London Handover Ceremony

[Scotguy]

I think the London handover ceremony should involve:

Scottish Pipe band

Welsh choir

Indian dancers

Irish dancing

Opera singers

Robbie Williams and elton john singing

The making of tower bridge using the olympic colours and people making London awaits u in 2012

Any one have any ideas what they think?

[baron-pierreIV]

I think the London handover ceremony should involve:

Scottish Pipe band

Welsh choir

Indian dancers

Irish dancing

Opera singers

Robbie Williams and elton john singing

The making of tower bridge using the olympic colours and people making London awaits u in 2012

Any one have any ideas what they think?

Don't even anticipate it. It'll be anything but what you think it will be. Just don't build up your expectations. Instead, be prepared to be surprised.

[Adister]

Wait, how can you tell Scotguy21 that he's wrong? Do you know what's going to happen? Your from

San Francisco, so I'm geussing that you arn't one of the people that's coordinating the handover cermony, so how can you tell him he's wrong. Anthing could happen, that actually sound good, and could very well happen.

[mr.x]

Wait, how can you tell Scotguy21 that he's wrong? Do you know what's going to happen? Your from

San Francisco, so I'm geussing that you arn't one of the people that's coordinating the handover cermony, so how can you tell him he's wrong. Anthing could happen, that actually sound good, and could very well happen.

Well, nobody could predict what Beijing and Vancouver were really planning....so why would you know about London?

[Scotguy]

Wait, how can you tell Scotguy21 that he's wrong? Do you know what's going to happen? Your from

San Francisco, so I'm geussing that you arn't one of the people that's coordinating the handover cermony, so how can you tell him he's wrong. Anthing could happen, that actually sound good, and could very well happen.

Thanks for sticking up for me, i know what he means tho that i shuldnt expect but I did this with Atlanta and it was better than i thought.

Just a bot of fun to see other peoples ideas

[Guardian]

Well, being Great Britain here, it is hard to say. In fact, it could be anything because GB has a very dynamic history and culture.

[Colonel Iredale]

Word of advice. If you seriously want to plan and submit a proposal for any Olympic (or Commonwealth or whatever) Ceremony, don't publicly tell others your ideas.

[baron-pierreIV]

Word of advice. If you seriously want to plan and submit a proposal for any Olympic (or Commonwealth or whatever) Ceremony, don't publicly tell others your ideas.

Actually, Andrew, it doesn't matter.

#1 - They have gotten to Organizing these big events now down to a science that:

a. They will call for a tender; and

b. They would couple a renowned local name (that Greek guy, Zhiang Yimou and Ang Lee) with int'l names of those who have already done it (Ric Birch, Jack Morton, etc.). So, you have to be a name.

or

#2 - After they've put out a tender, they will just cull the best ideas from the submissions. After all, (i) where else could you mount such an idea on such a scale -- if those were feasible?; and (ii) they so legally state in the Terms of their tender that your submissions become their property and that they MAY or may NOT compensate/credit you because their hired hands may have conceived the same ideas.

So, unless you personally know someone in the Org Committee who will listen to your ideas, the doors are pretty much closed if you are a nobody.

Edited October 25, 2006 by baron-pierreIV

[Olympian2004]

I think the London handover ceremony should involve:

Scottish Pipe band

Welsh choir

Indian dancers

Irish dancing

Opera singers

Robbie Williams and elton john singing

The making of tower bridge using the olympic colours and people making London awaits u in 2012

Any one have any ideas what they think?

Your scenario won't happen -- they've only got eight minutes for the little handover ceremony. It'll be impossible to squeeze so many different acts into such a small slot.

And I also don't expect Indian dancers. The possible Delhi 2016 bidders would certainly not like that. Seriously: Handover ceremonies always consist of something very typical for the respective host country. And Indian dancing is simply no part of traditional British culture.

You could be right with the Scottish Pipe band but if they really use such very traditional elements, I expect them to be included in something very modern which embodies the "Cool Britannia" image. Don't ask me what it could be exactly. But I expect it to be very creative, far away from the rather dull presentation of Vancouver 2010 in Torino.

