Lion dancers, crafts and music ring in Chinese New Year

The Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology bustled with energy and color as lion dancers, students and families celebrated the Chinese New Year Saturday afternoon.

From live dance performances by all ages to martial arts demonstrations to arts and crafts, festivities stretched across the museum with activities around every corner.

Craft and activity stations set up around the museum helped children discover Chinese culture. Kids delighted in building their own dragons and puppet shows played out traditional Chinese legends.

Performers and volunteers encouraged guests to directly participate in learning about Chinese customs.

Penn Lions, Penn’s own lion dance troupe, led a workshop on the ancient dance tradition. Other Penn student groups, such as the Pan Asian Dance Troupe, also performed.

Penn students were not the only ones leading instructional workshops. Experts from across Philadelphia taught interested participants about calligraphy, evolution of Chinese music and traditional Chinese puzzles.

Those wishing to take home a souvenir could shop the market set up in the Museum’s Chinese Rotunda, where a variety of vendors sold traditional Chinese items and crafts.

Since the event was held in the Museum’s China exhibit, kids ran and played with their newly crafted dragons as their parents shopped for traditional crafts among Chinese art.

The day culminated as Cheung’s Academy musicians and dancers marched across the Museum grounds, welcoming the year of the dragon with hopes of luck and prosperity.

Wharton freshman Connor Delaney came to the event because he is interested in Chinese culture. He said the event was a great way for students to get out of the “Penn bubble.”

“[I] thought it was a great reminder of how dynamic and vibrant Philly is and how many different cultures we have.”

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