anime boston

We’ve been at the Hynes Convention Center at the anime convention for almost three hours and it is finally worth it. The registration process was not friendly—multiple lines, down long hallways. It took a long time to get a print out of the schedule for the day. They say we should be using an app, but I cannot download the app, I wanted Julia to have a paper schedule to choose from, and after being turned down by a few “officials”, I ask at the accessibility desk and insist.  Finally, someone admits that this is the first year they are not providing paper schedules.  I insist again, like the mother bear that I am, and a paper schedule is put in our hands but by that time, I am pissed off and grumbling and deliver a lecture on what accessibility means.  I’m not going to say it was not needed but I could have been nicer about it.  Not a proud moment.

But now . . . 

Julia is learning a dance in a k-pop dance workshop.  In a ballroom with at least 75 (maybe 100) other young men and women, mostly women. Two women teach on a slightly raised stage. They are clear and good at breaking the dance down into manageable chunks and repeating.  The actual singing group, Bebe performing Stay C, is projected on a large screen beside the two teachers. The dance is repeated at 50% and 75% of the speed of the song over and over. The dancers learn small chunks and dance. Every few learned chunks, the teachers review by going over everything that has been learned.   

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yes, morning

Morning. 

Two things.

We are in the middle of the mid-autumn festival.  I’ve read about it and expect the streets of pop up shops, kids toys and general junkies, and then stages filled with traditional dance and performance.  Well, there was a lot of little pop ups fulfilling the expectation, but the performance . . . . Julia was in heaven!  The stage that we were close to (and there are at least three stages) was a performance contest with singers and back up dancers doing a version of K-pop. Julia loves, loves, loves K-Pop.  And excuse me if I am unaware of a vibrant V-pop industry, but my information about pop music in general is from Julia.  Perhaps now, I will hear more V-pop during our days.

The music and performances were fun.  It took us awhile to find the right perch to see it from and when we did, we found screaming girls and young people who were singing along with some of the singers.  

So . . . so far, we’ve found karaoke in Hanoi and now k-pop.  This is an unexpected journey.

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