Maddie Shannon / The Collegian
Chinese Student Association preps for International Culture Night
Traditional Chinese dancing has never looked so flawless.
Fourteen students from the Chinese Student Association practiced two dance routines on Sunday, which they will perform at International Culture Night on Nov. 19.
One of the dances, a traditional tea dance, is a particularly feminine dance that is supposed to portray a Chinese woman’s inner beauty.
“Tea is a big part of the culture in China and there are a lot of functions to perform in the dance” said Yushan Nan, the CSA vice president. “In China, we use real tea leaves to make our tea, and the dance is really about that.”
The other dance is masculine, portraying a man’s strength, and will be performed exclusively by the club’s men.
“The guys are dancing traditional parts of Kung Fu,” said Daming Zhang, advisor to the CSA and an Industrial Technology professor. “It is supposed to show they are strong-spirited and strong of mind.”
Zhang added that most people think of popular figures like Jackie Chan when Chinese art forms like Kung Fu are mentioned.
“The dance is a little slower,” said Zhang. “Tai Chi symbolizes outside strength, while Kung Fu symbolizes strength on the inside.”
Both routines the club is performing for International Culture Night are meant to help the community understand Chinese culture. The lack of a Chinese presence in the Valley provided a reason for the CSA to teach the campus community about what their culture means to them.
“Since there’s not much of a Chinese community in Fresno, the club is like a family,” said Zhang. “We participate in other activities that are like International Culture Night to help us promote Chinese culture.”
The CSA was founded last year after a group of Chinese exchange students decided to start a formal club where Chinese students could band together.
“About three years ago, the number of Chinese students at Fresno State increased sharply,” said Zhang. “Last year, some of the students found me and the organization got started. It allowed the students to get together to participate in different multicultural activities and has really been a great thing.”