In celebration of Lunar New Year, campers ages 8-12 will be crafting fire breathing dragons, dancing the lion dance and diving into the roots of Chinese culture!
About the workshops
“At first glance, I thought I saw a dragon dance” with Deanna Rose Gene
Morning Workshop: 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Courtesy: Chinese Collective Arts Association
The Chinese dragon is a symbol of wisdom, power, and wealth. A dragon dance can be seen during the lunar new year festival. While we can’t fit a whole dragon in our homes, we can simulate the experience by creating and decorating a miniature dragon that even looks like it is breathing fire. Campers will be guided through this fun craft while learning about Chinese traditions to bring in the new lunar year. Come learn about the festivities and let’s celebrate together! Gung Hay Fat Choy (means Happy New Year in Cantonese)
Required Materials:
Pair of scissors
Glue stick
Glue gun or white glue
1 toilet paper roll
1 piece construction paper
2 pom poms approx 1 inch
2 pom poms approx 3/8 inch
2 googly eyes
3 scraps of tissue paper
Alternatives: If you do not have pom poms or googly eyes no worries! I will show you how to make everything out of paper
Lion Dance and Chinese Dance Workshop with Sifu Wilfred Tang and Ms. Elven Koo from the Chinese Collective Arts Association
Afternoon Workshop: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Courtesy: Chinese Collective Arts Association
In this workshop, participants will learn traditional Chinese dance and Lion Dance with professional dancers from the Chinese Collective Arts Association! Find out the meaning behind the celebration, as we dive into the roots of Asian and Chinese culture.
Deanna Gene is a Toronto-based artist who works mainly on installations. Fostering an idea that emerges from her environment through light, sound, and mixed media is her passion. She often creates based on principle themes of culture and the human psyche. Filling up space to design a message or feeling or thought-provoking idea is her objective and an accomplishment to be shared with an open society.
Deanna has showcased her work at Assembly Hall, Colborne lodge, and participated in the Toronto Biennial of Art. Her most recent work was an online exhibit through Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCADU). She has worked closely with a community arts organization, Lakeshore Arts, and has gained experience working in galleries, arts programming, and children’s education. She graduated from Humber College with a diploma in Visual and Digital Arts and currently is attending OCADU working on a Bachelor of Fine Arts.
THE CHINESE COLLECTIVE ARTS ASSOCIATION
The Chinese Collective Arts Association (CCAA) is a non-profitable organization established since 2009, hosting a variety of performances, workshops, and events to offer opportunities for members to be exposed to various art forms of Chinese culture. Chinese dance classes are also offered for students ages 3 to adults, for Chinese Dance, Lion Dance, Kung Fu, Wushu, Tai Chi, Beijing Dance Academy Examination Syllabus, Dance Competitions, Dance Technique, Gymnastics, and Acro.
CCAA Dancers have previously performed at the Toronto Raptors’ Halftime Show, Yee Hong Foundation’s Dragon Ball, OMNI TV’s Live CNY Specials, to name a few. They have participated in numerous invitational performances, received a 100% passing rate with Chinese Dance Syllabus Examination results, obtained High Gold, Overall, and Special Judges’ Awards at regional and national dance competitions across Ontario and in the U.S.. Members of their Youth Dance Team participated in the INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF DANCE AND SONGS “OHRID WAVES”, in Macedonia in 2019.
If there is interest in joining their classes or learning about their events, please contact info@chineseculturalarts.org.
SIFU WILFRED TANG, LION DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Passionate traditional Chinese Kung Fu martial artist with over 25 years of training under the Chung Wah Kung Fu system with Sifu Lee Chi Wai. Wilfred has been teaching traditional Kung Fu and Lion Dance to adults, teens and children since 2003. He joined Chi Ping Dance group in 2012 as the Martial Arts instructor; choreographing and participating in fight scenes for performing arts dramas and annual gala routines. Kung Fu is more than just an art, it is a lifelong journey and it is a pleasure to share this journey with everyone.
MS. ELVEN KOO, CHINESE DANCE INSTRUCTOR
Ms. Elven Koo began dancing with the Chi-Ping Dance Group at 4-years-old. She has participated in many local and international dance events in Mexico, Macau, Hong Kong. At the age of 9, she received awards in dance competitions in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. Ms. Koo has portrayed many dance characters in past drama productions such as the younger sister of Mulan, Spider Queen, and lead roles as White Snake and Zhu Yingtai. She currently teaches Chinese dance with the Chinese Collective Arts Association and has choreographed a number of dances, including award-winning pieces. Her dances have received awards for Best Choreography and Judges Choice at various regional and national competitions. She continues to perform with CCAA as a professional artist and principal dancer.
Megan Sue-Chue-Lam is an educator who has designed, facilitated, and evaluated programming for a number of arts and culture organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours and Bachelor of Education from Queen’s University and recently completed a Master of Museum Studies (MMSt) at the University of Toronto. Megan is a lifelong learner whose current focus is on centring BIPOC and other minoritized perspectives in the arts and culture sector through community engagement.
