The Year of the Dragon celebrations launched at the SM City North EDSA

Richard Yap as the Emperor

It is now the Year of the Dragon and the Chinese is celebrating their new year. Since there are many Chinese people in almost every part of the world, many territories are also celebrating this occasion as well, and the Philippines is no exception. A week before, SM City North EDSA presented a program that ushered in the arrival of the Year of the Dragon.

The program held at the Atrium of The Block in SM City North EDSA featured Chinese music performed by a choir and also by a drum ensemble composed of mainly young members. It also featured a Wushu presentation. And the climax of the event was the Dragon and Lion Dance performing daring tricks (Lion hopping onto benches and the Dragon dancers stacked on the shoulders of other dancers) setting them apart from the usual performances. All of these were tied up together through a story about ancient China told by television personality Chris Tiu, who is also the captain of Smart Gilas Pilipinas, the national basketball team of the Philippines. And overseeing the presentations was the Emperor portrayed by actor Richard Yap, the breakout star of the recently concluded television series My Binondo Girl.

These type of mall shows are a great way to expose the general public to culture. I guess that for many mall goers who stopped by to see the show, it was their first time to see a Wushu presentation. There was a time when I wanted to learn this martial art which I think combines both technical skills and artistry. I was impressed by one athlete who did three butterfly kicks on after the other and also by the one who did one with an added twist.

Right after the event, many people took the opportunity to take photos with Richard Yap as the Emperor while the choir provided more music. This event was just the launch and there were still other highlights at the SM North EDSA over the course of the Chinese New Year season like more photo opportunities with the Emperor (no longer Richard Yap), Chinese icons collectors exhibit featuring Bruce Lee and Jet Li, Chinese charms and ornaments bazaar, Chinese delicacies bazaar by Polland and a Chinese cultural dolls exhibit as well.

In the Chinese Zodiac, there is something special about the dragon. Dragons are a mythical creature and some see them as majestic while some fear them because of their fire breathing capabilities. The status of dragons in myths, legends and stories in both western and eastern hemispheres has made celebrations welcoming the Year of the Dragon extra special. And SM City North EDSA did its share in letting people become more aware of this occasion and also exposing them to Chinese culture.