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6/30/10
Bollywood grandeur to hit Shanghai
Bollywood is set to showcase the grandeur and extravagance of Bollywood dance and music on July 17 at the Expo Culture Center.
The extravaganza will be wrapped in 90 minutes of dizzy color, high-octane sets, and fabulous sights and sounds of Bollywood in a medley of songs. Performers will wear 200 costumes and 1,000 pieces of jewelry.
The production will blend modern dance, traditional country and festival dance, as well as wedding performances, the highlight of Bollywood movie. It is directed by Shubhra Bhardwaj who specializes in conceptualizing and crafting shows.
Comedy Games to create fun at site
British and Chinese premier young performers will present a 45-minute British slapstick comedy "GB vs China - The Comedy Games" to Expo 2010 visitors in July.
With due deference to Mr Bean, Charlie Chaplin, Monty Python and Benny Hill, the devised show will be presented by 16 actors from London's Central St. Martins College and the Shanghai Institute of Visual Art. It was the result of collaboration between performers of the two countries.
The comedy will be shown twice at the UK Pavilion every day and at Europe Square every evening from July 1 to 16.
Comments have included "It's really stupid" and 'What's so funny about hitting someone with a fish?" "Unmissable," said both Conservative and Labour politicians in a desperate attempt to secure last-minute youth votes.
It is part of a collaborative project in Employability & Entrepreneurship that helps UK and Chinese businesses thrive through the use of theatre skills while boosting employment for theatre-makers.
Denmark celebrates Pavilion Day
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik addresses the ceremony.
Yin Yicui, deputy secretary of the Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China, addresses the ceremony.
Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir performs at the ceremony.
Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik and Yin Yicui, deputy secretary of the Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China, visit the China Pavilion.
Officials pose in front of the Little Mermaid statue.
Denmark celebrates its National Pavilion Day today with music, song and dance. Both Chinese and Danish artists will perform.
Denmark and China have witnessed long-term friendship and Danish government and enterprises have all taken an active part in the 2010 World Expo to make it the most ambitious participation in the country's history, Denmark's Crown Prince Frederik said at this morning's ceremony in the Expo Center.
He hoped visitors would appreciate the country's dreamlike scenery and the harmonious co-existence between its people and nature, particularly its practice in green transportation, energy-saving and emission cuts via the pavilion's showcase.
The Little Mermaid's first journey outside of the country signals the hope of furthering the friendly exchange and communication between Denmark and China, he said.
Yin Yicui, deputy secretary of the Shanghai Committee of the Communist Party of China, said although China and Denmark are far apart, the showcase of the Denmark Pavilion and the celebration of its Pavilion Day provide a chance for visitors to learn more about Danish people, their culture and lifestyle as well as the country's experience in balancing the development of city and nature.
With a theme of "Welfairytales" - combining welfare and fairy tales - stories about modern Denmark feature efforts to create sustainable urban development and welfare solutions.
Zone C showcases a fairytale world with the Little Mermaid, the country's symbolic statue, making its first visit to Shanghai.
Created in 1913 to honor the character created by Hans Christian Andersen, the bronze Little Mermaid usually sits on a stone at the edge of Copenhagen's harbor.
The pavilion is arranged like a fairytale in three chapters: the story of Denmark's cities, the story of its people and the story of Danish technology and solutions for future urban living.
There's a play area for children and the family can enjoy a picnic on the rooftop garden.
Keen crowds defy rain
Frequent showers failed to deter visitors to the Expo site yesterday but umbrellas and flip-flops sold like hot cakes.
More than 450,000 visitors braved the rain to enter the site in numbers similar to sunny days as many people sought to use before they expired the Expo gift pack June tickets distributed by Shanghai government.
Visitors had to walk on tiptoe through pools of water formed at the No. 2 Gate at Xizang Road S. because of a torrential shower at around 9am. Other small pools also formed on roads throughout the site.
Xi Qunfeng, director of the Construction Department of the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination, said the water would drain quickly through the sandy ground.
Visitors are able to receive updated information about the weather by mobile phone messages, site broadcasts and on public screens on site, said Zhang Qing, deputy director of Expo Operation Headquarters.
Site broadcasts yesterday cautioned visitors not to stay on pavilion rooftops during thunderstorms and to keep their distance from tall, tower-shaped buildings, such as the landmarks of various public squares. They also asked visitors to avoid using benches during sudden thunderstorms.
An Expo Licensed Products Office, official said it had asked manufacturers to start making raincoats. He said the office had initially thought such items would not be popular, but now found many visitors wearing disposable raincoats they brought from home.
Flip-flops became the most popular products as many visitors' shoes became soaked after the shower. Some visitors to the Oil Pavilion in the Puxi Expo site carried their wet shoes and walked barefoot in the pavilion.
A souvenir store on Expo Boulevard sold more than 100 pairs of flip-flops before noon yesterday, 25 percent more than sunny days.
