Shanghai Day 3
We were hussled out of bed with a 7am “Bonjour” wake up call, and a quick breakfast of French fries and fruit we prepared for our first China rehearsal.
It was deemed too expensive to hire a room to practice in, so we started off in the elevator lobby on the 6th floor. Unfortunately, there were people actually wanting to use the elevators, and the lack of air conditioning (need I remind everyone its 30degees here, and incredibly humid) meant that it wasn’t long before Richard and Peter were sent to find us a plan B! So we found ourselves the object of public curiosity dancing in the hotel carpark, we are pleased to be reassured that the Chinese audience found us, shall we say, interesting. Although the carpark had many appealing qualities, we still found ourselves truly sweating off last nights Peking Duck!
Much to our surprise the voice overs in the thistle and the fern have now been translated into Chinese, we watched intently so see the reaction of our audiences faces, and while we cant say for sure they understood, we certainly tripled our audience!
After 3 hours of the hardest lesson of our lives, we headed up for a cold shower!
The next project for our free day was to head for the silk markets. Without our now famous tour guide Jacky, we had to attempt this venture on our own although his parting works were “While my body won’t be with you, I will be with you in my heart”.
The journey to the silk market:
1. The Bus
It looked like there was room for 5, yet we all managed to pile in, this wasn’t too much of a problem, until more and more people got on the bus at each stop – I don’t think the Chinese understand the concept of personal space! We knew we had to get off at stop number 6, what we didn’t know was whether we would all be able to get off before the doors shut! We give the bus system 5/10, attaining points on timeliness and value for money ($1 Yuan, 20cents NZ).
2. The Subway
The ticket lady was a little shocked when Sara went to order 29 tickets. Getting onto the train was another matter, trying to navigate the entrance and exit automated gates, luckily for the very nice Chinese man that gave us a very slow motion demonstration! We give the subway system an 8/10, for points on air-conditioning, speed, and clear signage, but it lost points for one little pick pocket that got away with a watch from someone’s wrist!
By some miracle we all made it, 29 accounted for at the entrance of the Silk market. Surprisingly, the market was indoors, 6 storeys of shopping each containing a different type of good. The art of buying was also quite difficult with pushy shop owners literally dragging you into the stores and having to barter for a good price, it was generally all in good spirits and it wasn’t long before we got into the spirit. Julie was told she was a “crazy lady” when suggesting a price deemed too low. Some of the team members were more barter savvy than others, and there were many bargains made. The boys had a good time, Leighton’s technique of flirting with the shop owners helped him attain a handmade “best quality in China” hat, Lewis spent all this time bartering and not actually buying, and Sam learnt his lesson not to stick with the girls, only coming home with one painted paper! Show and tell in the hotel was fun, with everyone showing off their purchases ranging from Harriet’s rainbow umbrella hat to handbags, sneakers, dresses and souvenirs. The only downside of show and tell was realising that you paid double what someone else did for the same item!
To end a fun but not so restful free day, we headed to the hotel restaurant for a little bit of western culture, good old fashioned burgers and fries!
We will leave you with the Chinese phrases learnt today
- Zai Zher (roughly pronounced seann truibhas) I want to get off the subway
- Tai Guile (roughly pronounced tequila) Too expensive
We will sleep well tonight.
Kate and Kendall
Shanghai - Day 2 - Sightseeing
After a ‘surprise’ wakeup call at 7am in three different languages, the team went down to our hotel restaurant for a massive breakfast to start the day. Another crazy bus ride filled with near-misses and tips from our lovely guide Jackie, we arrived in The Forbidden City. HUGE is one word to describe it. With one million workers taking years to complete it, we spent the morning gazing in awe at the beautiful buildings, artwork and amazing workmanship. Off to restaurant for lunch, the team was well fed with some new toilet experiences for some of the girls! Next was a stop by The Egg, a $3.6billion opera house made out of glass. Onto Tian’an men Square; the largest public square in the world. As the team posed for photos, we were surrounded by tons of locals taking photos of us too! Without even performing we became a tourist attraction. A walk underground and we found ourselves at the newly refurbished Beijing Museum. The team learnt a lot about Ancient and New China with history-expert Jackie providing a great insight for us. The long awaited Duck Banquet was incredible! We are now professional chopstick users so hopefully we are blending in! With full bellies some of the tem took a quick look at the nearby shops with live music, street performers and market stalls creating an awesome atmosphere. Zaijen!
