b'Patric BasseExtract from: In what ways does a nation define itself through performance? Discuss with detailed reference to one (or possibly two at the most) performance contexts.Essay ExtractPatric BasseThe performance of nation has long been used by(IOC). By the 1920 games in Antwerp, iconic elements countries to reassert the borders of difference that dividelike the athletes parade, the lighting of the cauldron and us as people, solidifying the idea of a shared culturethe releasing of the doves for the opening ceremony, within a common boundary. Edensor described the nationwere already in place. At the heart of this, however, lies as a spatially distinguished bounded entity, possessingthe ritual ofthe artistic program, that must showcase borders which mark it as separate from other nationsthe Olympic virtue of humanism. The artistic program (Edensor 2002: 37); the idea of a nation striving to definehas often been used as a means for countries to perform itself as unique in its own right being the crucial part.themselves expressively to the wider world as they take The construction of the idea of nation therefore relies oncentre stage in hosting the games. Hosting the Olympics the performance of rituals, symbols and behaviours thatand having the chance to stage an opening ceremony has reinforce this distinguished bounded entity (ibid.) as anconsequently awarded countries the opportunity to use existence within the wider world, forming an imaginedritual to showcase a particular image of themselves; in turn political community (Anderson 1983: 6). The defining ofallowing them to manipulate or adjust global perception. a nation is also a simultaneous synthesis of internal self- One particularly strong example of this was the 1936 definition and ones ascription by others (Edensor 2002:Berlin games, dubbed the Nazi Games, as Germany 24), relying just as much on a nations own understandingattempted to sustain an image of white supremacy and of itself, as it does on how a nation is perceived byGerman superiority over Europe. As Edensor argued, the those outside of it. This essay, in its original entirety,masses are drawn together by such ceremonies (Edensor comparatively explores the Olympic opening ceremonies2002: 5) and are rendered powerless to resist[ing] the of Beijing 2008 and London 2012. It looks at elements ofoverwhelming appeal (ibid.) of the mass spectacle and so similarity and difference in order to analyse how countriespassively [ingest] ideological messages (ibid.) In order for use the ceremony as a performative device ofnationalthis image to appear as intended, the ritualistic part of the identity. This extract focuses on just Beijing 2008 and howperformance must remain central to the spectacle, as it did China portrayed an image of hybridity: a nation stooped inwith Beijing 2008 and London 2012.a rich past but also one of cutting-edge innovation leading the world into the future. Apart from the obvious inclusion of the standard elements (as listed by the IOC), drumming was used in both the One of the most powerful devices that nations haveBeijing 2008 and London 2012 opening ceremonies to used throughout the years to define themselves throughmaintain the spectacle of ritual within the performance, performance is the opening ceremony of the modernhowever each country used the drums to also perform Olympic Games, a mega-event of great proportion anda specific idea of nation; rewriting common perceptions prestige. Whilst competitive sport between nations hasfrom outer nations and reaffirming their own cultural always been one of the most potent sources of vibrant,boundaries. One of the most remarkable moments of the compressed national symbolism (Rowe 2012: 22) in termsBeijing 2008 opening ceremony was the drum sequence of evoking a strong sense of nation within rivalry and alsothat started the ceremony off at 8pm local time on the 8th representation, the Olympic opening ceremony has allowedday of the 8th month of the 8th year of the 21st century. As sport to merge with art to create a ceremony that fulfilledseen with the starting time and date, symbolism was heavily the original vision of Pierre de Coubertin (Coubertin 1997),prevalent in this drumming sequence and introduced the the founder of the International Olympic Committeeaudience to the style of performance that would follow; 15'