Residents of Rittenhouse Village at Portage were transported to China today when the Jasmine Dancing Team came and performed six traditional Chinese dances. The dance team was comprised of eleven different women from the Region, and one international student from China. Garbed in traditional dress, the dancers moved gracefully through the room, the joy on their faces apparent.
“We dance and we’re happy to do that. We like to bring happiness to people,” said dance team member Rosa Hamann.
Cultural events such as this are a regular part of life for the residents at Rittenhouse Village. There is always something happening that the residents can partake in and enjoy, like live entertainment every Friday and special acts like the Jasmine Dance Team once a month. Creating cultural experiences like today’s event is important to Rittenhouse Village. As Director of Recreation and Events, Kim Scott likes to use these events as an opportunity to educate the residents and enliven their days.
“It’s educational. It’s very uplifting,” said Scott.
During intermission, Flavia Cheng gave a Tai Chi demonstration to the residents, who joined in from the comfort of their own chairs. She encouraged them to stretch and offered several exercises to help with the dexterity in their hands and feet. She even sang some traditional Chinese songs while waiting for the dancers to finish their costume change.
As a delightful surprise, the last two dances performed were traditional Mongolian dances in Mongolian dress. Cheng explained to the crowd that there are about 56 different tribes within China, one of them being Mongolia. The subtle differences in the final dances from the other performances were fascinating: the Mongolian dances had more footwork and athleticism as opposed to the subtle and smooth style of the previous dances.
Despite this being an event for the Rittenhouse residents, many other people came to watch the performance. There were visiting family members, friends, and even guest who had come for a different event but decided to stay on to watch. Many were excited for the opportunity to get a taste of a new culture.
The Jasmine Dance Team gave a wonderful performance of different styles of Chinese dance and captivated everyone. Each dance was a small glimpse into the Chinese culture and a terrific way to brighten the residents’ day.
For more information on Rittenhouse Village at Portage, you can visit their website here.