Iona Marques, Company Dancer
Company Dancer Iona tells us about her time in Qingdao…
Friday 25 March
Day 10
Ni hao Australia!
It’s day 10 of our China Tour and I am loving it! Old and new, traditional and modern, China is a BIG country and still growing… Constructions and development everywhere we’ve been! New roads, bridges, houses, shopping malls, you name it, and there’s no stopping it! Everything you’d expect from a country that has to cope with the demands of the biggest population on earth.
Today we are off to Qingdao, our fourth stop on the tour so far. And for almost three days Sophia Hotel will be our home. Just a couple of blocks from the beach, this has to be the most beautiful place so far! Looking out to the Yellow Sea, Qingdao is famous for hosting the sailing competitions in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Day 11
Pearls, Qingdao Markets
Day 11 starts with a beautiful buffet breakfast (and it has been like this in all our stops), and what’s not to like: cereal, toast, eggs, bacon, fried rice, noodles, dumplings, a variety of choices for everyones taste. Today is our day off and we don’t lose any time, we are off SHOPPING! For everybody out there that LOVES a good shopping experience China has to be the BEST place for it! You can find anything you want, and the price is yours to fight for. Hopefully you walk away leaving behind some ‘angry’ vendors (that means you got a good deal!). I have to say I saw many ballet girls running around at the markets as excited as we would be minutes before a premiere of a new show. Including me! I can only hope I will have the strength, and will be within the weight limit of Singapore Airlines, to get it all back home.
After spending all our allowance in hand bags we head to May Fourth Square. Couples, families, young and old are enjoying this beautiful sunny day hanging out by the sea. Some flying their kites, others just strolling along the long park walk. What a day!
Iona bumps into Bugs Bunny at May Fourth Square
Day 12
Day 12 and we are ready to dance! The theatre is just a few minutes down the road and the theatre…WOW! Like all the other ones we’ve performed so far it is a state of the art. New, big, excellent facilities, all you would want to see from a performing arts centre. Our performance of The Little Mermaid is sold out! And for our second cast that had their premiere tonight it’s all good news! Mel as Mermaid, Keian as the Prince, Sarah as the Princess and Alex as the Sea
Sarah Thompson, Keian Langdon and Melissa Tattam in The Little Mermaid
Witch – they rocked it! Well done for all the cast and crew! We all have been working hard and deserve a good round of applause.
Day 13
Day 13 and we are going…to Zhengzhou…but I’ll leave it to someone else to finish this story…
Iona
Photos by Kathleen Doody
More exciting news! Thank you so much, and also for the photos. It is almost as good as being there…..well, not really! Congratulations to all. I am sure all Queensland is proud of its State Company, and I know that you are flying the flag very well over there.
Chookas for the remaining performances from Lyn Denny
My Iona, so beautiful and full of life, open smile and a heart the size of the world. I’m glad you’re living this magnificent experience. Bringing the profession she loves to other people and becoming familiar with new cultures.
Many stories on your return, I want to hear them, so they can travel through your tales.
A big kiss Nona. Miss you a lot, mom.