There are a number of meanings behind the title of the Chinese Cultural Dance Performance “Journey.”
One could be the educational journey the performers hope to take the audience on through dance.
“(People) think (China) is just Chinese people, but there’s a lot of different distinctions within the culture,” said second-year Chinese student Lillian Chen, the production manager of logistics.
The Chinese Cultural Dance Club hopes that producing the entirely student-run “Lotus Steps: Journey” dance performance educates audiences about the depth of Chinese culture.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the performance will take place in Royce Hall on Saturday at 7 p.m. and will feature several dances choreographed by eight club members.
“The level of dance is definitely a big improvement from last year. The members definitely improved, and the choreographers definitely challenged the dancers,” said the club’s artistic director, Tina Wang, a fourth-year economics student. Wang oversees the presentation of each performance and choreographed one of the dances.
“It’s like our main chance to expose ourselves and give people a glimpse of what Chinese culture is through different types of dances,” said Chen, who will be performing in “Lotus Steps.”
The club, which consists of eight officers and about 60 student members, has been working on this performance since fall.
When not preparing for the show, members put their energy toward weekly dance classes taught by various members of the club. The club’s internal affairs president, fourth-year microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student Tyffany Chen, prides herself in the classes’ open-door policy.
“We don’t turn away any dancers, regardless of experience,” said Chen, who also teaches a class called “After the Rain.” “We welcome everyone. There’s a dance for everybody to perform.”
With both female and male performers who range in skill level from beginner to expert, the preparation for “Lotus Steps” has been just as much a learning experience for the performers as they hope it will be for audiences.
“Even though I’m Chinese, I still learned a lot, like how many minorities there are,” said Monica Tie, the club’s public relations assistant. Tie had no dance experience prior to joining the club last year. “You really learn a lot by watching the dance and being a part of it.”
“We’re just trying to make sure that everyone gets to present their best on stage, (to) show their unique style but also bring it together as a group,” Chen said.
Wang describes the “Journey” in the performance as the transition between traditional and modern Chinese dance, calling the separate choreographers’ works “different interpretations of whatever journey they want to portray.”
Tie described one specific Tibetan dance as featuring the journey to heaven by weaving one’s way to heaven and eventually Nirvana.
“I think each choreographer puts their own unique meaning to the theme this year: the “˜Journey,'” Chen said.
Although the dance will focus primarily on the journey from traditional to contemporary Chinese dance, most of the dances focus on one of the 56 minority dance styles in China, according to Lillian Chen.
“Basically what we’re trying to present for “Lotus Steps” are the different ethnic groups and how unique each group (is), how the culture is represented,” said Wang, who has an extensive dance background in ballet and Chinese dance.
The performance will make an effort to inform audience members not familiar with Chinese dance by providing descriptions of each dance style in the programming and spoken introductions before each dance.
“Admission is free. We want everyone to learn about the Chinese culture,” Tyfanny Chen said.
Aside from teaching dance classes and putting on “Lotus Steps”, the dance club also has an outreach program, which will be utilized on Saturday.
They have a Big Sis, Little Sis mentorship program and “Lotus Steps” will feature a performance by 10 adopted elementary- and middle-school-aged girls from Families with Children from China.
Said Wang, “We give them the opportunity to learn Chinese dance to get in contact with their heritage.”
Although this week has been a stressful one of last-minute practices for club members and the performers plan to practice in Royce Hall all day Friday and Saturday up until curtain call, it’s not enough to dampen the excitement they have been building up.
“It’s just a good sense of accomplishment. I would like if it were for two (nights), but it’s OK,” Lillian Chen said.
Tyfanny Chen responded with an enthusiastic, “We should have an encore!”