Possibly the best flash mob. Ever.

I previously wrote about flash mobs and nominated my top eight (on YouTube) but that was at the end of 2010 and there have been others that have far exceeded what was then considered the best.

On 17 April 2012, Sjællands Symfoniorkester/Copenhagen Phil gave an unannounced performance (flash mob) on Copenhagen Metro's M1 train to Vestamager playing Morgenstemning from Evard Grieg's Peer Gynt, in collaboration with Radio Klassisk.

Tirsdag den 17. april annoncerede lystavlerne i den Københavnske Metro et “Klassisk Særtog” – for inde i toget spillede Sjællands Symfoni­orkester / Copenhagen Phil Griegs smukke Morgenstemning fra Peer Gynt til stor begejstring hos de mange rejsende.

Simply marvellous. Watch.

Measuring up. The Martians are here. The Sydney Story Factory.

Inspired by 826 Valencia, a writing centre in San Francisco for children founded by novelist Dave Eggers and educator Ninive Caligari, the Sydney Story Factory is scheduled to open late in 2011 in Redfern, Sydney. From their website

The Sydney Story Factory is a not-for-profit creative writing centre for children. Volunteer tutors offer free help to tell stories of all kinds. Programs are targeted at disadvantaged children, especially those from indigenous and non-English speaking backgrounds, but are open to all.

Sydney Story Factory programs are project-based, and every child walks away with a published piece of work. At the end of a one-off, two-hour workshop, children might have a bound and illustrated chap book to take home. At the end of a longer program, they may have produced a book, zine, school newspaper or short animated film. They might have had an article published in The Sydney Morning Herald, our media partner.

The Sydney Story Factory is dedicated to developing creativity. There is growing global awareness that the ability to think creatively and flexibly is key to preparing children for a future we cannot yet imagine. All programs at the Sydney Story Factory are designed to nurture the creativity that is innate to every child. Programs will increase children's abilities to express their thoughts and feelings, and give them new ways of understanding the world around them.

Read more.

The proposed work of the Sydney Story Factory is best shown in the video Measuring Up


The most powerful tool a child has is his or her imagination.

See reporting in the Sydney Morning Herald.

"Plebes no more"

The Herndon Climb is a long-standing tradition of the US Naval Academy. Before a freshmen class (called plebes) advances to the next class, they undertake the challenge of climbing the Herndon Monument, to replace a plebe's hat (called a dixie cup) with a midshipman's hat. From USNA FAQ

The Herndon Monument climb is a tradition for former plebes, and is also known as the "Plebe Recognition Ceremony." After the graduation ceremony where the plebes are promoted to Third Class rank, the 21 foot Herndon monument is coated in lard and one of the white plebe "dixie cup" hats is placed at the top. The former plebes must work together to climb this monument and replace the "dixie cup" hat with an upperclassmen's hat. Tradition states that the plebe who reaches the top will rise to the rank of admiral first. As any observer can recognize, climbing to the top of Herndon takes a lot of teamwork and perseverance. Ascending Herndon serves as a review for young midshipmen, reminding them of the values of teamwork, courage and discipline that are instilled throughout the year. The fastest time ever recorded for a midshipmen class to accomplish this goal was 1 minute and 30 seconds in 1969. The slowest time was 4 hours, 5 minutes, and 17 seconds in 1995.

Last year's climb was not greased, as a safety precaution. A new superintendent this year, allowed the grease to return.

See report by ABC2 Baltimore


See also reporting in The Capital (Annapolis).

(photo from Kill Your Time)

(photo by Getty via RTE)

Excellent amateur footage via YouTube showing that the t-shirts are used to wipe off the lard




Despite many years of tradition, each new class still seems to use the same strategy.

Vivid Sydney is vivid

Sydney's annual Festival of Light, Music and Ideas - Vivid Sydney - is on from 27 May to 13 June 2011.

Vivid Sydney will colour the city with creativity and inspiration, featuring breathtaking immersive light projections on the iconic Sydney Opera House sails, performances from local and international musicians as part of Vivid LIVE and a free outdoor exhibition of interactive light sculptures.

In 2011 the festival will also include a range of artistic collaborations, public talks and debates from leading creative thinkers from Australia and around the world, celebrating Sydney as the creative hub of the Asia Pacific.

