HHSML Blog - HHSML China Tour 2010

Hi everyone!! China is very interesting for sure, so many different events, sights and...smells... I just wanted to post my experiences in China so far with the HHSML crew! I know that I started out expected something VERY different than what we have experienced but I wouldn't change any of it! Because of the way things have been working out, I know I have gotten to do things I have never done before and would never have the opportunity to do. I got to climb a mountain and luge down it, I got to see Tian'men Square, visit Temples, see architecture, I got to meet new people in the Hip Hop world and jam and share with them, the list is endless and we're only halfway through! I'm getting to have what I feel is a true experience of China and I love that I get to see the good and the not so good (do not eat cow tongue!) On top of all of that, I get to dance with my closest friends and perform a show that I love. Being here has definitely taught me a lot and I am so grateful to have been allowed the opportunity to come here with the team. The way the tour is progressing is nothing short of amazing, with everything that we have been through together and all that we have experienced I can say it has changed my life. My favorite parts of the trip so far has been all the jam sessions and meeting the local Hip Hop crews, and 1000 Buddah Mountain - WOW was that amazing. I didn't think I could make it to the top but I did and it was so breathtaking...literally! Today is a rest day (thank goodness) after an amazing show at our hotel and a few days of non stop dancing I know I need it! Some of the team are going shopping, others are eating and playing poker, some are going sight seeing too! Lots going on everyday, Luke and Danielle are amazing directors. They plan things for us and make sure we have something to keep busy all the time, whether its dancing or sight seeing or something else they have up their sleeves! Anyway, that's my update for now we are staying healthy, safe, and happy! I miss you Mom and Dad! See you guys soon!

Show day! Finally! 08/03/2010

We performed at our hotel today and it was amazing! Luke arranged for our group to put on a special performance for any and all guests of the hotel from 9:30-11pm. Many of the executives as well as a local hip hop studio came....oh and about another 250 of the hotel staff and friends. It was truly a night to remember. I promise to post some videos soon - we have thousands of pictures and videos to go through. I can definitely say that tonight was much needed for everyone. The positivity in the room was overwhelming. We danced and worked our hearts out! And the crowd was so generous! We barely ever had a full blackout due to the many camera flashes and phones pointed at us recording at all times. The other hotel managers were truly impressed by what we put on considering were in a carpeted conference room with minimal lighting. I am so proud of everyone in the team for the great energy and the work ethic they brought to the table. Congratulations everyone! No we can all look forward to a much needed rest day tomorrow.

Danielle

This is why Confucius never took the bus... 07/29/2010

Today we headed to the home of Confucius: Qufu. 31 of us left on bus at 9AM, excited to see one of the most famous and culturally significant sights in the Shandong province. The bus ride between Jinan and Qufu was slated for about 2 hours. After about the first 15 minutes, most of us fell asleep, only to be awaken by an oppressive heat that had descended on the bus. The AC had kicked out early in the drive and the driver and Art were busy trying to fix it. Needless to say, those of us with fans were grateful we had brought them. By the time we arrived in Qufu, we were a sweaty, clammy, flush-faced bunch. The bus pulled up near the restaurant we were planning to have lunch at before heading into the Temple. We all stood up and started to gather out things when....what? The electrical problem that had shorted the AC had also sealed the only door on the bus. Luckily, we are all resourceful, agile and love a good adventure. Alex was the first to climb out one of two small windows at the back of the bus and make the 5 foot jump to the ground. Next followed Danielle and the rest of the group, with the help of our strongest boys.
What a way to arrive in a new town! We were quite a spectacle for the locals. [video coming soon]

Lunch was amazing, although not many of us had an appetite after all the heat and excitement of the bus.

