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Swing Out Shanghai & The Shanghai World Expo

// November 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // China, Chinese, Dancing, Shanghai, Shanghai, Travel, Uncategorized

Currently writing from Yangshuo, one of the most unique and beautiful little towns in all of southern China. This is the first time I’ve had a chance to write since leaving Shanghai two and a half weeks ago. I’ve now been back in China for 3 weeks, so I thought I would sit down and reflect a little my first week back since leaving in August of 2009.

I landed in Shanghai on October 13, 2010, around 1:30 pm Beijing time and proceeded to have the absolute smoothest travel experience of my life. I honestly couldn’t believe how well things went – my bad even came up just as I walked up to the baggage pick up. I got through customs with almost no wait, picked up a SIM card in the airport, called my friends Bruce and Julia who were hosting me in Shanghai, and hopped on the metro to their place. Everything seemed so familiar this time, and despite a year of living in the States, I immediately jumped back into Chinese. Bruce and Julia were a big part of that smooth transition too, because in addition to providing a very comfortable setting to get over the jet lag, they were great company and overwhelmingly helpful in every way. 5 stars to L’hotel Julia!

The very next night, I went dancing at the Melting Pot, and there is simply no better way to get over jet lag than to stay up late dancing with old friends who I haven’t seen in over a year! It was a huge reunion for me, and it began an unforgettable 9-day dancing streak. The next night (Friday) officially began “Swing Out Shanghai,” the city’s first ever international swing dancing event. Two years before in a bar in Hong Kong, the idea for the event was first hatched, and two years later it finally came to fruition.  For the next two days, it was non-stop dancing in Shanghai.  The opening dance was at C’est La Vie restaurant, followed by Saturday afternoon at Hengshan Park in the French Concession, then later that day at the Music Hall Court, then that night at the House of Blues and Jazz, and then finally the last dance at the Melting Pot Sunday night.  Friends from Beijing, Singapore, and Taiwan all came to the event which doubled our numbers and really made it a full blown lindy exchange.

As the chief DJ and music coordinator for the event, I was in charge of keeping the dance floor full, and my team of DJs really pulled through throughout the whole weekend (huge thanks to Akiko, Sam, Brian, and Chad).  The event ended, but then Monday night we were dancing again at the usual Monday night dances in Shanghai, so it sort of just kept going…and going, and going, and going, and…

…and then the Shanghai Expo performances began, called “Swing For All”featuring the Hong Kong Big Band.  It was Hong Kong week atthe Bao Steel stage, so the week was dedicated to a multitude of Hong Kong performers, which included the band and us, the dancers.  The band gave two performances on both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons.  Throughout the show, the dancers social danced down in front of the stage to the music, and a select few gave a few special choreographed performances as well.  At the very end, we did a jam to “Sing Sing Sing,” and the very last performance the crowd rushed the stage and cheered and clapped along with us.  It was by far the most fun I’ve ever had during a dance performance, and one of the most unique dance performances of my life as well.  I was so proud of all of the dancers and musicians there and so happy to share a small piece of the happiness we all experience when we are dancing with the local Chinese people.  Photos and videos of both SOS and Swing for All can be seen here.

So then it was Thursday, and once again we danced at the weekly Thursday night dances (day #8 of dancing if you’ve been counting).  And then it was Friday, and a few Shanghai dancer friends and I decided to visit the Shanghai World Expo.  After all, we all had our VIP “performer” passes that were still good, so we figured we should make use of them and try and get into as many country pavilions as we could.  In order, we went into USA, Peru, Columbia, Brazil, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina, Germany, and finally Spain.  The whole thing was quite arbitrary – we just started walking and asking who would let us in as VIP (only Chile denied us…freakin stiff Chilean door guard).  Over all, I was so glad we did not have to wait to get into any of the pavilion, because none of them were worth more than 30 minutes.  Some were better than others (Germany, Canada, Spain), but in general there wasn’t much to see or do that was truly amazing.  It was kind of like a lousier version of Epcot without rides.  The most fun we had was when Akiko and I crashed the Argentina pavilion by totally faking some Argentine Tango (see video below).  Right in the middle there was a large open space, so when they started playing tango music we started doing really smooth swing, and kind of pulled off a tango-esque feel.  By the end, hundreds of Chinese had circled us, snapping photos right and left.  They all seemed to think we were part of the show (in fact one of the actual Argentina workers asked us afterwards what style of tango it was because had never seen it before!).  We finished the night by crashing an outdoor concert at the Australian pavilion as well where we danced right up in front of the stage.

