CI at the U of S Celebrates Spring Festival with Willowgrove School

The Confucius Institute at the University of Saskatchewan together with Willowgrove School in Saskatoon held a Chinese Spring Festival assembly in Willowgrove School.

On February 2, 2016, the Confucius Institute at the University of Saskatchewan together with Willowgrove School in Saskatoon held a Chinese Spring Festival assembly in Willowgrove School.

The assembly started with the Dragon Dance performance. Led by the teacher, a group of kids held the “dragon” high above their heads and paraded in front of the audience. The “dragon” was actually made by the kids themselves.

Then came the performance brought to the audience by the Confucius Institute at the University of Saskatchewan. The volunteer teachers from the CI performed Chinese dance of Yi nationality, Taichi fan and lion dance. Professor Li Zong, Canadian Director of the Confucius Institute played Erhu, a stereotypical Chinese musical instrument. International Chinese student Miss Caixuan Yang played the zither. All the performances were highly appreciated and praised by the staff members and students at Willowgrove School. In the intermission, a short video was played to introduce the customs and traditions of Chinese Spring Festival. At the end of the assembly, sweets were delivered to the students as festival gifts.

The assembly has obtained great success. In a relaxing circumstance, the kids got contact with and began to learn about the Chinese Spring Festival.