feel good!
We’re talking obsession, we’re talking life-changing love.
We’re talking hula-hooping, nunchucks, dancing and boxing.
Our new Valentine’s campaign Love Your Passion is shining a spotlight on the passions that bring light and joy to our lives. Whether it’s extreme sports or spoken word, art or music, we all have a personal passion that fires us up and makes us feel good!
Watch passion in action
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What is it about your passion that you love?
I love the hidden strength my passion gives me. It is my safe place. When I am down it helps me get back up. My passion is there for me through the hard times and happy times. A bit like love we have our good days and bad days – Yasmeen Green, Martial Artist (Nunchucks)
We asked our Instagram family to share their passions as part of this brand-new, all-inclusive campaign. We spoke to dancers and tattoo artists, hula hoopers and kickboxers, and one thing is clear – whilst the passions may be different, we love them all just the same.
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Describe your passion in three words
Freedom, power, independence – Ayla, Tattoo Artist
Empowering, Technical, Exhausting 😅 – Abby Lex, Kickboxer
Love, dedication, joy – Hanke Ruth Buisman, Violinist
Fire, expression, flow – Aurora McCaig, Fire Twirling and Flow
Featuring the daredevil Clair Marie (aka @thebasegirl) and poet Vanessa Kisuule, this is how Bluebella celebrates valentines. Strong, unique and inspiring, these women bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “passion project”.
Yasmeen Green - Martial artist
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How does your passion make you feel?
It can make me feel so many different things. Happy, joyful, thankful, proud – sometimes also sad or challenged – but it always makes me feel free – Anna-Lorena Schaeben, Artist
Hooping is almost like a movement meditation for me. It always brings a feeling of calmness over me, and relaxes me. It’s also just such a fun thing to do to lift your spirits. It’s impossible to frown when you’re hooping! – Claire Attias, Hula Hooper
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Would you recommend your passion to other people?
Yes, yes, yes. Martial arts has given me confidence and perseverance. As a woman to feel like you can take care of yourself is empowering. It’s not all about being able to do things physically, it’s also about your mental mindset – Yasmeen
Absolutely. Hooping is a great, fun way to keep fit, have some zen chill time, and learn a new skill. And plus it’s always a fun party trick at picnics! – Claire
YES. You may not be interested in actually fighting like I am, but the sport itself will teach you so much about yourself and what you’re capable of. Do it! – Abby
I would absolutely recommend flow to anyone, especially with it being so much more accessible these days. It’s fun at any experience level, from beginner to veteran. You just let go, and flow 💖💖💖 – Aurora
How does your passion make you feel?
It can make me feel so many different things. Happy, joyful, thankful, proud – sometimes also sad or challenged – but it always makes me feel free – Anna-Lorena Schaeben, Artist
Hooping is almost like a movement meditation for me. It always brings a feeling of calmness over me, and relaxes me. It’s also just such a fun thing to do to lift your spirits. It’s impossible to frown when you’re hooping! – Claire Attias, Hula Hooper
🎵✨💃🏼
Would you recommend your passion to other people?
Yes, yes, yes. Martial arts has given me confidence and perseverance. As a woman to feel like you can take care of yourself is empowering. It’s not all about being able to do things physically, it’s also about your mental mindset – Yasmeen
Absolutely. Hooping is a great, fun way to keep fit, have some zen chill time, and learn a new skill. And plus it’s always a fun party trick at picnics! – Claire
YES. You may not be interested in actually fighting like I am, but the sport itself will teach you so much about yourself and what you’re capable of. Do it! – Abby
I would absolutely recommend flow to anyone, especially with it being so much more accessible these days. It’s fun at any experience level, from beginner to veteran. You just let go, and flow 💖💖💖 – Aurora
Clair Marie - Basejumper
Interviews with spoken word artist Vanessa and base jumper Clair
We caught up with our Love Your Passion stars Clair and Vanessa to talk all things base jumping, spoken word, and living for your passions.
Describe your passion in three words…
V: Fickle, undulating, life-affirming.
C: Adventurous, energizing, zen.
What is it about your passion that you love?
C: I love how my passions push me to be the best version of myself. It encourages growth and pushing through the uncomfortable or scary moments. It allows me a really unique form of expression and takes me to places any other hobby, sport or passion wouldn't. It also allows me to be completely myself!
V: I love the rigour and challenge of writing not just to understand myself but to surprise myself. I love sharing my work and the bridge it builds between me and those gracious enough to listen.
How does your passion make you feel?
V: Often frustrated and self-indulgent, lol, but occasionally light, fizzy, utterly in love with the miracle of language. Those occasions are enough to keep me going even when it gets difficult.
C: When I get to explore my passions fully, whether it is my sports or my art, I have a sense of complete freedom.
Describe your passion in three words…
V: Fickle, undulating, life-affirming.
C: Adventurous, energizing, zen.
What is it about your passion that you love?
C: I love how my passions push me to be the best version of myself. It encourages growth and pushing through the uncomfortable or scary moments. It allows me a really unique form of expression and takes me to places any other hobby, sport or passion wouldn't. It also allows me to be completely myself!
V: I love the rigour and challenge of writing not just to understand myself but to surprise myself. I love sharing my work and the bridge it builds between me and those gracious enough to listen.
How does your passion make you feel?
V: Often frustrated and self-indulgent, lol, but occasionally light, fizzy, utterly in love with the miracle of language. Those occasions are enough to keep me going even when it gets difficult.