Stunning video footage from Agence France-Presse of the launch, with the Sydney Opera House and Customs House lit up with 3D projections

SOAP - The Show

Hot out of Berlin and following its success at the 2010 Edinburgh Fringe Festival comes Circle of Eleven's SOAP - The Show comes to the Sydney Opera House (click for ticketing information). Created in 2007 by Markus Pabst and Maximilian Rambaek, a bathroom is turned into a stage, where seven bathtubs allow performers to show their extraordinary gymnastic and acrobatic skills amidst the tubs and other paraphernalia.

The show runs from 4 to 23 January 2010 at the Sydney Opera House, followed by a tour to Blackpool/UK before returning to Berlin, then a tour to Amsterdam.

Below is a preview


An in-depth preview of Eike von Stuckenbrok's performance


More of Eike von Stuckenbrok in detail


The work may seem familiar, as Markus Pabst had created a similar piece for La Clique with bathtub acrobat David O'Mer, which has been a part of the Sydney Festival in 2006 and 2009.

Australian Didj Wentworth will perform on the straps as shown below (Michael Lanphear)


It looks stunning and breathtaking.

Random acts of culture

Last month I wrote about the best flash mobs. The unannounced and seemingly impromptu opera performances are amongst the best. In the United States, the Knight Foundation is funding 1000 Random Acts of Culture over the next three years to bring such performances into public places.

One of the best of the recent Random Acts of Culture occurred in Miami at Macy's, with 'Votre Toast/Toreador' from Carmen by Bizet, performed by Florida Grand Opera.

Random Act of Culture at Miami's Dadeland Mall from Knight Foundation on Vimeo.

The baritone is Jonathan Michie who has a stunning voice.

The best flash mobs

According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, a flash mob is a public gathering of complete strangers, organised via the internet or mobile phone, who perform a pointless act and then disperse again.

Of course, some acts are more sophisticated than others, such as impromptu musicals and dance, so one would expect a certain amount of rehearsal time by these 'complete strangers'. By definition, they shouldn't be considered as flash mobs but more as unannounced performances in public spaces.

Still, seemingly spontaneous displays of artistic merit are the most fun to watch. They are always usually captured on film, sometimes of a high professional standard.

Mashable listed its '15 Fab Flash Mob Videos on YouTube' back in June 2010.

My list is different. Here are some of the best.

Dance

From the Eurovision Song Contest in late May 2010, dance simultaneously performed throughout Europe to Madcon, Glow


Ohio Union at Ohio State University on 3 May 2010, dance to Glee soundtrack, Don't Stop Believing (itself a cover of Journey's original song)


Antwerp Central railway station - dance to Do-Re-Mi in March 2009


Bondi Beach, Sydney - dance to Ben Lee, That's the way I like it, in November 2009


Musical

Improv Everywhere's Food Court Musical in March 2008


Opera (yes, really)

Opera Company of Philadelphia 'Brindisi' from Verdi's La Traviata at Reading Terminal Market on 24 April 2010


Opera Company of Philadelphia 'Hallelujah chorus' from Handel's Messiah at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia on 30 October 2010 as part of the Knight Foundation's 'Random Act of Culture'


Organised by Alphabet Photography, performed by Chorus Niagara at Seaway Mall on 13 November 2010

Hipsters 2 (everybody hates them, even other hipsters)

In August, I wrote that Hipsters are today's alternative counter-culture fashionable wannabes.

Alex Rayner in The Guardian wrote about why people hate hipsters "Hipster-hate blogs are multiplying online. But who are these much-maligned trendies – and why do people find them so irritating? Perhaps we should learn to love our skinny-jeaned friends instead" Excerpt

Nevertheless, from London to Lima, Sydney to Mexico City, detractors might not know exactly what a hipster is, but they do know what they don't like: a tiresome sort of trendy, ostentatious in their perceived rebellion, yet strangely conformist; meticulous in their tastes, yet also strangely limited. Squatting somewhere between MGMT, The Inbetweeners and Derek Zoolander, this modern incarnation is all mouth and skinny trousers.

Read more (the article has numerous links to interesting websites).

Since 9 September 2010, a video mocking hipsters has received over three million views.



Hipsters are surely the new Bohemians, except that they are cashed-up and more self-centred. So did emos evolve or are do they still exist and missing the attention?

