Improving the World... One Interaction At A Time.
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.
I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.
Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Denmark
Country: Denmark
Continental Location: Northern Europe/Scandanavia
What They Call Themselves: Danes, Danish
Primary Language: Danish
Prominent Cities: Copenhagen [capital], Billund, Zealand, Odense
Famous/ Historical sites: LEGOLAND (Billund)
Currency: Danish Krone
Starter Phrases:
Welcome: Velkommen (Vell-KO-men)
Hello: Hallo, Goddag (God-AHG)
Goodbye: Farvel (Far-VELL)
Thank you: Tak (TOCK)
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Queen Magrethe II (reigning monarch); Hans Christian Anderson (fairy tale author, “The Little Mermaid”, “The Ugly Duckling”), Karen Blixen aka Isak Dinesen (author, “Out of Africa”); Viggo Mortensen (American-Danish actor, “Lord of the Rings”, “Eastern Promises”; Bridgette Nielsen (actress, “Red Sonja”); Scarlett Johansson (American=Danish actress); Jean Hersholt (Oscar winning actor, deceased; namesake of the Oscars’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award); Victor Borge (comic/ musician); Morten Anderson (retired kicker, all-time leading scorer in NFL history).
-Denmark is made up of a peninsula (called Jutland) and 443 named islands.
-Shakespeare’s dramatic masterpiece “Hamlet” is set in Denmark. “There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark!”
-Queen Magrethe is an accomplished painter whose illustrations were used in the Danish translation of “Lord of the Rings.”
-In the middle ages, the Danes were known as Vikings.
-Greenland, the world’s largest island, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
-LEGO building blocks are a Danish toy. “LEGO” comes from the Danish phrase “Play well.” Originally made of wood in 1932, LEGO blocks took on their current plastic form in 1958.
-Beowulf is a fictional Danish/Viking Hero of the Middle Ages.
-Bubblegum pop group Aqua (“Barbie Girl”, “Cartoon Hero’s”, “Aquarius”, among a few other hits) are Danish.
-Universal’s Oscar winning best picture “Out of Africa” is based on a novel by Danish author Karen Blixen (played by Meryl Streep in the film.)
What To Avoid:
Confusing Danes for the Dutch (natives of the Netherlands).
A Performers Guide to Cultural Interactions
By William Draven
As an actor at a major motion picture studio, and theme park in Hollywood, as well as a magician I frequently get the opportunity to entertain for from all over the world. A year ago or so a document was released within our entertainment department that outlined different countries, and some good information you can use to create meaningful, lasting encounters with their people.
I immediately saw the advantage of this information for the magician community because what are we if not entertainers? We can use just about any tool at our disposal to help create that one magic moment with our audience that can make it even that much more memorable. So I got permission to share the information with you. Of course this project will take some time to post up, so I'll be updating this based upon two factors. The first being how well received, and appreciated it is from you the community, and the second how relevant the community feels this information is as applied to their lives. That is to say if not encouraged, I won't keep it up. Otherwise, I'll post new threads titled: "Improving The World: {country name}" that that specific file relates to.
Without any further delay, I bring you our next country: Denmark
Country: Denmark
Continental Location: Northern Europe/Scandanavia
What They Call Themselves: Danes, Danish
Primary Language: Danish
Prominent Cities: Copenhagen [capital], Billund, Zealand, Odense
Famous/ Historical sites: LEGOLAND (Billund)
Currency: Danish Krone
Starter Phrases:
Welcome: Velkommen (Vell-KO-men)
Hello: Hallo, Goddag (God-AHG)
Goodbye: Farvel (Far-VELL)
Thank you: Tak (TOCK)
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Queen Magrethe II (reigning monarch); Hans Christian Anderson (fairy tale author, “The Little Mermaid”, “The Ugly Duckling”), Karen Blixen aka Isak Dinesen (author, “Out of Africa”); Viggo Mortensen (American-Danish actor, “Lord of the Rings”, “Eastern Promises”; Bridgette Nielsen (actress, “Red Sonja”); Scarlett Johansson (American=Danish actress); Jean Hersholt (Oscar winning actor, deceased; namesake of the Oscars’ Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award); Victor Borge (comic/ musician); Morten Anderson (retired kicker, all-time leading scorer in NFL history).
-Denmark is made up of a peninsula (called Jutland) and 443 named islands.
-Shakespeare’s dramatic masterpiece “Hamlet” is set in Denmark. “There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark!”
-Queen Magrethe is an accomplished painter whose illustrations were used in the Danish translation of “Lord of the Rings.”
-In the middle ages, the Danes were known as Vikings.
-Greenland, the world’s largest island, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
-LEGO building blocks are a Danish toy. “LEGO” comes from the Danish phrase “Play well.” Originally made of wood in 1932, LEGO blocks took on their current plastic form in 1958.
-Beowulf is a fictional Danish/Viking Hero of the Middle Ages.
-Bubblegum pop group Aqua (“Barbie Girl”, “Cartoon Hero’s”, “Aquarius”, among a few other hits) are Danish.
-Universal’s Oscar winning best picture “Out of Africa” is based on a novel by Danish author Karen Blixen (played by Meryl Streep in the film.)
What To Avoid:
Confusing Danes for the Dutch (natives of the Netherlands).