Advances Fusion, January, 2016

Vol. 6, #1, January 2016, No. 55

We Are the Champions!

Midea has begun 2016 with a series of Olympian achievements

1 Advanceswww.midea.com Fusion, January, 2016

ADVANCES

Contents

“I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”! NEWSLINE PAGE 8 FUSION World Sport’s Biggest Stage PAGE 3 Group Welcomed to World- Leading IOT Alliance PAGE 9 : Facts about PAGE 15 Russian Creative China’s Most Generous Competition with a Twist Person PAGE 10 SAUDI ARABIA: Jenadriyah PAGE 4 National Festival PAGE 16 Deputy Prime Minister at Dealer Meeting RUSSIA: PAGE 17 Bosch JV Enters UK Market PAGE 11 PAGE 5 : Carnevale Venezia 50 New Products Displayed 10,000 Induction Cookers PAGE 18 at Florida Expo PAGE 12 Donated to Nepal PAGE 6

Belarus Workers’ Snow- Divisions Win Design Gold Shoveling Skills Called to Medals PAGE 13 Action PAGE 6

Midea Donates $1.5 Million to PEOPLE Beijiao for Seventh Straight

Year PAGE 7 RAC’s R&D Doctor PAGE 14

Midea Advances Newsletter is published monthly by Midea International Business. We welcome all Quote of the Month: comments, suggestions and contributions of articles, as well as requests for subscription to our newsletter. You can reach us by email at: [email protected] The slogan 'press

Address: on' has solved and ADVANCES, Midea International Business Midea HQ always will solve the No. 6 Midea Road Beijiao, Shunde, Foshan, Guangdong problems of the hu- P.R.C. 528311 man race. Web: www.midea.com/global Phone: 0086 13266591586 —Calvin Coolidge

2 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

World Sport’s Biggest Stage

Via EJarn

M idea has won the bidding for one of the most sought after commercial air conditioning (CAC) projects of 2016. CAC will supply its variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems to the newest major sports complex in Brazil, demonstrating strong international competitive- ness. The sports-mad South American country built the Barra Park in Rio de Janeiro, which spreads across an area of 1,180 km2 and contains five stadiums and other facili- ties such as press offices and dormitories. Midea’s VRFs

ucts will be imported from China. Take the MDV V5X series VRF widely used in game cen- ters as an example. The product has high operational efficiency with low energy consumption, thanks to advanced direct cur- rent (DC) inverter technology, precision refrigerant control, energy-saving heat transfer, and powerful low-temperature heat- ing technologies. The VRF has maximum parallel capacity of 88 hp, the highest in the industry, and the leading integrated part

will be used for all these facilities. Considering the special geographical location, climatic conditions, and architectural styles of Rio de Janeiro, Midea selected the most suitable products for different stadiums. To ensure the comfort and energy-saving level, most of the prod-

load value (IPLV) of 8.3. For more information, see EJarn: ejarn.com/news.aspx? ID=38126

3 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

Russian Creative Competition with a Festive

By Advances Twist

A competition was held on VK.com, the Russian- language equivalent of Facebook, for the most creative design of the Midea logo over the and New Year period. The prize was the EHS10AH Bread Maker and the wide vari- ety of entries involved everything from plasticine, pine branches, hand-embroidered pillows and gingerbread.

This design, made from fish caught in the Sea of Japan, was the winner.

4 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE Bosch JV Enters UK Market

