Club host second Culture Night

The Chinese Students Association and the Hong Kong Club jointly hosted the second annual Culture Night Saturday. Held in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge, the free event attracted between 150 and 200 people, College junior and CSA President Jen Liu said. In fact, Wharton sophomore and CSA Cultural Co-Chairperson Daphne Choi said the large turnout resulted in a shortage of seats. Liu said there were 12 acts during the program, including three vocal performances, three dances and a number of demonstrations. One demonstration featured tricks done with the diablo, a Chinese toy similar to the yo-yo. The kung fu demonstrators and Lion Dance performers came from the Hung Gar Kung Fu Academy. But the majority of artists and actors were University students, Liu said. College sophomore Karen Chan, CSA cultural co-chairperson, said planning for the Culture Night began immediately following winter break, since costumes for some acts had to be shipped from Boston and New York. "I am happy that it worked out really fine," Chan said. She added that some performers even had out-of-town friends come in for the show. Choi also said she is happy about the apparent success of Culture Night. "I think people really responded to the fact that we had traditional as well as modern acts, showcasing the wide range of activities within the culture," she said. "From kung fu to modern singing and Chinese opera, [the program gave examples of ] different styles throughout the times." Choi said this year the Culture Night program had fewer instrumental pieces and a few more modern pieces "to get the crowd going." She said the organizing clubs hope to involve more students in the performances next year. "Culture Night shows so much of the Chinese culture," she added. "It shows how extensive the talents and traditions are -- a lot of people who aren't Chinese came and saw it." Hong Kong Club President Brian Lee, a Wharton and College junior, said his group -- as well as CSA -- is trying to build on the success of Saturday's program. "We just wanted people to know more about the Chinese culture," he said. "We thought it was important to do something during Chinese New Year." The Year of the Dog began Feb. 10.

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