Chengdu, China – At the half-way mark of their groundbreaking 16-day cultural exchange tour across China, the members of the University of Georgia Redcoat Marching Band already have memories that will last a lifetime. They have climbed the Great Wall of China to do the "Call the Dogs" cheer at its summit ("Go Dawgs, Sic'em, woof, woof, woof").
In Kunming, a city of some 7 million people near China's border with Vietnam and Myanmar, the band's almost two-hour marching performance in a sold-out 10,000-seat soccer stadium was received warmly by the crowd, who eagerly followed the instructions for the "Spell Georgia Cheer" and offered rousing applause when the band formed a map of China while playing the traditional Chinese folk song, "Jasmine." A dancing and twirling performance by the band's Georgettes, Majorettes and Flag Line to a medley of Michael Jackson songs was a favorite, and the crowd was involved with clapping and cheering during performances of the classical "Carmen" by Bizet and "1812 Overture" by Tchaikovsky. The irony of a Russian composer's music being played by an American band for a Chinese audience was evident. The crowd was equally enthusiastic for the Redcoats' rousing rendition of "Hey, Baby (Won't You Be My Girl)." It included a section in which the musicians put down their instruments and break into song and dance, a common practice in traditional Chinese performances.
In Chengdu, a city of some 14 million people in the west-central part of China, a tourist-oriented market village provided a remarkable backdrop Saturday for a traditional Redcoat parade down the street for several city blocks, concluding with a concert in formation of several UGA fight songs accompanied by baton and flag-twirling performances by the auxiliaries. Traditional Chinese architecture surrounded the most American of performances, as thousands of people crowded in for a view from street level to upper-story windows and rooftops. A crowd of 18,000 viewed the band’s performance and the local television station carried the two-hour performance live and without interruption.
At every stop of the tour, members of the audience have enthusiastically interacted with individual Redcoats at the conclusion of the performance, posing for pictures with the band members and seeking autographs. In some cities, members of the audience were seeing tall, blonde, red-headed or black-skinned people in person for the first time — something previously known to them only through motion pictures. After posing for picture after picture for more than a half-hour in his impressive regalia, Redcoat drum major Ty Carnes said, "That's the coolest thing I've ever done in my life!"
The Redcoats and their leaders have also been interviewed on television and by newspaper reporters. The students have been delighted to see commercials on Chinese television promoting their upcoming performances. The band's leadership has been hosted at several traditional Chinese banquets, including one with the provincial governor at Kunming.
In addition to their day at the Great Wall, the Redcoats visited the Panda Research Center at Chengdu. They will also visit the Pearl of the East Tower at Shanghai, among the world's tallest free-standing structures. Other performances are scheduled in Xiamen and Nanjing, with the tour reaching a climax in the 80,000-seat stadium at Shanghai on Sunday, May 28.
The "China Band" of the Redcoats consists of 297 members of the usual full band of 385 members. An additional 15 directors, graduate assistants, and support staff have accompanied the students on the trip, including a parent who is a medical doctor. The Redcoat Band tour of China is hosted and underwritten in part by the U.S.-China Cultural and Educational Foundation, which provided $1.1million in support. The individual travelers paid $1,654 each to cover a portion of the expenses, primarily air travel to and from China. Within the nation, the band moves from city to city by dividing into multiple airplane flights — usually five or six different flights — and within the cities travels in an entourage of eight buses under police escort.
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