Miss Aloha

There is this cliche idea about hula. This I've noticed every time I tell someone I've studied in Hawai'i. Most people just imagine pretty girls shaking their hips and making waves with their hands. Well, that is only the beginning. Hula is a lot more. The choreographies are complex and the dancers are strong. Beside dancing, they also sing and play the drums. One of my favorite events was the big hula festival, which was held yearly. According to experts, in the year I was there, the best Miss Aloha ever won. Guess I was lucky to get a glimpse of that. Enjoy!

Always time for art?

On my way to a meeting at the airport, I rushed my way through the commuter crowd when my eyes caught a girl jumping ropes. She was shown on a huge video screen in front of the train station, right in the heart of Amsterdam's business centre. A man next to her, jumps along. It was a surprise to see, a sudden bit of peacefulness flowing across the square. I stood still and tried to understand what it was I actually saw.











On the way back, I showed my (very special Burmese) guest the screen and we found out that through a toll-free phonenumber we could hear the sounds that accompanied the images. This time the controlled passion of football fans was shown.
This open air art is provided for by CASZUIDAS – moving images in public space, a what they call "urban screen arts initiative". It's great! Very inspiring. It does make me wonder however whether more people actually take to time to watch it. Has anyone else ever called the phonenumber to get the soundbites?