[277] Dance Troupes Help Confucius Institute Celebrate New Year

FOR RELEASE: Feb. 16, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

DANCE TROUPES HELP CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE CELEBRATE NEW YEAR
Chinese ‘Year of the Dragon’ to be Ushered in with ‘Dragons,’ ‘Lions’ at Festivities

MURFREESBORO—The Confucius Institute at MTSU will sponsor two Chinese New Year performances by entertainers from China’s Hubei University to celebrate the “Year of the Dragon” on Monday, Feb. 20, in Murfreesboro.

At 12:00 p.m., the Hubei University Dragon Dance Troupe will perform in the quadrangle in front of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. In the dance, people carry the dragon costume around on poles, emulating the creature’s undulating movements to symbolize power and dignity.

The Hubei University Art Group will perform from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Central Magnet School, 701 E. Main St. The Art Group’s repertoire includes traditional Chinese dragon dances, lion dances and folk dances.

In the lion dance, performers dressed in lion costumes mimic the animal’s feline movements. While the performers are visible in the dragon dance, the lion dancers’ faces are covered.

Hubei University is a comprehensive institution located in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, in the People’s Republic of China. The approximate enrollment is 20,000 students.

Both performances are free and open to the public. The dance at the MTSU quadrangle will be canceled in the event of inclement weather.

For more information, contact the MTSU Confucius Institute at 615-898-8696 or cimtsu@mtsu.edu.

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