As the festive season of Chinese New Year approaches, many are scrambling to host a celebration of the ages – one of them being Tadika Methodist Ipoh.
The kindergarten hosted a CNY Celebration for parents on Tuesday, February 13. The high-spirited event was held at the school hall, with their young students helming the performances.
The programme started off with an introduction of the legendary ‘Nian’, which in Chinese mythology is a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains that comes out every New Year to devour anything it can salvage. Classic songs – Gong Xi Gong Xi, Live Out Yourself and Gong Xi Fa Chai – were sang together by students soon after.
As they wrap-up the singing session, children and teachers got into a formation of the Chinese character, “?”, which means bliss – cleanly created and surely a spectacle for anyone watching. This character can be commonly found embedded in CNY decorative posters and paraphernalia.
This was followed by a lion dance performance with students performing in miniature lion outfits – manoeuvring through the crowd and “eating” and “tossing” lettuce as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Thereafter, a tea-serving ceremony was enacted.
The event was drawn to a dramatic close with a fashion show; children dressed in traditional Chinese outfits such as cheongsams and mandarin-collar shirts graced the stage, adding the final cherry on the cake.
The event left an indelible mark on parents and teachers, reminding them that they too were young once.
Jack Foo
