Ballroom Dancing

Ballroom Dancing is one of the most elite form of dance. It originated from a Latin word 'ballare', which means 'to dance'. All it requires is grace, discipline and a certain tempo with the music. Ballroom dancing and romance go hand in hand, where a couple forgets all their grudges and bond with each other in the romantic aura. It brings in closeness between the partners when their eyes meet, bodies get closer, thereby giving a feeling of immense pleasure to be in each other's arms. It gives you quality time to talk, share your experiences and relax with each other. Ballroom dance includes different forms of dance like Slow Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep, Tango, Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Jive, Salsa.

Irish Dancing

Irish dancing is a type of recreational and competitive folk dance that has been popularized by the stage productions such as Riverdance" and Lord of the Dance." Although it is most widespread in Ireland, it is also found in other parts of the world. When performed as a solo dance, a stiff upper body and the quick and precise movements of the feet generally characterize it. Couples also dance with other couples, in a manner similar to a square dance, and larger groups of people can dance traditional céilí dances, in which the steps are prescribed. This section features various online resources on Irish dancing.

Hip Hop Dancing

Hip Hop Dancing is one of those urban ethnic dances which have gained tremendous popularity among the masses of late. Originated among Hispanic communities, it is rapidly evolving in various directions.
Hip Hop is a cultural and artistic movement (even a way of life) which appeared in the United States in the middle of the 1970. Originated from the black ghettos from New-York, it combines feast aspects with revolted ones. Hip Hop dancing is the best known element of this culture.

The four main elements of hip hop culture are the rap and more generally hip hop music dancing graffiti, DJ work, break dance and the other hip hop dances. Sometimes one can add beat box, even street fashion, street language, street entrepreneurialism and street knowledge.

French New Year

In France, the New Year’s eve is called “Le reveillon de la Saint Sylvestre”. This celebration consists of the special dish: champagne, foie gras, seafood such as oyster, prawns… The celebration can be a dinner between friends or in family. Young people will be partying in the nightclub, or at home with all their friends. At midnight, we can see in big cities, many people reach the principal square to celebrate as the new year with a glass. At midnight, all people say “bonne année”, happy new year and kiss them.
The 1st of January, the meal is often between family members. All people are exchanged greeting such as Happy new year, good health, full of love… and then eat.
The cooking is usually the same of the New Year ’s Eve, Mothers prepares toasts with salmon, slicing sausage, crisps… in aperitif serving with champagne. The starter forms a dish of seafood (oyster, prawns) with sauces and bread.
After, the mothers are prepared meat such as beef, mutton, duck… with potatoes, green beans, mushrooms or a fish accompany rice’s and sauce with butter.
In dessert, French people prepare Yule log, a ice cream of different perfume: chocolate, strawberry, lemon…
Concerning other traditions, French people draw up a list with all the good resolution for this New Year, for example, stop smoking, become a good worker in the school, …
Generally, adult people give a piece of money for children, it’s the tradition.

Peruvian New Year

Each member of the Peruvian family has a mission during the day of 31st of December.
The father will set about the refresh of the house’s facade: it must pass a coat of paint on exterior walls. As the family will begin a new year with a new home.
Sisters, Brothers, cousins are sent to into the fields to get some of wisp of straw. With this straw, young people manufacture the “muneco”, a large jumping jack that will burn at midnight. All worn clothes of the year cover the jumping jack. Two grapes represent the eyes and a stick for the pipe.
The mother is more active. Get u before the dawn, the mother has already started the housework. She empties all of the furniture in the living room and the kitchen, and will continue in other parts if she has the time. After emptying the furniture, she changes places of the furniture which permits to dislodge spiders. Women wash all the objects that were in the furniture and the father will take in the opportunity to repaint the walls of the room.
For the dinner, it is very important to prepare many ready cooked meal , there is abundance of food in this special day. And yet it is not unusual that the mother started the preparation of cooking only around 7 or 8pm.
There is a superstition: if people wear a color clothe during twelfth ring of midnight, people can receive the lucky in certain domain for the New Year. The yellow is for the money, Red for the love. In the same principle, if people want to travel during all the year, he takes a suitcase and run around block of houses at midnight.
These activities will occupy he entire family during the day of 31st December. The festivities will begin with twelve rings of midnight. People eat grapes. A grape at each ring of the clock. This is the starting signal to burn the jumping jack under tons of applause, as the very special “good bye” of the year ends. Children explode firecrackers. Around half past midnight, people will eat, drink, dance often until dawn. Some people will see friends, neighbors and then return to dance and drink with their families. This is the rule during the Peruvian new year, on January should be a sign of abundance and sharing.

