title: Epic Mickey

text: IGN gave it a score of 8/10, criticizing its camera, control issues and lack of voice acting, but praised its charm, story, art design, and lasting appeal for the players. Video game talk show "Good Game"s two presenters gave the game a 6 and 7 out of 10. They compared the paintbrush abilities to that of the water jet pack from "Super Mario Sunshine" and found it frustrating how the levels reset back to their original state after leaving. On a positive note, they said it "isn't as 'dark' or 'adult' as the hype made it out to be... I guess it is a kid's game after all, but at least it's an intelligent one. It doesn't come anywhere near the complexity and fun of something like "Super Mario Sunshine", which I think it borrows some ideas from". Shirley Chase from "GameZone" complimented the game on its usage of Disney history but added that the game had numerous flaws saying: "For all of its good points, "Disney Epic Mickey" does have some glaring flaws, which can make the game feel like a chore. The most noticeable problem is the camera, which will lead to more cheap deaths than anything else". In a review for GamesRadar, Chris Antista who began the article as an admitted "diehard Disney dork", praised it as a "thoroughly heartwarming salute to Disney" and that he hasn't "fallen so head over heels with the look, feel, and play of a third-person platformer since the original "Banjo-Kazooie"". G4TV also named it "Best Wii Game". Giant Bomb gave a negative review with 2/5 stars saying: "Nevermind these heightened expectations, though: even on its own merits, "Epic Mickey" is a platformer that feels about a generation behind, though one with just enough flashes of inspiration to keep you constantly aware of its wasted potential".


title: Epic Mickey

text: In its opening weekend, "Epic Mickey" failed to reach the UK Top 40 and even the Wii Top 10 sales charts after its November 26 UK release. On November 30, 2010, the release date in North America, the game was completely sold out on the Disney Store website by the afternoon. The game sold 1.3 million copies its first month. , the game sold 2 million copies in North America and Europe combined.


title: Epic Mickey

text: In August 2011, "Destructoid" posted an article that speculated that a sequel, "Epic Mickey 2", is in development and showed possible box art for the game. These rumours were further encouraged when Disney France and Warren Spector invited the French media to an "epic project" taking place on March 27, 2012. "Nintendo Power" magazine also commented on the rumour, stating that their April 2012 issue would include a "top-secret" title preview, with the preview for the issue showing a cropped-down picture of Oswald The Lucky Rabbit. Gametrailers.com also stated that their March 22, 2012 episode would include a "world-exclusive preview of Warren Spector's new epic adventure" and that it would be "notably significant". Warren Spector himself also commented on the game's development, revealing that he had "a team of over 700 people working on the sequel". Following this, on March 20, 2012, the official French Nintendo magazine posted a comment on Twitter, revealing that Disney had plans to create a companion to the main sequel for the 3DS, under the name "".


title: Epic Mickey

text: Warren Spector officially confirmed the rumours, revealing the sequel's title to be "Epic Mickey: Power of Two". Spector also directly addressed the camera issues that reviewers criticised in the first game, stating that "they'll be working on it until the day we ship the second game. There have been over 1,000 specific changes made to the camera. Our goal is that you will not have to touch the manual camera controls even once to play through the main story path of this game". Spector also revealed that the game was to include voice acting and musical numbers, both of which were absent in the first game. Spector said: "I'm such a geek about musicals, I love the co-op and next-gen stuff, but for me, when a character breaks into song, which they do on a regular basis in this game, it's magic". Spector also commented on the sequel's co-op features: "It's drop-in, drop-out co-op, you can sit down at any time with a friend who is playing as Mickey, and you can take control of Oswald. If you're playing as a single player, Oswald will be there every second of the game. He's not just a multiplayer character. He's a helper, whether you're playing alone or with a friend or family member". Wasteland itself will feature old areas ruined by earthquakes and other natural disasters, as well as new areas such as one based on Disneyland's Frontierland.


title: George Duke

text: George M. Duke (January 12, 1946 – August 5, 2013) was an American keyboardist, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer. He worked with numerous artists as arranger, music director, writer and co-writer, record producer and as a professor of music. He first made a name for himself with the album "The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience with the George Duke Trio". He was known primarily for 32 solo albums, of which "A Brazilian Love Affair" from 1979 was his most popular, as well as for his collaborations with other musicians, particularly Frank Zappa.


title: George Duke

text: George M. Duke was born in San Rafael, California, United States, to Thadd Duke and Beatrice Burrell and raised in Marin City. At four years old, he became interested in the piano. His mother took him to see Duke Ellington in concert and told him about this experience. "I don't remember it too well, but my mother told me I went crazy. I ran around saying 'Get me a piano, get me a piano!'" He began his formal piano studies at the age of seven at a local Baptist church.


title: George Duke

text: He attended Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley before earning a bachelor's degree in trombone and composition with a minor in contrabass from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1967.<ref name="Official site/biography"></ref> He earned a master's degree in composition from San Francisco State University in 1975.


title: George Duke

text: Although Duke started playing classical music, he credited his cousin Charles Burrell for convincing him to switch to jazz. He explained that he "wanted to be free" and Burrell "more or less made the decision for me" by convincing him to "improvise and do what you want to do". He taught a course on jazz and American culture at Merritt College in Oakland.


title: George Duke

text: Duke recorded his first album in 1966. His second was with French violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, with whom he performed in San Francisco. After Frank Zappa and Cannonball Adderley heard him play, they invited him to join their bands. He spent two years with Zappa as a member of The Mothers of Invention, two years with Adderley, then returned to Zappa. Zappa played guitar solos on his album "Feel" (1974). In 1975 he recorded with Pete Magadini (his Original drummer) the album Polyrhythm on Ibis Recordings. He recorded "I Love the Blues She Heard My Cry" with Zappa's bandmates Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler, and Bruce Fowler and jazz guitarist Lee Ritenour.


title: George Duke

text: Duke occasionally recorded under the name Dawilli Gonga, possibly for contractual reasons, when appearing on other artists' albums.


title: George Duke

text: In 1977, Duke fused jazz with pop, funk, and soul music on his album "From Me to You". Later, that same year, his album "Reach for It" entered the pop charts, and his audiences increased.


title: George Duke

text: In 1981, he began a collaboration with bassist Stanley Clarke that would last through the 1980s, which combined pop, jazz, funk, and R&B. Their first album contained the single "Sweet Baby", which became a Top 20 pop hit.


title: George Duke

text: During the 1980s, Duke's career moved to a second phase as he spent much of his time as a record producer. He produced pop and R&B hits for A Taste of Honey, Jeffrey Osborne, and Deniece Williams. His clients included Anita Baker, Rachelle Ferrell, Everette Harp, Gladys Knight, Melissa Manchester, Barry Manilow, The Pointer Sisters, Smokey Robinson, Seawind, and Take 6.


title: George Duke

text: Duke worked as musical director at the 1988 Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute concert at Wembley Stadium in London. In 1989, he temporarily replaced Marcus Miller as musical director of NBC's late-night music performance program "Sunday Night" during its first season. He was a judge for the second annual Independent Music Awards.


title: George Duke

text: The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Duke has received two awards out of nine nominations.


title: George Duke

text: Al Jarreau recorded the tribute album "My Old Friend: Celebrating George Duke" (Concord, 2014) with songs written by Duke. Appearing on the album were Gerald Albright, Stanley Clarke, Dr. John, Lalah Hathaway, Boney James, Marcus Miller, Jeffrey Osborne, Greg Phillinganes, Kelly Price, Dianne Reeves (Duke's cousin), and Patrice Rushen. The album received the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album.


title: Hell's Kitchen (American season 7)

text: Season 7 of the American competitive reality television series "Hell's Kitchen" aired on the Fox Network at 08:00pm (ET/PT) from June 1, 2010, to August 10, 2010. Gordon Ramsay returned as host, as well as Maître d' Jean-Philippe Susilovic and Blue Team Sous chef Scott Leibfried. Andi Van Willigan, a chef from Santa Monica, California became the sous chef for the Red Team.


title: Hell's Kitchen (American season 7)

text: Similar to Season 6, the winner and runner up avoided being nominated for elimination. This is the first season to featured the double elimination before the finals, and continued as a tradition on later seasons, except season 15 to 17, season 19 and 20, which return with normally single elimination before finals from the past six seasons. This season also set a new record for three times teams restructuring.


title: Hell's Kitchen (American season 7)

text: Banquet chef Holli Ugalde won the season, she was promised to be the position at Ramsay's newly renovated restaurant at the Savoy Hotel in London. Filming had concluded in February 2009, 16 months prior to seventh season premiere, when the hotel reopened in 2010; however, Ugalde was not given the job. Ramsay stated that the American Ugalde could not work in London due to visa problems, but Ugalde called that explanation an excuse, saying, "I don't know if they even applied for my visa." Ugalde was later awarded an undisclosed amount of money in compensation and retained her title as the winner of season 7.


title: Hell's Kitchen (American season 7)

text: Autumn Lewis broke the record for most nominations in a season of Hell's Kitchen. The record was previously held by Virginia Dalbeck, who was nominated six times before finishing as the runner-up in Season 2. Lewis had been nominated a total of seven times throughout the season (one of which was voided by Chef Ramsay) before her elimination after the penultimate service.


title: Tara Elders

text: Tara Johanna Elders (; born 17 January 1980) is a Dutch actress. She has been in Dutch films and TV series. She also was in the American film "Interview" (2007).


title: Tara Elders

text: She participated in the alternative talent show "Ben ik in beeld?" on Dutch national television. After some minor roles, Elders played Fleur Lion in the TV series "TV7" (2002) about a fictional television station.


title: Tara Elders

text: She played in the TV series "Najib en Julia" (2002), the film "06/05" (2004), and the TV mini series "Medea" (2005), all written and directed by Theo van Gogh. She also was in the American film "Interview" (2007), directed by Steve Buscemi, which is a remake of the 2003 Dutch film "Interview" of Theo van Gogh.


title: Tara Elders

text: Other films she played in are "Phileine Says Sorry" (2003), "Pipo en de p-p-Parelridder" (2003), "Hush Hush Baby" (2004), and "Vox populi" (2008).


