Year of the Rabbit is celebrated at West Orange High School Lunar Gala

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Year of the Rabbit was celebrated by the West Orange community on Jan. 20 in an evening of entertainment by middle and high school students.

The event, which also served as a fundraiser for the World Languages Scholarship Fund, was sponsored by West Orange High School, the Chinese Club and the Chinese Honor Society in collaboration with United Asian Voices of West Orange, and featured a meal provided by Lotus Oriental Cuisine and Maschio’s Food Services, a raffle, a bake-off, and greetings from Shihong Zhang of the Chinese Teachers Association. The program began with the traditional dragon dance, performed by Edison Middle School students. Musical performances by the WOHS Chinese Club, Roosevelt Middle School and a Beijing opera mask song by students followed, and Liberty Middle School then took a turn demonstrating the dragon dance.

Arts and crafts projects for young people were set up throughout the Tarnoff Cafeteria at WOHS. A sugar painting artist, demonstrating edible art, was a popular station. 

The Chinese Club continued entertaining with K-pop, and Hwaa, Mongolian and Dai dances. Senior Shane Donagher got applause for his impressive falsetto version of “The Song of the Pear Blossom” and the orchestra quintet performed a selection from “Mulan.”

The evening ended on a high note with the drum dance, ringing in a good new year that is hoped to bring positivity and prosperity. 

Photos Courtesy of WOSD

  Asian New Year, Edison Middle School, Hayden Moore, Mayor Susan McCartney, Roosevelt Middle School, United Asian Voices of West Orange, West Orange High School