Ring in the Lunar New Year with Iowa City Area Chinese Association's gala

As Lunar New Year celebrations occur across the world Sunday, one celebration is taking place in downtown Iowa City.

The Lunar New Year Gala, presented by the Iowa City Area Chinese Association, returns with dance, live music and speeches for both observers and non-observers of the holiday to enjoy.

This is the first year that students within the Iowa City Community School District will have a day off to observe the holiday, a decision made late 2021.

What is Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year welcomes a new year of prosperity while letting go of the past year. Many Asian countries including China, Vietnam and South Korea all observe the holiday, though it can be called another name, such as the Spring Festival in China, according to the Smithsonian Museum.

When is Lunar New Year?

Lunar New Year is on Sunday. Celebrations can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on the culture.

More:'Respectful of different cultures': Iowa City school board adds day off for Asian Lunar New Year

How do people celebrate the Lunar New Year?

Junhong Zhou, a University of Iowa violinist performing at the Lunar New Year Gala in Iowa City, said that a Lunar New Year’s Eve celebration includes reuniting with loved ones for a large meal, watching the CCTV New Year’s Gala broadcast after dinner and lighting up fireworks.

This is followed by days of visiting loved ones.

Lei Zhu, who has been away from China for four years while attending UI, celebrates the Lunar New Year in Iowa with friends by making food and watching the CCTV New Year’s Gala.

Zhu is one of the performers at the Lunar New Year Gala Sunday, alongside Yifeng Zhang, president of the Chinese Dance Club at the university.

Zhang said if she does ever find herself feeling homesick, it’s on Lunar New Year. She doesn’t get to participate in the rituals and celebrations leading up to the holiday the way loved ones do back in China, and the time zone difference adds to the disconnect.

In recent years, Zhang has celebrated by cooking with her friends and eating all day — eating, she said, is a big part of Lunar New Year celebrations.

It’s Yalei Zhao’s second Lunar New Year celebration while living in America.

Back home in China, she recalled setting off fireworks at midnight, and young children would receive small, red envelopes filled with money from relatives.

She joined the Chinese Dance Club last summer, and is looking forward to the gala because it will bring Chinese people living in the Iowa City area together.

“It is the most important, most significant holiday in China,” Zhao said.

What can I expect from the Lunar New Year Gala?

Performances include a traditional Chinese drum concert to music from the Kaydenn String Quartet, where Zhou is a member.

The quartet, named after Zhou’s 9-month-old son, will perform “Prelude to Spring Festival.” They’ll be joined by Zhou’s wife on piano, replacing one of the members who is unavailable to perform Sunday.

The Chinese Dance Club will perform a common folk dance from the Dai ethnic group, Zhang said.

Zhu said the visuals of the dance will reflect a story about eliminating an animal.

They practice nearly every week, Zhao said. The dancer added that they have members who are not Chinese. People of all backgrounds are welcomed to observe their practices, but they are also encouraged to join and learn.

That applies to people outside the university as well.

It was upon joining the club years ago that Zhang began to appreciate the opportunity to participate in her culture’s practices at a time when she was far away from home. The Chinese Dance Club offered familiarity, and an ongoing way to ground herself to her identity.

“It really inspired me to also share my culture with other people, not through a basic way, more through the form of artwork,” she said. “I really feel that the language of dancing does not have a boundary and it does not have nationality at all and everyone can enjoy it.”

How can I attend the Lunar New Year Gala?

The Lunar New Year Gala is from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City.

Tickets are $10 general admission, $8 for seniors and free for students.

Visit the Englert Theatre's website to purchase tickets.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or 319-519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City Lunar New Year Gala brings folk dance, music to Englert