Student concert
Last night one of my ex-students took me to a concert on campus in the big theatre. One of my students invited me too but she left it to the last minute, common timing around here. It lasted for 2 hours. I’ve been invited to another in about 5 weeks where one of my students is organising a troupe of dancers.
This is the lineup of calligraphers, flower arrangers, two of the hosts and audience participants.
From what I can understand, the concert was put on to inform new students of extra-curricular activities available to them. It had the usual four hosts in their rented finery. Singers, dancers, kung fu proponents and a short skit were part of the usual offering for college concerts.
The kung fu students
The scene and actors in the skit. There was an audible ohhhhhhhhhhhhh from the audience when the lounge chairs were brought onto the stage before it started.
The flower arrangers and calligraphers had an imaginative way of presenting themselves as had the photographers. In cultural contrast were the inline skaters as they spun and danced around tiny witches hats. In addition we saw a pretty good magic show which included the disappearing /exchange of person trick although the”baddie” needs to get himself a more convincing cape. There was a catwalk display including wedding and after five gowns. These are college courses; modelling and garment making, so I’m not sure why they were there. About 16 students sang as they signed. The only other evidence I’ve seen of sign language was its appearance in a prerecorded aeroplane safety briefing where it was sandwiched between Chinese and English.
The magic makers preparing to disappear someone. The yellow umbrella was left over from their first trick where a young man tried to woo his beloved with an endless supply of monochrome umbrellas. He didn’t hit the jackpot until he produced a multicoloured umbrella.
The singing signers
Some of the students modelling elaborate garments. Again there were audible gasps when these and similarly clad students appeared. A student beside me, another one of my ex students, a happy joyous individual, just about bounced out of her chair with excitement during this time.
There was one girl among about a dozen boys in the skating program. It was obvious that they had personalised black T shirts and chosen to write “skater” in English rather than Chinese.