Harriet Lintern and Chantelle Shatford
Shanghai Day 1 - "The Highland Dance Company of NZ takes on China"
"Day 1 of our latest adventure has been a resounding success. After negotiating check-in in Auckland - no mean feat when we are travelling as a group of 29 along with 2 full-to-the-brim suitcases of costumes, not to mention the 3 swords.... - we were all excited to be embarking on another amazing trip.
The journey was remarkably uneventful - noone lost any belongings, and we (mostly) all managed to get a few zzzs on the 12 hour flight over to Shanghai. Unfortunately, accompanying us on the flight were a few screaming infants. Those of us with earplugs were definitely the envy of the plane!
Shanghai airport was our first taste of China. From the moment we stepped off the plane into the humid heat, to the instant we walked through the arrivals gate and saw shop after shop with crabs tied up in the front windows, we knew we were in for an experience to be remembered! While at Shanghai airport some of us learnt some Mandarin phrases from friendly locals, some of us took advantage of the massaging chairs in the lounges, while others chose this time to savour some sweet treats. Thankfully the stopover before departing for Beijing was only a few hours (nothing like the challenging itinery we had going to Virginia earlier in the year!) and we were on our final league of the journey in no time.
On our arrival to Beijing we were greeted by the lovely smiling face of our tour guide for the next 5-6 days, Jacky Wan. What he doesn't know about Beijing isn't worth knowing! He shared some of his wealth of knowledge during the bus ride in to our hotel, including some handy hints on how not to get scammed by the local market vendors. We were all a bit daunted by some of the stories he told of other tourists downfalls!
After a long days travel, we ventured out for a Chinese dinner to celebrate our arrival. We are realising that mime is a fantastic communication tool when spoken language fails us! We are all well and truly ready for a long sleep to prepare ourselves for the excitement that beckons. Tomorrows agenda - Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Peking Duck. Wow we can't wait!
Kylie and Sara
Highland Dance Company off to Shanghai Tourism Festival
“The Highland Dance Company of New Zealand leave for Beijing tonight where they will be involved in rehearsals, sightseeing and shopping before heading to Shanghai to perform in the Shanghai Tourism Festival.
In Beijing they will be visiting Tian’anmen Square, the National Centre for Performing Arts, the Forbidden city and a welcome dinner at the Famous Beijing Duck banquet, Great Wall of China at the Juyongguan section, The Summer Palace, and will be attending the amazing Beijing Acrobatic show, A pedi cab tour of the Hutong – the “old City” and will share a special lunch with a family in their home, and Tour the Temple of Heaven before travelling to Shanghai to commence preparations for the Festival.
Their itinerary for the festival is as follows:
September 14 – Rehearsals
September 15 – Opening Ceremony
September 16 – 2 x public performances – Najing Road and Jingan Hotel
September 17 – 1 public performance – Oriental Pearl Tower and then visit to the Tower
The Dance Company arrive home on September 19th.
On behalf of Executive and Academy members, we wish the group a safe and exciting trip and look forward to reading the daily blogs”
Life Members & 50 year members of Academy
The Paragraph in the latest newsletter regarding the Dance Development Course was incorrect and should have read as follows:
LIFE MEMBERS & 50 YEAR BAR MEMBERS
"Life Members of the Academy and 50 year bar members will not be required to pay for the Dance Development Course if attending conference."
