Alberta Spring Festival Gala to welcome the New Year, Art and culture are precious and diverse

> The 2023 Alberta Spring Festival Gala, co-organized by the Art Institute of Alberta, the Chandler Municipal Government and the Federation of Chinese Americans (Alberta Chapter), was held on the evening of January 15th at the Chandler Art...

The 2023 Alberta Spring Festival Gala, co-organized by the Alberta College of the Arts, the Chandler City Government and the Federation of Chinese Americans (Alberta Chapter), concluded successfully on the evening of January 15th at the Chandler Arts Center, marking the first time for local Chinese to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke and Councilmember Christine Ellis attended the party and spoke highly of it. At 4:30 that afternoon, the heads of various associations in the Chinese community and friends of various ethnic groups who have long supported Asian community activities came early to be invited to the New Year reception before the Spring Festival Gala, where they drank and toasted together. At 7 o'clock sharp, the audience was full of guests. Amidst the sound of firecrackers, the curtain opened, colorful silks floated, gongs and drums sounded, and the lively atmosphere infected all the audience. The program of the day was exciting, with classical dance, folk dance, modern dance, K-pop, Peking opera, chorus, instrumental performance, celebrity solos, Shaolin Kung Fu, etc. taking turns to appear. In the dance "Moonlight" performed by the Art Institute of Alberta, the solo dancer's graceful figure danced gracefully in the form of a silhouette in front of a bright moon, which wowed the audience. The students in the adult dance class truly embody what it means to be good at singing and dancing. They have been on stage in the form of dance for many years. This year, they performed "Go Back to My Mother's Home". The multi-voice parts cooperated perfectly and the expressions were vivid, which enriched the artistic expression of the song. The performers of the instrumental ensemble "The Sun Comes Out" were local students. They were proficient in Western instruments and tried the original folk music style of Sichuan, China for the first time. It was also a highlight of the evening party. The entire evening show was a combination of Eastern and Western art, and the performance was of a very high standard. The audience applauded continuously and received rave reviews. In the era of self-media, the success of a grand event will immediately set off a trend of overwhelming the social media platforms. Photos and videos posted in WeChat Moments have received unprecedented likes and reposts. The audience sent in praises, "The Alberta Spring Festival Gala is well-deserved! The quality of the program is outstanding!" "After watching the party, the two children were very excited all the way, discussing which program they liked best and the costumes of Chinese ethnic minorities. They also actively asked to learn Chinese dance, which really surprised me!" "Seeing the Chinese program, Juan Jun actually said that he wanted to learn Chinese characters. Sure enough, children's interest is the best internal driving force."... At the beginning of the new year, Saying farewell to the old and welcoming the new is particularly meaningful to every Chinese. The party not only relieved the homesickness of local Chinese and united the Chinese community, but also introduced traditional Chinese culture and art to American friends. The "Alberta Spring Festival Gala" has been held for more than ten years and has long become a beautiful scenery in the greater Phoenix area to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It has also played an important role in spreading Chinese culture and building a cultural bridge between China and the United States. We, overseas, are helping each other, working hard and forging ahead, and will continue to uphold the spirit of unity and collaboration to promote the common development and prosperity of multiculturalism. One of the highlights of this performance is that it is performed by art groups of different ethnic groups, which reflects our beautiful vision of building a future of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Thanks to the organizing committee members for their hard organizational work and all the cast and crew for their hard rehearsals, to the co-organizers and sponsors of the party, and to the volunteers for their hard work. I wish you all that the "rabbits" will be boundless and the "rabbits" will make rapid progress in the new year! (Contributed by the Alberta College of Art)