Download our 2022 brochure.
Heritage Chinese classes are designed for students from Chinese-speaking families. The goals are to help strengthen learners' Chinese literacy and foster a sense of pride in their cultural heritage and family language. The instructors focus on developing learners' reading and writing skills using a variety of learning activities appropriate for each group of learners' ages and proficiency levels.
Non-heritage Chinese classes are designed for students from non-Chinese-speaking families. The goals are to introduce learners to the Chinese culture and to build and strengthen their ability to communicate in Chinese in real-life situations. The instructors focus on developing learners' listening and speaking skills using a variety of age-appropriate learning activities such as singing songs, playing games, storytelling, and roleplaying.
AP Chinese Prep classes are designed for students who will be taking AP Chinese Language and Culture exam. These vitrual classes are taught by an experienced language teacher with over 5 years of experience and include comprehensive content review and exam preparation for AP Chinese 2023. Students will learn practical test-taking strategies and improve proficiency in listening, reading, writing, speaking, and cultural understanding.
The KCA Performing Arts project includes three performing groups: Chinese folk dance, lion dance, as well as Chinese YoYo. KCA Performing Arts aims to expand opportunities for artists of all ages, skill levels, backgrounds, and identities through our performing arts program. In addition to establishing Chinese culture as an integral part of the Kalamazoo community through performing arts, the expansion and diversification of our programs will showcase the uniqueness of Chinese art and culture to a wider audience without them having to travel to China. KCA Performing Arts strives to provide performing arts programs to promote access, in a safe and welcoming environment, to Kalamazoo County students underserved in the arts through the transformative power of the arts.
Contact: performingarts@kzooca.org
Support provided by the Arts Fund of Kalamazoo County, a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo.
KCA dance classes offer various types of dance training. Adult classes combine traditional Chinese dance with ballet and contemporary. Youth classes include Chinese folk, ballet, and creative movements. KCA dance classes incorporate a mix of American and Chinese dance styles into one beautiful and unique fusion that unites our cultures. The goal is to bring together two cultures and create a fusion of dance styles. Dance classes will be held weekly to improve students’ techniques and skills in the art of Chinese dance.
Lion dance is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture and other Asian countries in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume to bring good luck and fortune. The lion dance is usually performed during the Lunar New Year and other Chinese traditional, cultural, and religious festivals.
KCA lion dance sessions are a hybrid of dance and martial arts that combine traditional lion dance moves with hip-hop elements and develop LED-based choreography. Because many of the lion dance movements are based in Chinese martial arts, kids will learn introductory forms of traditional Chinese martial arts as part of the lion dance practice. This includes Five Steps Fists (五步拳) and also some Tai Chi (太极) and Ba Duan Jin (八段锦) movements. Sessions will be held every other week.
Chinese YoYo, also known as diabolo, provides an opportunity for youth to come together to play this ancient spinning game that provides endless levels of skill development, challenge, and entertainment. Students gather to learn challenging new tricks while perfecting dazzling routines, with more experienced students helping novice students learn how to spin, toss, and perform various other tricks. Sessions will be held every other week.
This exciting summer dance camp was for kids ages 5 to 14 years to learn Chinese and K-pop dance moves! We started class with a fun, 30-minute warm-up, followed by breakout sessions.
Days: Mondays and Thursdays
Time: 6:15 to 7:15 pm
Dates: July 18 to August 11
Location: The Station (169 Portage St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007)
Cost: $80 for 8 classes; performance on the last day
Adult Tai Chi classes will introduce some essential Tai Chi principles and movements. Tai Chi is one of the Chinese traditional martial arts, which was designed as a unique self-defense technique and later evolved into a self-efficacy health exercise. Characterized as flowing, graceful, and being well-balanced, Tai Chi's movements strengthen the body as well as the mind from within, promoting a complete body-mind harmony. Through practicing Tai Chi, the balance of Yin and Yang, the essentials of the nature and relaxation, will be embedded into the practitioner. Unrestrained by age, gender, and health status, Tai Chi can serve as an ideal physical exercise to many.
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