On Saturday, March 6, the J. Everett Collins Center at Andover High School will host what is said to be an exhilarating performance; the Chinese Folk Art Workshop. The Chinese Folk Art Workshop aims to promote cultural enlightenment and interaction through artistic performances. Since its initiation, the program has grown to 40 members ranging from ages 12 to 18, who perform 30 shows a year in the New England area. Members of the workshop perform a wide range of Chinese traditional folk arts such as Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, Drums, Chinese Yoyo, and Chinese folk dancing. The workshop has performed at Boston First Night and the National Folk Festival in Richmond, Va. A full performance takes two to six years to perfect, and many members have been actively practicing and performing for over five years, according to those involved. "Most people," says Kun Chang, the director of Chinese Folk Art Workshop Inc., "have never seen this type of program."
Currently in its 11th year, the Chinese Folk Art Workshop began as a recreational activity for adolescents of Chinese descent. Gradually, the primary purpose of the program became to promote diversity and spread awareness of Chinese culture.
"The program makes people more aware and accepting of different cultures and people," said Aaron Yang, a senior at Andover High who has been actively participating in the workshop for four years. Most performers were raised in the United States and the workshop is often their first interaction with their culture's traditions.
"The program showed me how there was so much that made up my background," said Yang. Exhibiting their culture through performance helps many members develop pride in their Chinese backgrounds.
"The best way to make people feel good is by sharing cultures," said Chang.
This is the first benefit performance from the workshop, and proceeds from the show will go to developing areas of China as a way to contribute even more to the Chinese culture, say organizers.
Proceeds will benefit the Dandelion Middle School outside Beijing, China. Andover's Brendan Wang went to China and taught English at the middle school, which was founded to serve the children of migrant workers in the surrounding areas. Because of current laws in China, parents must have a living permit within a city to send their children to a public school. Obviously migrant workers do not have living permits, says Andover resident Jane Wang. She says the Dandelion Middle School offers tuition for only $200 US a year.
"Brendan's experience inspired him to start his own chapter of an already existing organization in Andover. This organization is the Hope Scholarship Fund. Their goal is to raise money in the US to send to the school to give out scholarships to talented youth in the area who cannot even afford the $200 tuition. Brendan's own club has raised about $1,300 since its creation about a year and a half ago. They have launched a tutoring program within Andover High School and West Middle School, with all the proceeds going to the Fund," reported Wang.
Saturday's performance could raise more. The Chinese Folk Art Workshop will perform at the J. Everett Collins Center at Andover High School from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for general admission, and $5 for seniors and children.
Eric Bryden is an Andover High School student.