Via Google News

design combined B osch, the well-known German engineering and with an increased electronics company, has announced the launch of a range of heat exchanger area VRF air conditioning units in the UK. and transfer coeffi- The launch this month coincides with similar launches in cient, means the a number of countries across Europe, including Germany, control box can Italy, Spain, Turkey and Poland. The launch follows the joint reach temperatures venture with Midea Commercial Air Conditioning (CAC). as low as 8°C. The Bosch Climate 5000 VRF offers outputs from 8kW In addition, to 200kW. The heat recovery system boasts an EER of 7.0 at what is described as 50% load (8hp) and an SEER of up to 8.0. Each module’s a pioneering fan ability to provide continuous heating whilst simultaneously design on the larger performing a defrost cycle, ensures high performance in tem- units provides an peratures ranging from -20°C to 48°C. overall performance The Climate 5000 VRF is available in a three-pipe heat boost with a 14.3% increase in air volume and a noise reduc- recovery system, a two-pipe heat pump VRF system, and a tion of up to 4dB. The four-blade fan and three-blade fan of- mini heat pump system. The mini heat pump series can be fered by the entire RDCI range and SDCI modules from 12hp upgraded to provide single zone control of an internal unit -18hp coupled with a night time function, is said to create the using just one outdoor unit with an attached switch box, mak- perfect solution for projects associated with domestic proper- ing it the ideal solution for small residential houses, commer- ties. cial buildings and small retail businesses. Along with the new VRF system, Bosch is also offering a The inverter-driven compressors within the RDCI (all centralised controller capable of controlling up to 1,024 units DC inverter heat recovery) and SDCI (all DC inverter heat individually, and allowing energy consumption for every unit pump) series are said to maximise reliability and allow each to be monitored using a smart phone, tablet, or PC. An SMS system to operate with up to 1,000m of pipework. service linked to the system is also available, which will send a Bosch also claims that its patented air cooling technology report text message should a unit fail. for the inverter module allows more effective cooling of elec- Announcing the launch in the UK, business develop- trical components for better all-round performance. The grille ment director Geoff Hobbs said: “Those within the building services industry are increasingly faced with the challenge of recommending and installing flexible heating and hot water systems with the ability to maximize efficiency. With this in mind, we’ve taken the decision to introduce a VRF system which offers maximum heating and cooling comfort efficient- ly, and on a large scale.” Geoff added: “Our decision to enter the UK air condi- tioning market means those working within the sector can rely on the expertise and experience of a global brand with a wealth of knowledge of the UK building services sector.”

5 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE 10,000 Induction Cookers Donated to Nepal

By MIP

the T en-thousand Midea induction cookers have been sent 10,000 to Nepal as part of China’s aid package to the country during its units fuel shortage. China’s Ministry of Commerce selected Midea were ahead of the competition due to the reliability of the brand’s deliv- products. ered to After the pledge was signed on December 19, a selection Shang- process for hai in the supplier just four began. The days lightness and ahead of durability of being Midea’s trans- products and ported to the Himalayan nation. the efficiency The Nepalese government began rationing fuel in Septem- of Midea- ber after discord over a new constitution prompted ethnic mi- owned nority political parties to impose a strike and block border Annto Logis- crossings with India. With winter arriving and areas of the coun- tics helped it try still reeling from the earthquakes that struck in April and win out and May, many families are worried about how they will stay warm.

Belarus Workers’ Snow-Shoveling Skills Called to Action By Advances

Brazzaville, Congo, where M idea was founded in 1968 in Beijiao in South Chi- temperatures can read 32 na’s Guangdong Province. For generations, people who spent Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit). their whole lives in Beijiao would never have seen snow, of On the other extreme, work- which the area has very little record. ers at the Midea-Horizont Nothing says more about the group’s progress than the joint venture in the Belarus- variety of climactic ian capital of Minsk were conditions under unexpectedly called into which its foot soldiers snow-shoveling action as the operate. Midea’s com- city was coated in up to 40 cm of snow. mercial air condition- Hazards included tree branches that fell under the pres- ing was installed in the sure, roads that were dangerously slippery, and vehicles that village for last year’s were submerged. It was nothing that could not be solved with All-Africa Games in some elbow grease and Midea-Horizont team spirit.

6 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE Midea Donates $1.5 Million to Beijiao for 7th

Straight Year

bring Beijiao closer to the level of development seen in nearby B eijiao, a former fishing village and hometown of megacities Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Midea founder He Xiangjian is where it all The causes will include: started for the group. In  3 Million RMB in sub- 1968, Mr. He set up the sistence to the poor. company that would be-  1.5 Million RMB will come Midea with twenty- go to education, including three employees making 500,000 which will be spent bottle caps. on redeveloping Beijiao Knowing that Village Middle School. The Midea’s status as a global rest of the funds will be giant would never have controlled by the Depart- been possible without the ment of Education. good people of Beijiao and  80 Million RMB will go the cooperation of the toward upgrading hospital local government, Midea facilities and infrastructure. has donated 10 Million RMB (US$1.5 Million) at the start of  20 Million RMB will go toward helping the disabled. every year since 2009. This year’s funds will go to a variety of good causes that will help society’s most vulnerable people and

Red Hot Small Appliances

By Advances

dong this month. To mark the release, synchronized swimmer M idea’s Small Domestic Appliances Division released Sun Wenyan, who won Gold at the London Olympics and the its Mini range of red appliances on e-commerce platform Jing- Asian Games among other

7 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

“I’ve Got a Golden Ticket!”

