Happy Year of the Rooster!
This has been a busy CNY holiday season. Our Wayland Li Wushu and Lion Dance teams were booked solid for three weeks. We were recently featured in the Chinese media. Here is a flavor of the articles and pictures capturing our performances!
Chinese Consulate Spring Festival Reception - January 26, 2017
On January 26, 2017, Wayland Li Martial Arts Centre was invited to perform Lion Dance at a Spring Festival reception hosted by the Chinese Consulate (驻多伦多总领馆举行2017年春节招待会).
The event was attended by Canadian and Chinese government officials, members of the private sector, as well as Canada's newly announced ambassador to China, the Honourable John McCallum. Our Lion Dance team was featured in the article posted on the consulate's website. Read more about the event (in Chinese) on the consulate's site (http://toronto.china-consulate.org/chn/zxdt/t1435134.htm).
Wayland Li Lion Dance team in action.
Children's Spring Festival Celebration - January 27, 2017
On January 27, 2017, three students from Wayland Li Martial Arts Centre performed in the "Children's Spring Festival Celebration" (孩子们的春晚). The event was held at John A. MacDonald C.I. in Scarborough and featured dance, singing and other artistic performances to celebrate the lunar new year. Liberal MP Geng Tan hosted the gala, and the show's producer named our Wayland Li group "The Rhythm of Martial Arts" or 《武韵》.
Reporters from CCCTV captured two of our students in action with television coverage.
Additionally, the Chinese Canadian Voice published the article below describing the intent of the gala, the planning and performances, and a shout-out to our Wushu kids in action.
Pictures from an article in the Chinese Canadian Voice
Wushu kids jitiquan.
Staff form in action.
Original article in the Chinese Canadian Voice dated 2017 / 02 /04:
孩子们的春晚，不一样的春晚
对于成人来说，没有春晚，不叫过年！那么对于加拿大的华裔小朋友来说，正如联邦国会议员谭耕博士所言，“以往的春晚，成人热热闹闹地吃着聊着，看着听着，觉得年味儿越来越浓，但是旁边的小孩呢？不是觉得无聊，坐不住，就是低头在玩手机或平板电脑，春晚似乎与他们无关。”
但是，1月27日晚上青少年未来发展基金会(Youth Future Foundation)精心组织的“孩子们的春晚(Children’s Spring Festival Celebration)，估计让大多伦多地区的许多小朋友对春晚有全新的认识。
“孩子们的春晚”全部是由孩子们来自己演的。当饱满纯净孩子们的脸，热歌劲舞嗨声四起的现场，春晚的温情扑面而来，现场的大小朋友们立马就对幕幕场景神往起来。就拿记者旁边坐着的小女孩来说，估计年龄在6岁左右，从头至尾，她都没要父母抱，而是自己坐着，认真地欣赏着，许多时候还随着音乐节奏自己拍起来。那份入神实在难见！
这台近三个小时春晚，自筹备开始到正式登台有两个多月时间。自2016年12月30日新闻发布之后，筹备组提前进入春晚倒计时。基金会主席与总策划黄幸来博士与筹备组成员一道，努力把这台专属“孩子们的春晚”用心打造成一台有关童年的记忆。
正如黄幸来博士在发言中指出，今年是春节(Spring Festival)得到加拿大联邦政府正式认可作为节日的第一年，同时也是加拿大建国150周年。在这个特殊的日子，让孩子们自己来表演，让全家老少一起来参与，这一定是孩子们最开心的事情。
在总策划和总导演等带领下，筹备组扎扎实实落实每一项工作，并具体落实到个人。从演出细节到晚会流程，步步切入，跟踪落实；从节目单制作到内容编排，演出内容介绍到小演员名单及背景资料；超百名义工现场任务分工，舞台监督、音效服务、后勤统筹等都要到位。
就拿节目单来说，设计过程中增减删改核对无数次。两百多名不同族裔演员名字及其演出内容，中英文拼写较对改写，这就是一项很大的工程。而所有节目都曾安排在不同地点进行多次彩排，现场所提供食物来源须提供安省卫生安全许可，参与演出的所有孩子都安排有家长的陪伴。当您有着这些考量时，这台晚会是一场不小的挑战！
在华人眼里，铁打的春晚，流水的明星！特别是在中国，春晚像一个巨大的隐喻，昭示着社会流向和民众期许，春晚的呈现形式和效果无不显现它的权威性和重要性。演员们一旦登上春晚舞台，即会直达个人奋斗明星梦。但“孩子们的春晚”不一样，明星就是你！
就拿该次春晚来说，其中部分节目就是由中国中央电视台少儿频道编导，中央电视台十佳人物邬纯芳率领，曾在中国获得各种大奖的青少年演出团体，让春晚增彩不少。随团成员还有中央电视台青少年频道制片主任，中国广播电影电视报刊协会摄影师王双根；中国广播电影电视报刊协会秘书长、国际文化艺术交流中心秘书长肖大千和中国音乐家协会会员、四川省打击乐协会理事王文政等。
而本地参与演出的人数与节目占绝大多数，还是让记者来串串当晚的节目吧！开场篇以凤鸣开年，龙凤起舞，凤凰献瑞，一番风顺为主题，开场舞蹈以蔓玲舞蹈艺术学校的小朋友们演绎《开门红》，接下来就是李文启武术学校的武术表演《武韵》和《凤发图强》，再加上来自中国的优秀节目《龙腾虎跃》，热闹的过年气氛马上浓郁起来。
Chinese Consulate Spring Festival Gala - February 3, 2017
On February 3rd, 2017, students from Wayland Li Martial Arts Centre were invited to perform Wushu for a Spring Festival event hosted by the Chinese Consulate of Greater Toronto. The performance was held at the Chinese Cultural Centre. Our students were featured in several of the articles below.
