14/Nov/2007 Embassy of Denmark in Hanoi (press release)
Body language and badminton in the streets of Hanoi
Two very different body sizes
The modern dance group "Åben Dans" had a special experience on the second day of the "Denmark at its Best" week when they had a workshop with the modern dancers of the Vietnam Opera & Ballet Theater.
The two dancers Thomas Eisenhardt and Ole Birger Hansen danced with about 20 young professionals from the academy. During the workshop the dancers took up the challenge of working together in groups to coordinate their expression and movements. The young dancers were improvising alone and later in pairs. The dancers took the opportunity to play and explore.
"Open dance has taught us today to improvise together. Step by step we are shown a way to combine the movements and to understand each other's feeling better," a Vietnamese dancer said.
Anne Christensen Middelboe, who is a lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, held a lecture on the trends of the dance scene in Denmark. The young dancers were inspired to go further in their personal expression.
Badminton for all
What can make more than 200 people interested? An exciting game of badminton! And we have plenty of exciting games on the first day of the visit from the badminton team from Danish Gymnastics and Sports Association.
In the morning the boys and girls from DGI played friendly indoor badminton at Cau Giay Stadium with participants from Hanoi Young Business Association one of the games were so close that we decided that both team were winners.
The morning looked as rain but the weather wanted us to do the street badminton with Vietnamese players. So six double games were played in front of the Bank of Vietnam on Ly Thai To and more than 200 spectators were watching. In the good spirit of any sports the teams gave everything they had but shook hands after some tough running around. The final game score was 3-3.
The players from DGI Badminton Inspiration Team were quite tired after a long day in Hanoi, but all agreed to call their first active day a success.
Danish and Vietnamese enjoy dinner and dance
The day ended with a dinner at the outdoor terrace of Hilton Hanoi Opera for a total of 115 invited Vietnamese and Danish guest. Danish film director and multi-artist, Erik Clausen, gave the welcome speech praising the human mind and the freedom of fantasy and thought.
In his view, Denmark has achieved its economic and social development not least because individuals have been allowed to develop their thoughts and ideas without being controlled. Erik Clausen also noted that despite all our differences all humans strive for a life in happiness, acceptance and community, and concluded that Danes could learn from other cultures.
After the Danish food buffet the modern dance group "Åben Dans" showed how amazingly the body can be used to express any feeling and thought in a none-story dance performance - thereby linking very well to Erik Clausen's speech of freedom and fantasy.
The Danish multi-ethnic break dance group "To the Beat" showed in a very different and hair raising manner how the body can be exposed in their power full break dance performance. More Vietnamese will in the coming days have the opportunity to experience these artist as they perform their shows as part of the "Denmark at its Best" week.
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