Botanical Center Hosts Asian Festival
Visitors to the Quad-City Botanical Center on Sunday received a basic education in Far Eastern visual and performing arts during the third annual Asian Festival.
During his martial arts demonstration, Duane Spellious of Chung Kim’s Black Belt Academy told the audience that his specialty is called martial “arts” for a reason.
“It’s an art, like the flower arranging you saw earlier,” he said, referring to the ikebana demonstrations that started the celebrations. “Arts look easily done.”
Lisa Berger of Shoreview, Minn., drew the same conclusion while watching the martial arts maneuvers. “When they make it look easy, that’s when you know it’s hard. You know there’s talent there when they make it look like it’s nothing,” she said.
Berger, who came with her aunt from Rock Island, said they decided to see the festival during her visit because she enjoys horticulture and wanted to see the ikebana and bonsai being demonstrated and discussed. But the martial arts interest her, too.
“I’ve always liked the martial arts. Maybe this will light my fire to get me to try it,” she said.
People also came to learn more about green tea and the art of the Japanese tea party. With several volunteers barefoot and seated onstage, Izumi Haraki-Gordon demonstrated how the tea parties are orchestrated, down to the finest details. She was dressed in a formal kimono (robe) and obi (belt or wrap) that belonged to her mother. Haraki-Gordon is in the tea-trading business with her husband, Tony Gordon.
The native of Shizuoka, Japan, showed the proper way to be seated, fold a napkin, give and receive the tea bowl, eat sweets from toothpicks and to never, ever, drink the tea from the art side of the tea bowl.
“As guest, you should take time to admire the art first, then turn it, three times, before you drink,” she explained.
After being on the stage for the demonstration, Roberto Leone of Rock Island said his interest in the Asian Festival was threefold: he is interested in tea and its effects on the body; he is trying to gain a better understanding of Eastern cultures since a friend of his has adopted a baby from China; and he simply has a general interest in learning about other parts of the world.
“Getting the bigger picture helps us to live in a more peaceful world,” he said.
Jerry Zimmerman of Milan, Ill., founder of the Quad-City Bonsai Club, said he got drawn more than 30 years ago into the Eastern approach to gardening. His group had brought samples of trees and shrubs gardened in the bonsai style.
Zimmerman explained that “bonsai” means to plant in a shallow container. Anything else bonsai gardeners do is all a matter of personal style, he said.
The event wrapped up with dances by the Filipiniana Dancers. The women demonstrated dances from the Philippines in a combination of traditional and modern dress.
During his martial arts demonstration, Duane Spellious of Chung Kim’s Black Belt Academy told the audience that his specialty is called martial “arts” for a reason.
“It’s an art, like the flower arranging you saw earlier,” he said, referring to the ikebana demonstrations that started the celebrations. “Arts look easily done.”
Lisa Berger of Shoreview, Minn., drew the same conclusion while watching the martial arts maneuvers. “When they make it look easy, that’s when you know it’s hard. You know there’s talent there when they make it look like it’s nothing,” she said.
Berger, who came with her aunt from Rock Island, said they decided to see the festival during her visit because she enjoys horticulture and wanted to see the ikebana and bonsai being demonstrated and discussed. But the martial arts interest her, too.
“I’ve always liked the martial arts. Maybe this will light my fire to get me to try it,” she said.
People also came to learn more about green tea and the art of the Japanese tea party. With several volunteers barefoot and seated onstage, Izumi Haraki-Gordon demonstrated how the tea parties are orchestrated, down to the finest details. She was dressed in a formal kimono (robe) and obi (belt or wrap) that belonged to her mother. Haraki-Gordon is in the tea-trading business with her husband, Tony Gordon.
The native of Shizuoka, Japan, showed the proper way to be seated, fold a napkin, give and receive the tea bowl, eat sweets from toothpicks and to never, ever, drink the tea from the art side of the tea bowl.
“As guest, you should take time to admire the art first, then turn it, three times, before you drink,” she explained.
After being on the stage for the demonstration, Roberto Leone of Rock Island said his interest in the Asian Festival was threefold: he is interested in tea and its effects on the body; he is trying to gain a better understanding of Eastern cultures since a friend of his has adopted a baby from China; and he simply has a general interest in learning about other parts of the world.
“Getting the bigger picture helps us to live in a more peaceful world,” he said.
Jerry Zimmerman of Milan, Ill., founder of the Quad-City Bonsai Club, said he got drawn more than 30 years ago into the Eastern approach to gardening. His group had brought samples of trees and shrubs gardened in the bonsai style.
Zimmerman explained that “bonsai” means to plant in a shallow container. Anything else bonsai gardeners do is all a matter of personal style, he said.
The event wrapped up with dances by the Filipiniana Dancers. The women demonstrated dances from the Philippines in a combination of traditional and modern dress.
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posted by Davor Novakovic @ Monday, November 14, 2005
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