THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 3, 1995 TAG: 9502010190
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 03L EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
Toddlers at Stratford Preschool learned Monday morning how to celebrate the new year, Chinese-style.
An eye-popping, ear-splitting ``lion dance,'' featuring the gyrations of an oversized and gilded two-man puppet opened festivities in the school auditorium to the beat of a drum and cymbals.
A lively kung fu demonstration performed by the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association, brought the program to a close.
In between, offerings included a delicate Chinese folk dance, performed with fan and sash by Lilly Ma, an aero-space engineering graduate student at Old Dominion University.
And there was a kite-making demonstration by Peter Chang, a retired Norfolk State University professor, who showed how some paper, glue, sticks and string could provide hours of entertainment for even the poorest of Chinese children.
Also on hand to show Stratford youngsters how to make delicate brush strokes on rice paper, was local artist Shaw-Mei Shen, who trained at the National Academy of Art in Taiwan. The only thing missing were the traditional Chinese fireworks.
They were precluded, of course, because the program was held inside the school annex of the Baylake United Methodist Church on Shore Drive.
While the Chinese New Year's observance actually didn't begin until Tuesday, goggle-eyed moppets at Stratford got a glimpse of holiday customs that have evolved from the ancient Chinese culture.
And that is exactly what program organizer, Shewling Moy Wong of Virginia Beach, wanted to accomplish.
``I think children should learn at an early age about different cultures,'' said the mother of two.
``I remember when my parents moved to Portsmouth, my brothers and I were scared. The other kids made fun of us because we were different. They wanted to fight, and we were beaten up a lot.''
Early on, Wong decided to organize programs that offered glimpses into a civilization that is 5,000 years old as a way of promoting ``cultural diversity.''
For the past few years, Wong has organized variations of the program at Stratford and Norfolk Academy, schools attended by her sons. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by
MORT FRYMAN
Wing Mui leads the traditional ``lion dance'' to the beat of drums
and cymbals during the Chinese New Year's celebration for toddlers
at Stratford Preschool. The Lion Dance is performed first at
celebrations of the Chinese New Year because it is believed that the
lion wards off evil spirits that could prevent a person from having
a happy and prosperous year.
The ``lion'' may act friendly, but 3-year-old Nick Walko, is not
letting go of teacher Linda Barnes' hand while getting acquainted
with the character.
Tammy Lee displays the ``flower fist''
form as part of the Jow Ga Kung Fu Association's perfromance at
Stratford Preschool. The Chinese New Year's program also featured
a Chinese folk dance, a kite-making demonstration and lessons on
painting Chinese characters on rice paper.
by CNB