title: Tara Elders

text: Elders married Dutch actor Michiel Huisman in a ceremony in 2008. They have a daughter (born 2007). Elders retired from acting in 2009 in order to be a full-time mother. They lived in New Orleans, Louisiana, US until 2017, when they moved to New York City.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The Air Force and Air Defence Forces of the Republic of Belarus () is the air force of the Armed Forces of Belarus, formed in 1992 from the 26th Air Army of the Soviet Air Forces which had been serving in the Byelorussian SSR.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 5 May 1942, on the basis of the Air Forces of the Western Front, the 1st Air Army was created. In January 1949, the Army became the 26th Air Army. In 1980, the 26th Air Army was redesignated the Air Forces of the Belorussian Military District.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: In May 1988 the Air Forces of the District were again renamed the 26th Air Army. In June 1992, the headquarters of the 26th Air Army became the headquarters of the Air Forces of the Republic of Belarus.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: Aircraft operated by the 26th Air Army and 2nd Air Defence Army, prior to the collapse of the USSR, included the MiG-23, MiG-25, and the Sukhoi Su-22.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The Armed Forces of Belarus came into existence on September 20, 1991, when the Supreme Soviet of Belarus ("Верховный Совет Белоруссии") voted an order "On the Formation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus" ("«О создании Вооружённых Сил Республики Беларусь»") through the transformation of the Belorussian Military District of the Soviet Union. The order of the Supreme Soviet was followed by the Law "On the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus" ("«О Вооружённых Силах Республики Беларусь»") a year later on November 3, 1992. In line with those transformations the 26th Air Army of the Belorussian MD became the Air Forces of Belarus and the Soviet Air Defence Troops' 2nd Air Defence Army became the Air Defence Troops of Belarus, continuing the Soviet practice of two separate air arms.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The Belarusian air force was established on June 15, 1992, when the Minister of Defence issued Order #05/15.06.1992 for the transformation of the 26th Air Army into the Air Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Russian: "Военно-воздушные силы Республики Беларусь"). The Belarusian Air Force took over all the assets of the 26th AA, except for the 1st Guards Bomber Aviation Division ("1-я гвардейская бомбардировочная авиационная дивизия" ("1 гбад")), which was transferred to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. At that time the composition of the 26th "Red Banner" Air Army was:


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The Belarusian Air Forces also took over a large helicopter fleet from the Air Defence Troops, army aviation and the aviation of the RVSN:


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: After the break-up of the Soviet Union a memorandum was signed in Tashkent on May 15, 1992 between the successor states on the manner they will adhere to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, commonly known as the Tashkent Accord ("Соглашение о принципах и порядке выполнения Договора об обычных вооруженных в Европе" ("Ташкентское соглашение")). According to it Belarus was only allowed to field 80 combat helicopters (including the R/K recon variants of the Mi-24 and the armed air assault variants of the Mi-8, which the USSR did not consider actual combat helicopters). Many helicopters were sold overseas, took part in UN peacekeeping missions, were put into storage or utilised at the 1169th Aviation Storage Base ("1169-я БХАТ") at Luninets.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: In January 1992, the 927th Koenigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Fighter Regiment at Bereza-Osovitsy, Brest Oblast (Military Unit Number 55782) () became part of the Air Force of Belarus. In 1993 or 1994, it was renamed as the 927th Koenigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Fighter Air Base.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: In 2001, the Air Forces (VVS) and Air Defence Troops were merged into the Air Forces and Air Defence of the Armed Forces of Belarus.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: In 2002 two Operational-Tactical Air Force Commands were formed parallel to the two territorial commands of the ground forces. The Western OTAFC had its HQ at the Baranovichi AB, Brest Oblast and was composed of one combat air base (Baranovichi), five missile air defence brigades, one radar brigade, four aviation command posts and other support units. The Southwestern OTAFC had its HQ at the Machulishchi AB in Minsk Oblast and was composed of one combat air base (Lida), three missile air defence brigades and one missile air defence regiment, one radar brigade, an aviation command post and other support units. The 50th Separate Transport Air Base, the reserve airfields and other support units were kept under Air Force HQ. In the end of 2014 the Chief of the Air Force and Air Defence Major-General Oleh Dvihalyov has informed the media, that the two OTAFCs were disbanded due to the increased automatisation in the command and control of the forces.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The armed forces of the Soviet Union kept the air defence assets responsible for the air cover of the territory separate from the Air Force. The 2nd Separate Air Defence Army ("2-я отдельная армия ПВО") provided air defence for the Byelorussian SSR and had its HQ in the capital Minsk. It had two air defence corps - the 11th Corps of Air Defence ("11-й корпус ПВО") had its HQ in Baranovichi an AOR covering Belarus and the 28th Corps of Air Defence ("28-й корпус ПВО") had its HQ in Lviv, Ukrainian SSR and AOR over Western Ukraine. At the time of its takeover by the military of Belarus the 11th Corps AD had the following structure:


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The command of the 2nd Separate Army AD and its 11th Corps AD was taken over by the Republic of Belarus and on August 1, 1992 it was amalgamated with the Air defence Troops of the Belarus Military District to form the Air Defence Troops of the Republic of Belarus.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The VVS and Air Defence Forces were intended to protect population centres such as cities and regions, as well as the administrative, industrial, economic interests of the Republic. They are also intended to defend troops from the impacts of enemy air attacks, and also against the attacks of hostile troops, as well as fire support and the guarantee of combat operations of ground forces.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: In peacetime, VVS and Air Defense forces are on standby to protect the state boundary in the air and also control of Belarusian airspace. The Air Force is responsible for all military aviation, as the Army maintains no aircraft of its own.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 26 August 2010, a reorganisation of the Air Force & Air Defence Force was announced. It was reported that the 206th Assault Aviation Base (Lida) would be reorganized into the 116th Guards Red Banner Assault Base (at Ross) – formerly named the 116th Guards Bomber-Reconnaissance Base, flying Sukhoi Su-24 "Fencer" and Sukhoi Su-25 "Frogfoot" aircraft. The Su-24 bombers were retired. The 206th Assault Aviation Base was reorganised as the 206th Training Center.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The Mikoyan MiG-29 "Fulcrum" aircraft and personnel of the 927th Fighter Base (at Bereza) became part of the 61st Fighter Base at Baranovichi. Shortly after the move of MiG-29s to Baranovichi, on 23 September 2010, a MiG-29 crashed during a reported low-altitude flying exercise at the new location (see below). On 24 August 2010, the 927th Konigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Fighter Air Base at Bereza was renamed the 927th Koenigsberg Red Banner Order of Alexander Nevsky Training Center and the use of unmanned aircraft systems.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The air force consists of more than 18,170 personnel, though this number is being reduced. There are now four active airbases:


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 30 August 2009, an Su-27 UBM aircraft crashed on the second day of the Air Show 2009 in Radom killing both pilots. On 21 April 2010, two MiG-29 aircraft were performing an exercise when they both collided. One managed to land safely, while the other crashed.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 23 September 2010, a MiG-29 aircraft crashed. On 29 November 2011, a Mi-24 helicopter crashed in a small forest near the village of Novye Zasimovichi. The crew of three people was killed on impact. According to eyewitnesses, there was ""A thick fog... the previous evening"".


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 12 June 2012, a Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft crashed near a small village in Belarus. The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Nikolai Gridnyov, lost control of the aircraft when maneuvering at low-altitude.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 11 November 2014, a MiG-29 aircraft crashed. On 23 February 2017, another MiG-29 aircraft crashed. The engine caught fire during takeoff, but the pilot ejected safely at Bobruisk, Mogilev Region. On 19 May 2021, a Yakovlev Yak-130 aircraft crashed in Baranavichy, causing minor damage to one house in the city. Two pilots ejected but died.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: On 23 May 2021, Irish Ryanair Flight FR4978 (Athens—Vilnius) was intercepted by a Belarusian MIG-29 prior to crossing into Lithuanian airspace and diverted to Minsk National Airport. In Minsk, the Belarusian opposition activist and journalist Roman Protasevich was removed from the plane and arrested. Protasevich had previously fled Belarus and the Belarusian authorities added him to a wanted list in 2020 after he helped organize major protests against President Alexander Lukashenko. His partner was also arrested. According to the national press service of Belarus, the Belarusian Air Force MiG-29 fighter was sent to escort the aircraft to Minsk on the orders of Lukashenko.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The heraldic sign is the emblem of the Air Force, which was approved in April 2003. It is a stylized golden image of an arrow, lightning bolts and wings, combined with a wreath of golden oak and laurel branches, located in the center of a blue baroque shield, crowned with a five-pointed gold star. The shield is located against the background of a silver medal star.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: The flag of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces was approved on January 19, 2005. The flag is a rectangular blue cloth, with the center consisting of four main and four additional directions of eight rays of golden color. In the center is the emblem of the Air Force. The flag has the same pattern on the front and back sides.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: Belaya Rus is the aerobatic team of the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, performing aerobatics from combat training Aero L-39 Albatros. The team performs at aviation event and public holidays in Belarus.


title: Belarusian Air Force

text: Aircraft operated by the Air Force, inherited at the dissolution of the Soviet Union were the MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-27, Sukhoi Su-22, Sukhoi Su-27 and Mil Mi-2.


title: Lion dance

text: Lion dance () is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed during the Chinese New Year and other Chinese traditional, cultural and religious festivals. It may also be performed at important occasions such as business opening events, special celebrations or wedding ceremonies, or may be used to honour special guests by the Chinese communities.


title: Lion dance

text: The Chinese lion dance is normally operated by two dancers, one of whom manipulates the head while the other forms the rear end of the lion. It is distinguishable from the dragon dance which is performed by many people who hold the long sinuous body of the dragon on poles. Chinese lion dance fundamental movements can be found in Chinese martial arts, and it is commonly performed to a vigorous drum beat.


title: Lion dance

text: There are two main forms of the Chinese lion dance, the Northern Lion and the Southern Lion. Both forms are commonly found in China and around the world especially in Southeast Asia, the Southern Lion predominates as it was spread by the Chinese diaspora communities who are historically mostly of Southern Chinese origin. Versions of lion dance related to the Chinese lion are also found in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. Besides the Chinese-based lion dance, the other forms of lion dance also exist in Indonesia, for example the "Barong" dance and Sisingaan dance in Javanese, Sundanese, and Balinese cultures.