After it all, I headed back to Bruce and Julia’s then caught a train to Hangzhou first thing Saturday morning and began my 3-week trip backpacking through China, which I am just now finishing up.  It has been quite an adventure, and there will be a massive amount of writing, photos, and videos to come soon.  I leave for Shanghai tonight and then fly to Taipei Thursday to begin my studies there for the winter.  Still, it is only just now hitting me how significant the whole first week of dancing in Shanghai was historically.  It was the first of its kind, and hopefully the beginning of much more to come.  Maybe fifty years from now people will look back at the origins of swing dancing in China and write about us!  Heck, we even made the LOCAL NEWS!

The Shanghai International Marathon

// November 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // China, Shanghai

This morning I got up at 6:00 am to run in the 2008 Shanghai International Marathon.  I took a rather slow-and-steady, casual pace, and finished in what I consider to be a decent time for someone who is definitely not a “runner.”  I never officially registered for the race, so I didn’t have a cool number on my shirt, but nobody really seemed to notice (or care). 

When I stepped outside in my running shorts and sleeveless shirt, I immediately regretted my choice of clothing.  I’m guessing it was around 5 to 6°C (40°F), and I could see my breath.  The taxi driver gave me a strange look too, as if to say, “Crazy 老外.”  I explained that 18,000 people were running 42 km today, which only enhanced his look of confusion. 

When we pulled up to 南京路, I could see the crowd already gathering, so I made my way to the center. Around 7:25, the speakers blasted some Chinese drum and trumpet fanfare as the Chinese military in their green and red uniforms outlined the crowd.  The scene suddenly felt very Communist.  Around 7:45, the fireworks went off and we finally started running.  The first kilometer felt pretty much like normal rush hour at the 人民广场 subway station – people jammed together ridiculously tight, all fighting to get a few more steps ahead.  Another kilometer later, things started to spread out and I was able to actually set a pace. 

About 5 km in, the crowd started getting thin enough where the outside traffic could actually pass through the “blocked off” road, and they did.  The middle section of the race was half running, half huffing car exhaust.  It was pretty bad early in the race, but it got a little better in the second half once we got further away from the city center.

About 12 km in, I ran into an American guy named Chris who stood out from the crowd with his cheering.  Throughout the whole race, ladies and children lined the sides of the road banging drums and cymbals cheering, “加油!”  (“jia you,” literally translated as “add oil,” and meaning something like “come on,” or “let’s go”).  Chris was about the only runner I saw who enthusiastically cheered right back, often times getting the whole side of the road (even the people waiting in traffic) excited.  We separated for a bit, then met up again about 6-7 km from the end.  Talking with someone while you run really makes the time go much faster, and I wish I had met up with him earlier in the race, because the first hour was rather slow.  Even though it was my last day in Shanghai, it’s always nice to make new friends.

Near the end, the ladies on the roadside got even louder, banging some pretty serious drums this time in sort of a drum role fashion.  After I crossed the finish line, Chris and I grabbed some snacks and drinks and spent about half an hour just cooling down. It was an intense experience, but I’m proud to say that I did it.

Now it’s dark out, and I just finished packing up my bags.  After the race I got  a hair cut and took a nice nap before going out to dinner for the last time with my roommates.  We had some absolutely delicious Chinese food, and I realize now that it might be the last I get for a while.  My legs are pretty shot now and I still feel like I can barely walk.  I’m hoping that won’t slow me down at the airport in the morning hauling my two most definitely over-weight bags. 

Well, this is it – my farewell to Shanghai and China for at least the time being.  It has been an amazing past 6 months and I wouldn’t have done it any other way.  Through the good times and the tough times, I loved it all and will never forget this amazing country.  Cheers China for making 2008 one fantastic year!

Familiar Places & Familiar Faces

// November 18th, 2008 // No Comments » // China, Dalian, Shanghai, Travel

This past weekend I flew up to Dalian to visit friends one last time before I go home in December. I figured I should say hi to everyone while I am still in the country because I really don’t know when I will get to see them all again. The weekend was great. Arriving in the airport late Friday night was major déjàvu. The plane taxied to the same gate that my summer began from back in May, and when I got off I immediately remembered how strange the place had seemed 6 months ago. I remember how lost and confused I felt not being able to understand anything or anyone around me. But this time it was different. I knew exactly where I was and where I wanted to go. I could read all the signs and I understood most of what people around me were saying. It honestly felt like I was coming home.

When I stepped outside the airport, I realized how much I missed Dalian. The city really is one of the most beautiful cities in China, and after spending 10 weeks in Shanghai the Dalian air seemed so fresh and clean. There were no loud buses and massive crowds. There were no foreigners on every block. It felt like China. It was nice. It’s strange to think about Dalian that way, because I remember thinking the city was dirty and crowded back in May, but that was a comparison to Blacksburg, where the population is less than 1% of Dalian’s. Compared to Shanghai, Dalian is a paradise.

