WYOMISSING, Pa. — On Saturday, Feb. 15, Penn State Berks will hold a Lunar New Year celebration with a live performance of the traditional Asian art form of the Lion Dance by Gong Lung (Steel Dragon) Kung Fu and Lion and Dragon Dance in the Perkins Student Center. There will also be a presentation on Asian culture, an opportunity for questions and answers, activities like face painting and light refreshments. This free event runs from 1 to 4 p.m., with the performance beginning at 1 p.m. and is open to the public.
Reserve a space and view the full schedule on Eventbrite.
The Lion Dance originated in China and dates back 5,000 years. Performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to tell a story and bring good luck and fortune to the audience. Each lion is controlled by two people; one orchestrates the head movements, and one follows the other’s footwork in the tail. A typical lion dance performance tells a story of one or two lions overcoming an obstacle before obtaining a meaningful object.
This event is sponsored by the Penn State Berks Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Committee in collaboration with the college’s global engagement staff; student clubs including International Klub and the Asian Culture Club; the Penn State Berks Arts and Lecture Series and the Student Initiated Fee. For more information, contact DEIB Committee co-chairs Alexa Hodge at AEH221@psu.edu or Aubrey Edwards at ARE12@psu.edu.