By Joanna Stopford, Second year History and English
This Sunday a bustling queue snaked (no pun intended) along Park Street out of Bristol Art Gallery and Museum where a celebration of the Lunar New Year took place. According to Chinese mythology, the Year of the Snake symbolises mystery, intelligence, and renewal.
Those born in the spring and summer of the year of the snake are said to be powerful and positive, whereas those born in the winter are submissive. Look to your 2001 friends to see if this lines up. The hall of the museum was adorned with Chinese lanterns and glittering dragons surrounding a stage in the center of the floor.
I took my spot on the balcony and watched Sidcot school perform a traditional song and dance in mandarin. Next was the UWE K-POP dance troupe whose brilliant and energetic choreography captivated the rowdy crowd, then a controlled and impressive Tai Chi performance from Wutan Chinese Martial Arts. Bristol-based Kala Chng soundtracked Everybody Dance Now from Filwood Community Center with impressive vocals and feel-good songs.
My favourite part from this performance was when a little girl from the audience decided that she wanted to get involved with the dancing and ran underneath the long dragon puppet, where she was accepted wholeheartedly and danced with them for the rest of the show.
Following this, Wutan Chinese Martial Arts returned to the stage to show a Kung Fu display with butterfly knives, broadswords, and fans. To end the extravaganza the University of Bristol Traditional Lion Dance group delivered a majestic and joyous performance with cymbals and drums accompanying the characterful dragon puppets.
They were bold and brilliant, and kicked off the lunar new year (slightly belatedly) with vibrancy. The event was family friendly with crafts and games and was a hit with local families, shown by the young children running on the stage between acts and practicing the worm (or snake) until getting kicked off by the K-pop dance troop or Kung fu demonstrators. Overall, it was a joyous event with a beautiful set up and entertaining acts.