title: Lion dance

text: There has been an old tradition in China of dancers wearing masks to resemble animals or mythical beasts since antiquity, and performances described in ancient texts such as "Shujing" where wild beasts and phoenix danced may have been masked dances. In Qin dynasty sources, dancers performing exorcism rituals were described as wearing bearskin mask, and it was also mentioned in Han dynasty texts that "mime people" (象人) performed as fish, dragons, and phoenixes. However, lion is not native to China (a species found in Northeast China "Panthera youngi" had long become extinct), and the Lion Dance therefore has been suggested to have originated outside of China from countries such as India or Persia, and introduced via Central Asia. According to ethnomusicologist Laurence Picken, the Chinese word for lion itself, "shi" (獅, written as 師 in the early periods), may have been derived from the Persian word "šer". The earliest use of the word "shizi" meaning lion first appeared in Han dynasty texts and had strong association with Central Asia (an even earlier but obsolete term for lion was "suanni" (狻麑 or ), and lions were presented to the Han court by emissaries from Central Asia and the Parthian Empire. Detailed descriptions of Lion Dance appeared during the Tang dynasty and it was already recognized by writers and poets then as a foreign dance, however, Lion dance may have been recorded in China as early as the third century AD where "lion acts" were referred to by a Three Kingdoms scholar Meng Kang (孟康) in a commentary on "Hanshu". In the early periods it had association with Buddhism: it was recorded in a Northern Wei text, "Description of Buddhist Temples in Luoyang" (洛陽伽藍記), that a parade for a statue of Buddha of a temple was led by a lion to drive away evil spirits. An alternative suggestion is therefore that the dance may have developed from a local Chinese tradition that appropriated the Buddhist symbolism of lion.


title: Lion dance

text: There were different versions of the dance in the Tang dynasty. In the Tang court, the lion dance was called the Great Peace Music (太平樂, "Taiping yue") or the Lion Dance of the Five Directions (五方師子舞) where five large lions of different colours and expressing different moods were each led and manipulated on rope by two persons, and accompanied by 140 singers. In another account, the 5 lions were described as each over 3 metres tall and each had 12 "lion lads", who may tease the lions with red whisks. Another version of the lion dance was described by the Tang poet Bai Juyi in his poem "Western Liang Arts" (西凉伎), where the dance was performed by two "hu" (胡, meaning here non-Han people from Central Asia) dancers who wore a lion costume made of a wooden head, a silk tail and furry body, with eyes gilded with gold and teeth plated with silver as well as ears that moved, a form that resembles today's Lion Dance. By the eighth century, this lion dance had reached Japan. During the Song dynasty the lion dance was commonly performed in festivals and it was known as the Northern Lion during the Southern Song.


title: Lion dance

text: The Southern Lion is a later development in the south of China originating in the Guangdong province. There are a number of myths associated with the origin of the Southern Lion: one story relates that the dance originated as a celebration in a village where a mythical monster called Nian was successfully driven away; another has it that the Qianlong Emperor dreamt of an auspicious animal while on a tour of Southern China, and ordered that the image of the animal be recreated and used during festivals. However it is likely that the Southern Lion of Guangzhou is an adaptation of the Northern Lion to local myths and characteristics, perhaps during the Ming dynasty.


title: Lion dance

text: The two main types of lion dance in China are the Northern and Southern Lions. There are however also a number of local forms of lion dance in different regions of China, and some of these lions may have significant differences in appearance, for example the Green or Hokkien Lion (青獅, "Qing Shi") and the Taiwanese or Yutien Lion (明狮, "Ming Shi"), popular with the Hokkien and the Taiwanese people. Other ethnic minorities groups in China also have their own lion dances, for example, the lion dance of the Muslim minority in Shenqiu County in Henan called the Wen Lion, the Yongdeng lion dance in Yongdeng County, Lanzhou, Gansu, the lion dance in Yongning County, and Wuzhong, Ningxia,and the Hakka Lion — popular with the Hakka people, which is very similar to both the Hokkien and Taiwanese Lions and even the Wen Lion, but the Hakka lion may or may not have a horn on its head. Chinese lion dances usually involve two dancers but may also be performed by one. The larger lions manipulated by two persons may be referred to as great lions (太獅), and those manipulated by one person little lions (少獅). The performances may also be broadly divided into civil (文獅) and martial (武獅) styles. The civil style emphasizes the character and mimics and behaviour of the lion, while the martial style is focused on acrobatics and energetic movements.


title: Lion dance

text: There are related forms of dances with mask figures that represent mythical creatures such as the Qilin and the Pixiu. The Qilin dance and the Pixiu dance are also most commonly performed by the Hakka people who were originally from the Central China, but have largely settled in the south of China and southeast Asia in modern times.


title: Lion dance

text: Various forms of lion dance are also found widely in East Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam, as well as among the communities in the Himalayan region.


title: Lion dance

text: The Chinese Northern Lion () Dance is often performed as a pair of male and female lions in the north of China. Northern lions may have a gold-painted wooden head, and shaggy red and yellow hair with a red bow on its head to indicate a male lion, or a green bow (sometimes green hair) to represent a female. There are however regional variations of the lion.


title: Lion dance

text: Northern lions resemble Pekingese or Foo Dogs/Fu Dogs, and their movements are lifelike during a performance. Acrobatics is very common, with stunts like lifts, or balancing on a tiered platform or on a giant ball. Northern lions sometimes appear as a family, with two large "adult" lions and a pair of small "young" lions. There are usually two performers in one adult lion, and one in the young lion. There may also be a "warrior" character who holds a spherical object and leads the lions.


title: Lion dance

text: The dance of the Northern Lion is generally more playful than the Southern Lion. Regions with well-known lion dance troupes include Ninghai in Ningbo, Xushui in Hebei province, Dalian in Liaoning province, and Beijing. There are a number of variations of the lion dance performance, for example the Heavenly Tower Lion Dance () from Xiangfen County in Shanxi is a performance whereby a number of lions climb up a tall tower structure constructed out of wooden stools, and there are also high-wire acts involving lions


title: Lion dance

text: The Chinese Southern Lion () or Cantonese Lion dance originated from Guangdong. The Southern Lion has a single horn, and is associated with the legend of a mythical monster called Nian. The lion's head is traditionally constructed using papier-mâché over a bamboo frame covered with gauze, then painted and decorated with fur. Its body is made of durable layered cloth also trimmed with fur. Newer lions, however, may be made with modern materials such as aluminium instead of bamboo and are lighter. Newer versions may also apply shinier modern material over the traditional lacquer such as sequin or laser sticker, but they do not last as long as those with lacquer. Different types of fur may be used in modern lions.


title: Lion dance

text: There are two main styles of Southern Lion: the Fut San or Fo Shan (), and the Hok San or He Shan (), both named after their place of origin. Other minor styles include the Fut-Hok (a hybrid of Fut San and Hok San created in Singapore by Kong Chow Wui Koon in the 1960s), and the Jow Ga (performed by practitioners of Jow family style kung fu). The different lion types can be identified from the design of the lion head.


title: Lion dance

text: Fo Shan is the style adopted by many kung fu schools. It uses kung fu moves and postures to help with its movements and stances, and only the most advanced students are allowed to perform. Traditionally, the Fo Shan lion has bristles instead of fur, and is heavier than the modern ones now popularly used. All traditional Fo Shan lions have pop-up teeth, tongue, and eyes that swivel left and right. On the back are gold-foiled rims and a gilded collar where the troupe's name may be sewn on. It has a very long tail with a white underside, and is often attached with bells. The designs of the tail are also more square and contain a diamond pattern going down the back. It has a high forehead, curved lips and a sharp horn on its head. Traditional Fo Shan lions are ornate in appearance, a number of regional styles however have developed around the world. The newer styles of Fo Shan lions replace all the bristles with fur and the tails are shorter. The eyes are fixed in place, and the tongue and teeth do not pop up. The tail is curvier in design, does not have a diamond pattern, and lacks bells.


title: Lion dance

text: The He Shan style lion is known for its richness of expression, unique footwork, impressive-looking appearance and vigorous drumming style. The founder of this style is the "Canton Lion King" Feng Gengzhang () in the early 20th century. Feng was born in a village in He Shan county in Guangdong where he was instructed in martial arts and lion dance by his father. Later, he also studied martial arts and lion dance in Foshan before returning to his hometown and setting up his own training hall. He developed his version of lion dance, introducing new techniques by studying and mimicking the movement of cats, such as "catching mouse, playing, catching birds, high escape, lying low and rolling". He and his disciples also made changes to the lion head; its forehead is lower, its horn rounded and it has a duck beak mouth with flat lips, the body also has more eye-catching colours. Together with new dance steps and footwork, a unique rhythm invented by Feng called the "Seven Star Drum", Feng created a new style of lion dancing that is high in entertainment value and visual appeal. In the early 1920s, the He Shan lion dance was performed when Sun Yat-Sen assumed office in Guangzhou, creating a stir. The He Shan lion performers were invited to perform in many places within China and Southeast Asia during celebratory festivals. The style became very popular in Singapore; the He Shan lion acquired the title of "Lion King of Kings", with a "king" character () added on its forehead. The Singapore Hok San Association made further changes by modifying the design of the lion head, shortening its body, and creating a new drumbeat for the dance.