[Scotguy]

Your scenario won't happen -- they've only got eight minutes for the little handover ceremony. It'll be impossible to squeeze so many different acts into such a small slot.

And I also don't expect Indian dancers. The possible Delhi 2016 bidders would certainly not like that. Seriously: Handover ceremonies always consist of something very typical for the respective host country. And Indian dancing is simply no part of traditional British culture.

There is no reason why this cannot happen, Sydneys presentation in atlanta was very very good, loads of props and people involved and also look at delhis commonwealth games handover in melbourne this year it was mass presented with thousands of people.

As for the Indian dancer today more than ever the UK need to promote its diversity and there are many different cultures living in London that leaving them out of it would be very unfair

[Olympian2004]

There is no reason why this cannot happen, Sydneys presentation in atlanta was very very good, loads of props and people involved and also look at delhis commonwealth games handover in melbourne this year it was mass presented with thousands of people.

It doesn't matter whether the ceremony has thousand or only ten participants -- but it does matter whether it will be only hree segments or six, seven, eight. How do you want to have Elton John, Robbie Williams, opera singers and a Welsh choir perform their respective songs within only eight minutes and still have some time left for the entrance of the bagpipers and the Indian and Irish dancers? It's simply impossible! And you also ask too much of the spectators when you want them to perceive so many different acts and performers within such a short time.

As for the Indian dancer today more than ever the UK need to promote its diversity and there are many different cultures living in London that leaving them out of it would be very unfair

Well, than you have to include all 200 foreign cultures represented in London, and not only the Indian. What about, for example, the Pakistanis? Aren't they the biggest foreign ethnic group in London? And not to forget, of course, the Chinese, the Kenyans, the Brazilians, the Mexicans, the Japanese, the Lebanese, ... (and so on).

And why wasn't it unfair that, for example, Sydney didn't present its ethnic diversity in its handover ceremony?

[baron-pierreIV]

As for the Indian dancer today more than ever the UK need to promote its diversity and there are many different cultures living in London that leaving them out of it would be very unfair

Question to scot: Then how come Delhi's hand-over segment in Melbourne didn't feature 'veddy English' images (English gentlemen, bowler hats, bobbys (bobbies?), London doubledecker buses, Dorset gardens, etc., etc.,) if you are so advocating Indian dancing in London's OC? I mean turn-around is fair play.

Scot, the 'diversity' thing is good when you are securing the bid. But when it comes to the actual Ceremony, you use the concepts that are indigenous to the hosting locale. You so loved Atlanta's Ceremonies -- (which is totally understandable because they were simply the GREATEST so far!!) :, but break it down. They had:

1. The Call of the Olympic Spirits - the coming together of the 5 tribes of Color (a fantasy segment)

2. "Welcome to Atlanta" (the high-stepping, high energy portion showing the youth and energy of the host city and American collegiate youth (and the pick-up trucks to accent the South; aside from which it was cheap to recruit all those college cheerleaders);

3. Tribute to the South (the region): the writers, the Southern Spirits, the River, the Civil War, the re-Birth and Regeneration of a region torn by war)

4. The Temple of Zeus (an homage to ancient Greece and the origin of the Games since those were the 100th anniversary of the Games.)

Barcelona:

1. Las Ramblas (salute to the prominent boulevard of the host city - local);

2. moving on to the Sardana (a Catalan specialty - the immediate autonomous region of Catalonia);

3. then the flamenco, Spanish dancing (the host nation)

4. finally, the Mediterranean Sea segment (the larger region - interpreted in a surrealistic, fantasy manner)

Salt Lake City's Opening Ceremony Artistic portion:

1. retrospective on the past Winter Games

2. "Light the Fire Within" ice show (fantasy featuring the Theme of those Games)

- introducing the 'Children of Light' (another subtheme of the show)

(Entrance of the Atheletes)

3. Native American Suite (finally, American-Indian culture was featured in an Olympic Ceremony -- one of the 5 tribes were the Utes);

4. the Settlers coming to the Utah area

- fantasy segment on the animals of the Western landscape (too bad, didn't feature Coal, Copper and Powder)

- the Hoe-Down and the arrival of the Transcontinenal railroad in SLC

Did these feature non-indigenous segments? No. Because those would simply be OUT of place. All the segments of successful Ceremonies tie into the local lore and native ways of the hosting area. (scot, r u thinking of doing a segment on non-native life forms for London? Now, that would be a first.)

