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Published: July 13th 2011
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Sky and Xiaotian's dance party
Xiao Tian and friend in kitchen Here are a series of photographs with some accompanying text. I do not have time to write a long explanation about what you see. The days are filled with working in the studio and having fun with friends. A good combination for the summer away from teaching.
The first images are from a party I was invited to by two Jingdezhen Ceramic Art Institute (JCI) students who have worked at Sanbao. They wanted to have a party for people to mix and meet with dancing. I was asked to bring my salsa music CD. Thomas was also invited as well as Xiaowen. We arrived in a building near the JCI campus and walked a short way down the food street to find Xiaotian to greet us. We went into a building and to the second floor to find a strange wallpapered room with a large table with a kitchen off the side. Sky and two others were busy preparing food while others were sitting around the table chatting.
Food was served and we all gathered around the large table to taste the wonderful dishes. After they played a "getting to know you" game that involved telling your name, zoological
Dance party
setting the table with all the food made sign, where you were from, goals and life. Being the only one that did not really speak Chinese this was a bit boring since I could not understand what anyone was saying. After Xiaowen said that all the young kids said their goal in life was to get rich and buy a Lexus car. She said when it came to her turn she said her goal was to own a 1000 yuan bicycle, in jest to the Lexus statement. Xiaochen next said he wanted to own a 200 yuan bicycle. I think the humor was lost on the others. One girl said her goal was to marry a rich foreigner. Everyone pointed to Thomas, but then said he is an artist so will never be rich. We found out her boyfriend was sitting next to her, but this did not stop her from making the wish.
After this game we went upstairs to a room about 20'x20' that looked like a small gymnasium. It has a nice wood floor, mirrors on one wall and a black cross painted on another. Maybe it is used for a dancing cult? We put on my salsa CD and I taught everyone that
wanted to join some salsa. At first only the girls would dance but eventually I coaxed the men into dancing as well. We did a little salsa then cha cha, merengue and bachata. I would get a different partner to demonstrate with each time. It was very fun but very, very hot in the room with only one fan and twentyfive people dancing. After a little break there was a request for waltz so I gave another lesson. It was very fun. Sky and Xiaotian danced with Chris and Jeremy their English language teachers from JCI. These dances would always turn into a kungfu wrestling match. Had to be careful if you danced near them because of the limbs being thrown around. I think this was an end of school year party so we probably will not have another one while here. I did enjoy getting to dance and involving everyone in the dance activity.
The other photos I want to comment on are the ones were we dug in the garbage looking for shards. Xiaochen said he knew a place to find old pottery shards so we loaded into a taxi and drove across town then out of
Dance party
Sitting around playing a "get to know you" singles party game after the meal - all in Chinese. town. What appeared a newer housing complex had a large open field with landfill and garbage having been dumped there. As we arrived a huge rainstorm broke out and we stood in a doorway for 20 minutes until it stopped. This of course made the wading through garbage even more fun for everything was a muddy mess. At first I was not going to walk into the crap for it was a bit dangerous with piles of sharp broken pottery and bags of who knows what. I found a safer way into the pit and joined the others. We all picked small shards for about an hour. Some were obviously new but some appeared to be older. It was the blue color and brushwork that told the history. Xiaochen found the bottom of a bowl that he claimed said Ming dynasty. I was ready to get out of this stinky mess and the rest of the day in Jingdezhen shopping with Xiaowen all I could think about was taking a shower. I still have not cleaned my shoes!
I will add more photos and brief comments soon. Downloading photos and text still takes a long time because of the
Dance party
Getting to know you talk. I started to make up stories in my head to fill in all the missing blanks. internet connection at Sanbao.
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Janeen Whitchurch
non-member comment
Niiiice!
a dance party - it's SO YOU!!! Are you recognizing more Chinese words as they flow by in conversation? Hope you're finding time to get some clay stuff done! It sounds like you are enjoying your summer - At this time, what is your return date? It's going to be really hot here the rest of July - so says the weather guy... it will feel like China! Gardens are going well, lots of rain, not too many bugs. Its a good day for a bike ride today -- then gotta get some work done weed-whacking. Kristen offered to go up to see her gma last weekend!! So she and I drove up for the day. It was a good time in the car - just talking and dreaming and being together. what a nice feeling. and Mom was delighted to have the visit. I had just taken her up to my brother's lake place over the 4th of July weekend - had to talk her into it, but she seemed to enjoy the time. Good Cuban salsa group at the Cedar last week-- "Maraca' - saw all the 'old timers' there. nice to dance on that spacious wood floor. It looked like a dance studio where you were teaching for that dance party -- was it? take care, keep having fun! j