September 2, 2023 was a special day for me. Our "Zaidao" website bamboo pole dance group participated in the Chinese Culture Festival.
On that day, in order to take the earliest pictures of the event, my mother and I arrived at the event at 9:30. Looking at the busy scene of each event booth, a strong Chinese flavor hit our faces instantly. It was the first time to see so many familiar people together. Although none of them knew each other, it was so exciting to see so many Chinese people at the same time and place in a foreign country! The bamboo pole dance team has already started setting up props and is ready.
In addition to participating in the bamboo pole dance performance today, I also have to be a young reporter from the Firefly Club of the US-China Experimental Chinese School to cover the performance of the bamboo pole dance troupe and the costume painting. It is a glorious task that I must complete between performances. My mother said that I have a heavy responsibility! The festival is about to begin, and the long passage in front of the broad Capitol Hill is filled with people. Many people are dressed in costumes and gathered in front of various booths. There are food, drinks, and various items representing Chinese cultural elements.
The bamboo pole dance is about to begin. With the sound of gongs, drums and music, we started the first round of performances. When the bamboo poles were knocked, we danced. This traditional and unique dance immediately attracted bursts of applause. Everyone was so happy and attracted by the sound of music. After the first round of performances, we were very excited about our performance. After the second round, more people gathered around us. We performed over and over again and it got even better each time. The audience couldn't help but move to the beat of the music. Because the audience was so enthusiastic, we invited them to dance together. Everyone joined in and the enthusiasm was high. The rhythm of the bamboo poles changed from slow to fast. The enthusiastic participation of the people made our bamboo pole dance become even more popular. More and more people danced with us. Some people were not satisfied with one round of dancing, so they danced another round. Everyone's enthusiasm is as hot as today's weather.
I took a break from the bamboo pole dance to interview about ancient painting. Listening to the face painting teacher's introduction, I remembered that the first time I got face painted was when I went to Disneyland in Los Angeles when I was five years old. I painted my face and couldn't bear to wash it off at night.
Bamboo pole dance has a long history. It is a dance of the She ethnic group with a cheerful rhythm. From the preparation of bamboo poles, gongs and drums and other props to rehearsal, the "Zai Dao" website perfectly presented a unique dance at the Chinese Culture Festival in a short period of time. In addition to cultural and artistic programs, the cultural festival also has a variety of food, national costumes, handicrafts, etc., which was really exciting. This Chinese Culture Festival allowed me to experience the charm of Chinese culture firsthand!
