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Cherry Blossom Japan Fair Festival Saurka Days in Vancouver. The 2103 event takes place at the VanDusen Botanical Garden (5151 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC) April 06 & 07, 2013 from 10AM – 5PM. The World Umbrella Dance as choreographed by Shiamak Davar takes place on April 13, 2013 at the Vancouver Art Gallery at 12:45PM.

Ray Van Eng is an award-winning Photographer/Videographer, Screenwriter and Movie & TV Producer. One of his videos is currently on view at the Hava Nagila Exhibit, Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in Manhattan, New York, NY. from Sep 2012 to May 2013.

5151 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC

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Mexico Fest 2012 in Vancouver, Jack Poole Plaza, Canada Place, Sep 08, 2012.

After Mexican Consul General Angel Villalobos sang the national Anthem, Mexicanos, Al Grito de Guerra, and waved the Mexican flag, the democracy protestors began to gather in front of the audience just below the stage. Nevertheless, it was a peaceful demonstration and everyone was very respectful of each other resulting in no confrontation at all. The majority of the crowd continued to enjoy the fiesta with appearances by Yam and Los Claxons.

Consul General Angel Villalobos sang ‘Mexicanos, Al Grito de Guerra’

MexicoFest 2012 Independence Celebration & Democracy Protest

Jack Poole Plaza, 1100 Canada Place Vancouver BC

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Ali Milner, a Cover Me Canada Finalist, performed a Neil Young cover ‘After the Gold Rush’ at the Canada Fest 2012 on Aug 04, 2012. Canada Fest 2012 at Canada Place in Vancouver was a showcase community event to highlight Canadian culture and a celebration to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Milner played the piano and sang solo throughout the entire set as she sang songs that she wrote herself such as I Wanna Be Loved By You and covers like Whose ‘Bed Have Your Boots Been Under’ by Shania Twain and Neil Young’s ‘After the Gold Rush’.

Judging from the singer/songwriters whose work that Milner often covers which include Alannah Myles (Black Velvet), Avril Lavigne (Complicated), Jann Arden (Insensitive), Joni Mitchell (Both Sides Now), Paul Anka (Put Your Head on My Shoulder) etc., you do get an idea where she comes from musically.

Soft rocky, bluesy, soulful and very Canadian. Enjoy!

VIDEO – Ali Milner – ‘After the Gold Rush’

VIDEO – Ali Milner –‘I Wanna be Loved by You’

800 Canada Place Vancouver BC

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The Chinese Cultural Centre Museum (CCCM) and the Hanfu (ancient clothes of the Han cultural group which is the largest in China) Culture Society of Vancouver presented the Chinese Hanfu and Culture Exhibition from June 20 to July 14, 2012.

汉服文艺复兴在中山公园，中华文化中心。

Hanfu 汉服中国传统服饰 has an influence on the Kimono 和服 of Japan or the Hankok 韓服 of Korea. The basic style of the Hanfu was from the Shang Dynasty 戰國 商朝 (16th to 11th century BC). Much of the design stayed the same through to the Zhou Dynasty 周朝 (1046 – 256 BC). Until the Sui 隋朝 (589 AD – 618 AD) and the Tang dynasty 唐朝 (618 – 907 AD), Hanfu saw further refinement in style and the name 唐装 is taken from this period as well.

The exhibition featured Chinese traditional period dresses ranging from the Qin Dynasty 秦朝 to the Ming Dynasty 明朝.In recent years, Hanfu is seeing a renaissance as younger generations both in China and abroad want to re-discover their roots and view this particular style of traditional Chinese clothing as an embodiment of the many virtues of the Han group that symbolizes honesty, good mannerism, refined tastes, well-being, excellent cultural upbringing and other appealing natures.

On closing day July 14, 2012, a Hanfu dance was performed inside the cultural centre museum. But when I brought the models out into the adjacent Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, the dresses and the wearers really came alive. The clock was turned back. I sensed a real potential of a Hanfu Renaissance taking place in Vancouver.

Fashion comes and goes, but a clothing style that comes with a 3,000+ year old tradition has lasting values. It is seeing a comeback.

