VOA标准英语2012--Artists Preview London Cultural Olympiad in New York

 Artists Preview London Cultural Olympiad in New York

Participating artists and journalists gathered Wednesday at New York’s Gramercy Park Hotel to talk about the event.

Festival director Ruth Mackenzie said 25,000 artists, representing all 204 countries participating in the Olympics, will host 12,000 events in 900 venues¹ across the United Kingdom. She said the event has traditionally been connected with the famed international athletic² contest. 

"This festival goes back to ancient Greece, where artist and athletes were both equal," Mackenzie explained. "They both competed in the Olympics. Actually, artists kept getting medals until the Olympics of 1948. And we want to have a festival, where artists and athletes and learning are the three equal pillars."

Mackenzie said artists and athletes train hard, take risks, and strive³ "to go beyond their personal best" to achieve excellence⁴. 

"And I think it's important that we recognize that athletes and artists are both equal in their ability to inspire and amaze us," she said. 

A dance called "The Human Fountain," produced American choreographer⁵ Elizabeth Streb was featured in a video presentation. Thuds could be heard as dancers fell safely from a great height. Streb's group spent the past two years planning and developing its acrobatic city-wide contributions to the London 2012 Festival.

"And it is a series of extreme surprises that will be a 'pop-up' bunch of events on this one day, from dawn to midnight," explained Streb. "And I am inventing things that I have never before even imagined the body could do."

Several British-American projects are planned. The Wooster Group, an experimental theater group in New York known for combining film, video and non-traditional elements, will perform Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida" with the Royal Shakespeare Company. The Wooster Group will play the Trojans in its own style, and the Royal Shakespeare Company will play the Greeks in its traditional style.

1 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

2 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

3 strive   

vi.努力，奋斗，力争

参考例句：

• Don't strive merely for quantity of production.在生产中不要单纯地追求数量。
• The scientists strive for a breakthrough in cancer research.科学家们力争在癌症研究方面有个突破。

4 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

5 choreographer   

n.编舞者

参考例句：

• She is a leading professional belly dancer, choreographer, and teacher. 她既是杰出的专业肚皮舞演员，也是舞蹈设计者和老师。 来自辞典例句
• It'stands aside, my choreographer of grace, and blesses each finger and toe. 它站在一旁，我优雅的舞蹈指导，并祝福每个指尖与脚尖。 来自互联网