Chicago, IL – The Chinese Fine Arts Society will present a number of exciting and colorful free events to celebrate the Chinese New Year at a variety of venues from January 31- February 16, 2014:

Chinese New Year at Daley Plaza

Friday, January 31, 2014
Noon – 12:45pm
Richard J. Daley Center, 118 North Clark Street, Chicago
www.explorechicago.org

This free lunchtime show will feature Lion Dancers, musicians Brent Roman (see bio below) on Chinese Drums, Yi on Guzheng, Kerry Leung (Chinese Flute and Pipa), Martial Artists performing the renowned Soldier’s Dance and traditional Chinese dancers Amy Xie, Dollie Diaz, and Bing Bing.

Chinese New Year Celebration with Red Moon Theatre Company

Saturday, February 1, 2014
6pm-7:30pm
Navy Pier Ballroom, 600 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago
www.navypier.com

CFAS collaborates with Red Moon Theatre Company on this free large-scale spectacle event featuring CFAS Martial Artists from Illini Wushu Team (see bio below) as well as other local Chinese artists.

Chinese New Year Lantern Festival at Navy Pier

Sunday, February 16
Noon- 3pm
Performances at 12:30pm, 1:30pm and 2:30pm
Navy Pier’s Crystal Gardens, 600 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago
www.navypier.com

This full afternoon of family-friendly programming marks the final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. This colorful event, the Lantern Festival, also known as the Yuan-Xiao Festival after the traditional sweet treats enjoyed on this day, will include martial arts, Chinese classical music and dance and a marketplace featuring Chinese calligraphers and souvenirs.

ABOUT CFAS AND THE PERFORMERS:

The Illini Wushu Team is a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign organization that focuses on teaching students Wushu or Chinese Martial Arts. Wushu can be considered one of the most demanding forms of martial arts due to its tremendous focus on aesthetics and grace. The performers today are the club’s instructors who have been training for over ten years together in the Chicagoland area.

Brent Roman is a Chicago-based percussionist, composer, recording artist and instructor. He has worked with looking glass theater company, Red Moon Theatre Company and is a lead musician in the acclaimed music group Mucca Pazza and the Cheng Da Drum Group. Brent received a grant from the Freeman Asian Foundation to travel to and study traditional Chinese Music at the Central Conservatory of Music in Shanghai, China in 2000. Brent is an accomplished recording artist whose work includes an album with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project.

Since 1984, the Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS), a small, fully-independent arts organization has brought together people from diverse backgrounds over a common goal: to celebrate the beauty and majesty of traditional and contemporary Chinese music and art. CFAS is dedicated to promoting the appreciation of Chinese culture, enhancing cultural exchange and pursuing excellence in Chinese music, dance and visual arts. For further information about the Chinese Fine Arts Society contact 312-369-3197 or [email protected] and visit ChineseFineArts.org.