By Kevin McGeary

S pring Festival is for many Chinese the only time of year in which they can see their families. To be part of the economic miracle, millions have had to move away from their rural homes to coastal boomtowns where most of the growth has been concentrated. For this reason, and due to the sheer size and popula- tion of the country, (The Spring Festival Rush) is a massive source of stress for hundreds of millions of people each year. The difficulty of getting home is equivalent to Steve Martin and John Candy in the 1987 movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” times 1,000. Workers at Midea’s components factory in the southern city of Foshan will have no such concern as the company has done a deal with high-speed rail operator Guangzhou Rail Corporation to ensure that the majority can get tickets home this year.

Here are some images of the typical scenes at train and bus stations in China at this time of year. They are not for the faint-hearted:

8 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

Group Welcomed to World-Leading IOT Alliance Via Google News

M idea has received an invitation letter to join ZigBee, a global wireless standard for the Inter- net of Things. ZigBee joins other major Internet of Things associations such as HomeKit, AllSeen, Thread, and HiLink in collaborating with Midea.

that will work together seamlessly to enhance everyday life. This association will help Midea further develop its M-Smart system and make it compatible with other interoperable products. Zigbee Chairman Torbin Richardson visited Midea to confirm the association.

Torbin Richardson, right

Product categories that ZigBee covers include consumer electronics, power sources, interoperable appli- ances, medical devices, and telecom- munications. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in The United States it launched ZigBee 3.0, the unification of the Alliance’s market- leading wireless standards into a sin- gle standard. This standard will pro- vide seamless interoperability among the widest range of smart devices and give consumers and businesses access to innovative products and services

9 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

China’s Most Generous Person

Via Wall Street Journal

A ccording to Evan Os- nos of The New Yorker, in 1850 America had fewer than twenty millionaires, by 1900 it had 40,000, some as bumptious as James Gordon Bennett, who bought a restaurant in Monte Car- lo after he was refused a seat by the window. This was what Mark Twain described as his country’s “guilded age.” Since China initiated Reform and Opening in the late 1970s, its transformation has been even more rapid. The majority of Chi-

sonal wealth as of August 31, 2015, according to the findings of the Ash Centre for Democratic Govern- ance at Harvard Kennedy School. The second highest donor gave away 315 million RMB. For seven straight years, Midea has donated US$1.5 Million to Mr. He’s native Beijiao Village, where the company is headquartered. Causes to which Mr. He has donated his money include clean water, health care, social welfare and education.

na’s millionaires moved from the farm to the boardroom in a short enough time to ensure they remem- ber their working class roots. When it comes to giving some- thing back to a society that has ena- bled them to flourish, none of Chi- na’s billionaires is more generous than Midea founder Mr. He Xiangjian, who donated 400 million RMB (US$60.8 million) of his per- Beijiao, much of which was developed with He’s fortune

10 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

Cambodia Deputy Prime Minister at Dealer

By Shine Lee Meeting

M idea’s dealer meeting held in Cambodia on Janu- ary 26 was attended by many of the great and good, none more so than Deputy Prime Minister Men Sam An. She and other dignitaries were led around the exhibition center by hosts decked in traditional attire of Midea blue as the brand’s entire product range was displayed.

Men Sam An, center

A hostess in traditional Khmer attire

Children’s air conditioners

Other guests included the president of the China Friendship Association and a senior economic advisor to prime minister Hun Sen. Nearly 600 people attended the event at which the brand was introduced. Over US$1.5 mil- lion of business was done on the spot.