 Arriving in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius, the first thing coming into sight is the spacious temple of Confucius, which dominates the town.
Confucius is the world-renowned Chinese philosopher born in Qufu more than 3,500 years ago. His influence on Chinese society culture lasts until the present day. Qufu has recently been restored to its former glory. It has become a tourist attraction rivaling the Great Wall. In size and scale, the Confucius Temple ranks second only to the Forbidden City in Beijing. Construction of the Temple began in 478 B.C., the year after Confucius's death. It was rebuilt many times throughout the ensuing 3,000 years. The Temple grounds cover an area of 33 hectares with buildings laid out symmetrically along a 0.6-mile north-south axis. There are 53 magnificent gateways and numerous halls, pavilions and shrines elaborately roofed with glazed tiles. The consensus among the group was that it was very beautiful, but not as spiritual as we had all imagined. It was very tourist oriented with kiosks of souvenirs everywhere. It was hard to find a quiet spot to reflect on what Confucius was all about or the impact of his philosophy. Nevertheless, we pushed on in the 38 degree weather to visit his family descendants mansion and then finally his final resting place. The cemetery was unlike anything I have ever seen. Larger than Hawrelak park, shaded by huge hundred year old juniper trees, the sense of peace was overwhelming. Tall, ornate headstones were placed almost haphazardly amongst rolling hills and mounds of earth and clay. I have never seen a cemetery that looked so natural. After a short open bus ride to the tombs of Confucius' grandson, son and himself, we took a group photo and made a silent prayer that our bus had been fixed. We dragged ourselves to the air conditioned bus and all passed out from the day....

But wait! Our irregular day was not finished with us yet! A short hour later, we were all awoken by the startling realization that someone was missing from our group! We received a phone call from our Hotel stating that one of our crew members was still at the Temple. We recounted the people in the bus - again - but the number was right...31! Suddenly the person at the front of the bus stood up and we all realized that he was not Shelby...but Art's brother! Here is Shelby's recounting of what happened when we were all boarding the bus back to Jinan:
So i come out of the seedy bus stop washroom and see my bus pulling out without me. I brace down my bag and start running and almost catch up with the bus just as it accelerates onto the street. In a last ditch attempt i threw my closed umbrella at the bus but fall short by inches (im sure it was quite the sight). I was not worried however as i knew 5 blocks later they would do a head count and turn around and get me. After about 30 minutes i started guessing they might have counted Arts brother as me. Through my VERY limited Mandarin and awesome charades i was able to communicate to a local who spoke about 10 words of english and he called the hotel for me, who called the travel agency, who called Mr. Lee, who called Art, who went running back to Luke and Danielle. Not 10 minutes after Art called the nice man who was helping me i was in a very sweet car, which Art sent for me, being sped to the rest stop where the bus had pulled over to await my return with lots of cheers and hugs. Definitely one of my highlights:)

Rehearsal Rehearsal... 07/28/2010

We've spent the last couple days creating our plan for the week to keep us all in shape, well rehearsed and make our time in wait productive. Luke has everyone pitch in their ideas so that we all feel like we have contributed to the plan. We have a small conference room in the hotel that we use to rehearse in. So far so good! We wake up for breakfast in the hotel buffet room from 7-9am, laundry and showering until lunch @ 12:30pm, rehearsal until dinner @ 6:30pm - then bed for some, cards for others, singing or massage or workouts for the rest.

It is starting to feel almost normal to be here. Who knew you could be so comfortable so far from home?

Tianjin Jam session video 07/27/2010

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Enjoy a compilation of a few of the dancers from both HHSML and the local Tianjin Hip Hop studio we visited on July 23rd. This was by far the most authentic hip hop experience we have had yet. This is true hip hop. There were many more dancers who jumped in the circle, however this is a small sampling for your viewing pleasure.

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Day 9: Touring Jinan 07/26/2010

As a special treat, we visited Daming Lake today as well as a traditional shopping street and finally the Mountain of 1000 Buddahs. We were awed by the natural green beauty of Jinan as well as the overwhelming kindness of its people. It was humbling and thrilling to get a glimpse of this wonderful city. The name of Daming Lake was first recorded in the Annotated Book of Waters written by Li Daoyuan, a writer in the Northern Wei Dynasty. The park takes an area of 86 ha., with the lake covering 46.5 ha. Inside the park, willows queue around the lake with lotus overlapping on the lake. For its beauty, Daming Lake has been the converging place for celebrities throughout history. In 13 century, the Italian traveler, Mark Polo marveled here as "what a beautiful landscape of lake and rocks." In the center of the lake perches the Lixia Pavilion, upon which hangs the horizontal name scroll written by an ancient emperor and the vertical scroll, "Old is the pavilion in central China and many are celebrities in Jinan". written by Du Fu.