Sydney had a section on ARRIVALS -- but that's because Australia is a nation of immigrants (or made the concept fit the Olympic theme anyway).

Now, if, going by your thinking, Delhi 2010 featured quintessential English life in its CWG ceremonies, then certainly the onus falls on London 2012 to reciprocate and feature your 'Indian/Bollywood' dancing segment in their Ceremonies. Don't you think that would only be fair then?

Edited October 26, 2006 by baron-pierreIV

[Scotguy]

[quote name='baron-pierreIV' date='Oct 26 2006, 12:11 PM' post='91884'

Now, if, going by your thinking, Delhi 2010 featured quintessential English life in its CWG ceremonies, then certainly the onus falls on London 2012 to reciprocate and feature your 'Indian/Bollywood' dancing segment in their Ceremonies. Don't you think that would only be fair then?

I do understand what you are saying, although the way in which i was meaning was that the indian culture is very dominant in most parts of the uk today, as certain cities such as London and Birmingham have enourmous Indian and Pakistani communities. In India the British culture is no longer the way of life and therefore would have been inapproprite in their handover.

However in Britain today, The Asian culture is very evident and increasing, and a small item in the London handover ceremony to show that London is changing and incorporating its second culture would show the world how diverse and accepted it is and would also make the Asian community feel a sence of pride and excitement about the next games.

Yes Barcelona and Atlanta did not address such issues but what we have to remember is that this is now 10 - 15 years on and London is probably the most multicultural City in the world and is not slowing down. im not talking about a huge segment but something mayb along the lines of Manchester 2002 closing ceremony were huge lanterns with shapes representing the different religions in the city would be good.

[baron-pierreIV]

I really can't believe how serious you are about this far-out idea of yours. Scotg, don't quit your day job yet.

(BTW, I still have to fully view the Melbourne Closing Ceremony. Just haven't had the time.)

[Scotguy]

(BTW, I still have to fully view the Melbourne Closing Ceremony. Just haven't had the time.)

I think that th eMelbourne closing ceremony is probably the best closing i have ever seen. What do you think?

[baron-pierreIV]

I think that th eMelbourne closing ceremony is probably the best closing i have ever seen. What do you think?

SG, as I just said... I haven't really had time to sit down and view it in full at leisure. So I'll be sure to alert the media and GB once I have done so.

Edited October 27, 2006 by baron-pierreIV

[Rob2012]

Yes Barcelona and Atlanta did not address such issues but what we have to remember is that this is now 10 - 15 years on and London is probably the most multicultural City in the world and is not slowing down. im not talking about a huge segment but something mayb along the lines of Manchester 2002 closing ceremony were huge lanterns with shapes representing the different religions in the city would be good.

I'd rather religion was left out if I'm honest. For sure, have people of different religions/races involved, but trying to overplay the whole multicultural thing will look (1) like a huge PR stunt driven by overly politically-correct motives, and (2) as though the us Brits are ashamed/scared of having our traditional cultures dominate the ceremonies, which we shouldn't be.

Edited October 28, 2006 by Rob

[baron-pierreIV]

I'd rather religion was left out if I'm honest. For sure, have people of different religions/races involved, but trying to overplay the whole multicultural thing will look (1) like a huge PR stunt driven by overly politically-correct motives, and (2) as though the us Brits are ashamed/scared of having our traditional cultures dominate the ceremonies, which we shouldn't be.

I know.

What's with scotg? First Indian dancing for London 2012; then religion? How 'bout a suttee ceremony for 2012 then? That would satisfy his 2 extremely oddball criteria.

Scotg, these...innovative ideas of yours will never fly because the IOC vetts the Ceremonies concepts. Do you really think the IOC -- even if you found a production company suicidal enough to take on and advance your idea (which you won't) -- would even entertain such an idea? It might entertain them -- I mean, they'd have a good laugh -- and then kick those guys right out of the conference room.

Edited October 28, 2006 by baron-pierreIV