Posting on the Chinese Consulate of Greater Toronto website
The consulate posted a summary describing the February 3rd gala and included a photo of our students in action.
Original article here: http://toronto.china-consulate.org/chn/zxdt/t1437010.htm
Mr. Xue Bing, Consul General.
Wayland Li Wushu champions in action.
Article in the Chinese Canadian Voice
An article in the Chinese Canadian Voice covered the events of the February 3rd CNY gala. The performance was attended by more than 600 people, and represented officials from the municipal, provincial and federal levels of the Canadian government. Wayland Li received a brief mention in the article along with a picture of one of our students performing broadsword.
Original article: http://www.chinesecanadianvoice.ca/90763/
Ian is mid-flight performing butterfly kick during his broadsword routine.
Article in ChinaNews.com
A brief article in Chinanews.com (中国新闻网) described the February 3rd CNY gala and summarizes the main highlights of the evening. One picture covered the action on stage and captured the moment our students were performing their closing stances to end the performance.
Young Wushu champions from Wayland Li.
Original article on Chinanews.com dated 2017 / 02 /04:
多伦多“中国梦·游子情”春晚精彩纷呈
当地时间2017年2月3日晚，中国驻多伦多总领事馆在大多伦多中华文化中心何伯钊剧院主办“中国梦·游子情”春节联欢晚会。自2017年起，加拿大政府将每年农历正月初一至十五正式宣布为“春节”。中国驻多伦多总领事薛冰表示，春节从今年开始成为中加两国的共同节日，希望通过举办这台晚会，为大多伦多地区春节庆祝活动再添光彩，同时增进中国与加拿大两国人民之间的友谊。图为多伦多当地武术学院学生的中国功夫表演。中新社记者 余瑞冬 摄
Article in the Red Maple News
Red Maple News covered the February 3rd Chinese Consulate CNY event, with photos that featured Wushu students from Wayland Li Martial Arts Centre.
Original article here:
http://www.redmaplenews.com/news/bencandy.php?fid=67&id=71998
Mandatory group pose.
Our nine-section whips were equipped with lights, which had an unique impact on this reporter's camera shot.
Splendid China Mall Spring Festival Gala - February 3, 2017
On February 3, 2017, Wayland Li performed Wushu and Lion Dance demonstrations at Splendid China Mall (锦绣中华) in Markham to commemorate CNY. The event was featured in several media outlets. An article on YorkBBS prominently highlighted our students with photos and a brief write-up. Below are the pictures and original article.
Group pose to end the Wushu demo.
Shifu Li and the V.I.P.s.
Amazing strength by our lion dance teams.
Original article on YorkBBS dated 2017 / 02 /03:
锦绣中华送猴迎鸡倒数新年
春回大地喜慶新春聞雞起舞，福滿人間欣逢盛世躍馬揚鞭。万众瞩目的锦绣中华送猴迎鸡倒数晚会，于大年三十晚圆满落幕！本次活动由锦绣中华主办，加拿大著名活动策划公司火花演艺制作承办。
首个多族裔参与庆贺的2017加拿大法定节日中国春节，锦绣中华的新年倒数晚会可谓是不同凡响。各个族裔的精彩节目，三位著名主持人，众多VIP现场致词，万锦市市长Frank Scarpitti惊喜献唱，无一不为这特别的新年倒数晚会增添光彩！
本次晚会受到主流社会高度重视，现场可谓嘉宾云集，盛况空前。如：万锦市市长Frank Scarpitti ，省议员Shaun Chen, 省议员Soo Wong, 市议员Allan Ho, 市议员Nirmala Armstrong, 市议员Sandra Yeung 纷纷前来致以春节的问候以及对鸡年的祝福。值得一提的是万锦市市长Frank Scarpitti惊喜献唱两首中文歌曲，两首深情又标准的中文歌曲把晚会推上了高潮。市长即兴献唱的同时，几名颇有勇气的舞者自发上台为他即兴伴舞，深受Frank真诚的演唱而影响，没有任何编排却随歌起舞。
中国春节被加拿大认证为法定节日后，越来越多的人开始关注中国新年文化，无论是新年的习俗还是国人对祖国的情感都让各族裔人们感叹。华人族裔们紧锣密鼓的筹办着各类新年节目同时，许多来自不同族裔的朋友们都争先参与这一盛大晚会--锦绣中华新年倒数之夜。用他们不同族裔的文化与艺术来一起庆贺2017中国新年。
不仅仅有万锦市市长的高歌，还有众多高水平高标准的精彩表演。多伦多俄罗斯杂技团，热情的桑巴舞娘，美丽动人的希腊女神，神秘的魔术王子Ryan Broen , 青春靓丽S.O.T组合，童声组合小天使合唱团，瑞特模特一众佳丽，李文启中华武术团队等纷纷精彩献艺。
现场气氛热烈，万人空巷，随着各专业团队的现场表演，在观众热烈的掌声与欢呼中迎来了2017倒数时刻! 台上舞龙舞狮，礼花飞扬。并请财神派红包，派送鸡年公仔。财神到，好运到，好运连连运势俏!