Join AsianInNY to celebrate Lunar New Year, the Year of Pig, with all the exciting activities in Queens Center Mall. Join us for a day of FREE performance, giveaways ($10,000 total value) and kids interactive area to learn everything about Lunar New Year!

Feb 2, 2019 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
90-15 Queens Blvd, Elmhurst, NY 11373

Ring in the Year of the Pig at Queens Center Mall’s festive Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, Feb 2nd, noon to 4PM on Level 2, Center Court. Join us for traditional Asian Cultural Performances, Lion Dance, Kung Fu Demonstration, Chinese Dance, Live Music, Calligraphy, Paper Cutting, Lantern Making, and Photo Booth.

Enjoy special promotions from participating stores and be one of first 200 guests to receive a traditional Lucky Red Envelope with great prizes and gifts inside. There will also be a kids-learning interactive area to get your kids for hands-on experience to learn Paper Hat Crafts and Lantern Making!

Emcee: Jolin Yang

Jolin holds a M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. As a bilingual MC, Jolin works regularly with organizations such as AsianinNY, Sino-American Friendship association, Flushing Town Hall, and Queens Jazz Overground etc. Jolin is a fitness trainer and dance instructor based in Stamford, CT and NY. She loves to read, write, cook, travel and explore during free time.

Lion Dance: New York Hung Sing Kwoon

New York Hung Sing Kwoon (NYHSK) is a Traditional Style Kung Fu school based in Flushing, with focuses on Lion Dance and Choy Lee Fut Kung Fu. Started by Grand Master Simon Li, now managed by Garture Li, NYHSK has been a big part of and advocate for Traditional Chinese Culture in the community. Our performers ranges from young to old and our performances invites the community to indulge in the art of our traditions.

Music Performance: Ba Ban Chinese Music

Founded in 1999, the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of New York is dedicated to the preservation, creation and presentation of Chinese traditional and contemporary performing arts. Named after an ancient piece of folk music, “Ba Ban” literally means “Eight Beats” which is the structural basis for the grouping of notes in traditional Chinese music. The ensemble includes highly accomplished artists who graduated from the top conservatories in China and have performed in concert halls around the world.

Martial Arts: Gao’s Kung Fu Academy

Gao’s Kung Fu Academy was founded in 1995 by Master Xian Gao in NYC. Master Gao learned traditional and modern wushu/kung fu from different teachers in his early years while pursuing a martial arts career and in turn, he has taught hundreds to thousands of students over the years. Master Gao has more than 30yrs of experience in film and television in both the US and China. His most known works include the Academy Award winning movie “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” and the Danish film “Fighter,” in which he was both a lead actor and choreographer. Currently, he travels to China for work in TV and film. The curriculum at Gao’s Kung Fu Academy is geared towards the mastery of several different styles of traditional Chinese martial arts. Students develop flexibility, speed, coordination, and finally power through basic forms. With the foundation in place, students are then encouraged to express these qualities through the medium of different fighting styles; each incorporating unique movement philosophies. Advanced forms include basic weapons such as short and long staff, spear, broadsword and straight sword.

Chinese Dance Performance: Red Dance Studio

Red Dance is a new dance team that was established in New York two years ago. Many of our team members come from all walks of life in New York; many are working professionals and college students. Our dancers set a high bar for themselves, so they always strive for excellent performances. Our training and practice are based on classical ballet, and at the same time, we learn a wide variety of Chinese classical dance and folk dance, including Mongolian, Dai, Uygurs,Jiaozhouyangge , etc.

We have participated the largest dance festival in the Northeast, visited and performed at an elderly home on Worlds’ Elderly Day, performed in Chinese New Year galas at colleges. In so doing, we teach our audience our Chinese heritage and traditions.

Singing Performance: Pamela J Powell

Pamela J Powell is a talented vocalist and had her first stage performance at age of 3 at the “Little Miss Model” competition in Philippines. Pamela can sing R&B, Pop, Hip Hop, Neo soul and anything! She has participated various live contests including Junior Idol, Miss Teen USA NY and Miss NY USA. She is currently working on her first EP, which will be released soon this year.

Demonstration Stations:

Jenny Chan: Lunar New Year Hat Crafts

Jenny W. Chan is the founder of Origami Tree, a one-stop resource with hundreds of free arts and crafts tutorials for children, parents, and teachers. She has been featured on the Rachael Ray Show, CBS News, Good Housekeeping, and has even taught First Lady McCray. Jenny offers crafting tutorials and giveaways regularly on her YouTube channel, home to over 110,000 subscribers and 20 million views. You can find her at YouTube.com/OrigamiTree.

Sarah Wang: Lantern Making

A photographer and curator born in Harbin, China, Sarah grew up in the Bay Area from the age of six. She earned her BA in Art Education from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in drawing and painting as well as a CA Teaching Credential in K-12 Art Education. In 2014, Sarah along with fellow artist, Shaina Yang opened an alternative art space in the Lower East Side, called City Bird Gallery. They offered an experimental space for emerging & professional artists as well as student and community organizations to exhibit their work. Sarah has recently graduated from Parsons, School for Design with her MFA in Photography.

Meng Ouyang: Chinese Calligraphy

Meng Ouyang was a part-time calligraphy teacher in Beijing and now in New York City. He has studied calligraphy for more than 30 years. In 1999, he won the second place in the first division of calligraphy competition in the National College Students Art Festival.

Lili Benny: Face Painting

Lily Benny is a textile designer who happens to love face painting. She has a background in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. While learning fashion art, She was assigned to facepaint at a Sunday school festival. She never knew she had this passion inside of her. Since then, her passion for face/body paint grew and grew.

Karen Li: Paper Cutting

Karen Li is an expert at English Italic and Copperplate Script Calligraphy. She’s also a craft and origami enthusiast. She has a Masters in Education from Columbia University and creatively supplements her work with art.