Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 30, 1981)
I r"^ jr Burofiiii), -4 Ffiday/ October 3< Dancing ‘Made in Taiwan’ A heritage of song, self-defense and dance By Mary Jo Rummel Battalion Staff About 600 people went on an "Adventure in Chinese Songs and Dance" Monday in Rudder Auditorium as the Youth Good will Mission from Taiwan per formed martial arts and Chinese songs and dance. Part I of the show featured demonstrations of Chinese box ing, or martial arts. The Chinese method of self-defense began by imitating the flying and jumping of animals. Different motions represent different animals. The group performed the "Mantis Ch'uan," "Tiger Ch'uan," the "Crane Ch'uan," the "Eagle Ch'uan" and the "Snake Ch'uan." The animals seemed to come alive in the motions of the dancers. The only decorations on stage were the ILS. and Taiwan flags at the wings, signifying the goal of the Mission — a gesture of friendship between the nations. The curtain opened to an Oriental tapestry-covered podium with a brass urn sitting atop it. The members of the group entered the stage indi vidually, gracefully exhibiting the flowing, meticulous boxing motions. During the Chinese classical and folk dances, the stage was bare, but the mood of the dances was accented by lighting and elaborate costuming. Red, orange, blue and green lights changed the stage to fit the dance, expressing the excite ment of the stories told in the dances. Each dance told its own story. The traditional dances such as "The Lass of Tribe Miao," "Love Songs of Shin-Kiang," and the "Love Songs Kang-Ting" told the universal story of love and the courting ritual. In the third part, the dancers presented "Taiwan the Beauti ful," a dancing portrayal of the everyday life of the Chinese people — flying kites, farming and celebrating the harvest. The group ended their per formance by singing several popular Chinese and American songs. The dancers were not profes sionals, but the audience could tell that they enjoyed what they were doing. Most of the audience was Oriental and thoroughly en joyed the trip back to their na tive land. But the rest of the au dience did not need to speak Chinese to understand the uni versal language of music and dance. Photo by Dave Einsel Kwan-JinLui, from the National Taiwan Political Science University perform a University, and Chin Ko of the National Chinese love dance in Rudder Theater. Aggie leads Taiwan dancers By Mary Jo Rummel Battalion Staff "Once an Aggie always an Aggie." Wang, Chih-Kang, director of the Youth Goodwill Mission from Taiwan, the Republic of China, received his Master's de gree in 1975 and doctorate in 1978 from Texas A&M Universi ty. Besides serving as director of the tour, he is associate profes sor of business at the National Taiwan University, the largest in the country. Wang first heard about Texas A&M from a friend. "I recom mend Texas A&M to all my stu dents who are interested in studying in America," Wang said. "I'm proud to be an Aggie." At the performance, Wang re ceived a Texas A&M shirt and Aggie wall hanging from the In ternational Affairs Department and Chinese Student Affairs. Monday's performance in Rudder Auditorium was the twenty-first presented by the group. The group finishes its tour in El Paso at the end of the week. It was good to come back, Wang said. "The tour is almost over, but we saved the best for last. "The purpose of the Goodwill Mission is to extend the war mest friendship to the American people through the youth of Taiwan," he said. The dancers are all college stu dents in Taiwan, majoring in a variety of fields. Liao, Kuang-Hsin, a medical student at China Medical Col lege, never danced before com peting for the Goodwill Mission but has studied Kung-fu. Liao, 24, is the second-oldest member of the group. He will study one more year before interning in Taiwan. He described America as a "rich country" and the Amer ican people as "agressive and hard-working." Liao said he has enjoyed the tour but is ready to go home. Real Homemade Mexican Food Open till 3 a.m. Saturdays, 10 p.m. Weekdays Open at 6 a.m. for breakfast Banquet facilities available Sunnyland MEXICAN RESTAURANT Bring in this ad for a free coke with current TAMU I.D. TOWNSHIRE UNIVERSITY DRIVE