Feb. 17 marked the beginning of Lunar New Year, a celebration of the arrival of spring and the start of a new year on the lunisolar calendar, originally developed in China. Since at least the second century B.C., each new year on the lunisolar calendar has been named after one of the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac. Lunar New Year is widely celebrated across South and Southeast Asia, including Korea and Vietnam. This year commemorates the Year of the Horse, symbolizing forward movement, independence and endurance. 

On Feb. 20, DU’s Asian Student Alliance (ASA) held its annual Lunar New Year celebration, with assistance from DU student volunteers and local community organizations dedicated to celebrating Asian culture. 

Festivities began with introductions of the ASA executive board and a rundown of the night’s events, including performances, games and raffles. Guests were then dismissed to grab food, where they could select from a range of options, including Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai, demonstrating the wide variety of cultures represented at the celebration. 

After dinner, the games and performances began. During the games, guests were invited to participate in Sanrio-themed competitions for a chance to win prizes. 

In between games, guests enjoyed several immersive performances by local organizations and DU’s own Taekwondo Club.

Members of the GDPT Nguyen Thiêu Youth Group, a local nonprofit dance organization, performed fan-dancing performances. The fan dance is a traditional folk dance that symbolizes grace, beauty and charm. Many cultures have different variations of the dance with traditions dating back thousands of years. 

The fan-dancing performances were followed by DU’s Taekwondo club, which performed an impressive set and even invited audience members and ASA e-board members to break wooden boards, offering a crash course in proper kicking technique. 

The last performances were the GDPT Nguyen Thiêu Youth Group’s iconic lion dance. The lion dance is thought to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity for the new year. Accompanied by rhythmic symbols and drums, lion dancers trotted around the room, bringing joy and laughter to audience members as they clapped along. 

“It’s definitely one of my favorite Lunar New Year traditions,” said Elana Yu, secretary of ASA. 

After a final few games and one last raffle, the ASA e-board gave closing remarks and expressed their gratitude for the community’s support. 

Be sure to follow ASA on Instagram and join their Crimson Connect for upcoming event information.