11 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

50 New Products Displayed at Florida Expo

By Shine Lee

T he International Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration (AHR) Exposition, was held in Orlando, Florida on January 26. As a global leader in the HVAC and refrigera- tion industries, Midea had a large stand, displaying around 50 new products. Midea America & Canada Corporation (MACC) was delighted to exhibit so many products in the United States, a major Team MACC market for refrig- eration without display or sound because of its auto photosensitive and air features. Its strength not only lies in its functions but also in its solutions. streamline V design in which its light turns blue or orange ac- Midea Commercial Air Conditioning (CAC) and Midea- owned compres- sor brand GMCC work together to provide some of the world’s most efficient air solu- tions. These include the Oasis Series of air conditioners, which boast ca- pacity of 9000BTU/h and SEER 37.0 and the Vertu Plus cording to the cooling or heating mode. Series has a mode Distributors and other interested parties at the expo had called “forest an unprecedented opportunity to engage with the brand, learn wind”, in which about the products and appreciate the way in which Midea is an ionizer is released, giving off a breeze so fresh that users helping families around the world enjoy some of their most feel as if they are in a forest. The latter also operates quietly precious moments at home.

12 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

NEWSLINE

Divisions Win Design Gold Medals

E ach year, International Forum Design GmbH organizes one of the world's most celebrated and valued design competitions: the iF DESIGN AWARD. Recognized as a symbol of design excel- lence around the world, the iF DESIGN AWARD welcomes over 5,000 submis-

sions from Appliances divisions. 70 countries With its minimalist design, the Star series of washing ma- every year. chines have been a hit around the world. Sold under the Lit-

Founded in Germany in 1953, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been bestowed on a number of Midea Group’s products and brands. The most recent win- ners come from Midea’s Washing Machine and Small The Small Appliances Division Celebrates

tleSwan brand, the washing machine can be controlled with a smartphone app. Its ease of use led iF to recognize it as a Disci- pline Product. At the same time, two items made by the Small Applianc- es Division were also recognized as Discipline Products. The PU Rice Cooker and the Skittles series of contact grills and rice cookers were recognized for the simplicity of their design and user-friendliness.

13 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

PEOPLE

RAC’s R&D Doctor

By Wang Biying

that Midea has given him. “At this place, you always know you L iang Zhaihao from Huanggang in central China’s can use your own specialist skills, always know you will reap Hubei Province, was awarded a PhD by Sun Yat-sen University what you sow, always know that good work will be rewarded,” in July 2012. In October 2013 he started working in research and said Liang. development for Midea Residential Air Conditioning, specializ- Of course, the work is not all joy. Despite three changes ing in smart home technology. in Internet of Things platform, after doing their fair share of all- Liang’s experiences in the past year include completing the nighters in the laboratory, Liang and his team have pulled Smart Air Housekeeper system, which will work for four prod- through because of their self-belief and belief in Midea’s future uct cate- as a smart gories home and leader. Midea’s Liang entire M- believes Smart that the system; key is worked team- on 100 work. products “Nobody in 17 of ever Midea’s achieves series, anything including entirely the chil- on their dren’s air own,” condi- said tioners Liang. and the At a time King when refrigera- technolo- tion sys- gy is mak- tems; ing every- helped thing develop Liang Haizhao, center possible, Midea’s innovation AE、 is at the center. Liang echoes Paul Fang’s call for “consumer-centered VP、AF、MB series; worked on the back end of the M-Smart innovation.” system. The division’s winning of a number of domestic and “I am looking forward to 2016,” said Liang. “2016 is the individual honors was made possible by Liang’s tireless work. year when much of the hard work of the past two years will be Titles Liang has held in just two years include Internet of rewarded.” Things engineer, domestic project manager, and smart software platform manager. He has thrived in all thanks to the autonomy

