On the night of January 21, 2012, the Confucius Institute at Arizona State University and the Eastern Art Academy hosted a night of festivities to welcome the arrival of the New Year at Chandler Center for the Arts. That night, the atmosphere was brimmed with excitement and anticipation. The performance was a local celebration for those interested in Chinese culture, as well as those in the Chinese communities ofthe Metro Phoenix area. The auditorium was packed with 1500 guests gathered together to welcome the year of the dragon.

The performance started in a cheerful and lighthearted way with the opening Chinese folk dance, titled Rejoicing. The dance was filled with hope for the coming of spring, reminding us to accept new challenges in the upcoming year. The performance then moved to Classical Chinese, Tibetan and Qiang dance combinations, showcasing the diversity of different Chinese ethnic groups. Whether it was their graceful dance, the sound of their singing or their unique costumes, each piece well represented the theme of China being a family of many nationalities.Thoughts in the Silent Nightbrought out the reminiscent feelings of home, as Chinese New Year is a time for family gathering.

After intermission, the second half of the performance began with a grand piece sung by the Arizona Chinese Chorus and the Sunshine Children Ensemble. Together they sang songs to welcome in the New Year, songs such as The Descendants of the Dragon and Happy New Year. Following after was a piece that had a slightly different style to it. QingqingYe’s piano solo La Campanellaanddance accompaniment to Liuyang River was the peak of the night’s performance. Like the Shaolin qi-gong and Sichuan Opera face-changing acts, QingqingYe’s performance received wide applause from audience. The performance ended with a beautiful group dance, titled The Torch of July.

All in all, the 2012 Arizona Chinese New Year Festival was a spectacular performance filled with diverse dances, vocal and instrumental performances of traditional Chinese music that left the entire audience with an unforgettable memory.