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: The Netherlands
Country: The Netherlands
Continental Location: Northwestern Europe
What They Call Themselves: The Dutch
Primary Language: Dutch
Prominent Cities: Amsterdam [capital], Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven.
Famous/ Historical sites: Anne Frank House & Rijks museum (Amsterdam); Peace Place.
Currency: The Euro
Starter Phrases:
Welcome: Welkom
Hello: Hallo
Good bye: Tot ziens (TOT zeens)
Good evening; Goedenavond (GOOD-en ah-vond)
Please and You’re Welcome: alstublieft (ALL-stewb-leeft)
Thank you: Dank u
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Vincent van Gogh (artist); Anne Frank (diarist); M.C. Escher (pioneering graphic artist); Rutger Hauer (actor; “Blade Runner,” “Batman Begins”); Famke Janssen (actress; “Goldeneye,” “X-Men”); Paul Verhoeven (director; “Showgirls,” “RoboCop”); Edward Lodewijk “Eddie” Van Halen (guitar genius)’ Alex Van Halen (drummer).
-The Netherlands is a kingdom and their reigning monarch is Queen Beatrix. Two of their twelve provinces are known as North and South Holland, hence the nickname.
-The Dutch are known for their windmills, tulips, clogs, delftware and Gouda cheese.
-Before beanie babies, baseball cards, and the beatles there was Tulip Mania! Between 1634, and 1637, early enthusiasm for the new flowers triggered a speculative frenzy now known as tulip mania and bulbs were then considered a form of currency. When the bubble burst, the Dutch economy experienced a collapse comparable to the modern dot.com burst.
-The 17th century, when the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the “Dutch Masters,” such as Rembrandt.
-Voetbal or soccer is very popular. The national team are the “ORANGE.” Orange is the historic national color of the Netherlands, originating from the coat of arms of the Dutch founding father William of Orange. They are perennial favorites to win international tournaments, and have lost the World Cup Final twice (1974/78).
-Indonesia and portions of South Africa were former Dutch colonies home to outposts of the Dutch East India Company.
-New York City was originally the Dutch Colony, New Amsterdam. A few places names remain: Brooklyn (after Breukelen), Flushing (Vlissingen), Harlem (Haarlem), Staten Island (“Island of the States”), and the Bronx (from the Swedish captain working for the Dutch who settled it). The Holland Tunnel, however, is named for the American civil engineer who designed it, Clifford Holland.
-The Van Halens were actually born in the Netherlands and moved to Pasadena as kids.
-The international court of justice called the “Peace Palace” is located in the Hague.
What To Avoid:
Confusion with the Danes (from Denmark); Comments about Amsterdam’s red light district.
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: The Netherlands
Country: The Netherlands
Continental Location: Northwestern Europe
What They Call Themselves: The Dutch
Primary Language: Dutch
Prominent Cities: Amsterdam [capital], Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven.
Famous/ Historical sites: Anne Frank House & Rijks museum (Amsterdam); Peace Place.
Currency: The Euro
Starter Phrases:
Welcome: Welkom
Hello: Hallo
Good bye: Tot ziens (TOT zeens)
Good evening; Goedenavond (GOOD-en ah-vond)
Please and You’re Welcome: alstublieft (ALL-stewb-leeft)
Thank you: Dank u
Cultural Notes:
Prominent People/ Celebrities: Vincent van Gogh (artist); Anne Frank (diarist); M.C. Escher (pioneering graphic artist); Rutger Hauer (actor; “Blade Runner,” “Batman Begins”); Famke Janssen (actress; “Goldeneye,” “X-Men”); Paul Verhoeven (director; “Showgirls,” “RoboCop”); Edward Lodewijk “Eddie” Van Halen (guitar genius)’ Alex Van Halen (drummer).
-The Netherlands is a kingdom and their reigning monarch is Queen Beatrix. Two of their twelve provinces are known as North and South Holland, hence the nickname.
-The Dutch are known for their windmills, tulips, clogs, delftware and Gouda cheese.
-Before beanie babies, baseball cards, and the beatles there was Tulip Mania! Between 1634, and 1637, early enthusiasm for the new flowers triggered a speculative frenzy now known as tulip mania and bulbs were then considered a form of currency. When the bubble burst, the Dutch economy experienced a collapse comparable to the modern dot.com burst.
-The 17th century, when the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the “Dutch Masters,” such as Rembrandt.
-Voetbal or soccer is very popular. The national team are the “ORANGE.” Orange is the historic national color of the Netherlands, originating from the coat of arms of the Dutch founding father William of Orange. They are perennial favorites to win international tournaments, and have lost the World Cup Final twice (1974/78).
-Indonesia and portions of South Africa were former Dutch colonies home to outposts of the Dutch East India Company.
-New York City was originally the Dutch Colony, New Amsterdam. A few places names remain: Brooklyn (after Breukelen), Flushing (Vlissingen), Harlem (Haarlem), Staten Island (“Island of the States”), and the Bronx (from the Swedish captain working for the Dutch who settled it). The Holland Tunnel, however, is named for the American civil engineer who designed it, Clifford Holland.
-The Van Halens were actually born in the Netherlands and moved to Pasadena as kids.
-The international court of justice called the “Peace Palace” is located in the Hague.
What To Avoid:
Confusion with the Danes (from Denmark); Comments about Amsterdam’s red light district.