Dallas’ NorthPark center hosted its annual Lunar New Year celebration Jan. 25, partnering with the Crow Museum of Art, a handful of small businesses and UTD’s Chinese Student Association to bring an immersive and multicultural experience to those in attendance.
Lunar New Year, also commonly called Chinese New Year, is celebrated across much of Asia under different names in each country and marks the start of a new year in the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The calendar cycles through 12 animals, with each animal symbolizing specific traits people born in that year are said to possess; this year’s celebrations welcomed the Year of the Snake. The event began with a colorful and mesmerizing lion dance performance from the Rising Phoenix Athletic Association, the boom of the gong reverberating through the air as the puppets weaved methodically around each other. A dancer meet and greet and book signing followed, along with an immersive symphony performance and the opportunity to partake in crafts like knot bracelets and red envelope decorating.
Lion dancers perform at the New Year celebration annually, drawing attendees in instantly. The music echoing throughout the mall drew both new year’s merrymakers and passersby who just happened to be shopping at NorthPark to the event. As the dance went on, the crowd grew, until people began strolling up to the second floor for a better view. The winding and graceful movements of the puppets showcased the skills of the dancers under them. Dat Cao, a dancer who has been with the Rising Phoenix for eight years, met with eager audience members after the dance.
“We’re preserving our culture and tradition,” Cao said while explaining the performance’s significance to the audience.
All around the center were adults and children decked out in traditional attire from multiple countries such as Vietnam and China. Many families made the trip to NorthPark Center for the celebration each year. One little boy, Levi, and his family have attended the celebration for the past three years. This year, he and his brother wore contrasting ao dais, a traditional Vietnamese outfit. Others were first-time attendees — like the Wyan family, who had seen the celebration advertised for years and decided to attend this year. They took part in paper snake making and got a book signed in Chinese characters reading “Happy New Year.” One of the kids even held one of the snakes Creepy Critters provided, with much less apprehension than many of the adults in attendance, letting it glide around his arm while giggling.
UTD’s Chinese Student Association, a club focused on promoting Chinese culture and building a community on campus, spent the day booked and busy, walking kids and adults alike through origami and Fai Chun, doorway decorations for good luck. Yining Liu, a biology sophomore and culture chair of CSA, taught the attendees how to fold golden paper boats resembling the shape of old Chinese currency, which Liu explained was a way for attendees to learn a bit about Chinese culture and daily life. The craft stations were especially a hit with the younger audiences at the event, pulling in many children eager to fold their own boats.
“It was really fun to interact with and see how their faces really just light up,” Liu said. “On the final step, when the boat comes together and they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I did this by myself,’ it’s really nice sharing that moment with them and helping them.”
A highlight of the day was the Dallas Asian Winds symphony performance. The wind ensemble played a fusion of Japanese and Chinese music, as well as pieces by Vietnamese composer Viet Coung and Filipino composer Ethan Prado, creating a beautiful tapestry of sound while bridging cultures and decades. While it was the ensemble’s second year performing at NorthPark, it was the first for tuba player Zac Gilbertson.
“I’m really excited about getting immersed in Chinese American culture here in Dallas,” Gilbertson said. “I’m excited to be experiencing it for the first time.”
Ashling Han, another attendee, enjoyed the activities and hands-on crafts offered throughout the day but found the cultural education to be lacking, especially for the kids.
“After the snakes and stickers, what’s the culture behind it?” Han said. “While they can read the words on the stand, the deeper culture about what new year’s is about and the family culture is kind of lacking. I don’t know if people would be interested but if the knowledge came with the activities that were offered, it would be great.”
From the lion dance to the symphony and the snakes, the event brought all kinds of people together to experience different aspects of Asian culture in a community setting. Everyone ranging from regular attendees to everyday shoppers who happened to be in the mall seemed to enjoy the day. Jasmine Christianson, a Lush employee seeing the event for the first time, found the experience overwhelmingly positive.
“I love how vibrant it is,” Christianson said. “It was my first time seeing lion dancing and attending the event in general and it was really cool seeing it here.”
All photos by Surjaditya Sarkar | Retrograde Staff