Nov 6
2009

promised a post about our trip last week to Disneyland Paris. In order to be a man of my word, here it is. Three different rambles follow below.

Money
Any increase in British visitors will be matched by a reported increase in the number of mortgage applications. Make no mistake, it is every bit as expensive as you are warned it will be. More so, actually. It makes motorway service stations look like charity shops. How much should a lunch-time cheeseburger, fries and bottle of water cost you? Did I hear someone suggest ten of our finest British pounds? Why, you would be right, sir.

And the other costs are equally appalling, be it food, drink, ice cream, gifts or small necessities. The place is capitalism red in tooth and claw. With a captive audience (like the motorway service stations), they pick a number out and charge it. This is not a complete rant against capitalism, but marks what unrestrained sin can do. Not that laws can make people good, but if there is no competition present to rein things in, sometimes there need to be other constraints. Of course, there won’t be any restrictions on the Mickey Mouse Empire while it rakes in so many Euros for France. And yes, this is small fry compared with far more pressing needs in the world. It’s just one example of what happens when greed runs rampant. No jokes about bankers, please.

Behaviour
I also found the behaviour of the French interesting. Like any culture, the dominant characteristics were both good and bad. The hôtel staff couldn’t have been more obliging. On the other hand, many of the punters flouted the smoking bans and shoved anyone out of the way, children included, to get on a bus. I know it’s said that queuing is a peculiarly British thing, but to me it enshrines a value about fairness and equality. I know too you could  make similar credit and debit remarks about we Brits, and that none of these statements should be taken as blanket criticisms, as if one could stereotype everyone. However, it remains curious to me that certain positive and negative traits exhibit themselves within a culture. Maybe Pam BG could shed some Girardian light on this?

Story
In one park there is a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse holding hands. Beneath it is a plaque with some words from Michael D Eisner, who was Chief Executive of Disney when the Paris operation was opened in 1992. Eisner says that the company wanted to set up a park in Europe, because it was European folk tales that had originally inspired Walt. It was therefore a ‘coming home’ of sorts.

That is at least to some extent true – think Pinocchio or Peter Pan, for example. I’m not sure how they justified their expansion to Japan, mind you!

However, one thing you inevitably can’t escape in Disneyland is the notion of story and narrative. In the Frontierland section, you realise how Disney used to tell a story of the Wild West that wasn’t sensitive to Native Americans. But it’s OK, because then they discovered Pocahontas. On the ride called ‘It’s A Small, Small World’, you travel on a boat past models of children from all around the world in their different costumes and cultures, all singing the song after which the ride is named. It becomes a narrative: everywhere, around the world, however different we are, we are really all the same underneath. (To which the Christian wants to answer both ‘yes’ and ‘no’, I think.)

It reminded me of the importance of story. So many live by a big story, be it the ones told by capitalism, communism, Islam or Christianity. Others – fearing the postmodern suspicion that these stories are power-plays to include the privileged and exclude others – choose instead to populate their lives with little segments from here and there. But the privilege of the Christian witness or preacher is to help locate people in the story of God – the story of God’s redeeming, sacrificial love, which because it is sacrificial is not a power-play. God finds each one of us and places us in his dramatic, epic story of love. We then become facilitators, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to do the same. What a privilege.

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Sep 11
2009

We normally associate Disney Land with fun and frolic and kids. Apart from entertainment, Disney land has contributed its bit to education of the young in one way or the other. One such program, Disneyland Magic Music Days program, is an educational program for students of music, vocal arts, or dance.

Your group has the chance to demonstrate its natural endowment and to better it in a background that elevates learning and also have fun doing it. The program is available all year, and is open to schools, studios, and other organizations worldwide after auditioning for the program.

Workshops are held by professional maestros in the fields of acting, choreography, comedy, dancing, composing, singing, arranging, music, and conducting, who focus on ameliorating the specific talent of each member of the group. It is hard to find in one place a combination of such a gifted faculty which has made its name in Hollywood and New York amongst other places in the world.

Different type of groups and individuals can audition on different platforms. For example instrumental and vocal groups and dancers can audition to perform on one of Disneyland stages and marching bands for the famous Disneyland parades.

Disneyland Magic Music Days is an experience by it self wherein along with performing at the happiest and most lovable place on earth you get the benefits of world class workshops to add to your talent.

Soundtrack/instrumental workshop, the soundtrack jazz workshop, the tune in seminar, and the percussion workshop for instrumental groups and marching bands: the industry show choir workshop, academy show choir workshop, the academy vocal workshop, the industry vocal workshop, and the express yourself workshop for vocalists the industry dance workshop, academy dance workshop, and the express yourself workshop for dancers: Disneyland Magic Music Days has it all and for all performers. Special workshops are arranged for vocalists and vocalists groups.

Being at Disneyland Magic Music Days in once in a life time opportunity for your group. The performance alone will be an event to remember whereas the information and breeding that the young performers will acquire is priceless.

Each member of each group receives an 8 x 10 glossy picture of their entire group, in full performance attire, in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle. Although you will not need any help remembering your time at Disneyland Magic Music Days, this photo is an excellent souvenir to share with your friends and loved ones on return from the most unforgettable performance and talent enhancement that you will ever have.

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