La Tomatina

(photo by André Hänni Tortorelli 2009)

One of the world's largest food fight festivals was held today (11am local time) in Buñol, Spain. From La Tomatina (official)

It all started on the last Wednesday of August 1945, when some young people were getting fresh air in the town square. The evening did not promise much, so they decided to form part of a parade that was taking place with musicians and carnival figures of giants and enormous headed individuals. The impetus of their entry caused the fall of a participant who full of rage, began to hit everyone in his way. By a quirk of fate, there just happened to be a stand of vegetables beside them. The angry crowd started throwing tomatoes at each other until the public law put an end to the vegetable battle.

The following year, the young people repeated the tomato fight on a voluntary basis and brought tomatoes from home. Although the celebration was dissolved by the police during the following years, the boys, without knowing it, had made history. La Tomatina was banned in the early fifties, although this fact did not dissuade participants, eventhough some were arrested. But the will of the locals was heard and the celebration returned, more people took part in it and it became increasingly wild.

Again the event was canceled until 1955, when, in protest, the Burial of the Tomato was held: an event in which residents carried a coffin with a big tomato inside. The parade was accompanied by a music band playing funeral marches, and it obtained a complete success. Finally, in 1957 official permision was granted and La Tomatina festival was formaly established. After that it has been the City Councils of the municipality themselves that have organized and promoted this curious battle, that has made Buñol world famous.

The festival became popular in the rest of Spain thanks to Javier Basilio who, showed the event in a television program Informe Semanal “Week report” on Spanish TV. Since 1980, it has been the different City Councils that have supplied the tomatoes to the participants, which year after year, increase in number and enthusiasm. The success has led to have La Tomatina, of Buñol, be considered, as of August 2002, International Fiesta of Tourist Interest by the General Secretariat of Tourism of Spain.

It looks like a lot of fun. However, is it ethical to waste so much food that is perfectly edible? Even if the quantity of tomatoes (around 100,000 kilograms or 100 tonnes in 2010) was surplus to need, it required water and probably fertiliser on land that could have grown another crop.

Hipsters

Hipsters are today's alternative counter-culture fashionable wannabes.



Look at some of my links of favourite websites on the right-hand-side. Oh dear.

Christos' papou and yiayia

Christos Tsiolkas is an Australian author, whose book Dead Europe I am yet to finish so that I can begin reading The Slap. He wrote an interesting piece about his family in The Guardian on 10 July 2010, which was reprinted in the Sydney Morning Herald (Spectrum) on 17 July 2010. Excerpt

I never met either of my grandfathers. My maternal papou had died when I was a toddler. It still remains a wounding regret of my mother's that she never had a chance to go back home to see him on his deathbed. But with a small child and my newly born baby brother, there was neither means nor opportunity for her to return. We have become so jaded with the ubiquity of air travel that we are apt to forget just how difficult, how expensive, how magical it once seemed. Dad did return to Greece to bury his father. He has returned once more, to bury his mother. After that visit, he said to me: "That's it, no more. It has finished. Greece doesn't exist for me any more."

I am grateful that I did have an opportunity to meet my grandmothers; once when I visited as a boy in 1975, and then again as a young adult in 1990. But even those encounters were made difficult by the limitations of my Greek and the overwhelming chasm of experience that separated myself, a privileged child of the developed world, and those two women, each born on the eve of the 20th century, in a peasant eastern Mediterranean world that was to be torn apart by two Balkan wars, two world wars, an occupation, two dictatorships, and a civil war. I remember sitting in a kitchen in Athens with my maternal grandmother, who was crying, wanting to know why her daughter had only visited her once in all the time she had been a migrant in Australia. I tried to explain the distances involved, the expense. Uncle Mitso, who was sitting with us, took me aside and explained that once in the early 70s he was driving his mother from the village to Athens when they came to a fork in the road. My giagia asked, "Mitso, if we turn left instead of right, can we go and visit Georgia in Australia?"

"You have to remember, Christo," my uncle said to me, "this is a woman born in a time when women were doomed to illiteracy and the shadows. Your giagia can't even read a map. And look at you, you are now a university student, you want to be a writer. You don't know how proud that makes us. But if you ever forget where you come from, fa se sfaxo [I will slaughter you]."

Read more. Australia was built on immigration and many Australians born in Australia, while retaining language and culture, upon visiting the homelands of their forefathers, find that some of this have been preserved in time.

