Millbrook Library greets Chinese New Year in style

MILLBROOK — The community gathered to create an overflow crowd to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year, after learning how to say “Happy New Year” in Chinese.

The event celebrated the start of the “Year of the Snake” while gaining greater understanding of Chinese arts and culture. The program, held at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Feb. 15, was sponsored by the Millbrook Arts Group and the Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center.

“We’re always excited to introduce Millbrook’s children to a wider community,” said Millbrook Arts Group board member June Glasson.

Lin Fen-Lan, director of the Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center, located in Poughkeepsie, began the program by teaching a bit of the Chinese language and explaining the cultural tradition of the Chinese paper lantern and lantern festivals held throughout China, Taiwan and surrounding Asian countries.

What observers commonly believe to be Chinese dragons, often seen in parades or cultural celebrations, stem more from the lion, seen as a mythical creature, as lions are not found in China. Some traditions have thought of the lion as a cat, all serving as inspiration for the design of the dragon with a large head and fabric body animated by human dance performers providing the legs. The dragon-lion-cat dance is thought to have the power to frighten away evil spirits.

Young dancers demonstrated their talents in interpreting Chinese dance as cultural tradition at the Chinese Lunar New Year event that attracted an overflow gathering of families. The program was sponsored by the Millbrook Arts Group and the Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Feb. 15. Photo by Leila Hawken

Accompanying the dragon dance is a traditional cacophony of percussive instruments, gong, cymbals and rhythmic drums, the sounds filling the library space, the total effect being to keep evil spirits at bay.

Babies born in the Year of the Snake, Lin said, can look forward to possessing intelligence and wisdom, good fortune, prosperity and health. The Chinese see the snake as wise, clever and thoughtful, so that babies born this year will grow up to be problem-solvers who think before they act.

Other performances included Chinese yo-yo demonstrations requiring expert coordination, and young costumed dancers demonstrating their talents in traditional dance.

Noting that this year was the first performance appearance at the Millbrook Library, Lin was pleased to see Millbrook’s children being introduced to Chinese culture.

“We love our culture,” Lin added.

A Poughkeepsie all-volunteer non-profit since 1968, the Mid-Hudson Chinese Language Center is family-oriented where students of all ages and backgrounds come together to learn the Chinese language, culture and the arts.

To learn more, go to www.mhclc.org.