MCSA Brings Chinese Culture to MacDuffie

The+FTD+band+performing+at+the+Chinese+Spring+Gala+last+Friday.+Photo+by+Marvin+Duan+%E2%80%9919.%0A

The FTD band performing at the Chinese Spring Gala last Friday. Photo by Marvin Duan ’19.

Judy Zhu, Staff Writer

Spring Festival, a popular event celebrating the Lunar New Year, is one of the most important holidays in China. Families usually gather together and celebrate this significant occasion. At MacDuffie, Chinese students who were not able to travel home chose to celebrate this festival with their friends instead. To make the Spring Festival appeal to international students, the MacDuffie Chinese Student Association (MCSA) organized a magnificent Spring Gala that was open to all students and faculty on February 9th.

This is the third time MCSA organized the Spring Gala, each year taking care to celebrate Chinese traditions.

“The original intention of holding the Spring Gala is to promote Chinese culture,” said senior Victor Zhang, who is also the president of the MCSA, adding, “We want to make Chinese students feel like home in this important Chinese festival and to have holiday mood.”

Senior Hans Li, the co-vice president of MCSA, had a personal goal.

“I hope to enrich my senior year by holding this Gala and leave something behind at MacDuffie when I graduate,” Li said.

Members of the MCSA had two formal rehearsals before the final show. On the day of the Spring Gala, the members went to the Little Theater at three that afternoon to decorate the room in red to set the New Year’s mood. During the Spring Gala, there were a variety of shows ranging from dramatic Chinese songs to hilarious skits. The Gala replicated many classic parts of the CCTV (China Central Television) Spring Gala such as the song Unforgettable Tonight.

“I think the Spring Gala was successful although there were a few mistakes,” said Sophomore Angel Mao, co-vice president of the MCSA. “We will do better the next year,” Mao added.

According to the presidents of the MCSA, the Gala will likely be held again next year. “Spring Gala is more like the memories we leave behind us. The shows don’t really matter. The effort we put in is more important,” Li said. The Spring Gala means so much to the two senior presidents of MCSA that they both hope to come back next year to watch the fourth annual Gala.

The FTD band performing at the Chinese Spring Gala last Friday. Photo by Marvin Duan ’19.