those in DC esp with young at heart/home might find it a must see. Japan's new culture - no Samurai swords and geisha girls these. Real hi-tech fun stuff -new Japan culture shown in one the most cultural places in US - for free.
umes umesh sharma <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hi, Today after spending the day watching an exhibition and documentary on Madagascar's fishermen and turtle hunter and silk weavers with Bahai center of Baltimore (30 miles from Washington DC) http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1638570300 http://www.myspace.com/prismcommunityarts then my friend rushed me to DC where I had to collect a letter from www.ashanet.org/dc for www.parijatacademy.org for financial support. Then I walked down in freezing winds (much below frezing point) to the Kennedy Center to check out the daily free show. There was a crowd gathered around some girl dresed in kimono and taking her pictures or talking to her. I remembered that there was a Japan fest going on. I rushed to the main hall but was surprised to see Mario or Nintendo music and videogame on the large screen. The huge crowd ensured that I had to stand far back and watch while standing. In their jocular style but poor English two young guys were compereing and a twelve yearold in micro -mini cheerleading outfit but with long stockings and gloves was singing and dancing - as if a character from Japanese videogames and animation characters . Some 8 bit videogame songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbfCZx1tRUs with these guys dancing like school kids - maybe they were school students - the girl in middle scool and guys in high school. Waht was surprising that in other countries' cultural fests it is mostly traditional music and old foggies. After it was over I went to check out the robot show - and the brochure showed that the main attraction was a woman -- Oh!! she was the kimono model I had seen posing in the main corridor surrounded by photgraphers and admirers. But I was already on the way to top floor -- which was having lots of Manga comics - for ages 13+ and some were for pre-school kids - all in English. you read a Manga comic back to front -- so last page is the first page. Then there was this little cute dog like creature which was about a foot tall - and dancing at instructions of a white American attendant. She petted it and it made whining sounds. When all others left I petted it for about 5 minutes it it really did feel that it my own pet dog - same sound, seem cuddling close when petting or scratching its nose etc. wagging is silicon tale. No ears though . Available for the cost of a TATA car ($2500 or Rs 1 lac) though. Then there was this seal pup - all furry and wags its tail and nuzzles up to old people and patients in hospitals. Another guy who looked like a ET -space alien character - was really playing the trumpet - really blowing the pipe and pressing the keys while swinging the pro player. It made me realize that Japanese culture though ancient has kept with the times and become electronic. This was real Japanese culture - modern culture - which kids of all races liked. any comments? Umesh PS: About the festival In the Land of the Rising Sun, ancient traditions are layered with modern sensibility and technological innovation to create culture accelerated. This "hyperculture" encompasses a wide range of expression - from the wizardry of robots and the dazzling action of anime to the hypnotic movement of butoh and the propulsive energy of taiko. Over two weeks, the Kennedy Center brings together more than 450 artists, more than 40 performances, and more than a dozen free events to showcase the best Japanese theater and dance, music and fashion, architecture and sculpture, poetry and literature, photography and film. February 5-17, don't miss this living celebration of the artistic innovator that is Japan the "floating island" whose modest size belies its stunning global impact. http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festivals/07-08/japan/ Umesh Sharma Washington D.C. 1-202-215-4328 [Cell] Ed.M. - International Education Policy Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Class of 2005 http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info) http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info) www.gse.harvard.edu/iep (where the above 2 are used ) http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/ http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/ --------------------------------- Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org Umesh Sharma Washington D.C. 1-202-215-4328 [Cell] Ed.M. - International Education Policy Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Class of 2005 http://www.uknow.gse.harvard.edu/index.html (Edu info) http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ (Management Info) www.gse.harvard.edu/iep (where the above 2 are used ) http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/ http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/ --------------------------------- Sent from Yahoo! - a smarter inbox. _______________________________________________ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