We walked most of the lake in 35 degree weather, took in a game of ping pong with the locals and enjoyed a boat ride around the lake. We returned to the hotel for lunch and then prepared to head out to:

Qianfo (Thousand-Buddha) Hill
Qianfo Hill is located in the south of Jinan, is overgrown with grass and flowers and ageless pines and cypresses, and its peaks raise one higher than another. There are many monasteries built in the area and numerous images of Buddha sculptured on the rocky cliffs. The Hill is like a huge carpet of green dotted with pavilions, towers and terraces, with picturesque and tranquil scenery. From a distance on the height, one can take a bird’s-eyes view of the whole city of Jinan with mirror-like surface of the Daming Lake and the every flowing Huanghe River. It was truly an honor to visit this particular attraction. Shelby and Nathan prepared a short montage of their experience on the Mountain for all to enjoy.

Day 8: Hello Jinan! 07/25/2010

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This morning we headed for a new city: Jinan.

Jinan, the 'City of Springs' is popular among tourists for its many springs. Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, is located in the mid west of Shandong.Jinan is a historical city with a history of some 2000 years and is famed for its numerous relics. It is the cradle of the Longshan Relics Culture, the reputed prehistoric culture of China and is found in Longshan Town of Jinan, hence the name. In the area of Jinan, you will find far more than you would expect, the ancient Great Wall of the Qi State (a state of the Zhou Dynasty (770B.C. – 221B.C.)), the colored sculptures of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in the Lingyan Temple and so on.

Geographically speaking, it is about 5 hours south of Tianjn, and also the hometown of our translator Art. We checked into the Shandong Agriculture Hotel (much better than the last hotel) and had an incredible dinner at the hotel restaurant. We ate many different types of fish & seafood as well as the usual spicy veggies and meats. Most of the group retired early to their rooms, while the usual suspects organized a friendly game of cards in Danielle's room. Overall, not bad for a travel day.

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Day 8.5: Update on The Situation in China 07/24/2010

China flooding kills 701, worst toll in a decade
Associated Press
More than 1,000 people have died or disappeared in severe flooding in China so far this year, and the heaviest rains are still to come, a senior official warned Wednesday. July 21, 2010 -->
In this Tuesday, July 20, 2010 photo, a street lamp is partially emerged by the flooded Yangtze River in southwest China's Chongqing city. Flooding this year has killed 701 people, left 347 missing and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage, the worst toll across the board that China has seen in a decade, a senior Chinese official said Wednesday. (AP Photo)

Although some people may already be aware, I thought I would take this time to clarify the current situation with our performances & tour schedule. Although we are still slated to be in China until August 14th with our last show on August 12th in Beijing, the bulk of our confirmed shows were in the southern provinces of China. This area of China is typically hit by flooding at the end of August, however devastating flooding began at the end of May. Here is an excerpt from a local news update on the floods:

Flooding and mudslides have killed at least 536 people across China in the past two weeks, with more heavy rain forecast in the southern province whose factories are the heart of the country’s booming export industries, the government said Friday. There was no immediate official word on the economic impact of storms forecast for Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong and is China’s most populous region with more than 100 million people. But state media said road and railway traffic in some areas was cut, including the main Beijing-Hong Kong railroad.

Some 1.4 million people have been evacuated from a five-province swath of the densely crowded south, while total economic losses were estimated at $2.5 billion, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Naturally, this type of natural disaster has greatly impacted our tour schedule. We often find ourselves waiting as our Beijing Presenters travel ahead of us into new cities unaffected by the floods. It is a challenging and unusual situation for all cast and staff of the tour, however I am so proud of how everyone is handling it. The positivity and great attitudes of this team is astounding. Feel free to send some messages of positivity our way! I will happily read them to the group to help remind them to enjoy this tour, regardless of the number of shows we get. Things could be a lot worse; and they are for many people in southern China. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the displaced people of the Guandong province.