The flip-flops were always popular, even in sunny days and especially with ladies wearing high-heel shoes, said store director Zhang Wenqing.
Umbrella sales increased slightly as most local visitors prepared for the weather by bringing one from home, said Gao Wenmao, assistant manager of the flagship souvenir store in Pudong Expo site.
Umbrellas were popular among those who came from outside Shanghai, he added.
Spicy invitation
Visitors learn to cook kimchi.
Visitors learn to cook kimchi.
A chef teaches how to cook kimchi.
Visitors purchase ROK food.
Visitors experience interactive exhibit "Table of Love."
The Republic of Korea Pavilion at the World Expo yesterday invited about 60 visitors to cook kimchi, a spicy concoction of vegetables that usually includes cabbage.
Visitors learned to cook several Korean dishes including pickled radish and soya bean soup, among others. They took the dishes home.
Invitations will also be given out tomorrow.
Cultural feast celebrates Aragon Week
It's showtime for Aragon at the 2010 World Expo.
Aragon Week, which opened at the Spain Pavilion yesterday, is turning the pavilion into a stage for dance and music.
During Aragon's week at the pavilion, visitors will be able to enjoy the show "Aragon's Fantasia." Musicians and dancers will perform a 35-minute modern version of the "jota," a typical dance of the region, through the week.
The choir "B Vocal" comprising five musicians yesterday also performed at the pavilion. They recreated the soundscape of instruments such as drums, guitars, and bass with their voices.
The documentary "Water's Dream" was also screened yesterday at the pavilion. It discussed problems regarding waste of water based on the stories of five different kids from five different regions in the world.
Aragon is a region in northern Spain, home to many rivers. Its well-developed irrigation system around Ebro River is the key for its productive agriculture. Aragon, and in particular its capital, Zaragoza, is known for hosting an Expo in 2008 with the theme of "Water and Sustainable Development."
Russian Pavilion welcomes 2 millionth visitor
A visitor surnamed Xu from Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, received a gift set from staff of the Russia Pavilion as the 2 millionth visitor to the pavilion yesterday afternoon.
Xu's gifts included souvenirs on sale at the pavilion. It was his first visit to the Expo site.
Xu queued for more than one hour outside the Russia Pavilion after touring the Mexico Pavilion and Canada Pavilion.
Canadian flavor to sweep site
Canada yesterday announced the program of its celebration for the Canada Pavilion Day on July 1, featuring a full week of performances and activities including a 10-minute show from Cirque du Soleil, a famous Canadian troupe and one of the country's most famous cultural exports.
Cirque du Soleil's Tokyo-based show ZED will be presented at the Expo Center on July 1, together with performances by the Acadian group Grand Derangement, Alberta's pop and R&B singer Kreesha Turner, British Columbia's ambient rockers Jets Overhead and the British Columbia Aboriginal Dance troupe Dancers of Damelahamid. Cirque du Soleil made its debut on the Chinese mainland in 2008.
Alberta's pop and R&B singer Kreesha Turner staged a concert at America Square yesterday night as part of the program.
July 1 is Canada Day and this year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Canada. Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean will join in the celebration at the Expo site on July 1, Mark Rowswell, Canada's commissioner general for Expo 2010, revealed yesterday.
The pavilion receives more than 30,000 visitors daily, with a peak of 37,000 people, he said.
The commemorative Expo cards showing Canada's commissioner general posing in front of the Canada Pavilion will be distributed to visitors on the day. Rowswell, better known under his stage name Da Shan in China, is the "most famous foreigner in China" for his role performing xiangsheng (a popular form of comic dialogue).
6/28/10
Visitor number exceeds 480,000 on 58th day
A total of 481,600 visitors packed the Expo site yesterday, bringing the total number to 19.78 million. The figure is estimated to surpass 20 million this morning.
Among yesterday's visitors, 141,200 were on tour groups and 138,900 visitors used free tickets Shanghai government distributed to local residents.
A total of 34,983 tickets were sold on site, with 12,057 night admissions.
Houtan Gate received about 86,000 visitors, Changqing Road 81,000, and Shangnan Road, Gaoke Road W. about 138,000 in total.
By 5pm, 74 shows were staged, attracting 45,700 spectators. A total of 6,436 volunteers served on the site.
The site is estimated to receive more than 180,000 group visitors today. Individual tourists are advised to enter from less crowded gates at Shangnan Road, Bansongyuan Road or Madang Road during 9am to 11am rush hours.
From today, Expo 2010 official publications, such as the official guidebook, are also available on newsstands at main entrances such as the Bailianjing gate, Luban Road gate and Bansongyuan Road gate. Expo passports will be supplied soon at these spots.
Visitors can also purchase Expo Shanghai publications at the Xinhua bookstore on B2 floor of the Expo Boulevard.
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