Traditional Chinese music, dance part of Confucius Institute event

This weekend’s opening ceremonies for the Confucius Institute at Alfred University (CIAU) will showcase traditional Chinese dances and music – and allow the newly created institute an opportunity to fulfill one of its goals.

“The goal of Confucius Institute is to promote a greater understanding of Chinese culture and language,” explains Dr. Wilfred Huang, director of CIAU and a professor of management in the College of Business at Alfred University.

To that end, Huang and his committee have organized a broad and varied program they believe will offer a “spectacular” introduction to the public of some very important aspects of Chinese culture.

The first event open to the public is a Lion Dance, a traditional dance performed by acrobats in a lion costume. It is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 3, on the quadrangle in front of Powell Campus Center.

The formal opening ceremony, which will include the signing of an agreement between Alfred University and its partner institution, China University of Geosciences in Wuhan, the People’s Republic of China, will be held at 4 p.m. in Nevins Theater, Powell Campus Center.

There will be series of performances, also at Nevins Theater, beginning at 8 p.m. Featured performers include Wan Dongni, a student at China University of Geosciences who is now doing a study abroad experience at Bryant University; Zhou Yi, who plays the pipa, a four-stringed lute with a pear-shaped body; Yang Yue, who plays the erhu, a bowed lute with two strings; Li Liquin, who plays the yangqin, a hammered dulcimer; and Miao Yimin, who plays the dizi, a wooden flute.