title: Lion dance

text: Different colors are used to signify the age and character of the lions. The lion with white fur is considered to be the oldest of the lions, while the lion with golden yellow fur is the middle child. The black lion is considered the youngest lion, and the movement of this lion should be fast like a young child or a headstrong teenager. The colors may also represent the character of the lion: the golden lion represents liveliness, the red lion courage, and the green lion friendship. There are also three lion types that represent three historical characters in the classic Romance of the Three Kingdoms who were blood oath brothers sworn to restore the Han dynasty:


title: Lion dance

text: Later three more Lions were added to the group. The green-faced lion represented Zhao Yun or Zhao (Cantonese: Chiu) Zi Long. The green lion has a green tail, black beard and fur, and an iron horn. Often called the fourth brother, this lion is also called the Heroic Lion because Zhao was said to ride through Cao Cao's million man army to rescue Liu Bei's infant and fight his way back out. The yellow lion has yellow/orange face and body with white or silver beard and fur, representing Huang Zhong (Cantonese: Wong Tsung), who was given this color when Liu Bei rose to become Emperor. This lion is called the Righteous Lion. The white lion is known as Ma Chao (Cantonese: Ma Chiu), he was assigned this color because he always wore a white armband in his battle against the ruler of Wei, Cao Cao, to signify that he was in mourning for his father and brother who had been murdered by Cao Cao. This lion is therefore also known as the funeral lion, and is never used except for the funeral of a Master or an important head of a group. In such cases the lion is usually burned right after use as it is considered inauspicious to be kept around. This lion is sometimes confused with the silver lion which sometimes has a whitish colouring. These three along with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were known as the "Five Tiger Generals of Shun," each representing one of the colors of the five elements.


title: Lion dance

text: Green Lion (青狮) is the lion dance form associated with the province of Fujian and the Hokkien-speaking people. It is similar to the Chinese southern lion dance, except that the lion is mainly green in color and has a distinct round flat mask. It is believed to have originated in the anti-Manchu movements after the fall of the Ming dynasty in 1644. The word "green lion" in the Hokkien language sounds similar to "Qing army" (清师). During training sessions for fighters, the Green lion was fitted with blades symbolizing the Manchurian army and would become a moving target for trainees. It is said that after the fall of Qing dynasty in 1912, martial arts expert Gan De Yuan (干德源) organized a performance in Quanzhou where the Green Lion was dismembered to represent the overthrow of the Qing dynasty. From that point onwards, the Green Lion is used without the blades and performed for cultural and ritual purposes.


title: Lion dance

text: The lion dance is known in Vietnam as the unicorn dance (Vietnamese: ) based on the mythical creature kỳ lân, which is similar to the Chinese Qilin. Most lions in Vietnam resemble the Southern Lion, specifically Fut San style – they are part of the Chinese Southern Lion tradition but have acquired local characteristics. In the past, costumes more similar to the Qilin were used, but today, many troupes buy lion costumes from China, unaware of the subtle differences that set the Lion Dance and Qilin Dance apart. There are however also distinct local forms that differ significantly in appearance and performance, for example the lion dances of the Tay and Nung minority people. A court version of the dance is performed at the Duyet Thi Duong Theatre within the ground of the royal palace in Huế.


title: Lion dance

text: The dance is performed primarily at traditional festivals such as Vietnamese lunar new year (') and Mid-Autumn Festival ('), as well as during other occasions such as the opening of a new business, birthdays, and weddings. The dance is typically accompanied by martial artists and acrobatics. A feature of the Vietnamese unicorn dance is its dance partner "Ông Địa" or the spirit of the earth, depicted as a large bellied, broadly grinning man holding a palm-leaf fan similar to the Chinese 'Big Head Buddha' (大头佛). The good-hearted spirit, according to popular beliefs, has the power to summon the auspicious unicorn, and thus during the dance, takes the lead in clearing the path for the unicorn.


title: Lion dance

text: Japan has a long tradition of the lion dance and the dance is known as "" () in Japanese. It is thought to have been imported from China during the Tang dynasty, and became associated with the celebration of Buddha's Birthday. The first lion dance recorded in Japan was at the inauguration ceremonies of Tōdai-ji in Nara in 752. The oldest surviving lion mask, made of paulownia wood with an articulated lower jaw, is also preserved in Tōdai-ji. The dance is commonly performed during the New Year to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits, and the lion dancers may be accompanied by flute and drum musicians. It is also performed at other festivals and celebrations. In some of these performances, the lions may bite people on the head to bring good luck.


title: Lion dance

text: The lion dance has been completely absorbed into Japanese tradition. There are many different lion dances in Japan and the style of dancing and design of the lion may differ by region – it is believed that as many as 9,000 variations of the dance exist in the country. The lion dance is also used in religious Shinto festivals as part of a performing art form called '. ' may be found in different forms - for example the ' which is mainly acrobatic, the ', a type of theatrical performance done by "yamabushi" ascetics, and also in "bangaku" and others. Various forms of "shishi" dances are also found in "noh", "kabuki" (where the lion dances form a group of plays termed "shakkyōmono", examples include "Renjishi"), and "bunraku" theatres.


title: Lion dance

text: The Japanese lion consists of a wooden, lacquered head called a ' (lit. Lion Head), often with a characteristic body of green dyed cloth with white designs. It can be manipulated by a single person, or by two or more persons, one of whom manipulates the head. The one-man variety is most often seen in eastern Japan. As with Chinese lions, the make of the head and designs on the body will differ from region to region, and even from school to school. The mask however may sometimes have horns appearing to be a deer ('), and ' written with different Kanji characters can mean beast, deer or wild boar, for example as in ' (鹿踊, lit. Deer Dance). Historically the word "shishi" may refer to any wild four-legged animal, and some of these dances with different beasts may therefore also be referred to as "shishi-mai". The dance may also sometimes feature tigers (') or "qilin" (').


title: Lion dance

text: In Okinawa, a similar dance exists, though the lion there is considered to be a legendary '. The heads, bodies and behavior of the shisa in the dance are quite different from the ' on mainland Japan. Instead of dancing to the sounds of flutes and drums, the Okinawan "shisa" dance is often performed to folk songs played with the "".


title: Lion dance

text: Lion dance was recorded in the Korean historical work "Samguk Sagi" as "'" (, the old word for lion), one of the five poems on the dances of the Silla kingdom written by Choe Chiwon. It may have been recorded as early as the King Jinheung's reign in the 6th century during which a tune titled "The Lion's Talent" was composed that could be a reference to a lion dance. Two main traditions of lion dance survive in Korea, the ', which is performed as an exorcism drama; and the "" which is performed in association with masked dramas. In many of the traditional masked dance dramas, the lion dance appears as one part of a number of acts. Examples of these dramas are "Ŭnyul t'alch'um", "Pongsan t'alch'um" (봉산탈춤), "Suyong Yayu" (수영야류), and "T'ongyong Ogwangdae" (통영오광대). There was also once a court version of the lion dance.


title: Lion dance

text: Lion dance as an exorcism ritual began to be performed in the New Year in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty. The best known of the Korean "saja-noreum" lion dances is the "Bukcheong sajanoreum" or lion mask play from Bukcheong. In this lion dance the lion with a large but comic lion mask and brown costume may be performed together with performers wearing other masks. The dancers may be accompanied by musicians playing a double-headed drum, an hourglass-shaped drum, a large gong, and a six-holed bamboo flute. The dance was originally performed every night of the first fifteen nights of the Lunar New Year, where the dance troupe in lion masks and costumes visited every house in the villages of the Bukcheong region, and the lion dance is meant to expel evil spirits and attract good luck for the coming year. The eyes of the lion mask may be painted gold to expel negative spirits. The lion masks of Pongsan and Gangnyeong may feature rolling eyes and bells meant to frighten demons when they make a sound as the lion moves. It is also believed that children who sat on the back of the lion during such performances would enjoy good health and a long life.


title: Lion dance

text: In the Himalayan and Tibetan area, there is also a lion dance called the snow lion dance. This dance may be found in Tibet and also among Tibetan diaspora communities where it is called "", Nepal, and parts of Northeastern India – among the Monpa people in Arunachal Pradesh, in Sikkim where it is called "Singhi Chham", and in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Ladakh. The name "seng ge" and its related forms come from Sanskrit for lion "siṅha", and "cham" is a Buddhist ritual dance. The snow lion has white fur, and in Tibet, it may also have a green mane or green fringes, while in Sikkim, the mane may be blue.


title: Lion dance

text: The Snow Lion is regarded as an emblem of Tibet and the Snow Lion Dance is a popular dance in Tibetan communities and it is performed during festivals such as during the ritual dance (cham) festival and the New Year. The snow lion represents the snowy mountain ranges and glaciers of Tibet and is considered highly auspicious, and it may also symbolize a number of characteristics, such as power and strength, and fearlessness and joy. Some local versions of the snow lion dance may also have been influenced by Chinese Lion Dance in the Sino-Tibetan borderland – for example, it was recorded that the local chief in Songpan, Sichuan gave a lion costume to the Jamyang Zhépa II of the Amdo region in the 18th century. The snow lion dance may be performed as a secular dance, or as a ritual dance performed by bon po monks.


title: Lion dance

text: The Chinese lion dance is referred to as "barongsai" in Indonesia, often performed by Chinese Indonesian during "Imlek". Indonesians however, have developed their own style of lion dances. The lion dance (Indonesian: "") in Indonesia has different forms that are distinct to the local cultures in Indonesia, and it is not known if these have any relation to the Chinese lion. The best known lion dances are performed in Bali and Java.


title: Lion dance

text: In Hindu Balinese culture, the Barong is the king of good spirits and the enemy of the demon queen Rangda. Like the Chinese lion, it requires more dancers than in the Javanese Reog, typically involving two dancers.


title: Lion dance

text: The Reog dance of Ponorogo in Java involves a lion figure known as the '. It is held on special occasions such as the "Lebaran" (Eid al-Fitr), City or Regency anniversary, or Independence day carnival. A single dancer, or ', carries the heavy lion mask about 30 – 40 kg weight by his teeth. He is credited with exceptional strength. The "" may also carry an adolescent boy or girl on its head. When holding an adolescent boy or girl on his head, the Reog dancer holds the weight up to total 100 kilograms. The great mask that spans over 2.5 meters with genuine tiger or leopard skin and real peacock feathers. It has gained international recognition as the world's largest mask.


title: Lion dance

text: Another form of Indonesian lion dance is called Sisingaan from West Java. Sisingaan marked by a form of a lion-shaped effigy palanquin that is carried by a group of dancers who perform various attractions accompanied by traditional music. Thus lion palanquin is being ride by a children, and usually performed to celebrate the circumcision ceremony, where the child is carried on a lion around the "kampung" (village).


