It may be the year of the snake, but David Boody students’ lunar New Year performance drew no hisses.
Two hundred kids from the Avenue S intermediate school’s extracurricular programs celebrated the Chinese holiday in traditional fashion — with a modern kick — for an audience of 600 friends and family on Feb. 21.
Principal Dominick D’Angelo said the production was a product of I.S. 228’s arts-centric environment, as well as its growing diversity, with Chinese-American students now making up almost 40–percent of the student body.
“We have a comprehensive after-school program that’s very rich in music and dance and art,” said D’Angelo, noting that David Boody has had a Chinese dance team for five years, and boasts a dual-language Mandarin program.
The evening featured costumes, dances, Chinese zither music, along with a hip-hop routine from the school’s cheerleading squad.
D’Angelo said he thought the event, now in its fourth year, enriched the community’s understanding and appreciation of East Asian traditions.
“There’s many years of history, and its very powerful that all students get to share in the great Chinese culture,” said D’Angelo. “It’s a powerful, fun evening for everyone.”
Reach reporter Will Bredderman at wbredderman@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4507. Follow him at twitter.com/WillBredderman.