C: When I get to explore my passions fully, whether it is my sports or my art, I have a sense of complete freedom.
Ashley Fox - Pole dancer
What inspired you to take up your passion?
V: A meandering conversation with a cousin and many, many hours on YouTube.
C: Each of my passions were inspired by a desire to be completely free – free of social constructs, free of judgement, free of fear. To just be myself.
Would you recommend your passion to other people?
C: Base jumping isn't something I would recommend to just anyone! This isn't a sport to casually take up. It’s high risk and therefore each individual has to make that decision to take on the risk and responsibility completely on their own.
V: Yes. It’s not a career path that would necessarily suit everyone, but it’s something I’m sure anyone might enjoy as either a participant or a listener. The listener is as integral to the art form as the performer - without them, only half a conversation is being had.
V: A meandering conversation with a cousin and many, many hours on YouTube.
C: Each of my passions were inspired by a desire to be completely free – free of social constructs, free of judgement, free of fear. To just be myself.
Would you recommend your passion to other people?
C: Base jumping isn't something I would recommend to just anyone! This isn't a sport to casually take up. It’s high risk and therefore each individual has to make that decision to take on the risk and responsibility completely on their own.
V: Yes. It’s not a career path that would necessarily suit everyone, but it’s something I’m sure anyone might enjoy as either a participant or a listener. The listener is as integral to the art form as the performer - without them, only half a conversation is being had.
Claire Attias - Hula hooper
Vanessa, in your video Take Up Space, you said “the revolution starts small”. What is the revolution you want to see?
V: Coronavirus has exacerbated an already stark gap between the haves and have nots in this country. I would like to see more of us getting involved in community action and care and turning away from a reliance on large government and corporations. Grassroots activism feels like the way to go in a world that feels so large and sprawling - if we could all do more to take care of the people in our immediate vicinity I think we’d see reductions in loneliness and isolation and a better distribution of essential resources.
If it weren’t spoken word, what do you think your passion would be?
V: I have more than one passion, regardless! Writing and performing just happen to be the ones that pay my bills. I love dancing, cooking, reading, bird watching, fashion and many other things besides. I don’t believe one should have to choose just one.
V: Coronavirus has exacerbated an already stark gap between the haves and have nots in this country. I would like to see more of us getting involved in community action and care and turning away from a reliance on large government and corporations. Grassroots activism feels like the way to go in a world that feels so large and sprawling - if we could all do more to take care of the people in our immediate vicinity I think we’d see reductions in loneliness and isolation and a better distribution of essential resources.
If it weren’t spoken word, what do you think your passion would be?
V: I have more than one passion, regardless! Writing and performing just happen to be the ones that pay my bills. I love dancing, cooking, reading, bird watching, fashion and many other things besides. I don’t believe one should have to choose just one.
Ayla Niewland - Tattoo Artist
Clair – any memorable jumps you’d like to share?
C: Every jump is equally memorable as the last! I love jumping anywhere that takes me to new places! I just love the adventure of it.
If it weren’t base jumping, what do you think your passion would be?
C: I follow all of my passions! I base jump, I ride mountain bikes, I rock climb, I model, I am a photographer, a film maker. I also read and meditate. I do all of the things I want to do.
I recently bought 35 acres of raw land with my partner Bradley and we are developing it into a huge action-sports training and artist compound where our friends can come and train and create to perfect their craft. I will continue to jump and create as it feels right to me! I also have a few live stunts in the works and am currently working on my first gallery event of my photography work!
C: Every jump is equally memorable as the last! I love jumping anywhere that takes me to new places! I just love the adventure of it.
If it weren’t base jumping, what do you think your passion would be?
C: I follow all of my passions! I base jump, I ride mountain bikes, I rock climb, I model, I am a photographer, a film maker. I also read and meditate. I do all of the things I want to do.
I recently bought 35 acres of raw land with my partner Bradley and we are developing it into a huge action-sports training and artist compound where our friends can come and train and create to perfect their craft. I will continue to jump and create as it feels right to me! I also have a few live stunts in the works and am currently working on my first gallery event of my photography work!
Vanessa - Spoken-word
Vanessa – what advice would you give to your younger self?
V: Nothing. Every foible I’ve made along the way has made me who I am today and that process couldn’t have been smoothed over by any one bit of advice. Besides, most received wisdom is useless if you aren’t able to apply it to lived experience. You have to feel your way through the maze to truly understand yourself and the values you wish to live by, it can’t be spoon fed to you through aphorisms.
What’s the future looking like for Vanessa Kisuule?
V: I’ve got a few pots bubbling, for sure. As rubbish and devastating as lockdown has been, it’s given me ample time to decide what I want to put my creative energies into in the next couple of years. I am transitioning into long form work with an essay collection and hopefully a novel. Scary but exciting territory for me.
V: Nothing. Every foible I’ve made along the way has made me who I am today and that process couldn’t have been smoothed over by any one bit of advice. Besides, most received wisdom is useless if you aren’t able to apply it to lived experience. You have to feel your way through the maze to truly understand yourself and the values you wish to live by, it can’t be spoon fed to you through aphorisms.
What’s the future looking like for Vanessa Kisuule?
V: I’ve got a few pots bubbling, for sure. As rubbish and devastating as lockdown has been, it’s given me ample time to decide what I want to put my creative energies into in the next couple of years. I am transitioning into long form work with an essay collection and hopefully a novel. Scary but exciting territory for me.