Please accept my sincere apologies
Raewyn
Dance Development Course timetable and Guest Tutor Biographies
DANCE DEVELOPMENT COURSE
22 & 23 SEPTEMBER 2012
NELSON
Saturday
1.30 p.m. - 3.30 p.m. Guest - Tania Huddart
3.30 p.m. - 4.30 p.m. Quiz
Sunday
8.45 a.m. - 9.15 a.m. Warm up - Kelly Webster
9.15 a.m. - 10.15 a.m. Guest Tutor - Kelly Webster
19.15 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. Morning tea
10.30 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. Workshop 1
10.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. Workshop 2
12.30 p.m. - 1.15 p.m. Lunch
1.15 p.m - 2.15 p.m. Guest Tutor - Helen Inkster
2.15 p.m. - 3.00 p.m. Irish Reel
3.00 p.m. Special announcements & closure
Guest Tutors
Tania Huddart:
A studio dance and Pilates specialist based in Wellington, Tania started her career as a dance teacher working in South Africa and Europe.
She studied dance at the University of Cape Town, specialising in dance teaching initially and later gained a philosophy degree from the University of Durham with an emphasis on dance teaching methodology, psychology and design. For the past five years, utilising these specialist skills, Tania has worked with DANZ on developing dance teaching and studio specialist workshops. This process has included consultation with the dance community to meet needs and demand.
Tania taught ballet, character and contemporary dance at studio and vocational levels in South Africa, London (Arts Educational School), Stockholm and Wellington (Wellington Performing Arts Centre). Her interest in how the body works, lead her to study Pilates in London and New York and she is certified through the Pilates Method Alliance. Tania returned to Wellington to form Hearts and Bones Pilates Centre© in 2002 where she works with a large range of clients as well as training Pilates instructors.
Tania has a particular interest in teaching techniques and methodologies as well as combining anatomy, biomechanics and dance technique. She provided Pilates training as part of the health team at the New Zealand School of Dance from 2003-2006. She also works in teaching practice, injury rehabilitation and performance enhancement for dancers for a variety of dance
syllabus organisations and studios.
Helen Inskter:
Helen Inkster is a Registered Clinical Psychologist with eighteen years experience in a broad range of areas: criminal justice (prisons and probation service clients), intellectual disability, mental health (primary and secondary care), youth, alcohol and drug, Police trauma and clinical supervision of a variety of professions.
Helen was on the working party who put together the Code of Ethics for the Psychologists Board, has Chaired an Ethics Committee, been on the editorial committee for a professional magazine and is a current member of the Disciplinary Tribunal for Psychologists. Helen has had a busy and successful private practise for many years in Nelson.
Helen’s daughter’s interest in Highland brought her back into the fold after over 15 years “abstinence”. Helen has always had a love of teaching dance and finds this a perfect balance to the stressors inherent in her day job.
Kelly Webster
Kelly is a dancer, dance teacher and choreographer born and raised in Blenheim, NZ.
She began training at an early age in Ballet & Jazz dance with Jeannie Mark, branching out to include Lyrical, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Funk & Tap in later years.
After a year of full time study in Commercial Dance at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre (now Whitireia Performing Arts Centre), she embarked on a performance career overseas with Carnival Cruise Lines for two years as a dancer travelling throughout the Caribbean. One her return to NZ six years ago she took up a teaching position at Marlborough Dance Centre in
Blenheim where she trains students of all ages in Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary & Lyrical.
During her time back at home she has also run her own performance group the ‘KW Dancers’ as well as being involved in various shows as dancer and/or choreographer.
Earlier this year she was selected as a member of the New Zealand team and travelled to Los Angeles to compete at the Annual World Championships of Performing Arts where she made the finals and took out the title of ‘Senior Grand Champion Dancer of the World’ for 2012
Those participating in this workshop will just need to be in suitable attire to be able to move and any who don't like to lie on a hard floor could bring mats. Bare feet or socks is fine, shoes are not required.
Letter of thanks from Virginia Tattoo
The Executive has received a letter of thanks from the Virginia Arts Festival.
See Downloads for a copy of the letter and badge sent
Scholarships
Executive Council have sourced scholarships that are available for our members to attend workshops etc
See Downloads for the full list
