Cultural groups celebrate the Year of the Snake

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This article was published 29/01/2025 (423 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rehearsals are in full swing at Great Wall Dance Academy as students, brows furrowed in concentration, perfect the intricate steps and graceful movements required of classical Chinese dance.

Under the watchful eye of their teacher, Zimeng Liu, four groups refine their separate routines for the upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Club Regent Event Centre.

“Preparations are progressing well. The performers are rehearsing regularly and we are focused on perfecting each routine to ensure a vibrant and meaningful performance,” says Liu, 29, a graduate of Beijing Dance Academy who has been teaching dance since 2017.

The dancers at the Waverley Street academy are tackling both classical and folk dances, with each dance presenting different aspects of traditional Chinese culture.

Ranging in age from four to 65 years, Liu’s older students will perform two classical pieces: Time, a piece exploring the passage of time, and Unwavering Love, which blends classical and modern dance elements, and one folk dance, Watching a Little Play.

“Watching a Little Play is a lively and joyful folk dance with a rich, rural flavour,” Liu says. “Through humorous gestures and playful expressions, the performers vividly portray the fun of everyday life.

“Accompanied by rhythmic drumbeats and cheerful melodies, this performance highlights the charm of northeast Chinese culture and also conveys a strong sense of community and warmth.”

Dressed in vibrant costumes, the youngest members of the dance school, aged between four and 10, will take to the boards to perform The Red Chinese Knot.

“This is a children’s dance full of innocence and festivity,” Liu explains. “The children use lively movements to depict the symbolic meaning of the Chinese knot — reunion, happiness and blessings.

“With its joyful rhythm and energetic atmosphere, the dance represents the younger generation’s love and inheritance of traditional culture.”

Organized by Manitoba Great Wall Performing Arts, the Feb. 8 celebrations also feature performances by the Manitoba Chinese Choir, a piano and string quartet, and a zither recital. There will also be K-pop and hip-hop dances.

“We started hosting the show in 2003. We invite performers from China as well as the rest of Canada,” says Gary Liu, president of the non-profit amateur cultural performance organization. “This year we will have a magician from Ottawa as well artists from Chengdu, China.

“Winnipeg and Chengdu are sister cities and performers from there will share their culture to connect with the Chinese community here.”

Acts from the Chengdu Cultural Exchange Troupe will showcase Kung Fu Tea, a ceremony that combines tea pouring with martial arts moves and Face Change or Bian Lian, an essential component of Sichuan Opera, where performers alter their facial expressions by swiftly swapping silver masks that depict various emotions. Movements are so done so seamlessly, it’s difficult to spot the moment the actors change masks.

Celebrations to usher in the year of the wood snake, which starts today, allow Winnipeg’s Chinese community to retain its ties to its culture, Gary Liu says.

“It is a way to feel we are still in China with family to celebrate New Year, and it will pass our traditional culture to new generations.”

For more information visit manitobagreatwall.com.

av.kitching@freepress.mb.ca