Chicago Style Events: Carnival Chinese Style

2010 New Year World Peace Gala in Chicago

Sponsored by the Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and co-organized by China Broadcast Performing Art Troupe and the China Star Media in Chicago, 2010 New Year World Peace Gala - Carnival China Style was held in the Auditor Theater in Chicago on January 9th, 2010.

Officials from the State of Illinois and Chicago joined over 3,800 audiences for a grand celebration of song, dance, music and acrobatic performances. The tickets were totally sold out and the place was packed !!!

Four thousand years in the making, these top Chinese artists brought us an evening of traditional and modern Chinese classics.

From Opera to folk music, solo performances and group dances,...

...a live calligraphy and paint show,...

...the performance of the Guinness Book world record holder,...

The evening of "Carnival China Style" of 2010 gathered the art quintessence of many nationalities of China such as Han, Uygur, Mongolia, Tibetan, Miao, Yi, ect. Including two acts which had previously been performed for President Obama's during his trip to Shanghai.

The Consulate General of the People's Republic of China - Mr. Ping Huang, Congressman - Mr. Danny Davis, United Nations Representative - Mr. Jim Luce, officials from the State of Illinois and Chicago at the media press release.

It was a great night !!!
Let us support the 2010 New Year World Peace !!!

Photo Album

Huang Ping - Consul General, Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Chicago

Press media

Lin Jun - Chairman of all China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese

Jim Luce - Founder/CEO and President of Orphans International Worldwide

Daway Zhou - President/CEO of China Star Media Corporation

Paul Stevers - Founders and President of Charity Help International

Jovie Calma from Filipino CPRTV, Mrs. Ping & Consul General Huang Ping, and Amie Hana from ChicagoStyleEvents.com

The Opening Ceremony

Maria Pappas - Cook County Treasurer

Gene Lee - Deputy Chief of Staff from Major's Office

1. Starting Dance "Spring"

The dance music is adapted from the orchestral music of the "Spring Festival Overtune" composed by Chinese composer Li Huanzhi. The source material is form the folk Yangko tone and rhythm is from northern Shaanxi in China.

It is a lively melody, vividly demonstrating the scene of Chinese people during traditional festivals who rejoice with drum beating, singing and dancing.

Performers: Beijing Dance Academy

2. Female Soli "Reed Blossom"

The white reed blossom symbolizes pure love, the song lyrics expresses the girls' tenderness by taking advantage of the scene. The song is melodious and soul-stirring, with waving rhythms in the slowness, full of national characteristics and a favor of the times.

Singer: Yue Lu

3. Songs accompanied by dances "In That Distant Place" and "Girl from Daban Castle"

Xinjing Uygur songs and dances are Chinese national art treasures and are passionate with song and dance, which is known around the world.

Whenever Uygur songs and dances are performed, people can always have the chance to hear the Sataer and Rewapu's clear and gentle tweedle and bouncy euphonious drum beats. These two songs are popular folk songs from Xinjiang.

Dancer: Lie Simeng Et Al

Singer: Amuti Rouzi

Timbrel player: Mali
Aijeke player: Yang Liu
Rewapu player: Sun Zheng

4. Dynamic Hula-Hoop

Lin Linlin dance with hula-hoops while being suspended, in the air.

The mesmerizing look of flying silver snakes is a sight that leaves people in awe.

I can see she struggled to lift up that heavy silver hoops.

After a minute, she successfully got it up to her waist level...

...and start spinning...

...and spinning...

...faster..and faster...

Wowww...

In 2008, she danced with 300 hula hoops, setting a new Guinness world record !!!

And in 2009, she won the World Challenge Championship held in Mallorca, Spain.

Wowww...

5. Chinese Opera - There are more than 300 types of Chinese opera, among them over 50 kinds of opera such as Peking Opera, Yue opera, Henan opera and Huangmei opera. These are considered to be the most popular kind and there is a unique style of singing for each opera. The yong Huangmei performing artis We Qiong's steps on the stage full of classical beauty with her singing being as sonorous as the call of a nightingale.

6. Instruments Ensemble "Happy Spring Evening", "Axi Dances with the Moon"

The musical score was first heard during the Quing Dynasty 122 years ago. It has euphemistic, simple, peaceful, smooth and varied rhythms from clever and meticulous orchestration and harmonious performances.

it vividly depicts the fascinating scenery of the moonlight of the Yangtze in spring: the darkness closes in as the sun sinks downwards, the sound of Xiao welcomes the evening with a full moon:

people boating on the river in spring, next to green hills dotted by flower trees on both banks of the river and the bright moon reflecting among the waves mixed with the caressing sounds of the padding boats,

all that has eulogized people's different feelings south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River on a spring evening.

