PERFORMING ARTS
14
theapachepowwow.com
October 2016
Chinese American Dancing
By KRISTEN CHAN
Executive Copy Editor
The Chinese American Dancing Group (CADG) is a professional training studio for all ages. It is performing at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse on Nov. 5 and 6 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. As an association of dancers promoting Chinese culture and raising multicultural awareness, CADG was created by Dr. Jaw John Chang, who also founded and was president of the American Chinese Dance Association (ACDA). Since his youth, Dr. Chang has been renowned in Taiwan where he grew up dancing. He eventually came to the U.S. where he developed new dances forms and contributed to many others as well as the ACDA through his training and teachings. The ACDA is made up of several different ChineseAmerican dance groups, including Shin Dance Academy, which is well-known as a studio that specializes in a variety of modern styles as well as traditional Chinese dancing. Dr. Chang had been awarded many titles, and has been continuously pumping out productions for the last 40 years out of his love for dance to showcase his students’ growth under his instruction. This year, CADG will be performing its traditional Chinese dances, adding a new type of style in hopes of making an impression and stunning the audience with color and emotion. In his traditional dances, Dr. Chang implements basic movements expanded from his personal training, incorporating tools such as fans to highlight the mood of the dances or colorful ribbons to add fluidity and softness to accentuate different layers of the songs he uses. Some of our very own students study under Dr. Chang. Junior Sammie Ly has been dancing at his studio for almost nine years, and she shared how her “favorite aspect about being in CADG is that [she is] able to pursue [her] hobby in dance while sharing [her] culture that [she]loves to an audience.” So Apaches, if you’re hoping to see something different, try scoping out CADG’s performance coming soon in November. kchan@apachepowwow.com Photos courtesy of MISSIONPLAYHOUSE.ORG
Talent Tours the Nation By ASHLEY LEE Staff Writer
For the past month, famous gymnasts have been making their way around the U.S., bringing their talent to cities of all sizes. The 2016 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions features members of the 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Teams and runs until mid-November. This tour gives people all over the nation a chance to watch their favorite gymnasts perform live. The show opens with an introduction of each member of the cast, welcomed by the roaring cheers of the audience. A majority of the show features individuals performing their respective personal routines. Simone Biles, four-time gold medalist and star of Rio 2016, stole the show with her gold medal floor routine. Chris Brooks, 2016 U.S. all-around silver medalist, was a star on the horizontal bars. Jordyn Wieber and Nastia Liukin, members of the 2012 Olympic Team, also brought back their routines and showed the audience their talent once more. Members of acrobatic and rhythmic gymnastics are also featured in this tour. Tiffani Williams and Axel Osborne, mixed pair silver medalists in the 2016 World Championships, performed their unique acrobat routines, which consists of dynamic stunts where they propel one another into the air. The 2016 U.S. Olympic Rhythmic group’s routine was accentuated through their use of ribbons and hoops. The tour closes with a finale featuring all members of the cast. Acrobatic, rhythmic, and artistic gymnasts join together in one final incredible show. Different components of the last show include joint dances, solos, as well as acrobatic stunts. The gymnasts, dressed in neon apparel, dance to the final song “Don’t Stop Believing”, delivering the crowd one final message—dreams are achievable if you just believe.
Freshman Katelyn Wu recently attended the tour held at the Staples Center and stated that “the whole performance truly was amazing.” She explained that she “had goosebumps the entire time” and “could feel the crowd giving off so much energy.” To be able to unite with other fans sharing the same passion for the gymnasts and the sport of gymnastics itself brings the experience to another level. Fans are united in one big venue and come together in celebration of the gymnasts and their achievements. Audience members are able to cheer on the athletes together and be amazed by their true talent as a whole. One of the reasons that the Kellogg’s Tour is so popular is because it allows fans to watch the gymnasts perform live, instead of having to watch them through a TV screen. Katelyn also mentioned that “it’s an incredibly different feeling seeing them perform in person rather than [on] a TV screen.” It’s not common for people to watch gymnastic performances, let alone competitions, so this opportunity truly gives the audience more than they can ask for in one show. To watch gymnasts perform in a show rather than in a competition is an entirely different experience. The gymnasts have been making their mark all over the U.S. through this tour, inspiring the young and the old to continue dreaming on. Their performances have played an incredible role in so many lives, motivating individuals to strive for their goals and reminding fans that nothing is impossible. alee@apachepowwow.com Photo courtesy of NBCMONTANA.COM