Though Dad was from a family of a dozen children and my mother from a family of eight, only one other of my father's siblings migrated to Australia. But my parents' friends all became part of my extended family – every adult was addressed as theo and thea, uncle and aunt. Even now as an adult travelling in Greece I will still use this form of address when speaking to an elder, and my Greek friends and cousins will laugh at me. "That is something only rural people do," they say. "Only the real hicks. Do you still use those terms in Australia? You guys are still stuck in the 50s."

Italian Australians whose grandparents (nonna and nonno) had migrated, when visiting their grandparents' original village, have been told they speak old-fashioned Italian of the earlier generation.

Christos is a great writer of fiction but the personal stories are always the most interesting.

#tweetseats

Marcus Newbury has written an interesting article in The Age about the debate over the use of Twitter (a social media platform) during live performances. Excerpt

WHAT is the etiquette for tweeting at the theatre, a concert or any other live performance? Should you do it at all? Or never? Should it be encouraged - even rewarded - or frowned upon? It may not have been the biggest arts story going around in the general community last week but, as you might expect, the concept of tweeting from the "tweetseats" has certainly been big on Twitter.

Twitter, the 140-character messaging system, is being embraced by many of Australia's major arts companies, from Opera Australia to the Sydney Opera House to most major arts festivals.

Some have begun to encourage "tweeting" before, at interval and in some rare cases even during some of their shows. Some theatres are experimenting with reserved zones or sections where punters are encouraged to tweet live during the performances.

Depending on who you ask, it's radical democratisation unleashing raw enthusiasm, genuine criticism and passion or the barbarians at the gate.

For many traditionalists, the concept is outrageous. The idea that such behaviour could pollute the hallowed halls of our cultural institutions is poisonously problematic. The notion of having less than 100 per cent of your audience's attention is rude, offensive and disrespectful. The experience of a show is under threat from the glare of iPhone screens and tapping fingers.

Read more.

Most venues ask patrons to switch off their mobile (cell) phones. Surely, this would prevent any use of applications from telephone devices.

While some patrons would find it annoying, it is probably in the interests of performance companies to allow tweeting as a means of obtaining immediate feedback. Positive reviews would be like word of mouth recommendations.

In any case, it would be fun to tweet during Wagner, "the fat lady sings".

Over Here, Over There

National Public Radio (NPR) is a semi-independent, privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organisation that serves as a national syndicator to public radio stations in the United States. NPR programming is considered to be 'over here' and 'high brow' culturally. In other words, sophisticated.

Imagine the shock listeners must have felt when NPR featured Justin Bieber. Furthermore NPR felt the need to justify this choice (blogged by Linda Holmes)

It was not difficult to predict that there would be a lot of horror about the idea of discussing Justin Bieber. Justin Bieber is perhaps this cultural moment's greatest embodiment of the idea that some things are Over Here, and other things are Over There, and I only like things that are Over Here, and I don't want to hear about what's Over There, and I don't want to talk to the people who are Over There, because if I did, I'd be Over There instead of Over Here. I came Over Here; why are you telling me what's Over There?

Pursuant to this paradigm, Justin Bieber and Britney Spears and American Idol are Over There, while, say, Animal Collective and all unsigned bands are Over Here. Treme is Over Here, but CSI is Over There; the Coen Brothers are usually Over Here, while the Farrelly Brothers are always Over There.

Surely there is enough 'over there' 'low brow' cultural material available commercially. Still NPR tried to justify the choice with some discussion

If you look back across cultural history, this kind of progression happens all the time. Justin Timberlake doesn't carry nearly the "all sizzle, no steak" baggage that he did when he was a member of 'N Sync or, let's say, on The New Mickey Mouse Club. Julianne Moore got her start on As The World Turns. Alanis Morissette was a Canadian teen pop star before she came, you know, Over Here. There are countless examples of this -- people who are now highly respected in their fields who cut their teeth on projects that might have seemed like throwaways at the time.

I'm not saying don't be discerning. You should absolutely be discerning. You should absolutely have standards. But just be careful about the breadth of the sweep of any dismissals you might make, because who knew Michelle Williams was a serious actress when she was on Dawson's Creek?

Seriously, that's not even a justification. What next, the Twilight series and Harry Potter considered to be serious literature?