KENDRA MAJORS

Chinese traditions will be on tap Saturday night as students at Troy University will celebrate Chinese New Year.

This is the eighth annual new year event sponsored by the Chinese Student Association.

The event will begin at 6 p.m. with entertainment festivities being held in the Trojan Center Theater and a dinner following in the Trojan Center Ballroom.

“Our New Year celebration is a time for families to come together,” said Jiachen Duan, a freshman Chinese student who attends Troy.

“This is China’s biggest celebration.”

There is will be something for everyone at this year’s event from music lovers to dance fanatics to even fashion gurus.

The entertainment at this year’s festivities will include an array of traditional and contemporary performances.

Among the musical entertainment will be traditional performances on Chinese instruments such as the erhu, hulusi and guzheng.

For those who enjoy dancing there will be traditional Chinese dancing as well as hip-hop dancing.

A fashion show will feature reproductions from the Qing Dynasty, which governed China from 1644 to 1971.

The entertainment will also consist of an appearance by the dragon and lion, which will ring in the “Year of the Ox.”

The Troy community has responded well to the Chinese New Year celebration in the past.

“This has become a favored event in the community,” Debbie Davis, adviser to the Chinese Student Association said.

“We hope the community will come out and support this event.”

According to Davis, the dragon appearance and the fashion show are usually among the popular events.

“We are so proud to have so many talented Chinese students,” Davis said.

“This festival allows the students to showcase all of their wonderful gifts.”

The entertainment will sure stir up an appetite, for those who want to curb their hunger, there will be a wide variety of international cuisine on the dinner table.

The dinner menu will consist of various meat and vegetable dishes including the traditional Chinese dumplings and rice cakes.

General admission is $15 and $10 for students.

Everyone is encouraged to buy their tickets in advance.

To purchase tickets contact, Debbie Davis at 670-5965 or visit Pace Hall room 126.