httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA-tOsM6F4Y
Maybe I’ve been hanging out with too many ladybodys in Macau, but this is pretty damn cool. Lin Yu sings Dolly Parton classic on Taiwanese talent show Super Star Avenue, giving his all for the $1 Million prize. (Parton wrote and first recorded the song, which Whitney Houston later recorded.)
A sad day today for our Cirque family. This is the first time a Cirque artist has died while rehearsing/performing their discipline. Here in Macau at the ZAIA show it’s very quiet today. Artists are thinking of the family and their pain, as I’m sure artists in other Cirque shows worldwide are also doing today.
The Canadian Press
Date: Saturday Oct. 17, 2009 8:18 PM ET
MONTREAL — A Cirque du Soleil performer, who fell off a trampoline during a training session Friday, has died of his injuries. The company said Oleksandr Zhurov (Sacha) died in a Montreal hospital Saturday.
Lady Gaga performed in Macau at the Sands Venetian Casino (where I work with Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA show) as the final concert of her tour. There is an interview released by CNN here:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/25/lady.gaga/index.html?iref=intlOnlyonCNN
Lady Gaga attended our Cirque ZAIA show the night before her performance.
Thought someone might find this interesting. This is the #1 conversation in Asia right now between residents and Americans:
Chinese: Where you from?
American: From America.
Chinese: *smile* America very good. You like Obama?
American: Yes, very much.
Chinese: *Big Smile* I also like Obama.
Now we’re best friends… I’ve had this same conversation in Macau, Vietnam and Thailand. Everyone is happy.
Kung Hei Fat Choy 2009 (Happy Chinese New Year) from the cast of ZAIA. 2009 is the Year of the Ox. Macau will be a crazy one week party starting the week of January 26 2009 for the week long Chinese New Year celebrations.
Around 1996 I was in Tokyo for New Years Eve celebrations with monks ringing gigantic bells with wooden rams. But this is my first CHINESE New Years in China. Techs of Cirque’s ZAIA show were here for the 2008 Fat Choy, but this is the first one for artists of Zaia. We’ve been told “Macau will shut down” during the holiday week.
We’ve all been given red envelopes with the ZAIA embossed logo to fill with money and give to locals for good luck; another traditiion of Chinese New Years. Our work week includes 11 shows for the celebrations, along with many special mini performances around the Venetian in Macau. Anyone know where I can buy some fireworks?
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDtLt7HANF4
30 second clip of our ZAIA special New Year’s Eve countdown party and Cirque performance in Macau.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrfLl2z2w54
A film by Davy McGuire 2008 showing the cast of Zaia from training in Montreal to opening in Macau at the Venetian Casino. The Zaia artists saw this for the first time in the green room at the Cirque Du Soleil Zaia Theater in Macau in October 2008.
At 1:19 there’s a photo of me outside in the snow in Montreal with other band members. I like this video a lot – it captures a little of the crazy energy and personalities working on our show.
Thanks for making the video Davy!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBkpeDjKZGY
Middle section includes interview with Sheldon Adelson – posted on YouTube August 27, 2007. Mr. Adelson talks about Macau and the new Cotai Strip developments.
My first trip into Zhuhai China included great shopping, great food, beggars and pickpockets. Zhuhai China is just over the border from Macau – in the Southeast part of China near Hong Kong. The strict visa restrictions have been lifted now that the Olympics are over so it’s a little easier for us Expats (Westerners living in China) to go back and forth over the border now. Photo above is the waterfront in Zhuhai, and you can see the buildings in Macau from this vantage point.