Elk Grove students prep for big Lunar New Year dance at school festival
ELK GROVE — The Lunar New Year is here. The two-week celebration kicks off with festivities all around the world and right here in our communities.
One group of Elk Grove students has been putting in the extra hours rehearsing for a big show.
On the campus of Pleasant Grove High School, the distant sound of drums grew louder. The mighty eagle at this school has been temporarily replaced by these young lion dancers.
Ian Fornesa is a sophomore and the leader of the group.
"Usually, we practice for about two hours twice a week," he said.
Rehearsals can turn into long days, but Fornesa doesn't mind at all.
"I'm tired but I love performing," he said. "It's my favorite thing. It's really fun."
This centuries-old dance isn't just for show.
"It symbolizes good luck and good fortune," Fornesa said.
That's Jacob Ma is a drummer for the group. His job is to set the pace for the lion dance one drumbeat at a time.
He admitted that, sometimes, he gets the jitters.
"Kind of nervous at first, you know? But usually, before I start drumming, I take a deep breath," Ma said.
As for the actual dance, the young performers need to be in sync to bring each lion to life by moving, jumping and pulling on the strings that make the eyelids and ears perk up.
"It's just remembering the routine. It's remembering to blink, remembering to move my mouth," Fornesa said. "It's just interactive with the audience and make people happy."
Their dedication and hard work is paying off. Fornesa thanked each team member for making it happen.
"I'm really proud of my group. I love them so much," he said.
Together, they're hoping to set an example for generations to come.
"Having it passed on to my hands and then having to pass it to other people's hands is a great honor," Ma said.
The Pleasant Grove Lion Dance team is performing this weekend at the Lunar New Year festival at the Elk Grove Regional Park from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