14 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

FUSION CHINA: Facts about Chinese New Year

By Advances

he Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival as it’s been T es from his hiding place on called since the 20th century, remains the most important social New Year’s Eve, but is and economic holiday in China. Originally tied to the lunar- frightened off by the red solar , the holiday, which falls February 8th, decorations and banners. was a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as 年 ancestors. It was also a time to bring family together for feast- The character “” ing. With the popular adoption in China of the Western calen- which in contemporary dar in 1912, the Chinese joined in celebrating January 1 as New Chinese means “year” is Year’s Day. China, however, continues to celebrate the tradi- one of the oldest written tional Chinese New Year, although in a shorter version with a symbols in the world. new name–the Spring Festival  Chinese families will usually The character “nian” fill their houses with red  Chinese hold their new year celebrations between the 21st decorations as this is held to be a very lucky color. The of January and February 20th, depending on the Chinese streets and public places may also be filled with red ban- lunar calendar; so although calendar years have a fixed start ners and signs at this time. and end date, the Chinese New Year can be any of 31 dif-  China is home to the world’s industry and the ferent dates. Spring Festival will see hundreds of thousands of displays  The celebration is actually known as “Spring Festival” in and organized events, as well as millions of fireworks lit at China, even though it falls in the middle of the winter! home. The tradition is that the fireworks scare away evil This is because the ancient solar calendar, which depicts 24 spirits and demons. The largest displays are set off around periods through the year, classifies the start of Spring as midnight, similarly to January 1st New Year celebrations the period from February 4th to 18th. worldwide.  It is considered good luck to thoroughly clean the house  The two weeks of celebrations usually end with a Lantern for the festival, thus getting rid of any bad feelings. Failing Festival; on the eve of the 15th day, families and friends to do so can bring dishonor and bad luck to the family. again come together to eat and to put up lanterns or re-  No list of fun facts about Chinese New Year would be lease them into the skies. The festival falls on the night of complete without mention of a monster! Tradition says the first full moon of the Chinese New Year. that Nian, a ferocious beast who preys on humans, emerg-  It is a tradition for younger family members to receive of cash from older relatives, rather than wrapped presents; the money is generally given in a red envelope, to reinforce the positive feeling. It is also common for employees to get such cash gifts as bonuses from their employers.  During the Chinese New Year, people often greet each other by shouting “auspicious phrases” thought to bring luck, like “gōng xǐ fā cái,” which translates to “Congratulations and be prosperous.” Children some- times use the following variant of this greeting when they are feeling cheeky: “gōng xǐ fā cái, hóng bāo ná lái.” That means “Congratulations and be prosperous, now give me a red envelope!”

15 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

FUSION SAUDI ARABIA: Jenadriyah National Festival

Via Saudi Embassy

T he most famous cultural event in Saudi Arabia is the Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival, organized each year by the National Guard. For two weeks in late February/early March, the festival gives over a million Saudis a glimpse into the past. First held in 1985, the festival highlights the Kingdom’s commitment to keeping the traditional culture and crafts of Saudi Arabia alive. It is held at a special site about 45km north- east of central Riyadh. Opening with a traditional camel race, the festival in- cludes almost every aspect of Saudi culture. Artisans, such as potters, woodworkers and weavers, demonstrate their tradition- al crafts in small shops with typical palm-frond-roofed porches. foot-powered wheel shapes clay into bowls and water jars. Visitors can also stroll through the past in a heritage village, Leather is cut and shaped into sandals, pouches and bags. which resides Large permanently in planks are Jenadriyah. cut and At these fashioned exhibits one may into doors watch a met- and win- alsmith fashion a dows that traditional brass have intri- and copper coffee cate carv- pot. A wood ings and carver slowly inlays. transforms a piece Black- of wood into a smiths saddle frame. heat Basket makers weave palm fronds and straw into hats, baskets chunks of and containers decorated with colorful designs. A potter using a iron in a furnace and hammer them into gleaming swords and daggers. A tailor hand-sews golden threads into the collar of a man’s cloak. Jewelers fuse precious metals and mount semi- precious stones to make intricate bracelets, necklaces and ear- rings. Craftsman put together ingenious wooden pulleys used in the old days to laboriously draw water from wells for irrigat- ing crops. In addition, folklore troupes perform the ardha and oth- er national dances, while singers from around the Kingdom perform traditional songs and music. Literary figures from across the country participate in poetry competitions between contemporary poets reciting historic verses.