Jacqui Arntfield
Community Project Space Curator
Jacqui is a registered social service worker and socially-engaged artist who maintains a collaborative, conceptual and context-specific practice. She holds a BAH in Continental Philosophy from Queen’s University and a Community Worker diploma from George Brown College. Activating this educational background, she uses the arts as a tool to critically examine social issues and catalyze civic engagement. She has worked with numerous community arts organizations including Artscape Youngplace and 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education. As co-director of an interdisciplinary collective focused on interactive and participatory works, she has produced projects for public art events including NXNE Art, BIG on Bloor, Art of the Danforth, Culture Days, 100in1Day Toronto and The Laneway Project. Jacqui loves public art, politics, books and sunshine. Drop by the Community Project Space to say hello!
Ivan Tanzer
Ivan is the Manager of the Petroff Gallery one of Toronto’s oldest commercial art galleries. The gallery presents emerging contemporary fine artists alongside some of North America’s best craft makers. In addition to ensuring the continued success of the business by working closely with artists and clients, Ivan spearheads growth by implementing new and innovative technologies. Leveraging technology in support of artists led Ivan to found his own arts consultancy. Ivan Tanzer Art Services provides artists at any stage of their career with customized technology solutions and a roadmap to achieving their goals. A South Etobicoke resident, Ivan joined the board to bring his passion for the Arts, his technology skills, as well as his wide-ranging arts management knowledge to the LSA community.
MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…
LSA allows me to help serve and connect with the community I live in. I believe that access to Art is a key component to a healthy and happy life.
Jenneen Beattie
Jenneen Beattie received her BFA from OCADU, and participated in a studio placement at the Winchester School of Art, UK. She graduated with Honours from Humber’s Arts Administration and Cultural Management postgraduate program and interned with the Toronto Biennial of Art exhibitions department. Currently, she programs community-engaged public art with Mural Routes.
MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…
As a South Etobicoke resident, I would like to contribute to the LSA and support the great work they do for my community.
Linda Hill
Linda Hill has worked in community services since 1986 and is formerly Executive Director of Richview Community Care Services. She is a registered social worker and Professor in the Faculty of Social and Community Services at Humber College. Her teaching areas include community development, agency administration in the non-profit sector, program development and evaluation, proposal writing and participatory action research. She is passionate about social justice and transformational pedagogies that include arts-based approaches to teaching and learning. As an educator, she weaves practice-based projects into theory-based courses, opening doors between the classroom and the community.
MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…
I want to contribute to an organization that values social justice and creates positive community space.
Kathy Dimas
Kathy Dimas, is a passionate Artist. As a trained Dancer in Ballet she has performed in classical ballet, Latin folklore and modern Latin dance. Her love of art started with the visual arts and continued with photography. It is through her love of the arts that has taken her to volunteer as a dance teacher for the youth and to get involved as a board member with Lakeshore Arts. She is a Professional Accountant with over 17 year experience. She is a board member acting as Treasurer and sits as top management for profit and non-profit organizations such as University of Toronto Schools and Foundation.
MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…
For the Love of the Arts and how the human spirit is reflected and celebrated through it many forms.
Amanda Neale-Robinson
Amanda is the executive director of the Toronto Inner-City Rugby Foundation (TIRF), Toronto’s only rugby-centred sport for development organization. As a recovering fundraiser, Amanda brings 20+ years of integrated marketing communications experience in addition to nearly a decade of experience focused on building capacity for youth-serving organizations. Prior to joining TIRF, Amanda worked in broadcasting, sponsorship, event planning, and non-profit consulting. A self-described “non-profit nerd” she continues to support grassroots groups and projects through her work as a co-founder of The ReDesign Group.
MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…
Giving space and amplifying the collective voice of the community is the demonstration of being just. Being able to do this through the LSA board is an absolute privilege.
May Yebuga
May studied Canadian communities, works with new immigrants to Canada and has been involved in the arts in her experiences in stylist work, TV and music. She has a new interest in Lakeshore Arts because of its commitment to improving availability of the arts.
MY REASON FOR SERVING ON THE BOARD…
I joined LSA to help give youth opportunities and a safe space which encourages self expression. I benefited from the Arts and would like the same for youth in need.
Ashley Watson is an arts manager, educator and fundraiser. Perviously she was the Development Officer at the Royal Botanical Gardens and has worked in fund development and partnership cultivation roles at Lakeshore Arts. She was the inaugural Curator for Humber Galleries where she managed two gallery spaces and was responsible for starting a contemporary Canadian art collection. She has also been a sessional and guest lecturer in the Arts Management program at the University of Toronto, Humber College and the University of Guelph. Her professional experience is supported by her academic studies with a BA in Arts Management from the University of Toronto and an MFA from the University of Leicester in Art Museum and Gallery Studies, during which she was awarded the Community Leadership Prize. She also relishes her time spent in the garden and hiking with her pup Hector.
Hector - LSA Office Dog
Hector is a sweet, fun loving pup, who is a favourite around the office here at LSA. At only two years of age, he is already taking on the world and strives to one day become a certified therapy dog. For now, though, he is happy spending his days cuddling up to all those having a ruff day.
