Tuesday 22 October 2013

Ballroom Dancing in the streets of Beijing, the capital of China

The last few months next to a busy job, we are focussing more on our dancing and are travelling less frequently. As a consequence we will start combining articles of recent travel experiences with a large serie of our 2009 adventures in China. We hope you will enjoy this Chinese world full of culture and historical monuments.

We start our introduction of Beijing with dancing in the streets. Opinions vary but there live an estimated 20 to 22 million people in Beijing and practicing sports in the street is very popular. We saw a slow type of dancing, Tai Chi, badminton and Ballroom dancing. Before I knew it, Kristel was dancing with an old Chinese guy and then it was my turn.

To give an impression of normal traditional streets we added a few pictures. You see that the electricity is still above ground here. The West Railway Station serves around 200.000 passengers a day, so don’t get lost as a tourist. By the way, everything is only in the Chinese characters foresee enough time to find your train.

De laatste maanden zijn we naast de drukke job ons aan het concentreren op danstrainingen en reizen we op dit ogenblik minder. Als gevolg besloten we artikelen van recente reizen en uitstappen te combineren met een lange reeks van onze avonturen in China daterende uit 2009. We hopen dat je van deze Chinese reeks van cultuur en historische bezienswaardigheden zal kunnen genieten.

Als introductie van Beijing kijken we naar straatdansen. Meningen zijn verdeeld maar men schat dat er tussen de 20 en 22 miljoen mensen in deze stad wonen. Het uitoefenen van sport op straat en in de parken is heel populair. We zagen er trage elegante dansen, Tai Chi, badminton en Ballroom dansen. Voor ik het mij realiseerde was Kristel aan het dansen met een oudere Chinese man, daarna was het mijn beurt. 

In traditionele wijken is de elektriciteitsvoorziening nog steeds bovengronds zoals duidelijk op de foto’s te zien is. Het west treinstation bedient ongeveer 200.000 passagiers per dag. Het is er altijd druk dus zorg ervoor dat je elkaar niet uit het oog verliest. Tussen haakjes, alles is aangeduid in het Chinees, voorzie genoeg tijd om de juiste trein te vinden. 
 
Tai Chi in Beijing

Ballroom Dancing in Beijing

Ballroom Dancing in Beijing

Ballroom Dancing in Beijing

Badminton in Beijing

Traditional districts Beijing

Traditional districts Beijing

West Railway Station Beijing

West Railway Station Beijing

Previous Train Station article: Graffiti at the train station of Villefranche-Sur-Mer

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19 comments:

  1. Hier komen herinneringen boven. Ik was er in 2007. Prachtig ballrooomdansen op straat, dat zag ik niet, wel Tai Chi.
    Mooie foto's.

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  2. Love the photos of the dancing. I visited in 1986 as a part of Friendship Force. We were led by a Senator to promote friendship and peace. The country was much more primitive, and we were the only tourists in most places. China has changed dramatically since then!

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  3. You and Kristel for sure have the BEST form!!! Here, we have what is called FLASH MOBS. This is a large group of people who practice a song or a dance, then go int a public place like a mall and all of a sudden one person will start to sing very loudly, or maybe dance. Then all the others will follow. The crowd gets a huge surprise and a show for free.

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  4. I am glad that you gave them a demonstration on the proper way to do it.

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  5. Een prachtige serie Filip .....erg leuk om Kristel te zien dansen met die oudere man.

    Groetjes, Joop

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  6. Een fraaie foto reportage Filip.

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  7. je laat ons weer genieten Filip. Leuk dat jullie ook mee hebben gedaan en ook Kristel met de oudere mijnheer danst. Groetjes Dietmut

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  8. Oh thank you! I will enjoy and I am already enjoying while watching you dancing in China! More please! Christa

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  9. You both have such a flair for dance, and a graceful style, even dancing in tennis shoes! Great photos, I look forward to more from your trip there!

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  10. great reportage, good to see u&Kristel in action too:-)

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  11. cool ! what a lovely crowd there !

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  12. Love these. I can see how people relax and keep funny, and you 2 too.

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  13. You and Kristel look good.
    Best of luck with your dancing practice.

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  14. The dancing culture in open air is very much alive in my country. Just similar as I see in the pictures. Nice to see you and the pictures.

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  15. The dancing culture is also very much alive in my country, in open areas especially in the mornings. Nice to see the pictures.

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  16. This is really very cool, to dance in the streets of Beijing. Looking forward for more!

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  17. leuk dat mensen zomaar op straat dansen

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  18. Zo maar, op de straat... Leuk, Filip !
    Lie(f)s.

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  19. I've never been in China. Thanks to your travels and this blog I discover this colorful foreign world to me. Thanks a lot! you dance beautifully!

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