16 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

FUSION RUSSIA: Maslenitsa

By Advances

A ccording to archeological evidence from 2nd century A.D. Maslenitsa may be the oldest surviving Russian holiday. It has its origins in the pagan tradition. In Slavic mythology, Maslenitsa is a sun-festival, personi- fied by the ancient god Volos, and a celebration of the imminent end of winter. In the Christian tradition, Maslenitsa is the last week before the onset of . During the week of Maslenitsa, meat is forbidden to Orthodox Christians, and it is the last week during which eggs, milk, cheese and other dairy products are permitted. The most characteristic food of Maslenitsa is bliny thin pancakes or crepes, made from the rich foods still allowed by the Orthodox tradition that week: butter, eggs and milk. During pagan times, the round shape and golden color signified praise to the Sun because of pan- cakes' resemblance to it. Kostroma. It is paraded around and the first pancakes may be Since Lent excludes parties, secular music, dancing and made and offered to the poor. On Tuesday, young men might other distractions from spiritual life, Maslenitsa represents the search for a fiancée to marry after lent. On Wednesday sons-in last chance to take part in social activities that are not appropri- -law may visit their mother-in-law who has prepared pancakes ate during the more prayerful, sober and introspective Lenten and invited other guests for a party. Thursday may be devoted season. It is a time when societal rules can be broken including to outdoor activities. People may take off work and spend the wearing and clothing of the opposite gender, role- day sledding, ice skating, snowball fights and with sleigh rides. playing, gorging, and consuming large amounts of alcohol. On Friday sons-in-law may invite their mothers-in-law for In some regions, each day of Maslenitsa had its traditional dinner. Saturday may be a gathering of a young wife with her activity. Monday may be the welcoming of “Lady Maslenitsa”. sisters-in-law to work on a good relationship. The community builds the Maslenitsa effigy out of straw, deco- The last day of the week is called "Forgiveness Sunday”. rated with pieces of rags, and fixed to a pole formerly known as Relatives and friends ask each other for forgiveness and might offer small presents. As the culmination of the cele- bration people gather to "strip Lady Maslenitsa of her fin- ery" and burn her in a bonfire. Left-over pancakes may also be thrown into the fire and Lady Maslenitsa's ashes are buried in the snow to "fertilize the crops". At Vespers on Sunday evening, people may make a poklon (bow) before one another and ask forgiveness. An- other name for Forgiveness Sunday is "Cheesefare Sun- day," because for devout Orthodox Christians it is the last day on which dairy products may be consumed until East- er. Fish, wine and olive oil will also be forbidden on most days of Great Lent. The following day is called Clean Mon- day, because people have confessed their sins, asked for- giveness, and can begin Lent with a clean slate.

17 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

FUSION ITALY: Carnevale Venezia

By Kevin McGeary

rom January 23 - February 9, 2016, will F and mainly slough off the winter gloom and burst into life. During the for private (Carnevale), this most magical of cities fills with a feasts, mass of masked party-goers - posing and preening, dancing and where it philandering, in a slightly surreal re-invention of a great tradi- became an tion of the city. occasion for

artistic crea- History tion.

It's said that the Carnival of Venice was started from a Present Day victory of the "Serenissima Repubblica" against the Patriarch of

Aquileia, Ulrico di Treven in 1162. In the honor of this victory, The Carnival returned to operate in 1979, partly inspired the peo- by the Italian government’s determination to revive the Vene- ple started tian tourism industry. Today, approximately 3 million visitors to dance come to Venice every year for the Carnival. One of the most and make important events is the contest for la maschera più bella ("the reunions most beautiful ") placed at the last weekend of the Carni- in San val and judged by a panel of international costume and fashion Marco designers. Square. The festivities begin on the Friday afternoon with La Apparent- Festa delle ly, this Marie, a festival procession started on through that period and became official during the Renaissance. the city. In the seventeenth century, the baroque carnival was a This is a way to preserve the prestigious image of Venice in the world’s precursor eyes. It was very famous during the eighteenth century. It en- to the couraged license and pleasure, but was also used superstitiously official to protect Venetians from an uncertain future. opening Under the rule of the King of Austria, the festival was on Satur- outlawed entire- day, when ly in 1797 and a masked procession leaves Piazza San Marco around 4 pm the use of and circulates through the streets. The next day there are masks became jousts and other mock-military tournaments. The following strictly forbid- Friday evening sees the festival’s high point, the Gran Ballo den. It reap- delle Maschere (Grand Masked Ball), or Doge’s Ball, which peared gradually takes place in different locations each year – usually a suitably in the nine- grand palace is chosen for the event. Anyone with proper cos- teenth century, tume and mask who is able to dance the quadrilles and other but only for steps of a few centuries ago may join in. short periods

18 Advances Fusion, January, 2016

SNAPSHOT

Russian Competition with a Twist

19