This college will celebrate with the San Antonio Chinese Orchestra.
By Pam Paz
ppaz2@student.alamo.edu
The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, starts Thursday, with a 15-day celebration of Chinese traditions.
One tradition is the year being dedicated to a specific animal.
This year is the year of the sheep from the Chinese zodiac.
Other traditions include eating dumplings filled with treats, according to Travel China Guide. The dumplings are usually filled with coins, candy, peanuts or chestnuts to bring good fortune, wealth, health and vigor.
Dancing is an important part of the Chinese New Year. Traditional dances include the dragon dance, performed to scare away evil spirits, according to the English website Top Marks.
Another popular dance is the lion dance, which is believed to bring good luck. It’s also known as the “lion lantern” and is performed on joyous occasions such as the Chinese New Year.
This college will celebrate the Chinese New Year with help from the Chinese Orchestra of San Antonio and Chinese Culture Performance Association of San Antonio at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Fiesta Room of Loftin Student Center. This event is sponsored by the office of student life.
Carrie Hernandez, student success coordinator, said the orchestra will present a 45-minute performance, at a cost of a $600 donation to the orchestra.
The association will perform a Chinese folkdance while the orchestra plays. Hernandez said the dragon dance will not be performed.
“They’re going to do a quick presentation, then go to Incarnate Word,” Hernandez said. “It’s better to have them for 45 minutes than not at all.”
Last year’s event featured a traditional Chinese tea ceremony, Chinese script writing and a special Chinese buffet.
This year’s celebration will not include those events because of time constraints on the orchestra and a limited contract in the cafeteria.
Paul Urrubazo, unit manager for Selrico Services, said he hoped they could do a stir-fry for the event but was not sure if it would be possible.
“We always try to help out,” he said.
Call Hernandez at 210-486-0128.