title: Lion dance

text: Around the world there are lion dances that are local to their area and unrelated to the Chinese dance. For example, various tribes in East Africa, such as the Maasai and Samburu people of Kenya, used to perform a lion dance to celebrate a successful lion hunt, considered by these tribes to be a prestigious act and a sign of bravery. The dancers may also reenact a lion hunt. Some of them make a headdress out of the mane of the slain lion (or out of other animals) and wear the headdress in the dance. Young men may also wear the lion-mane headdress and dance in a coming-of-age ceremony. However, as lion-hunting has been made illegal, the dance is seldom performed in a real scenario nowadays, but they may continue to perform the dance for tourists.


title: Lion dance

text: The Chinese Lion Dance is performed accompanied by the music of beating of tanggu (drum) (in Singapore, datanggu), cymbals, and gongs. Instruments synchronize to the lion dance movements and actions. Fut San, Hok San, Fut Hok, Chow Gar, etc. all play their beat differently. Each style plays a unique beat.


title: Lion dance

text: Developments in electronic devices have allowed music to be played via phone/tablet/computer/mp3 player. This has contributed to the evolution of how people can play lion dance music - which eliminates the need to carry around instruments (which can be quite large).


title: Lion dance

text: The most common style is Sar Ping lion dance beats. This has more than 22 different testings that you can use to show the lion's movement, whereas fut san has only around 7.


title: Lion dance

text: The lion dance costumes used in these performances can only be custom made in specialty craft shops in rural parts of Asia and have to be imported at considerable expense for most foreign countries outside Asia. For groups in Western countries, this is made possible through funds raised through subscriptions and pledges made by members of local cultural and business societies. For countries like Malaysia with a substantial Chinese population, local expertise may be available in making the "lion" costumes and musical instruments without having to import them from China. Most modern Southern Lion dance costumes come with a set of matching pants, however some practitioners use black kung fu pants to appear more traditional. Modern lion dance costumes are made to be very durable and some are waterproof.


title: Lion dance

text: The Chinese lion dance has close relations to kung fu or Wǔshù (武術) and the dancers are usually martial art members of the local kung fu club or school. They practice in their club and some train hard to master the skill as one of the disciplines of the martial art. In general, it is seen that if a school has a capable troupe with many 'lions', it demonstrates the success of the school. It is also generally practised together with Dragon dance in some area.


title: Lion dance

text: During the Chinese New Year, lion dance troupes will visit the houses and shops of the Asian community to perform the traditional custom of ""cai qing"" (採青), literally meaning "plucking the greens", whereby the lion plucks the auspicious green lettuce either hung on a pole or placed on a table in front of the premises. The "greens" ("qing") is tied together with a "red envelope" containing money and may also include auspicious fruit like oranges. In Chinese "cǎi" (採, pluck) also sounds like "cài" (菜, meaning vegetable) and "cái" (财, meaning fortune). The "lion" will dance and approach the "green" and "red envelope" like a curious cat, to "eat the green" and "spit" it out but keep the "red envelope" which is the reward for the lion troupe. The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the business. During the Qing dynasty, there may be additional hidden meanings in the performances, for example the green vegetables ("qing") eaten by the lion may represent the Qing Manchus. The lion dance troupes are sometimes accompanied by various characters such as the Big Head Buddha.


title: Lion dance

text: Different types of vegetables, fruits, foods or utensils with auspicious and good symbolic meanings; for instance pineapples, pomelos, bananas, oranges, sugar cane shoots, coconuts, beer, clay pots or even crabs can be used to be the "greens" (青) to be "plucked" to give different difficulty and challenge for the lion dance performers. But the difficulties of the challenge should come with the bigger the rewards of the "red envelope" given.


title: Lion dance

text: In the old days, the lettuce was hung above ground and only a well-trained martial artist could reach the money while dancing with a heavy lion head. These events became a public challenge. A large sum of money was rewarded, and the audience expected a good show. Sometimes, if lions from multiple martial arts schools approached the lettuce at the same time, the lions are supposed to fight to decide a winner. The lions had to fight with stylistic lion moves instead of chaotic street fighting styles. The audience would judge the quality of the martial art schools according to how the lions fought. Since the schools' reputations were at stake, the fights were usually fierce but civilized. The winner lion would then use creative methods and martial art skills to reach the high-hanging reward. Some lions may dance on bamboo stilts and some may step on human pyramids formed by fellow students of the school. The performers and the schools would gain praise and respect on top of the large monetary reward when they did well.


title: Lion dance

text: During the 1950s-60s, in some areas with high population of Chinese and Asian communities especially the Chinatown in many foreign countries abroad China in the world, people who joined lion dance troupes were "gangster-like" and there was a lot of fighting between lion dance troupes and kung fu schools. Parents were afraid to let their children join lion dance troupes because of the "gangster" association with the members. During festivals and performances, when lion dance troupes met, there may be fights between groups. Some lifts and acrobatic tricks are designed for the lion to "fight" and knock over other rival lions. Performers even hid daggers in their shoes and clothes, which could be used to injure other lion dancers’ legs, or even attached a metal horn on their lion’s forehead, which could be used to slash other lion heads. The violence became so extreme that at one point the Hong Kong government banned lion dance completely. Now, as with many other countries, lion dance troupes must attain a permit from the government in order to perform lion dance. Although there is still a certain degree of competitiveness, troupes are a lot less violent and aggressive. Nowadays, whenever teams meet each other, they'll shake hands through the mouth of the lion to show sportsmanship.


title: Lion dance

text: In a traditional performance, when the dancing lion enters a village or township, it is supposed to pay its respects first at the local temple(s), then to the ancestors at the ancestral hall, and finally through the streets to bring happiness to all the people.


title: Lion dance

text: Lion dance has spread across the world due to the worldwide presence of the diaspora Chinese communities and immigrant settlers in many countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Polynesia, and in particular, in Southeast Asia where there is a large overseas Chinese presence.


title: Lion dance

text: The dance has evolved considerably since the early days when it was performed as a skill part of Chinese martial arts, and has grown into a more artistic art and a sport as well that takes into accounts the lion's expression and the natural movements, as well as the development of a more elaborate acrobatic styles and skills during performances. This evolution and development has produced the modern form of lion dances, and competitions are held to find the best lion dance performances.


title: Lion dance

text: International lion dance championships are held in many countries, for example in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The competition mostly involves Southern Lion dance teams and may be performed on a series of small circular platforms raised on poles called "jongs", and there are a total of 21 or even 22 poles in the traditional set. These poles ranged from in height, but championship poles can go up to . The poles can be added with props or obstacles as well, such as a small wooden bridge that can be easily broken in half, or a pair of wire lines that can be crossed over. The first "jongs" built were introduced in 1983 for a competition in Malaysia, made out of wood with a small circular rubber platform on top and an iron fitting on the bottom, with a total of 5 poles in the original set called the "May Hua Poles" Or "Plum Blossom Poles", which were 33 inches in height and 8 inches in width. Later, 16 or even 17 poles were added in the set, but all 21 or even 22 poles were 85.11 inches higher and 6 inches wider, and are made out of iron instead. The competition is judged based on the skill and liveliness of the "lion" together with the creativity of the stunts and choreographed moves, as well as the difficulty of the acrobatics, and rhythmic and pulsating live instrumental accompaniment that can captivate the spectators and the judges of the competition. The main judging rubric was developed by the International Dragon and Lion Dance Federation, scored out of 10 total points. Their rubric is used in many professional competitions including Genting, Malaysia, which is recently held at Arena of Stars since it was opened in 1998. The Genting World and National Lion Dance Championships are held every two years in Malaysia, starting in the 1980s. The champion as of 2018 is consecutive winner Kun Seng Keng from Muar, Johor, Malaysia, winners of 11 out of the 13 Genting competitions, as well as other competitors from Malaysia such as Gor Chor from Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, Hong Teik from Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia, Khuan Loke from Sungai Way, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, and Guang Yi Kwong Ngai from Seri Kembangan, Selangor, on the outskirts in the capital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. By 2001 and 2002, dragon dance teams are also involved in competitions at Genting as well. Another famous competition event held in Malaysia was the Tang Long Imperial World Dragon and Lion Dance Championship at Putra Indoor Stadium, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2002. It too also involves both Northern and Southern Lion dance teams, but dragon dance teams as well. Another competition called the Ngee Ann City National Lion Dance Championships are held every year in Ngee Ann City, Orchard Road, Singapore, starting in the 1990s.


title: Lion dance

text: The lion dance is seen as a representative part of Chinese culture in many overseas Chinese communities, and in some Southeast Asian countries, there were attempts to ban or discourage the dance in order to suppress the Chinese cultural identity in those countries. For example, in Malaysia, lion dance was criticized by a Malay politician in the 1970s as not Malaysian in style and suggested that it be changed to a tiger dance, and it was banned except at Chinese New Year until 1990. Lion dance became a matter of political and public debate about the national culture of the country. During the Suharto era in Indonesia, public expression of Chinese culture was also banned and "barongsai" (lion dance) procession was considered "provocative" and "an affront to Indonesian nationalism". This ban was however overturned after the collapse of the Suharto regime in 1998, nevertheless the occasional local banning of the lion dance still occurred.


title: Lion dance

text: In the 1960s and 1970s, during the era when the Hong Kong's Chinese classic and martial arts movies are very popular, kung fu movies including Jet Li's "Wong Fei Hung" has actually indirectly shows and indicates how lion dance was practiced with the kung fu close co-relation and kung fu during that time, e.g. "Dreadnaught" and "Martial Club". In those days the lion dance was mostly practised and performed as Wushu or kung fu skills, with the challenge for the 'lion' built of chairs and tables stacked up together for the 'lion' to perform its stunts and accomplish its challenge.


title: Lion dance

text: In the 1976 musical, "Pacific Overtures" by Stephen Sondheim, the first act ends with a musical number titled "Lion dance". The Commodore Perry character performed a mixture of a kabuki version of lion dance and a cakewalk wearing an Uncle Sam costume and the long white wig and makeup of a kabuki lion, here used to express his feelings of success at having met with Japanese officials and opened Japan to trade for the first time in 250 years. The kabuki lion dance also appeared in the 1957 film "Sayonara" with Ricardo Montalbán.


