Year of the Rabbit (2011)
The Chinese Culture Center in Albuquerque set for the Year of the Rabbit celebration on February 5, 2011. Following a week of near-zero and sub-zero temperatures, the weekend had warmed up a bit but the day was still a bit chilly with the overcast. Once in a while the sun would peek through the clouds and things would warm up briefly. In this photo, Master Charles Lin (to the left) prepares to strike the gong to commence the festivities. Year of the Rabbit is the 4,708th Chinese New Year. |  |
The Flag Dance. |  |
Annette accompanied me to this year's Lunar New Year celebration. |  |
The Ribbon Dance. |  |
The team of drummers for the Albuquerque Chinese Culture Center. |  |
Year of the Tiger (2010)
| Master Charles Lin signals the beginning of the New Year celebration by striking the gong. |  |
Watching the dragon chase the pearl is always among my favorites. |  |
A nice shot of the dragon curving around towards the camera--see it's eyes! |  |
The Ribbon Dance--another of my favorites. The woman at the center of the photos one of my co-workers. |  |
It's so neat how the ribbons maintain the shapes and curves as the cloth flows by. |  |
The Monkey King makes his first appearance--hiding behind a pillar. Master Chalres Lin is to the left. |  |
A group martial arts demonstration. |  |
Another martial arts form demonstrated for the crowd. |  |
An exercise of poise and balance. |  |
The Lion Dance. |  |
A close-up of two of the lions. |  |
The Monkey King with the drummers. |  |
The red lion. |  |
Martial arts demonstration with a weapon. |  |
The butterfly flaps her wings as everyone prepares for the feeding of the greens. |  |
The Monkey King with his horde of monkey accolytes. |  |
The Monkey King feeding a lion the greens. |  |
The butterfly again during the feeding of the lions; the Jade Girl is in the background. |  |
The monkey children playing with the butterfly. |  |
The flag dance. |  |
The flag performers running. |  |
The flag leader. |  |
Master Charles Lin leading a Tai Chi demonstration. |  |
Master Lin leading a martial arts demo with sabres. |  |
Year of the Ox (2009)
The Chinese Culture Center in Albuquerque all decorated for the Year of the Ox celebration. |  |
Master Charles Lin and his wife talk with a camera man from Channel 7 who is going to to film the celebration for the local News. |  |
The Dragon chasing the pearl. |  |
| The Dragon is being teased. |  |
The ceremony of feeding the Lions. |  |
Feeding the Lions continues. |  |
A flag dance. |  |
The Grand Finale where everone has formed up in the performance area. |  |
| The Grand Finale ... just before thousands of firecrackers go off! |  |
Year of the Rat (2008)
The Albuquerque Chinese Culture Center--built by its students. |  |
The Dragon is teased by the man with the pearl. |  |
The Dragon can't catch the pearl. |  |
The Lion dances. |  |
The Lion dances continue. |  |
The feeding of the Lions .... don't get too close! |  |
The ribbon dance. |  |
The fan dance. |  |
Videos
| The Dragon's "coming out party"--chasing the pearl at the beginning of the Year of the Ox celebration at the Chinese Culture Center in Albuquerque. | |
| Lion Dance near the end of the Chinese Culture Center's Year of the Ox celebration in ABQ. | |
| The fire cracker finale of the Year of the Ox celebration. Video runs 4 minutes and 25 seconds. | |