Spring Festival Gala is unprecedented

Written by: Annabelle Zhao  Andrew Su  Phil Zhang

Photographed by: Ren Nam  Jane Wang  Phil Zhang

On January 26, the St. Louis Spring Festival Gala was held at the Skip Viragh Center. The gala was hosted by the St. Louis Chinese Education and Culture Center. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Richmond Heights Mayor Reginald Finney, and Chinese Consul General in Chicago Wang Baodong sent letters of congratulations. The deputy consul general and state senator, the mayor of the area, the board members of the Korean American Association, and the representatives of the St. Louis Nanjing Friendship City Association attended. More than 40 guests of various ethnic groups and the elderly in the nursing home were invited to attend. Some companies and adoptive families bought tickets to enter.

The city's Spring Festival Gala started in 1998 and is held annually. During the epidemic, it was held online. The number of viewers has been increasing year by year. "This year's number is much higher than last year." An organizer said.

The evening party opened with the drum music "Flying Dragon Leaping Tiger". The passionate drum beats and strong rhythm shocked the audience. The following dance "Fishing Dreams in Yuyang" showed the colorful life of Lingnan fishermen: the fisherwomen set sail in the sunny morning, fought against the bad weather in the storm, and returned triumphantly after the storm.

The street dance of young men and women was passionate and unrestrained. The participation of college students added passion and vitality to the evening party.

Actors of different ages, professional and amateur. Needless to say, the professionals, amateurs have reached a considerable level of skills after the guidance of high teachers and their own unremitting efforts. "Quasi-professional level!" commented an audience member.

The singing ranged from solo, duet, chorus to a cappella (a cappella); exquisite Chinese folk instrument performances, various forms of traditional dances and gorgeous and colorful national costumes, which made people dazzled and excited, immersed in the profound cultural connotation of the festival. The Year of the Snake symbolizes "wisdom, adaptability and tenacity", reminding people to embrace change and pursue prosperity in the new year.

The last show seemed to come too fast, and the audience was still not satisfied. The finale chorus consisted of 40 actors, dressed in flowing yellow costumes, with beautiful and moving harmonies. One song "Hometown" and one song "China in the Lights" sang praises to the beauty of the homeland, expressing love for the motherland and hope for the future. When the last note fell, the audience stood up and applauded for a long time.