title: Lion dance

text: Several 1990s movies, including a remade version of "Wong Fei Hung", and the sequels of "Once Upon a Time in China", involve plots centered on lion dancing, especially "Once Upon a Time in China III" and "IV". The series' main actor, Jet Li, has performed as a lion dancer in several of his films, including Northern style lion dancing in "Shaolin Temple", "", "Shaolin Temple 3: North and South Shaolin" and Southern style lion dancing in "Once Upon a Time in China III" and "Once Upon a Time in China and America".


title: Lion dance

text: Other films include "The Young Master", "Lion vs. Lion", "Dancing Lion", "Dance Dance Dragon", "The Great Lion Kun Seng Keng", "The Lion Men", "", "Lion Dancing" and "Lion Dancing 2" and "I Am What I Am".


title: Lion dance

text: Lion dance has also appeared in popular music videos, such as Chinese hip hop group Higher Brothers music video for their single "Open It Up", Adam Lambert's music video "If I Had You", and Zayn Malik featuring Sia's music video "Dusk Till Dawn". The same traditional dance also appeared in a music video "True To Your Heart" by 98 Degrees featuring Stevie Wonder, which was used to advertise the 1998 Disney animated film "Mulan".


title: Shiva Rose

text: Shiva Rose Afshar (born 1969) is an American actress, activist, blogger, and owner of a natural beauty-product line. She is the former wife of actor Dylan McDermott.


title: Shiva Rose

text: Shiva Rose Afshar was born on 8 February 1969 in Santa Monica, California of an American mother and Iranian father. Her father Parviz Gharib-Afshar (or Parviz Gharibafshar) is a former Iranian television host and actor. She lived in Iran until 1979, when her family fled during the Iranian Revolution.


title: Shiva Rose

text: Rose's past film credits include the 20th Century Fox feature "The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest", directed by Mick Jackson and HBO's original film "61*", directed by Billy Crystal. She starred in the independent film "Black Days" and was featured at the 2001 Slamdance Film Festival. She appeared in the features "Myron's Movie" and "Red Roses and Petrol" with Malcolm McDowell, and "Silent Madness-Hollywood Babylon" in which she plays the silent screen star Louise Brooks. She completed the short film "DysEnchanted", playing the role of Snow White, which premiered at Sundance in January 2004.


title: Shiva Rose

text: Rose starred in the independent comedy film, "David & Layla", which won Prix du Public at the Amour Film Festival. "David & Layla" was awarded over "La Vie en Rose," "2 Days in Paris" and "Lady Chatterley."


title: Shiva Rose

text: While attending college at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Rose founded "Resource", a program to feed the homeless. She is a sponsor for VIP (Violence Intervention Program), which helps abused children, and volunteered at Caring for Children and Families with AIDS (CCFA) in Los Angeles.


title: Shiva Rose

text: Rose married actor Dylan McDermott in 1995 and they have two daughters: Collette, born 1996, and Charlotte, born 2005. On September 27, 2007, "People" confirmed that Rose and McDermott had separated. On May 21, 2008, Dylan filed for divorce, which was finalized on January 2, 2009.


title: Melissa Bulanhagui

text: Melissa Carmen Bulanhagui (born August 16, 1990) is an American former figure skater. She represented the United States internationally from 2005 through 2010. She became the 2006 U.S. junior national bronze medalist and won two ISU Junior Grand Prix medals (gold at 2008 JGP Italy, silver at 2006 JGP Romania). After moving up to the senior ranks, she won bronze at the 2010 Nebelhorn Trophy. In 2011, she decided to compete for the Philippines. She would win bronze at the 2013 Asian Open Trophy and two Philippine national titles (2012, 2013). She also competed at two Four Continents Championships.


title: Melissa Bulanhagui

text: Bulanhagui won the junior bronze medal at the 2006 U.S. Championships. She made her ISU Junior Grand Prix debut the following season, winning a silver medal and placing 4th in her other event. She qualified for the Final where she finished 4th.


title: Melissa Bulanhagui

text: In 2007, Bulanhagui sprained her right ankle twice and tore a ligament while practicing triple lutzes. During the 2008–09 season, she won a gold medal at the Junior Grand Prix event in Italy and placed 9th in her other event. In September 2010, she won her first senior international medal – bronze at the Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany.


title: Melissa Bulanhagui

text: In September 2011, Bulanhagui announced that she would compete at the national championships of the Philippines in November 2011 and would become eligible for international events in the 2012–13 season. She placed 17th at the 2013 Four Continents Championships, which took place in February in Osaka, Japan. In August 2013, she won bronze at the Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy. She finished 15th at the 2015 Four Continents Championships in Seoul, South Korea.


title: Melissa Bulanhagui

text: Bulanhagui's parents are both from the Philippines. She speaks and understands some Tagalog although she is not fluent. She received her Philippine passport in October 2011.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: Why Did I Get Married Too? is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Tyler Perry and starring Janet Jackson, Tyler Perry, Tasha Smith, Jill Scott, Louis Gossett Jr., Malik Yoba, Michael Jai White, Sharon Leal, Richard T. Jones, Lamman Rucker, and Cicely Tyson. Produced by Lionsgate and Tyler Perry Studios, it is the sequel to "Why Did I Get Married?" (2007). The film shares the interactions of four couples who undertake a week-long retreat to improve their relationships.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: The four couples prepare for their next marriage retreat in the Bahamas. Sheila (Jill Scott) and her new husband, Troy (Lamman Rucker), are the first to arrive, followed (in order) by Patricia (Janet Jackson) and Gavin (Malik Yoba), Terry (Tyler Perry) and Dianne (Sharon Leal), and Angela (Tasha Smith) and Marcus (Michael Jai White). The men and the women separate to talk about the good and bad about their marriages. In a surprising twist, Sheila's ex-husband, Mike (Richard T. Jones), arrives, and Angela immediately starts a fight until he leaves the women alone to go see the guys.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: That night, he talks about his and Sheila's relationship, which angers Troy. Dianne accidentally calls Terry "Phil" in the course of conversation. Angela is insistent about getting the password to Marcus' cell phone because she distrusts him, but Marcus distracts her using sex. Dianne and Terry hear arguing later and think it's Angela and Marcus, but it turns out to be Patricia and Gavin. When Dianne goes to investigate, she finds Patricia but cannot get her to tell her what's wrong. The next morning, Sheila makes it clear that, though Mike says he misses her, she is completely over him. At the beach, the women meet an elderly couple (Louis Gosset, Jr. and Cicely Tyson) who have accidentally thrown a friend's ashes on Angela. Sheila invites them to dinner and they accept. At the "Why Did I Get Married?" ceremony, Patricia announces to the group that she and Gavin are getting a divorce, causing a distraught and angered Gavin to walk away from her, because he did not know she was going to announce it to them.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: Back in Atlanta, Gavin and his lawyer meet Patricia with her lawyer, Dianne. Patricia and Gavin have decided to split everything down the middle in the settlement, but Gavin reveals that Patricia has not offered up the account containing her $850,000 book revenue. Patricia refuses to give Gavin any of her book money, but as she leaves, Gavin advises Dianne to tell Patricia to "prepare for a fight", as he intends to get half of that account as well. Meanwhile, Angela's neighbor tells her she's been hearing sexual noises from the house when Angela is not home. Angela believes Marcus is cheating and confronts him live on his television show, who then gives her his cell phone and password. Gavin comes home very drunk and confronts Patricia. He takes their son's baby photos and taunts her about her perceived lack of emotions, even about their divorce and their son's death, and then assaults her, douses her in vodka, then burns the photos.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: Elsewhere, at Sheila's request, Mike agrees to help find Troy a job. Angela lectures Dianne and Sheila about how all men cheat. Patricia changes the locks and catches Gavin, Terry, and Marcus moving Gavin's things out, then learns Gavin has taken all their money, including her book money; enraged, Patricia trashes the house with his golf clubs. Angela comes home early to catch Marcus cheating and finds a couple in her bed, but after shooting up the room, she notices it was just the gardener and the maid having sex. Terry finally confronts Dianne about her infidelity; she reveals that she has been having an emotional affair and begs for forgiveness. Marcus and Angela fight, then reconcile, but only to fight again after Angela discovers Marcus has another phone. Troy arrives at Mike's apartment after finding out Mike got him his police job. After finding Sheila there, he angrily attacks Mike. Sheila tearfully confesses that she has been taking Mike to chemotherapy; she tries to apologize for being dishonest, but he leaves her.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: The women go to Patricia's house to comfort her; they soon realize that they are ruining their marriages and lives with their constant selfishness, lies, dishonesty and inconsideration. The next day, Troy, himself, apologizes to Mike for the incident, who forgives him and invites Troy to have a drink with him and the guys, beginning a new friendship. Mike tells the men to fix their marriages because life is too short. Later that day, Gavin finds himself humiliated at his job, harassed, and told off by an angry Patricia; to make matters worse, he is then struck and gravely injured by an oncoming truck. While the others wait to hear the status of his condition, a tearful and regretful Patricia instructs the wives to fix their marriages (such as Mike suggested to the husbands), and everyone makes up. Gavin's doctor shows up and informs them that he has died. The couples decided to have a memorial service for Gavin in the Bahamas.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: One year later, as Patricia exits a university building she is approached by a colleague. She tells Patricia that she knows someone who wants to meet her, a philanthropist, but Patricia refuses. The professor goes on to tell her that she can at least say hi because the university needs funds. The man (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) tells her that her books have helped in his grieving process (divorce) and invites her to have coffee. The movie ends with Patricia smiling at him.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: A June 5, 2009, report stated that Janet Jackson would reprise her role as Patricia, making her the third confirmed cast member to reprise her role. Due to Michael Jackson's sudden death, film production was halted for a short period of time, after which Jackson returned to continue with the project. On August 6, 2009, Jackson stated that she had finished filming her scenes.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: On June 16, 2009, Tyler Perry confirmed that the entire cast from the first film would return for the sequel.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: Janet Jackson recorded a song for the "Why Did I Get Married Too?" soundtrack entitled "Nothing". It served as the soundtrack's lead single. Also, Cameron Rafati's single "Battles" was featured in this film. Norwegian Christel Alsos was also featured with the song "Still". The soundtrack for the film was released on So So Def Recordings with distribution being handled by Malaco Records.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: The film received mixed reviews from critics. Based on 49 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 27% with an average score of 4.60/10. The website's critical consensus states, "It's bolstered by a strong performance from Janet Jackson, but ultimately, "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too?" doesn't add anything new to Perry's melodramatic formula." Metacritic calculated an average score of 44/100, based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: Wesley Morris of "The Boston Globe" gave the film 2½ out of 4 stars, claiming: "If Perry's cinematic vision remains less than 20/20, his sagacity gets stronger by the movie." Lisa Schwarzbaum of "Entertainment Weekly" graded the film a D, writing in her review: "It's a contradiction in terms to think of the phenomenally successful, prolific entertainment showman Tyler Perry as lazy, but there's no other description for this particular product: Terribly shot and crudely assembled." Scott Wilson concurred, stating: "Why Did I Get Married Too? lacks the underlying goodwill of some of his better work and plays like a gift wrapped present to his detractors." Wilson graded the movie 1.5/5 stars.