Spanish New Year : Feliz Ano Nuevo !

The New Year’s Eve is a custom of western. This eve consist to celebrate the arrival of New Year, staying up until midnight, a night of 31st of December, last day of the year in the Gregorian calendar.
In most of country, the New Year’s Eve is celebrated with friends.
The celebration of the Spanish New Year begins with family dinner including lamb, prawn and Turkey. The countdown is followed on the clock in the building “CASA de CORREOS” in Madrid. The tradition in Spain, to eat 12 grapes each stroke of the midnight ringing on the bells.
This custom date of 1909 by wine grower of Alicante. This idea was for to remedy surplus of production of this year.
Today this custom was celebrated by all of Spanish people during the New Year’s Eve. This 12 of Grapes are become indispensable during the New Year. After the twelfth stroke of ringing on the bells, people congratulate them and celebrate the New Year with champagne, cider…
After the dinner with the family and the twelve grapes, young people go to the party to celebrate the happy new year in night club, pub… This party is called in Spanish: “cotillones de nochevieja”.
The festivities usually last until at dawn and can bring together thousands of people. Early morning, fun-loving person bring together for the traditional breakfast of chocolate con churros ( chocolat and donuts).

Japan New Year

The Japan New Year is celebrated since few centuries and has their own customs.
It is the most important celebration in the year and last several days.
In the past, the Japan New year has the same title of the Chinese, Korea, and Vietnam New Year. It was based on the Chinese calendar and was celebrated at the start of the spring. Since 1873, Japan function with the Gregorian calendar and the first January is become the official day of the Japan New year.
Japanese people like to begin the New Year with the good resolution. As they practice a big cleaning called “ōsōji” the last days of December, it’s the rite of purification of the house. People replace damage object and air the Tamami. Japanese people must settle all the currents affairs and pay all the debts before to start the “omisoka”, the New Year’s Eve of 31st of December.
In Japan, people decorate the door of their house with a “Kadomatsu” and “shimenawa”. They depose as well an offertory in the “tokonoma” of the house surmount with a “shimenawa” : a rice cake pile up called “Kagami mocha” with an bitter orange ”daidai”.

Temple

Around the midnight, Japanese people go to the Shinto temple or the Buddhist temple for the “Hatsumode”, the first visit in the temple and to prey and to know the prediction of the New Year. They drink a “Toso”, medicinal herb and permit to guarantee the good health during all the New Year.

Greeting and Christmas box

For politeness, Japanese people return a visit of their family and friends. They give Christmas box for the children called “otoshidama”. The second custom is to depose underside of pillow of children, a picture of “takarabune”, the ship of seven divinities of the luck, for to do good dreams.

Cooking

For the New Year’s Eve, Japanese people eat a hot soap with “soba” called “kake” (doubts), this food symbolize that people are paid all of doubts. They eat also “Zoni”, a stock with vegetables and soya sauce chocks tick.
During the first days of the New Year, the tradition is to do anything similarly the cooking. The mother must to prepare the cooking in advance.

Traditional sport in the world

In this part I will speak about different traditional sport in the world. Half of sports I choose are not famous in the world except Gaelic football and Corrida. This is to show you what their customs are and difference between countries. Some are expansive sport as Corrida and some are cheap and not complicate as Jukskei. Each sport existed many years ago.

The corrida

Taken as a sport, the corrida is a bullfight which generally ends by the death of the animal. In Spain, the practice is very common; however we also find shows of bullfight in France. When the Spanish bullfight joins in the purest tradition, somewhere else it can be practiced as a game, an amusement but while remaining a sportsman and dangerous because the indispensable bull is very alive and powerful. Matador have to guide bullfight in the arena.

The Pelota Purhépecha de Trapo

 Background: Teams various nearby villages meet them for Pelota Purhépecha de Trapo's tournament. This Mexican sport is very close to the hockey. it takes place with a wooden stick and a ball made with the rope. Several balls are prepared before because the friction of the rope on pavements, prematurely wear out the ball which falls in fragments and becomes unplayable. To avoid this wear, the players use moreover more and more nylon rope in the manufacturing of their ball. At first, the organizers choose the street in which will deceive the tournament. Bags of sawdust went out to draw the demarcation lines of the ground. It measures hundred meters long, and the width of the street. It is separated in two camps.