Although I was only there for less than 48 hours, I had a great time just hanging out with friends. We basically did nothing, and it was perfect. We just ate good food and chilled at coffee shops. It is much colder in Dalian than Shanghai right now so staying inside was nice. Church on Sunday was the usual crowd, and it really did seem like I was only gone for a weekend instead of 3 months. It was so nice to just relax and do nothing together. Shanghai is such a busy city, and everyday here there is non-stop stuff to do. There is always work, swing dancing, tango lessons, and late conference calls that make the days fly by way too fast. I really haven’t had a chance to slow down since I got here. It has been really fun and exciting, but sometimes you just want to get away from it all. I’m going to miss China when I leave in December, but I think I will miss Dalian more than anything, and I hope I can come back someday.

人生苦短 – Life is Too Short

// November 10th, 2008 // No Comments » // China, Shanghai

It just hit me the other day that I only have 20 days left in Shanghai. Time is going by incredibly fast now. I thought the last post I made was last week, but I realize now it’s been almost 3 weeks since I wrote something! I guess I’ve just been having too much fun, because time is really flying.

The last few weekends, I’ve spent most of my free time with the swing dancers here, and it’s been awesome. It is difficult to realize how much you really love something until it’s gone, and I realize that now after this summer in Dalian. Although I did get to teach a few dance lessons, there was no swing dance scene in Dalian. When I arrived here in Shanghai, however, I was immediately welcomed into the swing crowd and instantly became part of the family. Every Saturday afternoon we dance for hours then eat dinner together. It is just like the dances back in Blacksburg, where we we all go out to eat together after the Friday night dances. It is remarkable to find such a similar crowd over here in China, especially when comparing our backgrounds. Within the group here, we have dancers from China, America, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. Yet despite our differences, dancing ties us all together. We’re the same bunch of goofy, high-energy, fun kids as back home in Blacksburg.

While I have 3 weekends left, I only have 1 left in Shanghai because I will be traveling for the next two in a row! This coming weekend I will travel to Dalian to visit my friends from this summer. I do not know when I’ll come back to China, so it’ll be great to see them one last time before I head home. The weekend after that, I will be heading to Hong Kong with the swing dancers to participate in the 1st ever Hong Kong Lindy Exchange. It will be an exciting weekend, with dancers coming from all over Asia. AND I will get to DJ while I am there, making it the biggest event I have ever DJed for. That leaves me with just one weekend in Shanghai – the last one in November. It is hard to believe that it is coming to an end, but it will be a good end, and hopefully the beginning of much more to come.

Welcome To Take My Taxi!

// October 22nd, 2008 // No Comments » // China, Shanghai

Every Wednesday and Thursday night, I stay late at the office to join in on conference calls with the U.S.  Fortunately, the office has a policy to cover the taxi fare for staying late, so I always take a taxi home.  Taxis are really a way of life in Shanghai.  With a city so huge, even Shanghai’s extensive metro doesn’t cut it sometimes and a taxi is the only option.  I’ve got to say that I LOVE taking taxis in China.  Here’s why.

First, if you’ve ever wanted to just ignore all the laws on the road and drive like a mad man, come to China.  I’ve always liked to go fast, and taxi rides in China are about as close as you can get to riding in a NASCAR race without seeing a checkered flag.  The only difference is while you’re going that fast, you are literally within inches of other cars, buses, bikers, and pedestrians!  I like to think of traffic in China more like a food chain rather than any concept of “right of way.”  It really comes down to size and who’s crazier.

First you have the buses.  Bus drivers are the craziest of all because they know they are king.  They’re huge, loud, and they have the best horns in the world (suitable for a freight train / shipping barge).  They’re also about the only thing on the road with a decent engine.  As such, they don’t stop for anything / anyone.  People don’t walk in front of buses.  Period.  Next you have your taxis and shuttle buses.  These guys aren’t near as big, but what lack in size they make up for in courage, speed, and general disregard for any kind of traffic signal or law.  Below taxis are personal cars.  These generally will slow up and be mildly accommodating for people crossing the road or heavy traffic, but don’t bet on it.  Bringing up the rear you’ve got your motorcycles, followed by mopeds, anything with wheels and a motor, bicycles, rickshaws, anything with wheels, then pedestrians.

Back to the taxis.  As taxis are members of the second to top level of traffic superiority, taking a taxi in China is really not for the faint at heart.  I have yet to have one “normal” ride in a taxi, where we don’t at least once nearly side-swipe a car, run down a pedestrian, massively run a red light, or drive inside any kind of form of a lane.  The excitement is high, and the danger higher, but the cab drivers know what they’re doing.

The last thing I like about taxis is chatting with the drivers.  If you want to put your Chinese to the test, strike up a conversation with the driver and prepare for some serious ??? (listening skills class).  It truly is a great way to work on some rather basic conversation skills in a way that you’ll definitely never get in a classroom.  After taking a taxi home two nights every week, my taxi driver lingo is getting much, much better.