title: Why Did I Get Married Too?

text: "Why Did I Get Married Too?" grossed a total of $30.2 million in its opening weekend placing second behind "Clash of the Titans". Its opening weekend gross makes it the third highest opening for films created by Tyler Perry. As of June 6, 2010 the movie has grossed over $60 million domestically.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The Toyota Corolla E80 is a range of small automobiles manufactured and marketed by Toyota from 1983 to 1987 as the fifth generation of cars under the Corolla and Toyota Sprinter nameplates, with production totaling approximately 3.3 million, and most models adopting a front-wheel drive layout.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The AE85 and AE86 Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno (SR-5/GT-S in US) retained rear-wheel drive from the previous E70 generation, along with the three-door "liftback" (E72), three-door van (E70) and five-door wagon (E70) of the previous generation, which remained in production. The AE86 ultimately gained international prominence in the motorsport of drifting and wide popularity in Showroom Stock, Group A, and Group N, Rally and Club racing.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: In a joint venture with General Motors, mildly restyled versions of the front-wheel drive AE82 sedan and liftback were locally manufactured and sold in the United States as the Chevrolet Nova.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: It was the first Corolla to top the New Zealand top-ten lists, ending Ford's dominance of that market. A shorter hatchback range, called the Corolla FX in Japan and the Corolla Compact in Germany, arrived in October 1984 on the front-wheel-drive platform. The three- and five-door hatchbacks resembled the Corolla sedan with a truncated rear deck and trunk. Although there was a five-door liftback model of the basic Corolla, the shorter FX hatchback was sold alongside it. The Corolla FX replaced the Toyota Starlet in North America.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: A DOHC 16-valve engine, designated "4A-GE", was added in 1983 on the rear-drive cars. It was a 1.6 L (1,587 cc) inline-four and produced , turning the Levin/Trueno (Japan), Corolla GT coupé (Europe) and Corolla GT-S (North America) into a what was arguably a sports car. The three-door FWD hatchback was also available with this engine; it was known as the Corolla FX-GT in Japan and Corolla FX-16 in North America. This engine was also combined with the front-drive transaxle to power the mid-engined Toyota MR2.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The Sprinter sports cars, in two-door coupé and three-door liftback forms, were notable for being the line's first use of pop-up headlamps, which the equivalent Corolla Levin sports models did not have. The liftback has a .


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: Launched in Japan in May 1983, it reached Europe (including the right-hand drive UK market) three months later, and sold well in most European markets. The car was facelifted in May 1985, receiving larger headlights akin to those installed on the coupés. The smaller 1.3-litre A-series engine was replaced by the new 12-valve 2E unit at the same time for most markets.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The 1.3-litre 2A engine was replaced by the more modern 12-valve 2E engine along with a May 1985 facelift at "Toyota Corolla Store" locations. The range began with the 1300 Custom DX and ended with the 1600 GT Limited, introduced in June 1986. The FX hatchback lineup was considered a semi-separate line and received a different nose and different equipment levels than its sedan and liftback counterparts. The 1.3 was not available in the FX, targeted at sportier buyers, until the 2E engine became available.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The American specification was available with either SOHC or DOHC engines. From 1985 to 1988, NUMMI in Fremont, California built a rebadged version of the Sprinter sedan sold by Chevrolet as the Chevrolet Nova. During calendar 1985, Corolla sedans and Sprinter-type 5-door hatchbacks (sold under both Nova and Corolla nameplates) were added, with the Toyota-branded US built cars gradually superseding imports from Japan and Nova hatchbacks being offered from the 1986 model year. Only the Corolla FX hatchback, launched in 1987 to replace the outgoing 3-door AE86 Corolla Sport liftback, was imported from Japan.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: While all the rear-wheel drive 80-series Corollas were AE86 chassis in North America, the VINs differentiated between the three equipment levels: the DX got AE85, the SR-5 got AE86, and the GT-S received an AE88 VIN.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: After the 1985 facelift, the 1.3 was switched to the new 12-valve E-series unit. Model designations changed at the same time; in Indonesia it was switched from GL to SE Saloon. The newer model has slightly bigger headlamps and also received flush hubcaps.


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The rear-wheel-drive AE86 models campaigned in the Group A rally championship from 1985 until 1992. Victories included a class win in the 1985 Rally Portugal (its first), with Jorge Ortigão driving and J. Batista navigating. The car continued to be raced as late as the 1993 Acropolis Rally, with its best finish a third overall in the 1989 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire (with Adolphe Choteau/Jean-Pierre Claverie).


title: Toyota Corolla (E80)

text: The AE86 became international prominent in the motorsport of drifting. Owners may heavily modify their AE86 models to where the only connection to the original model is the bodyshape.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: The Dr. Oz Show (or simply Oz) is an American syndicated daytime television talk show, hosted by Mehmet Oz, that originally aired between September 14, 2009, and January 14, 2022. Each episode features segments on health, wellness and medical information, sometimes including true crime stories and celebrity interviews. It was co-produced by Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Productions/Harpo Studios and OzWorks LLC/Oz Media in association with Sony Pictures Television.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: "The Dr. Oz Show" received nine Daytime Emmy Awards during its run, five for Outstanding Informative Talk Show and four for Outstanding Informative Talk Show Host, as well as criticism for some of its subject matter.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: After Oz's November 2021 announcement that he would run as a Republican for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, the show ceased production and aired its final episode on Friday, January 14, 2022. A food-themed spin-off talk show, The Good Dish, filled the timeslot on most stations from January 17 through the end of the 2021–22 television season, with its final original episode airing May 25, 2022.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: Mehmet Oz appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" 55 times over a five-year period. In 2009, Winfrey offered to produce a syndicated series featuring Mehmet Oz through her company, Harpo Productions. "The Dr. Oz Show" debuted September 14, 2009. The first episode discussed the erogenous zones, unnecessary surgeries for women, and germs in purses. In 2010, the show received Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Informative and Outstanding Talk Show Informative Host, winning the latter.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: For the first four seasons, shows were recorded in Studio 6A at NBC Studios in New York, but vacated Rockefeller Center after NBC reclaimed the space for its "Late Night" franchise. Beginning with season five, "The Dr. Oz Show" was recorded in the ABC Television Center East on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The show later moved to Studio 42 at the CBS Broadcast Center in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in 2020.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: In April 2018, Sony Pictures Television renewed "The Dr. Oz Show" for seasons 11 and 12, taking it through 2020–21.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: In March 2020, in-studio production was shut down after a staffer experienced "subtle" symptoms and tested positive for COVID-19. Episodes began filming at Oz's home afterward. The show announced that it would return to studio tapings for its season premiere on September 14, 2020 with limited crew members and without a live audience.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: In September 2020, "The Dr. Oz Show" was renewed for a 13th and 14th season, which would have taken the show through 2023.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: Oz declared his candidacy on November 30, 2021, for the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania; this forced television stations in Pennsylvania and surrounding states and markets as far west as Cleveland, Ohio and Washington, D.C., to immediately drop the show from their schedule in order to remain in compliance with the equal-time rule. The show's website was also relocated to "drozshow.com", as Oz personally owns the "doctoroz.com" domain, which was repurposed for his campaign website, along with the show's former logo being adapted for use in that campaign.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: On December 13, 2021, Sony Pictures Television (SPT) confirmed that "The Dr. Oz Show" would air its final episode on Friday, January 14, 2022. The final program, which featured a discussion about shrinkflation and an interview with Maria Shriver, did not directly reference the show's end until the last segment, which was filmed in a different studio, in which Oz confirmed he was stepping aside due to his run for office, but expressed pride in how the series had, in his view, benefited viewers over its thirteen seasons.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: On Monday, January 17, 2022, most stations that aired "Dr. Oz" began filling its timeslot with a new SPT-distributed series titled The Good Dish, a food-themed talk show based on "Oz"s "The Dish" cooking segments, hosted by Mehmet Oz's daughter Daphne Oz, Gail Simmons, and Jamika Pessoa. Sony had originally announced the series in 2019 to air alongside "Dr. Oz" beginning in fall 2020; at the time, the show was set to be hosted by Simmons, Pessoa, Daphne Oz, and Vanessa Williams. Unable to sell it into syndication following the initial announcement, Sony revived the concept as a replacement for "Dr. Oz" for at least the remainder of the 2021–22 TV season. On March 9, less than two months after its launch, "Deadline Hollywood" reported "The Good Dish" would not be renewed in syndication beyond its initial partial season, with SPT exploring other cable or streaming outlets for the program. "The Good Dish" produced 87 episodes, finishing on May 25, 2022.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: Oz has expressed interest in reviving "The Dr. Oz Show" after losing Pennsylvania's senate race in November 2022. However, he has been unsuccessful in convincing his former producers to bring it back, citing his controversial views after entering politics and a massive ratings drop after Oz announced his run for office.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: According to a 2013 article in "The New Yorker", the series was at that time "among the most highly rated daily television programs" in the United States. It consistently scores ratings with daytime television's primary demographic of women from ages 25–54. During the 2016 season, "The Dr. Oz Show" averaged a 1.4 Nielsen household rating in live-plus-same day numbers. It had a 1.2 Nielsen household rating in 2017 and a 1.1 rating during the 2018 season.


title: The Dr. Oz Show

text: Over the course of its run, "The Dr. Oz Show" and other similar medical talk shows have been criticized for featuring subject matter that is not supported by published studies. The "British Medical Journal" found that more than half of the recommendations on these shows contradicted medical research. Producers for the show have stated that the series gives viewers "the most information and the greatest number of tools they can use to make their own choices."


