To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, Brandeis Chinese Cultural Connection (BC3) hosted a lively night of comedy, traditional and popular Chinese music and fashion, welcoming the Brandeis community.
Sitting at round tables surrounding the stage in the Levin Ballroom, students mingled and laughed together. The set-up made for a warm, familiar environment. The majority of the show was conducted in Mandarin, and though the emcees usually gave a short introduction in English, it only came following a longer introduction in Mandarin. Though the event was geared primarily towards Brandeis’ Chinese-speaking population, it was a welcome space for anyone interested in arts and culture, regardless of background.
Sarah Chan’s performance was spectacular. She sang first, moving the audience with her powerful vocals, then Jesse Zhao came in to perform a strong duet with Chan, singing in both Cantonese and Mandarin.
As the crew set up for the last event, a fashion show, the audience enjoyed an almost professional stop-motion animation and video featuring members of BC3 from the class of 2018. The audience came to understand what an integral part of the Brandeis community BC3 really is as its members looked nostalgically back on their experience with the club.
The Go-Go dance group performance was the high-point of the show, with sharp, modern movements set to fast beats. Though they went at the end of the night, their performance was energetic and kept the audience engaged and excited.
The fashion show began with a drop-down screen displaying the logo of ubiquitous state-sponsored media outlet, China Central Television, commonly known as CCTV. As the screen lifted, two students dressed as news anchors were unveiled to applause and laughter from the audience. Then began a series of skits, in which students performed short pieces from all genres, as if the audience was flipping through channels. One hilarious sketch involved several students dressed as soldiers, wearing grey uniforms and hats, carrying around a cardboard tank while the audience laughed at the scene’s obvious humour.
At the end of the performance, the audience enjoyed delicious Chinese food. BC3 Club members served attendees multiple vegetable dishes, meat and rice, adding to the atmosphere of warmth and hospitality that characterized the performance. During intermission, the volunteers had passed out traditional egg tarts, and gave us a few minutes to discuss our favorite performances while savoring the sweet, creamy treats.
The performances were hilarious and showed the tremendous talent the BC3 community holds, but even more striking was the warmth and welcoming atmosphere the audience felt. BC3’s Lunar New Year celebration was a truly fantastic way to remember the past year and get excited for the new one.
