Community features

Chinese fan dancers

Chinese New Year 2007

Pak Ming Cantonese Opera

Birmingham’s Chinese New Year will be celebrated on Sunday 18 February 2007, at the Arcadian Centre, Hurst Street in Birmingham’s Chinese Quarter.

The Year of the Pig will be welcomed with an exciting afternoon of entertainment including the Dragon Dance, music and martial arts demonstrations.

The free event runs from 12pm – 4pm and is organised by the Birmingham Chinese Festival Committee in conjunction with Birmingham City Council.

Dragon Dance

Chinese Lion

The sound of firecrackers and the Dragon Dance will start the celebration at 12pm. Performances include Chinese Karaoke, traditional and contemporary dance, Chinese Opera, a fashion show, rope skipping and martial arts demonstrations.

For information on the celebrations contact the Arcadian Centre on 0121 622 5348 or visit www.birmingham.gov.uk

Sign of the pig

If you were born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995 or 2007 - you were born under the sign of the pig. Like the pig, you are highly regarded for your chivalry and pureness of heart, and you often make friends for life. For pigs in 2007, any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome so look forward to a year in which to really shine, either personally or professionally.

Famous pigs

Famous people born in the Year Of The Pig include Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Thomas Jefferson, David Bowie, Dudley Moore, Elton John, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Chinese New Year programme

12.00 noon Entrance of the Dragon Dance and Firecrackers

12.25pm Speeches12.35pm A Special “Jiangxi” Provencal Acrobatics Performance
Tonda Great Wall Chinese Culture & Art Troupe
- Rolling Lamps
- Kicking bowls on high seat monocycle
- Walking on rolling barrels
- Changing Faces
- People body feat
- Rolling Plates
- Single arm handstand
- Gan Opera
- Balancing act on slanting pagoda of chairs
- Balancing feats on swaying board
- Rolling rugs
- Chinese traditional instrumental

2.05pm Dragon dance on stage
Kung Fu demonstration

2.40pm Children’s Dance (Overseas Chinese Association School)

2.55pm Karaoke Performance – Chinese New Year songs

3.00pm Children’s Dance (Birmingham Chinese School)

3.15pm Cantonese Opera (Pak Ming Cantonese Opera)

3.30pm Fashion Show (Birmingham Chinese Women’s Association)

3.45pm Final Dragon Dance

4.00pm End