Lunar New Year at Obama

By Lucy Caroff (Junior)

To celebrate the Lunar New Year at Obama Ms.Yan, Obama’s Chinese teacher, invited a professional group of dancers to perform a traditional lion dance. There were people on drums, someone with cymbals and two men in a lion costume. One manning the head and the other the back. Most of the dance was centered around an assortment of fresh lettuce, oranges, and a whole pineapple in the center of the gym. Watching from the bleachers, you may have missed the intricate formation of the fruit, however a closer look reveals the shape of a dragon. According to Chinese horoscopes, 2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon, predicted to bring growth, prosperity and success.

Lion dance is an honored Chinese tradition thought to chase away evil spirits and bring good luck. It is practiced most commonly during the New Year but can also be performed during typical celebrations like weddings, festivals and business or store openings. The dance tells a story of the lion overcoming a hardship or obstacle to obtain something; in this case, the lettuce on the gym floor. 

The thirty minute performance included interactive moments where the lion threw oranges into the crowd and allowed students to take fruit from its mouth. According to Ms. Yan, lettuce is “not a good food for lions, it’s considered to be bad luck and evil spirits.” The lion tore up the lettuce and threw it over the floor, symbolizing getting rid of bad things. “All of the fruits have good meaning for a…plentiful harvest” she says. Throwing fruit into the crowd symbolizes the lion blessing the audience with wealth and prosperity for the coming year.

The dragon dance was not the only Chinese New Year Celebration at Obama. Ava Miller, one of the Chinese students that helped organize the dragon dance says “the Chinese students also celebrated the Chinese new year in the classroom with a food day.” This event included seasonal food, lantern making, and learning about the holiday. “In the corner of Ms.Yans room there is a big dragon’s head for this year’s lunar animal,” she adds.

At the end of the performance, the dancer acting as the head of the lion stood on the second lion dancer, bringing the lion into a standing position. The stunning performance concluded as the lion  opened its mouth to reveal a red scroll that said “Happy New Year.”

In the chaos of exiting the gym, some students managed to get photos with the performers while others succeeded in snagging the pineapple on the way out.