Chinese Aboriginal Dance

In modern today, Paul's class, we did our very long combo with a new song. We also added in a really difficult mind twisting combination with unusual counts to the beginning. The combination turned out beautiful despite the difficulty we had counting it. We also danced to "Party On" for our across the floor combinations and just had a jam session at the end with everyone. It was the perfect ending to the modern class and really brought the fun and silliness out in the Taiwanese students as well.

In jazz it was just the Americans and the teacher so we had a great time doing the combinations and putting it all together into a pretty long two minute dance Then we sat down with the teacher and had a nice chat about our impressions of Taiwan dancers and how things differ from the US. We mostly concluded that they are much more serious in classes than we are and that happens partly because of how seriously they are trained. They also don't form super close relationships with their professors like we do but that could just be contributed by the fact that we have a very small school. I also noticed that each of them strives to make the one beautiful, graceful, and very flexible dancer while in the US everyone dances very different and we develop those differences rather than squash them. The Taiwanese also do not like improvisation which is understandable because they can pick up steps very quickly but don't like to put themselves out there and develop their own material. It was very insightful into their dance culture. Although it was pretty retro jazz, I really enjoyed having the class and I felt like I learned a lot from the teacher, even if it was just have fun with movement and don't be afraid to look silly.

After dance we went to a farewell party that the NTUA students were holding for us. First we got food. Most of it I don't remember what it is called but there was bought stuff mixed with some homemade stuff. Everything tasted delicious. We also got to have some Xiaolongbao, which was a kind of dumpling that Taiwan is famous for. We had it at the first party so I was so excited to get to have it again. It was as delicious as I remembered it to be.

We got a gift bag from the girls for coming to their school and being a part of this experience with them. We got a lantern, a calendar, a t-shirt, some pineapple cake (which Taiwan is famous for), and a letter from our Angels (Taiwan sisters). I am glad that Chieng-Ying told us to bring gifts for them two. I gave Esan a SUU Tshirt, an American dollar, and a letter from me. I gave Tiffany an SUU teddy bear, an American dollar, and a letter. It was such a sweet and happy moment to get the gifts and see the happiness they had when we gave them gifts too.

After dinner the girls wanted to teach us a Chinese Aboriginal dance. This dance is done by putting on a traditional headdress and jumping in and out of two bamboo sticks lying on the ground. The bamboo sticks clink together and separate every other count while you move, so if you do it wrong your foot gets smashed. It was really amazing to get a chance to do their traditional dances and experience it alongside them.

After our Aboriginal dance, we taught the Taiwanese students the electric slide and the cha cha slide so that they could have a little bit of a taste of our social dancing. It was such a sight to watch them follow along. They truly have so much spirit and silliness when they aren't so serious in class.