Talent show: kicking it up laowai style
(China Daily 04/21/2012 page1 Sun Li)
An Indian dance performed by Indian student Harshit Tailor (right) creates a sensation on stage during a talent show for foreign students at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. Zhu Xingxin / China Daily
Talent programs on the small screen may be waning in the wake of tighter rules from broadcast regulators, but such shows are making it big among foreign students on university campuses.
"I like music and often perform songs in the dorm with my friend," said Fivaldy Halwa, an Indonesian student of administrative management at Beijing's University of International Business and Economics.
Halwa and his performing partner Ashfa Abid Suyoto won the popularity award at the university's 2012 Laowai Idol for their performance of Jason Mraz's hippie hit I'm Yours.
"I felt awesome on stage. The event allowed me to show my musical passion and boosted my confidence. I'll give it another shot when it runs next time," said Halwa, who was participating in a talent show for the first time.
The event, hosted by the UIBE's School of International Education, turned out to be unadulterated fun as students from countries such as Indonesia, France and the United States pitted their artistic dexterity against one another, wowing a full-house audience with hip hop dance, solo gigs and band performances.
Giang Nguyen, a Vietnamese student and president of the student union's art department, said the show, now in its third year, has become more appealing.
"Previous events were like private parties for international students, but now we have drawn the attention of and gained support from the university's authorities and Chinese students," Nguyen said.
The 2012 event also featured special guests such as Martin Cityzen, a US performer known for his modern rendition of old Chinese songs, and Ding Guangquan, a veteran crosstalk performer who has many foreign students.
About 3,000 international students from 120 countries study at the university, and helping them adapt to campus life is high on the university's agenda, said Zhao Zhongxiu, vice-president of UIBE.
"Through such activities, the university hopes to identify those foreign students with untapped talent and build a harmonious environment for them," he said.
Du Wei, who works at the international office of Renmin University of China, said many universities start such events because they not only provide a platform for foreign students to showcase their talent, but also bring joy to Chinese students.
Renmin University of China's International Student Talent Show always attracts a throng of Chinese who applaud ecstatically for a variety of performances such as skits, poem recitals and singing by the university's international students from such countries as Russia, Australia and Egypt, he said.
"It's hard to have a new talent show featuring Chinese performers, but when the stars are foreigners, there is a sense of novelty for Chinese people," he said, adding this year's event in late April will include a martial arts performance.
Shi Song, associate dean of the College of International Education of Nanjing Agricultural University, also feels a talent show is a grand gala for everybody in the university.
Last year, the university launched the first International Culture Festival, which featured a talent show that attracted the universities' international students from some 20 countries to strut their stuff.
"Many foreign students are so diligent that they spend a lot of time in the lab and classroom. It seems they are isolated from Chinese culture," Shi said.
"The festival was designed to offer foreign students a way to relax and enable them to better enjoy life in China," he said.
A plethora of acts from lion dance to traditional costume modeling also help Chinese faculty and students learn more, he said.
Last year, Ngoh Samuel Aziseh, an accounting student from Cameroon, who stood out from the university's activities with his Peking Opera performances, got a place in China Central Television's popular program Hanyu Zhi Xing (Chinese Star), a national competition to showcase student achievements in learning Chinese.
"The university's talent show brought a sense of accomplishment to many participants and enlivened the moods of many people," Shi said, adding this year's event, which will be held in October, could draw even more attention.
附:中文报道
留学生选秀大赛风行高校 打造文化交融的欢乐平台
尽管选秀节目在电视荧屏日渐式微,但在国内高校,针对外国留学生举办的选秀活动却正风生水起。
日前,有着“老外达人秀”美誉的北京对外经贸大学第三届老外偶像才艺大赛成功举办,来自十余个国家的留学生登台献艺,亮点频出。
据悉,对外经贸大学目前已有来自125个国家的3000余名留学生在校学习,在全校学生中占到了20%。为了不断丰富中外学生跨文化交流平台的内涵,该校国际学院通过举办老外偶像这样的活动,凸现了该校的国际化特色。
对外经贸大学副校长赵忠秀表示,他希望留学生们坚持梦想,在老外偶像的舞台上尽情展示才艺,并表示学校会积极支持此类活动,以充分发掘留学生中人才资源,构建国际化和谐校园。
在对外经贸大学学习行政管理的印尼学生非凡以一曲《I am Yours》在老外偶像才赛中获得了最佳人气奖。
“我之前从未参加过类似的比赛。报名参加老外偶像的目的就是调节生活并释放自己对音乐的激情,我很感谢学校给我提供了这样的平台,”非凡说。
经贸大学国际学院留学生会文艺部部长阮氏香江表示,该项赛事受到越来越多的关注,学生的参与程度也大为提高。
“以往两届比赛比较像是我们留学生的自娱自乐,但今年我们在宣传和组织方面都下足了功夫。并邀请了像相声表演艺术家丁广泉这样的特约嘉宾来助阵,吸引了很多观众来捧场,” 她说。
同样近期落下帷幕的还有中国人民大学第三届留学生汉语才艺大赛。该校留学生办公室的杜伟老师表示,这一活动旨在促进留学生对中国语言及文化的学习兴趣和水平,促进中外学生间的交流和友谊。
“每年留学生才艺大赛都会得到各国留学生的广泛参与,表演形式涉及相声、朗诵、独唱、合唱等,全方位展示了留学生的风采,” 杜伟说。
“今年的比赛有乐器演奏和武术表演,由于留学生呈现的这种选秀相对新颖,此类活动往往构成了高校文艺活动的特色内容,”他补充道。
“中国人民大学留学生汉语才艺大赛将持续举办下去,并努力建设成全校留学生的一个品牌活动,”他说。
南京农业大学国际教育学院副院长石松表示,留学生选秀节目是一种可以充分调动留学生积极性,让留学生更好融入中国生活的活动。
南京农业大学去年成功举办了国际文化节,其中的选秀环节吸引了来自越南、巴基斯坦、肯尼亚、奥地利、日本等13个国家的留学生参与。喀麦隆籍学生李瑞谦更是从中脱颖而出的校园之星,代表该校参加了去年CCTV汉语之星大赛,以京剧包公行头亮相,技惊四座。
石松表示此类选秀活动可以给参与者一种成就感。南京农业大学今年10月将举行新一届的国际文化节,学校也将积极给予支持,以充分展现留学生的才艺并丰富校园文化。(记者 孙力 摄影 朱兴鑫)
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《中国日报》: Talent show: kicking it up laowai style
中国日报网:留学生选秀大赛风行高校 打造文化交融的欢乐平台