The whole music is as artistic as a long scroll of paper with fine brushwork in soft colors, attractively clear, beautiful and elegant.

It is a cherished traditional music popular both at home and abroad.

7. Dance "Song of Harmony"

"Song of Harmony" is a perfect combination of ancient Chinese music, poetry and dance.

It expresses the unique music and dance form during the Chinese Han Dynasty -

...singing and dancing by stepping on the musical trays and drums.

Performer: Beijing Dance Academy

8. Acrobatics "Modern Soft Acrobatism"

Chinese acrobatics is like a find wine that has refined over very many years.

"Modern Soft Acrobatism" has inherited the essence of traditional Chinese acrobatics,

and has a unique artistic style and sense of innovation.

The actors' skills in their waist, legs and upper body are fully shown.

Their skills are extremely difficult yet executed elegantly, combining fortitude and softness and showing a beautiful artistic image.

Performers: Liu Jiayin and Bai Chunpu

9. Female Soli "Hymn"
The long tune of Mongolia is a soli performance form of folk song with clear features of nomadic and regional culture. It uses its unique language to tell their history, showing its many changes. The long tone melody is relaxing and lingering, leaving the audience with an open mind, and they rhythm is highly decorative. The piece has been awarded by UNESCO as "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". "Hymn" is one of the main themes of Mongolian long-tunes, singing life and praising nature. It demonstrates the Mongol's broad minds and souls and free hearts, which is very appealing and influential.
Singer: Sarenhu

10. Painting and Calligraphy Performance "Yuefe's Rhyme of Painting"

Written text, is one of the hallmarks of human civilization and communication, but it is an important manifestation of Chinese civilization from the height of art, and such art is called calligraphy.

The reason why Chinese calligraphy and painting become a unique art, first of all lies in its own rhythm.

It is closely linked with Chinese music and dance culture, showing aesthetic feelings in building shape lines, music rhythms and postures in dance.

The Chinese seven-stringed zither is one of the oldest plucked instruments, dating back more than 4,000 years to as early as the time of Confucius.

For its clear, harmonious, light and elegant quality, the Chinese seven-stringed zither completely shows the characteristics of Chinese music.

"Yuefu's Rhythm of Painting" has been listed as UNESCO's "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" since it has combined a variety of inherent rhythm and the exquisite and profound meanings of Chinese culture.

Performers: Xu Zhan, Zheng Shanlu and Liu Shaoying
Ancient lyre: Zhang Weijun
Xiao: Hou Changqing
Da Ruan: Sun Zheng
Dance: Li Qiao

11. The Primitive Singing of "Gold and Silver Birds Flying Up"

The Yi People's "Seaweed Tune" is a well-known unique form of folk songs at home and abroad, with its melodic sound, and manageable lyrics.

For thousands of years, it has always been spread and developed among the common people.

Li Huaifu and Li Huaixiu are excellent singers of the contemporary "Haicai Tune". Theie joyous and vivid singing is full of a strong native flavor, and is deeply loved by the audience. They have won the first prize in the primitive-styled singing at the China's Young Singers Grand Prix.

12. Dance "Cloud Pattern"

"Cloud Pattern" for its long history and distinctive national flavor is permeated by the Chinese national awareness of cultural ideas and aesthetics.

The dance shows women like silver shining clouds hovering beautifully and angelically.

Performer: Beijing Dance Academy

13. Peking Opera fiddle soli "Deep Night"

Peking Opera is a Chinese cultural legacy. Deep night is adapted from a famous tune, which is, both in its hardness and in softness, exciting.

It has, for a long time, become a classic genre in folk music.

Erhy virtuoso Jiang Kemei has creatively made the music appealing at a new artistic height with her consummate musical skills in an elegant, delicate and gracious playing style.

The opera excerpt is very Chinese styled and soul-stirring.

Performer: Jiang Kemei
Large Drum Player: Ma Li
Dance: Zhang Bixi

14. Snow Lotus Combination "Qinghai-Tiget Plateau"

The world-famous Tibetan folk songs are characterized by a long tone, a wide gamut, a free rhythm, having a very high ideological level and artistic quality. Snow Lotus Three Sisters are a combination of a maiden trio coming from Tibet.

Their singing is highly characterized by the national style and modern sense. Their singing is like the sounds of nature, putting people into the vast and boundless realm of Mother Nature. It broadens their mind and purifies their soul, moving the hears of an audience of many generations.