Jasmine dancers perform at the 2013 KCCAA Chinese New Year Celebration at JCCC.
Author: Mulan Jiang
As hundreds of people filed into the Johnson County Community College, the dancers anxiously peek out from behind the curtains, watching the people who had come to see them perform. It's February 2, 2013, and it's the Chinese New Year Celebration. KCCAA, as always, is hosting a New Year Gala. This year, it's for the Year of the Snake.
The decorations are up, and the dancers review their moves backstage. They are dressed in beautiful costumes. The Jasmine girls hold the red, long, round lanterns. They have on red costumes trimmed with white fuzz, and also a fuzzy little bow on their heads.
The performance is starting and the announcers have come on stage to begin the show. Two programs go by and it's time for the young Jasmine Dance Group to perform their Red Lantern Dance. The announcers tell the audience about the red lanterns and how they symbolize happiness and good luck. The dancers come on stage, hiding behind a wooden door that is painted red. It's a gorgeous piece and the dancers show the happiness, that the red lanterns bring, very well. After them is a fan dance from the KCCAA Dance Team. Using fans, they bring an upbeat and cheerful dance to the show.
The Jasmine girls have all been working very hard. The girls practice once a week, one or two hours every practice, and practices have been going on for half a year. The youngest is only four years old while the oldest is fourteen. How difficult it must have been for them to become coordinated!
After the show, an audience member told me,
"I loved the red lantern dance the most. The kids were all so organized and together."
Another audience member said,
"I will definitely come again next year. It's a great show and I highly recommend it."