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Yonkers, NY (February 3, 2023) — Hudson River Museum is celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with a Lunar New Year Festival on Saturday, February 18, 12-5pm. Join us for traditional Asian arts, crafts, demonstrations, and performances for all ages. Celebrate the fourth of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, and, according to Chinese culture, the luckiest animal of all! All workshops and performances are free with general admission. Planetarium shows are ticketed.
PERFORMANCES
12:30pm—Traditional Lion Dance
Join in the spirit of this colorful ceremonial dance to welcome in the Year of the Rabbit!
1pm—Chinese Folk Dances
Peacock Dance—Greenburgh Evergreen Club Chinese Folk Dance Class
The Peacock dance is the favorite folk dance of the Dai people, one of the 56 ethnic groups in China.
Dance of Tibet—Solo dance by Yingli Wen
Tibetan is one of the 56 ethnic groups in China with a relatively large population and a wide geographical distribution. Singing and dancing are natural to the Tibetan people.
Tibetan Tap Dance—By Yingli Wen and Students
Tibetan tap dance originated as early as the period of nomadic, primitive farming. The distinct rhythm, precise movements and enthusiastic and unrestrained Tibetan tap dance demonstrates the free spirit, liveliness, and cheerfulness of the Tibetan people.
2pm—Chinese Dulcimer Concert
Award-winning artist Ariane Kuo will perform pieces on the Chinese hammered dulcimer, or yangqin. Then she’ll explain how the instrument works! Presented by the OCA.
3pm—Tai Chi
Join Dr. Shi Jia-Ling and Zhou Hui of the Greenburgh Evergreen Club for a demonstration of this ancient Chinese art that embraces the mind, body, and spirit.
4pm—Korean Sogo-chum (Small-Hand Drum Dance)
The New York Korean Performing Arts Center performs rhythmic dance with drums. Sogo-chum is a dance with sogo, a small-hand drum. Q&A with the dancers will follow the performance.
FAMILY ART & SCIENCE WORKSHOPS
12–4pm—Family Art Workshop: Chinese Knots (中国结)
The Chinese knot, an example of traditional Chinese handcraft, symbolizes happiness, prosperity, and love. Make your own Chinese knots with colorful strings and other materials to bring you good fortune for the New Year! Recommended for ages 5+.
12–4pm—Family Art Workshop: Fú Posters (制作福字)
In Chinese, Fú (福) means blessing and good fortune. It is a long-standing tradition for Chinese people to paste Fú posters on the entrance to their home during the Lunar New Year. Using red paper, Fú characters, zodiac animal stickers, and colored markers, create your own Fú posters to decorate your household and call good fortune to your family! Recommended for ages 5+.
12–4pm—Family Art Workshop: Paper-Cut Window Decorations (剪窗花)
Paper cutting is an ancient Chinese craft, and paper-cut window decorations are a traditional way in which Chinese people celebrate festivals and holidays. Using simple materials such as red paper and scissors, create a beautiful symbol of the New Year and the coming spring to decorate your home. Recommended for ages 5+.
12–4pm—Family Science Workshop: Leap into Moon Science
The Year of the Rabbit has a close association with the Moon, since the Chinese have long imagined seeing, not a “man in the moon,” but a leaping rabbit, on the Moon’s face. Learn about the science of the moon with a wearable demonstration of the phases, make a crater or two, compare our moon to others, and use your imagination to find and paint a face, a rabbit, or something else on our nearest neighbor in space. Recommended for ages 8+.
1–4pm—Calligraphy and Origami
Join members of the Greenburgh Evergreen Club, Esther Uy, who leads a hands-on origami workshop, and calligraphy master Richard Liu, who, with Kexi Li, write visitors’ names in Chinese characters.
PLANETARIUM SHOWS
Additional ticket required for Planetarium shows. Purchase tickets here.
12:30pm—The Girl Who Walked Upside Down
This is the tale of a girl who came to us one spring day, after a storm, walking upside down upon the rainbow. She has a unique way of looking at things, in particular the sky, and an affection for the Moon and stars. Recommended for ages 4–7.
2pm—The Sky Tonight: The Skylore of China
In the northern sky, you’ll see the Great Emperor of Heaven, attended by the Six Jia, the Chief Judge of Hidden Virtue, and the maids-in-waiting. To the south, Saturn marches slowly along the Line of Ramparts. These and other figures in the skies are traditional Chinese skylore, which we’ll cover in this special edition of The Sky Tonight. And of course we’ll look for the Jade Rabbit on the Moon! Recommended for ages 8+.
3:30pm—Habitat Earth
Discover what it means to live in today’s connected world as you witness the intricate intersection between human and ecological networks in Habitat Earth. Additional ticket required.
#HRMLunarNewYear
Thanks to our community partners, the OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates, Westchester and Hudson Valley Chapter, and the Greenburgh Evergreen Club, a Chinese senior organization based at the Theodore Young Community Center.
Photo: Jason Green
Press contact:
Jeana Wunderlich
jwunderlich@hrm.org
(914) 963-4550 x240