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Medal of Honor: Warfighter is a first-person shooter video game developed by Danger Close Games and published by Electronic Arts. It is a sequel to 2010's series reboot "Medal of Honor" and the fourteenth installment in the "Medal of Honor" series. The title was announced on February 23, 2012, and was released in North America on October 23, 2012, in Australia on October 25, 2012, and in Europe on October 26, 2012 on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: The games' single-player campaign picks up where "Medal of Honor (2010)" left off, as it follows the Navy SEALs from the previous game's AFO Neptune. Upon release, the game received mixed reviews, with praise for the visuals and the use of the Frostbite 2 engine but criticism aimed at the low texture quality on consoles, glitches, confusing storyline and poor artificial intelligence.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: The gameplay in "Warfighter" features different aspects than its predecessor. Features from the previous game such as peek and lean, requesting ammunition (now unlimited), and sliding returned. New features in the campaign like the Dynamic Door Breach and environmental destruction have been added.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: The single-player campaign follows the story of Tier 1 operators from US Special Operations Forces and features various locations including Bosnia, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Somalia. The player primarily plays as "Preacher" of Task Force Blackbird and "Stump" of Task Force Mako. Campaign levels follow a nonlinear path and depict missions which occur at various points in time.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: "Medal of Honor: Warfighter"s multiplayer was not developed by EA Digital Illusions CE who previously helped develop "Medal of Honor"s multiplayer. Danger Close Games developed the game's multiplayer aspect with DICE's Frostbite 2 engine. Players are involved in a global battle and choose which country they would like to support. There are 13 different tier one units from ten different nations that players can choose from. Reserving the game gave players access to additional content when "Warfighter" released, including additional weapons and perks. There was also a limited edition of the game that gave players early access to the U.S. SEAL Sniper equipped with the McMilllan TAC-300.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: The following national task-forces are available in multiplayer: Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), British Special Air Service (SAS), Canadian Joint Task Force 2 (JTF-2), German Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), Norwegian Forsvarets Spesialkommando (FSK/HJK), Polish JW GROM (GROM), Russian FSB Alpha (Alfa Group), Republic of Korea Navy Special Warfare Flotilla (UDT/SEAL), Swedish Särskilda operationsgruppen (SOG), U.S. Army Delta Force (SFOD-D), U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six (DEVGRU), and the U.S. CIA Special Activities Center/Special Operations Group (SAC/SOG) also referred to as "OGA" (Other Government Agency). Within these groups, there are six distinct classes that players select from: Spec Ops, Sniper, Assaulter, Demolitions, Heavy Gunner, and Point Man. Each class has specific benefits and unique abilities. These nationalities and classes are only available in multiplayer mode.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: "Warfighter's" multiplayer features deep customization, for both the player's appearance and their weapons. The player is able to equip each weapon with various barrels, muzzles, magazines, stocks, optics, and paint jobs.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: The campaign initially follows Task Force Mako, made up of DEVGRU SEALs "Mother", "Voodoo", "Preacher" (who were part of AFO Neptune in the previous game) and "Stump". The story does not progress linearly and jumps forward and backwards in time.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: At a ship dock in Karachi, Pakistan, Task Force Mako plants a demolition charge to sabotage a terrorist organization's smuggling operation. However, the charge unexpectedly sets off secondary explosions which destroy the docks. Debrief by their "OGA" (Other Government Agency) handler Dusty, a former U.S. Army Delta Force operator, suggests that their charge set off hidden PETN explosives being smuggled in the shipping containers to the Philippines.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Mako follows the lead to Isabela City, Philippines, but are diverted to aid the Philippine SOCOM's Task Force Tiger, led by General Barrera, with rescuing several hostages kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group. They identify one of the hostage takers as Marwan al-Khalifa but General Barrera denies Mako's recommendations and instead orders his own NAVSOG operator, "Tiger 12", to shoot Khalifa. Tiger 12 wounds Khalifa and, in the chaos, the kidnappers and an unidentified terrorist are able to escape with the hostages. Mother and Preacher link up with the NAVSOG team and push in to secure the hostages. After taking multiple casualties due to General Barrera's poor decisions, Tiger 12 directs the NAVSOG team to ignore Barrera and follow Mother's orders. The NAVSOG and DEVGRU operators are able to secure the hostages, though Tiger 12 is seriously wounded and Khalifa and the unknown terrorist escape. Humiliated, General Barrera uses his political connections to force Mother and Preacher to retire from the Navy.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Weeks later, Task Force Mako, now led by Voodoo and consisting of Stump, Dingo, and Tick, assists a Marine-led amphibious raid aimed at curtailing local Somali piracy and later returns to the to help aid with the hostage situation on a U.S. freighter off the Somali coast.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Preacher takes his discharge and travels to Madrid, Spain to repair his failing marriage. While waiting for his wife's train to arrive, he unexpectedly sees Khalifa but is unable to stop him from committing a suicide bombing in the station. When Preacher regains consciousness in the hospital, he finds Lena and their daughter are safe as they missed their train. Mother visits and tells him that intel from their missions revealed connections between the Madrid train bombing (which used smuggled PETN), Abu Sayyaf, the unknown terrorist (now identified as Sa'ad al Din), and a terrorist leader known only as "the Cleric". Mother persuades him to join a newly-formed covert unit codenamed Task Force Blackbird, a joint effort between the Navy and the Central Intelligence Agency to investigate the PETN proliferation.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Task Force Blackbird, composed of Mother, Preacher, and Ajab, a local Pakistani CIA asset, track a gun runner named Faraz who is linked to the PETN smuggling. The operation is kept secret from Pakistani officials as Blackbird suspects they are actually aiding the terrorist network. This appears to be confirmed as Blackbird is forced to engage Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agents protecting Faraz. Mother and Preacher apprehend their target and learn the PETN is being supplied by a banker in Dubai named Hassan. While waiting for extraction, Faraz is killed by an enemy sniper and Ajab barely helps the two escape. While this is happening, Mako has tracked the PETN to Yemen and raids the terrorist facility storing it. There, they find a training camp with mockups of airports and train stations but only half of the PETN stockpile.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Blackbird arrives in Dubai and capture Hassan for interrogation. The SEALs manage to upload crucial data from Hassan's laptop but are captured before they can escape with Hassan. This data leads Mako to Sarajevo, where a Bosnian weapons dealer named Stovan Bosic is selling the PETN. Mako links up with a team of Polish GROM, and the joint forces track Bosic to the abandoned bobsled/luge track from the 1984 Winter Olympics where they capture him. Bosic reveals that two ships containing the PETN had just left Dubai. Dusty notifies NATO forces in Croatia to impound one of the vessels while Mako is sent to intercept the other headed for Karachi.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Unbeknownst to them, Sa'ad al Din is interrogating Preacher and Mother aboard that very same cargo freighter. After refusing to divulge information, Mother is executed by Sa'ad al Din. As Mako arrives and assaults the ship, Preacher is able to escape and fight his way to the bridge. He corners and overpowers Sa'ad al-Din before Mako arrives and takes the latter into custody. This enables them to identify the Cleric's identity as Hassan and his compound in Pakistan.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Preacher and Dusty join Mako in the final raid on Hassan's compound. During the assault, Voodoo and Preacher locate Hassan and kill him when he attempts to detonate his suicide vest. Afterward, they return home and pay their respects to Mother at his funeral. Some time after the funeral, Preacher receives a deployment signal on his pager while spending time with his family, but hesitates to answer.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: One month after "Medal of Honor" was released, John Riccitiello, EA CEO at the time, stated that "Consumer feedback has been strong to suggest that we've got a franchise now, once again, that we could successfully and effectively sequel in the future." On February 18, 2011, Gregory Goodrich, the executive producer of Danger Close Games, said that the company would be pursuing a sequel to the 2010 reboot. On January 11, 2012, retailer Game revealed that EA plans to release new entries in the "Medal of Honor" and "Need for Speed" series later that year, which was shown by EA during a confidential presentation. Several video game website outlets such as GameSpot and Kotaku disclosed an invitation to a March 6, 2012, public unveiling at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, indicating that a new installment in the "Medal of Honor" franchise would have its first public demonstration.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: "Warfighter" follows in the footsteps of 2011's "Battlefield 3" by using the Frostbite 2 engine. EA senior creative director Richard Farrelly said Danger Close has been helping push the engine in new directions and has managed to create its own signature look for "Warfighter", but "still have some of the same elements that "EA Digital Illusions CE" have like the micro-destruction and the amazing lighting." Farrelly also stated that "Warfighter" is "helping make Frostbite 2 a better engine".


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: A multiplayer beta for "Warfighter" was made available on October 5 exclusively for the Xbox 360. The beta featured one map, and one mode. Players had access to all 6 classes. The beta ended on October 15.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: Seven members of Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) who worked as consultants for the game were disciplined for releasing classified information to the game's creators. They received a punitive letter of reprimand and a partial forfeiture of pay for two months. The two main complaints against the SEALs were that they did not seek the permission of their commanding officer to take part in the project and that they showed the game designers some of their specially designed combat equipment unique to their unit. The military official briefed about the case was not authorized to speak publicly about it.


title: Medal of Honor: Warfighter

text: The music for "Warfighter" was composed by Ramin Djawadi, who also composed the music for "Medal of Honor" (2010). The official soundtrack was released on September 25, 2012, on iTunes and Amazon, nearly one month before the release of the game. The soundtrack consists of 21 tracks, 2 of which were composed by Mike Shinoda, the co-vocalist and rapper of Linkin Park. Linkin Park's song "Castle of Glass" from their album "Living Things" serves as the end credits song for "Warfighter", and variations of the song appear on the soundtrack. Themes from the previous game reappear as well, albeit in slightly differed forms. The official video was released on October 10, 2012.