Canadian Winter Olympics 2010 Opening Ceremonies...

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Ok..Last night (2/12) my husband (the American) and I were watching the Vancounver Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony...

And this is what transpired...

D: So I guess this is what Canada is about.....

Ant: What?

D: Eskimos, Irish Dancers, Peter Pan, French, Opera Singers, and some Poet Guy....

Ant:

D: Oh and the Canadians are walking behind the Americans...Maybe it's some sort of inferiority complex thing...

Ant: No..Canadians are just nice....That's all....We're just as good as Americans....

D: As long as the Americans wear those moose-like stocking caps...

Ant: Those are touques...And I admit, they look kind of cute...Though I do miss those Canada Roots beret-style olympic hats...

Sigh.....

Is this what Americans and other people of the world think of Canada, based on the opening ceremonies?

Jokes aside, my favourite parts of the opening cermony were:

The ski mountain display with the red flying dancers, Sarah McLaughlin singing, the tribute to the dead luger, the "torch malfunction", and the glowing light displays and interpertative dances...

My least favourite parts of the opening ceremony were:

The NBC constant shots of that red-headed American snowborder...What's the deal about that?

Lack of the games coverage on tv...But who knows...maybe they'll have more later on....

Sigh...I miss the Canadian CBC coverage...If only I lived a few hundred miles further north....By the way, is that CBC Canadian white-haired guy (Peter or Brian or something or other) still doing the olympic coverage for the CBC?

Having two separate places for the torch lighting and another for the flame/torch itself....Why do the indoor and outdoor thing? Makes no sense...

And lol..No references to Tim Hortons, Hockey, or Curling...Just kidding....(yeah we know already..those are Canadian..)

What were your favourtie and least favourite parts of the olympic opening ceremony? Humour me.....

Go Team Canada! (Yes, I'm cheering for them instead...!!)

Ant

Edited February 13, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[Cdnwmn 0]

I was looking for them to play a 'powerful' song like they did with the Calgary Winter Olympics (Can't You Feel It?), The Atlanta Olympics (The Power of the Dream sung by Celine Dion) and The Salt Lake City Olympics (Call of the Champions directed by John Williams with the Mormon Tabernacle in the background). They just didn't have that "powerful" song for the Vancouver one.

Loved the First Nations people, loved the skier coming through the rings, loved the whale/salmon theme. What was up with the hair on the opera singer though?

Oh and the tribute to the luger - very nice/respectful.

Edited February 13, 2010 by Cdnwmn

[darkchilde794 5]

Im so sad, I didnt quite catch all of it cause I kept falling in and out of sleep! (been on benadryl a lot bec of the wood stove smoke :/) But I did find the first part with the First Nations people soo beautiful... and towards the end, I held my breath til that fourth torch lit up

I also loved the tap dancing, looooved the Canadian team's outfits! I -think- they had the best look, hehehehehe...

[Bern. 3]

I loved like everything about it, I was so moved during the entire ceremony. Heck, even tears formed.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

The only thing I have to complain about is the coverage.

I'm in the same timezone as the games, but the only channel down here that broadcasts it started the opening ceremony 1.5 hours late!

I mean come on, what is that?!

I have a feeling I wont be seeing much of the games, they don't show half of them till past 11pm, more than 12 hours after they happen.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I worked last night,BUT I worked out that I had to hang blood for a pt near midnight my time!1 And one has to stay with the pt for the first 15 minutes of each new unit--so I timed it perfectly, got to watch the lighting of the Olympic Flame, AND of course watched out for any adverse reactions the pt may have had,lol I saw bits and pieces through out my shift and the pts that watched it stated they enjoyed it very much.

[neiks 19]

I thought the part where they did the representation of the "prairies" with the kid flying thru the air was kind of lacking. Talented kid but found it kind of boring..... yes, and I"m sure there is going to be someone that says that "well the prairies are boring". Just thought it could have been portrayed differently.

[trailmix 77]

I thought the part where they did the representation of the "prairies" with the kid flying thru the air was kind of lacking. Talented kid but found it kind of boring..... yes, and I"m sure there is going to be someone that says that "well the prairies are boring". Just thought it could have been portrayed differently.

I don't think the prairies are boring - but yes, have to agree, I was half watching and I see this kid flying around and i'm thinking, why is that kid flying around - then I see the wheat...ok.

Yeah it was bad.

[Marilyn. 340]

I think it was supposed to be an interpretation of "Who has seen the Wind?"

[Rhiannercakes 14]

Yeah, the prairies part was pretty boring. I watched it and thought "Is he supposed to represent something?"

I did like how the wheat showed up when he touched the floor though.

I think my favourite part was the solo tap dancing, he was awesome.

The Opera bit at the end was good too, I'm always amazed at those singers.

[Darnell 8,479]

Is this what Americans and other people of the world think of Canada, based on the opening ceremonies?

IMO, it would depend on each person's background and training in the arts.

A football player, for example, might have a totally different outlook on what he saw, as compared to a band geek.

(unless the football player is also a band geek).

For me, I understood most of the things that I saw, on some deeper level. Some of it brought me to tears, both in appreciation of 'the visual' and in understanding of 'the story' presented.

YMMV, greatly.

I would also point at the 'voiceovers' from the two NBC commentators.

One was a sports dude, another a general commentator.

I did not like the Sports Dude's comments, he's just too frickin 'coarse', IMO, to fully understand AND THEN COMMUNICATE the artistry before him.

I'll check the Spanish and Italien and French rebroadcasts next week, see if the 'words used' are different. I'm betting that they are.

But - I gotta keep remembering - this is a Sports Event, ya?

I had the same reactions for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at BeiJing, as well - but note I was SCREAMING at the f*cking TV, because of the idiot-acy of the 'casters'. I blame it on the producers who failed to 'write the story' for 'in-depth' backstory, that the 'casters' were supposed to read.

Edited February 13, 2010 by Darnell

[antda 13]

I think it was supposed to be an interpretation of "Who has seen the Wind?"

Marilyn-Ah ha, so that's what is! WO Mitchell's "Who has seen the Wind?...."

Lol...Thanks for clarifying that up....

Ok...So I just said to my husband...

Ant: D....It's "Who has seen the wind?".....Not Peter Pan!....

D: Ok...That's fine and dandy for the deep thinkers....But for the simple-minded folks....It's Peter Pan.....Now people are going to think that Canada is about Peter Pan.....Is that what Canadians want to be known for?

Ant: No....And for the last time...It's not Peter Pan!

D: And what's the deal with the Americans wearing moose stocking caps? It's like telling Canadians to wear eagle hats....It doesn't match....

Ant:

Baby A: (laughing because mommy is laughing...laughter is contageous...)

And this brings tears to my eyes too.....My American family laughing at "Canadian Peter Pan"...lol....

Seriously though...I understood what the dance was about....And quite liked it....

For the simple-minded folks....Lol...Maybe the Olympics Ceremony should come with "a guidebook to dance interpertation" or something...lol.....

Ant

Edited February 13, 2010 by Ant+D+BabyA

[antda 13]

Oh oh...

Canadian vs. American in speed skating....

Now on tv!...

Go team Canada!

Ant

[Marilyn. 340]

when they read a portion of" Who has seen the wind?" at the beginning of that part, that kind of gave it away...

[CDAgirlMI 51]

I thought it was hillarious when one of the announcers (US channel) said that Stephen Harper wanted fans to be more like the American fans with respect to cheering & flag-waving.

??????

This guy obviously has never been to an international hockey game when Canada was playing!!!!