 Place: Mexico.

 Rules game: The objective for every team of 5 players is to make cross the ball beyond the back line of the opposite camp. Not of coated, only a line which crossed by the ball, grant a point to the striking team. At the end of the time of game, the team which marked most points won the part.
The awkward blows with a stick make some black eyes without gravity. At nightfall, most tears devote to the Pelota Purepecha Encendida (ardent ball). The tournament ends and the teams meet on the place of the village where are installed numerous salesmen of Tortas, Enchilladas, Tacos or still of Quesadillas. The delivery of trophies is accompanied with a brass band which gives itself to heart enjoyment.

The Gaelic football

 Background: The Gaelic football is the favourite sport of the Irish, and most practiced, because we count not less than 2 800 clubs and approximately 250 000 players’ male and female in all Ireland! Mixture of rugby and football, the Gaelic football is a fast and physical sport, asking for a lot of skill.
It is a sport practiced in Ireland for a long time, because the first written mentions go back up in 1527 and the first official meeting dates 1712 to Slane.

 Place: Irish.

 Games rules: The game sets two teams consisted of 15 players: a goalkeeper, 6 defenders, 2 midfielders and 6 forwards.
Every team can make until 3 replacements in the match. The matches deceive in two half-time and owed 60 or 70 minutes, according to the competition. The goal looks like those of the rugby, with the exception of nets under the transversal, there where the guard is. The aim of the game is to send the ball (similar to a soccer ball) either between posts and under the transversal to nets (what corresponds to a goal, that is 3 points), or between posts over the transversal (1 point).

 The competitions:
The teams are constituted only by amateurs. The season includes two competitions:
The championship (Bank of Ireland Football Championship), who takes place from May till September.
The league (Allianz NFL) which takes place during the "cold season ".

Jukskei

 Background: Jukskei is a 200 year old folk sport developed and played in South Africa. It is believed to originate around 1743 in the Cape, South African by "transport riders" who traveled with ox-drawn wagon. They used the wooden pins of the yokes (Afrikaans: Skei) of the oxen to throw at a stick that was planted into the ground. Jukskei became an organized sport around 1939 when the first unions where established and rules where formalized.

 Today: The sport is traditionally associated with the Afrikaners and in 2001 it was chosen by the government as one of the sports to be included in the Indigenous Games Project. Since then the game has started to gain popularity with young people of all cultures. Jukskei is played at club and provincial level, and there is an annual tournament in Kroonstad in the Free State.

 Basic Rules: The object of the game is to knock over a peg that is planted in a sandpit over a distance of between 11 and 16 m (depending on age and gender). It is played in teams with usually four members each. Each member has two skeis (and thus two turns). The playing field consists of two pits juxtaposed in opposite directions, so that play can take place in both directions. Each time a team member knocks over the peg, he gets three points. If the peg wasn’t knocked out, the team lying closest to the position of the peg, scores as many points as they have skeis closer to the peg than their opponent's closest skei. The first team to get exactly 23 points first wins the game. If the team gets more than 23 points, they start from 0.

The carnival in the world.

The Carnival!

Carnival: It’s the period of merrymaking and feasting celebrated just before Lent, where people have fun through rides, games, and sideshows.

The word carnival is tied to the Shrove Tuesday, because “carne” means meat in Latin.

Each carnival is an event where people do party and eat many products, until the Shrove Tuesday; this day people eat copious meal like fats beef before the Lent.

However, the customs are very different between each country. We try to explain the difference and the similarities between four carnivals, which are known in the entire world:

- Carnival of Quebec

- Carnival of Rio

- Carnival of New Orleans

- Carnival of Venice

The carnival of Venice.

· The carnival of Venice.

ð This carnival is very known in the world.

Ø Background: It’s the doge Faliero which authorize the carnival in 1094; before the Lent. In 1269, this day became an official day to do party. This carnival begins by ball and it continues with local event with theatre. The disguises are very important during this event; they permit to show that no distinctions, between social classes, are possible. Moreover, these disguises present refinement and elegance.