[Er-hu music by Joanna Wang. You can also catch her act at various Skytrain stations in the downtown area as Ms. Wang is a City of Vancouver-licensed street-performer.]

A Video by Ray Van Eng – Hanfu Renaissance

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, 578 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC

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The 2011 Canadian National Hip Hop Champions and Hip Hop International Grand Finalists, “FRESHH” from Fresh Groove Studios, Richmond performed at the Canada Day 2012 Celebration at Canada Place Vancouver on July 1, 2012. Choreographed by Cezar Tantoco, this dynamic group has performed at the Closing Ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Canada’s Got Talent, Vancouver’s “Summer Live” Festival and many other community events.

Jamaican Kingfish Limbo dancer Clifford Palmer did the limbo rock also to help celebrate the country’s 145th birthday and the 200th anniversary of the Battle of 1812.

A Video by Ray Van Eng – FRESHH HIP HOP

A Video by Ray Van Eng –Kingfish Limbo

999 Canada Place, Vancouver BC

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Edgar Muenala played the flute while a First Nations dancer performed an American Indian fancy shawl dance at A Window To The World 世界之窗 concert in Vancouver’s Granville Island Stage on June 24, 2012.

Edgar Muenala was born in Ecuador and has been living in Vancouver Canada and traveling the world to perform for more than 20 years. He was inspired by his native South American music and Asian culture and wanted to create a fusion of sounds that brought together different traditional instruments and a diversity of rhythms and electronic digital effects to form his own contemporary style.

A Video by Ray Van Eng – Edgar Muenala & Native American Dance

1800 Johnston Street, Vancouver BC

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The Zhambai Trio performed at The Drive on Car-Free Day Vancouver 2012. Instead of vehicle traffic, freedom and creativity roam. It affects everyone. Grown-ups played like kids on the street. Pedestrians stroll leisurely along the yellow line. African bongo drum, marimba and percussion music filled the air.

Band members include Kurai Mubaiwa (from Zimbabwe), Curtis Andrews and Navaro Franco.

VIDEO – Zhambai Trio @ The Drive

1200 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Canada

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Featured here are Cruz de Cristo from Portugal and Tamburica Orchestra Kardinal Stepinac from Croatia that performed at the EuroFest BC 2012, a pan-European cultural event that highlighted many of the smaller Euro nations such as Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan together with Russia, Spain, France, Germany and England. The one-day festivities which reflected Canada’s multiculturalism were organized by the EuroFest BC Society and took place on May 26, 2012 at the Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby, BC (right next to Vancouver).

Cruz de Cristo from Portugal

Tamburica Orchestra from Croatia

Swanguard Stadium, Burnaby BC

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It is Canada’s Multiculturalism at work. A Serbian dance performed by the Mlada Srbadija & Vuk Karadzic of Vancouver BC, Canada. The EuroFest BC 2012 is a pan-European cultural event that highlighted many of the smaller European countries such as Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, Armenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan together with Russia, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and England. Performed on the main stage at the Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby, BC (right next the city of Vancouver) are many dance group and singers from these nations. Thousands showed up to enjoy the festivities organized by the EuroFest BC Society on May 26, 2012.

VIDEO – EuroFest BC 2012 – Serbian Dance

Swanguard Stadium, Burnaby BC

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The Miss World Canada 2012 Gala Celebration included talent performances by contestants/delegates. Courtney Woodford from Triton, Newfoundland and Labrador sang an opera aria. Adding to the multicultural flavor of the evening, Poonam Punni and Nisheeth Proshanti danced to South Asian songs and music for some Bollywood-style entertainment. The night’s activities took place on May 13, 2012 at the River Rock Show Theatre in Richmond BC near Vancouver.

For the “Beauty with a Purpose” pageant (meant to emphasize both inner and outer beauty), Tara Teng of Langley BC was crowned the winner and will represent Canada to compete in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China for the Miss World 2012 title on August 18, 2012. Miss World Canada 2012 helped raise funds for Variety-The Children’s Charity.

VIDEO – Courtney Woodford opera singing


VIDEO – Poonam Punni and Nisheeth Proshanti South Asian act


River Rock Show Theatre – 8811 River Road, Richmond, BC

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