For junior Clare Tang, religion school isn’t just about learning traditional Chinese beliefs. It’s also a place to participate in a combination of folk, modern and contemporary dance.
“It’s a very culture-focused group,” Tang said. “We usually put on performances for American-Asian groups.”
Tang, along with thirteen other girls, make up the advanced dance class at St. Louis Chinese Language School. After taking part of other classes at the school, such as Tai Chi and karate, Tang decided to try dancing two years ago.
“We’re a very close group of girls,” Tang said. “We always get together for each other’s birthdays and once a year, we have a team sleepover. [At the team sleepover], we try to do something different each year, because it’s more spontaneous and fun.”
According to Tang, the girls participate in performances throughout the year. However, the spring and fall seasons are usually the busiest, with up to 4 performances in fall and 8 in spring. The girls usually practice every Sunday, but when performances are near, they can practice for 6-8 hours.
“[When it’s close to a performance], we usually do lots of drills and poses during the practices,” Tang said. “It’s all about looking right and perfecting every move.”
The group dances at different locations, including Washington University and University of Missouri-St. Louis. One of Tang’s favorite performances is during Chinese Culture Days at the Missouri Botanical gardens. The celebration is a three day event held every May. Tang and the other girls perform 3 times each day, along with a short performance in the parade. The Chinese Culture Day celebration is a three day event held every May. Tang and the other girls perform 3 times each day, along with a short performance in the parade.
“Besides the actual performance, I get to meet new people and help spread my traditions out,” Tang said. “I think I’ve gained a lot since joining. I’ve met a lot of new people. Because of the different skill levels, I also learned how to work together and how to help others.”
