Saturday, August 9, 2008

Olympic Opening Ceremony

Wow! Despite the imperfect camera work, rambling commentary and frequent commercial interruptions, the Opening Ceremony at the Beijing Olympics yesterday was simply amazing. I have a feeling one of the main lesson we will take away from the Olympics is that we have fallen behind the rest of the world in technology, imagination and organization. A much needed wake up call.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

the opening ceremony was designed and organized by a US citizen from NYC.

Mark said...

i will look into this and post a reply soom. thx

Mark said...

I have not found this information. Perhaps you can provide a link. My research shows it was Chinese lead with some help from others internationally. Here is the closest to that I could find.
"A British man, Mark Fisher, is the unheralded chief stage designer of Friday’s spectacle. One of only a handful of foreigners invited to work on Beijing’s opening and closing ceremonies, Fisher, 60, described himself as a “teacher and guide” to the predominantly Chinese team".
source: Times UK http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/article4493413.ece

Anonymous said...

Shen Wei To Choreograph Olympic Ceremony
By Staff Reporter of the Sun | April 30, 2008
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The New York-based choreographer Shen Wei has been tapped to serve as a lead creative consultant and the principal choreographer for the 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Prior to the announcement, Mr. Shen had worked with the dancers in his own company — Shen Wei Dance Arts — to develop material for the ceremonies. Olympic dancers in Beijing will perform the works.

Mr. Shen, who was born in Hunan, China, and is now an American citizen, often combines multiple artistic elements in his choreography. His 2007 work, "Second Visit to the Empress," re-imagined a traditional Chinese opera through modern dance. "Connect Transfer" (2004) featured dancers with paint-soaked socks and mittens dancing in ways that turned the floor into a canvas full of sweeping strokes of paint.

Mr. Shen's choreography is based on a technique that focuses on specialized, slow movement led by breath. Whether or not the Olympic dancers will be able to incorporate his Natural Body Development Technique is unclear. But his appointment as choreographer at least suggests that the Opening Ceremonies will be well worth watching.

Anonymous said...
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Mark said...

Here is another look at the amazing Opening Ceremonies. (cut, paste)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/opinion/
12brooks.html?ref=opinion