Colorado State University’s Gateway to Asia April 30 – May 1

The fifth annual Gateway to Asia celebration promoting cultural connections and interest in Asian culture is April 30 – May 1 at Colorado State University. All events are free and open to the public.

Gateway to Asia kicks off on Friday, April 30, with a dragon dance performed by the CSU Chinese Club and a Japanese Bon dance performed by the CSU Japan Club. The performances will begin at 10:50 a.m. on the Lory Student Center Plaza.

The CSU Japan Club has invited Yoko Hiraoka to play the biwa, a traditional Japanese five-stringed instrument, at 12:20 p.m. Saturday, May 1 in the Lory Student Center North Ballroom. Masters of the biwa are few in number in Japan, and biwa performances in the United States are extremely rare.

Denver Taiko is a Japanese drum group and a community-based organization committed to honoring and sharing Japanese drumming through performances and providing an engaging creative outlet for those with interest in the art of taiko. Denver Taiko will perform at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 1 in the LSC North Ballroom.

Other Gateway to Asia performances include Chinese traditional dance from the Chinese Dance School, a martial arts demonstration from the White Dragon Martial Arts School and a performance by a Japanese pop dance band.

Full schedule follows:

Friday, April 30

  • 10:50 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. Japanese Bon dance on the Lory Student Center Plaza
  • 11:45 a.m. and noon – Dragon dance on the Lory Student Center Plaza
  • 7 p.m. – Taiwanese film, “Cape No.7” in Lory Student Center Room 228

Saturday, May 1

  • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Chinese tea, name writing in Chinese and Japanese, try on Japanese and Chinese costumes, and origami and Japanese paper craft tables are available in the LSC North Ballroom
  • 9 a.m. – Tea ceremony by Mike Ricci in Lory Student Center Room 224-226
  • 10 a.m. – Calligraphy workshop by Chuen-mei Fan in Lory Student Center Room 230
  • 11 a.m. – Acupressure self help by Ping Dou in Lory Student Center Room 228
  • Noon – Japanese pop dance and music by Japanese Student Association and Miros in Lory Student Center North Ballroom
  • 12:20 p.m. – Biwa concert by Yoko Hiraoka in Lory Student Center North Ballroom
  • 1 p.m. – Kung Fu demonstration by White Dragon in Lory Student Center North Ballroom
  • 1:30 p.m. – Traditional Chinese dance by CACPA Dance Group in Lory Student Center North Ballroom
  • 2 p.m. – Denver Takio performance in Lory Student Center North Ballroom

This event is made possible by generous funds from the Lilla B. Morgan Memorial Fund, the Asian Studies Board, International Education, the Japan Club and the Department of Foreign Languages & Literature.

For more information, visit www.colostate.edu/dept/FLL/.

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