Ø Date: From 26 February to February 7. (during 10 days)

Ø Place: Italy.

Ø Customs: At the beginning, people wear simple disguises to show the equality between Venetians. Today, these disguises are inspired by the Commedia dell’Arte through Arlequin’s mask. People parade in city, then they go to ball and dance during some night or they assist at theatre.

Ø Symbols and signs:

§ Mask: To present equality between people and to hid their personality.

§ The disguise: To present the elegance of this city.

§ City: In Venice to present the Romantic Movement.

§ Theatre Carlo Goldoni: to see music concert.

§ Venice Bridge: Where people parade with their disguises.

The carnival of New Orleans.

· The carnival of New Orleans.

ð The second place about carnival in the world.

Ø Background: It’s in 1699 that the French imports this event in Louisiana thanks to colonization. The first carnival has been created the 3 March 1699. At the beginning this party was ceremony organized in honor of René Robert Cavelier. Then, in 1857 parade has established during this event. Today, it’s a group of people (a krewe) which govern this event. It’s the most common carnival in the United States.

Ø Date: From 26 February to March 9. (12 days)

Ø Place: The United States.

Ø Customs: People wish Happy Shove Tuesday during this event. This carnival is composed with float and fanfare. During the parade, people throw necklace and cup. After the parade, people go to ball and they eat pancakes. Every eccentricity is possible during the carnival.

Ø Symbols and signs:

§ Colors: People use purple, green and gold color to represent the justice, the faith and the power.

§ Food: With pancakes

§ Some songs.

The carnival of Rio.

· Carnival of Rio.

ð The first place about carnival in the world.

Ø Background: The Carnival of Rio begins in 1723 with Portuguese colony. However, the Portuguese carnival is different that other European carnival, it knows for dirtiness and violence. Thus, at the beginning the Carnival of Rio consisted to throw flour, eggs, etc. Nevertheless, it’s in 1888 with the abolishment of slavery that the carnival became popular event and a pastime.

Nowadays, this event represents the mixture of population, where social classes are not distinct.

Ø Date: From 14 February to February 17. (during 4 days)

Ø Place: Brazil.

Ø Customs: this carnival present different group of dance, which parade in street. This parade symbolizes a competition between schools of samba which are prepared this event for 1 year. Every school chooses one theme, and then they built costumes and float to represent this theme. Moreover, some school are supporters, because school of samba it’s like support football team.

Ø Symbols and signs:

§ The King Momo: The mascot which keep the key of city.

§ Float, costumes and mask: To show theme and to express the savagery.

§ The banner: to show the school.

§ The Carnavalesco: It’s the producer.

§ Marquês de Sapucai Avenue: Where people parade.

§ Some songs.

The carnival of Quebec.

• Carnival of Quebec. (Party of snow)

ð Third place about carnival of world.

Ø Background: The carnival of Quebec begins with colonization by French. This population used to meet family and friend to do party before privation about the Lent. This celebration was already called carnival and it was embedded in habit.

It’s in 1894 that the first large winter Carnival in Quebec City had been created; it improved people’s feeling and spirit, because people were tired.

Ø Date: From 28 January to February 13. (during 17 days)

Ø Place: Canada.

Ø Customs: A lot of activities and animations. Many people go to the palace of ice which is built with bloc of ice.

The mayor’s Quebec gives the key of city at the man’s carnival; so the man can create festive atmosphere in city.

The day, this party present music, dance and other event like snow sculpture, Races of dogs of sledges, races of toboggan or demonstrations of extreme ski. Then, in night people go to fancy-dress ball.

Ø Symbols and signs:

§ The man: He is the mascot of this carnival.

§ The Queen: She follows the man during the carnival and she participates to the human and social activities. It’s at the opening that the queen is elected with her duchess.

§ The palace: It’s the Snowman’s house.

§ The belt: it’s a clothing symbol for the snowman and some participants.

§ Some songs.

Conclusion

There are many similar events in the world however each country arranges their celebration through rituals, customs, culture and sometimes religions.

Even if these events are different, several similarities are possible such as: the dates of the carnival; the celebration of the New Year are the same rituals in Peru and Spain, etc.

Differences and similarities show that these events are important for people because celebrations permit to gather all friends and families to do party or to practice the same activities like regional sports and dance.

In conclusion, the world event explains the intercultural communication, thanks to meeting between different nationalities.