Weekend Happenings

Sarah has commented a couple times that Jason and I often get to do the coolest things and she gets so jealous, which is funny because it seems like we so seldom do get out there and do stuff. So, when I see or hear about things that are going to be happening in the area I feel a deeper urge to get out there because a) I wish we did more stuff and b) I like the feeling of giving vicarious enjoyment to other people and it just makes me want to do more.

So, when I heard about a trapeze troupe that were going to be giving a free performance in Cal Anderson Park on May Day I decided to go. Jason couldn't come because he was attending a poker party. I only managed to catch the last half hour or so of the two hour show though because I left late and then drove around for a half hour trying to find parking. I drove around and around and then the spot I ended up finding was only a block away.

Anyway, there was quite the crowd. The troupe was pretty cool, but they were definitely no Cirque du Soleil. Looking at pictures taken of the performance, it looked like there may have been cooler stuff earlier on. It was fun to watch, but it just had the look to it that they did their own choreography. There was nothing that made me gasp and think that whatever they just did was amazing. But, maybe I was expecting too much. As I said, it was just fun to watch. I tried to just enjoy it for itself. And these people are much stronger than I am to be able to pull themselves up and around like that.

There was a pagan theme that ran through out the performance and they did Spring rite rituals and dances.

This one was about Hecate. There was also a dance troupe that did a Bulgarian traditional Spring rite dance that the young ladies would do when they were coming of age.





















I don't know who this guy is, I believe he had a part in some of the earlier performances, but he was walking through the crowd looking like Death and reaching into the cup he's holding and then shaking out dust. He was suitably creepy looking.

























Then there was a story about the Chinese deity Chu and how she brought the dance between the Seasons and the Sun and Moon. But then some sorcerer or something brought discord into their dance and everything fell apart. Then Chu had to descend again from the heavens and chase away the sorcerer and then reteach the Seasons, the Sun, and the Moon how to dance again.

There was a lady who was singing the background part throughout this story without words but only a single note that would fluctuate up and down and around. It had a very Asian sound to it, but when the sorcerer did his magic her voice fell into discord as well and it sounded very silly. This is when I started recording. Well, because of that and the fire.

Once she taught them all how to dance with each other again, she ascended back up into the heavens.


That was the end of the performance and I then took the opportunity to explore the park a little and take some pictures.




























When I was headed back to my car I found out a crowd of people had taken over the tennis courts to play dodgeball! I spent a good hour just hanging out on the otherside of the fence watching them play. It was just so much fun!




















A couple cop cars sat watching for a while, but I guess they decided that the crowd wasn't a problem because then they left.




















I also thought the mixture of ages was really cool. There were a bunch of kids around 13 playing and two guys that must have been in their fifties.























It was a good night and a nice start to the weekend.