The students enrolled in Chinese perform the fan dance during Mondays Chinese New Year assembly. (Andrew Barren’22/Media editor)

From January 25 to February 8, Chinese families around the world are ushering in the Year of the Rat with traditional red envelopes, festivals, and extravagant meals. The Rat represents vitality and intelligence, both good omens for the coming year.

On Monday, February 3, Academy’s Chinese language students educated their classmates about the wonders and culture of Chinese New Year, with special performances introduced by the MCs of Honors Chinese 5.

Advanced Chinese 3 showcased the traditional Dragon Dance, weaving the dragon around itself with intricate choreography. Chinese 4 students kept the dancing going, as they presented both the Panda Dance and Taiji Fan Dance, involving snapping the fans out quickly to create a precise and stunning effect.

Next up was a music video to the Chinese song, “Daoxiang,” created by Chinese 5. This clip showcased the trials of students that ended up overcoming their problems, with a little help from a lucky fairy. The assembly wrapped up with Chinese 3 demonstrating KungFu, and the ever-popular Chinese Yo-yo that had the crowd roaring, even before juniors Ebube Nwokeand Jake Podgurski took the stage to show off even more advanced tricks that left the crowd in awe.

Through various performances and presentations, the student body left chattering and informed about the culture surrounding Chinese New Year and the various people who celebrate it.