Mass games
Encyclopedia
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
or gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
in which large numbers of performers take part in a highly regimented performance that emphasizes group dynamics rather than individual prowess.
Methods
The effect of displaying huge images is achieved by having a large number of performers, each dressed in a particular color or holding a sheet of colored cardboard above their head. Because of the vast scale of the performance, often with tens of thousands of performers, mass games are performed in stadiums, often accompanied by a background of card-turners occupying the seats on the side opposite the spectators. Rapid change of images is achieved by exchanging one card for another in a swift and synchronized movement. Synchronization is achieved by means of several hours of rehearsals and much detailed choreography.History
Mass games developed alongside 19th century nationalistNationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
movements, particularly the Czech Sokol
Sokol
The Sokol movement is a youth sport movement and gymnastics organization first founded in Czech region of Austria-Hungary, Prague, in 1862 by Miroslav Tyrš and Jindřich Fügner...
movement, as they embodied youth, strength, militarism, and unity.. Participants were factory workers brought in by Party Secretaries.
In Romania the communist government organized compulsory mass games after Communist Party leader Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
and his wife had visited China and seen such games there. These days were the hardest working days of the year since every individual was required to participate along with his fellow workers. Being late on this day or not shouting the party leader's name loudly enough would lead to being reported by fellow workers and to prosecution.
Current performances
Today, mass games are regularly performed only in North KoreaNorth Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
, where they take place to celebrate national holidays such as the birthdays of rulers Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
and Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
. In recent years, they have been the main attraction of the Arirang Festival
Arirang Festival
The Grand Mass Gymnastics and Artistic Performance Arirang are held in the Rungrado May Day Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea...
in Pyongyang. The 2004 documentary film A State of Mind
A State of Mind
A State of Mind is a 2004 documentary film directed by Daniel Gordon and produced by Nicholas Bonner. The film follows two North Korean child gymnasts and their families for over eight months during training for the 2003 Pyongyang mass games...
details the training of two young girls from Pyongyang who perform in the mass games.
In Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, mass games were occasionally held during the Zname na mira ("Flag of Peace") international youth festivals. However, Bulgaria did not have a tradition of mass games, and performances were rare.
It was also in North Korea, between 1 August and 10 October 2011. The show was on 4 times a week. Tourists from all over the World including US passport holders were welcomed to the DPRK during Mass Games. The venue was in Pyongyang's May Day Stadium.