Bulls on Parade in Hong Kong
USF student Hikari Nitta performed with the Pegasus Vanguard and the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in Hong Kong to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The group performed at the Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year parade, one of many celebrations in honor of the Chinese New Year, which marks the beginning of the Spring Festival.
The Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of the New Year on the traditional Chinese calendar. Although the Chinese New Year celebrations officially go on for three days, many celebrate for up to two weeks.
The Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps are part of the Bluecoats group, an organization devoted to providing musical education programs to aspiring musicians. The Bluecoats are made up of 150 men and women between the ages of 15 and 22. The Bluecoats collaborated with the Pegasus Vanguard, another marching band based in Hong Kong, for their performance. The groups performed in four different locations, navigating crowded streets to get from one location to the next.
Hikari said, “With streets crowded with 155,000 spectators, our performance space was very limited.”
The parade is followed by two days of shows and traditional ceremonies. One such tradition is hanging a wish on the wishing tree at Lam Tsuen. Visitors write down their wish, tie it to an orange, and throw it into the branches of the tree. The higher the orange snares itself on a branch, the better the chance of the wish being fulfilled.
Hikari’s second performance zone was a small strip of tile flooring in front of a large seating area for the audience. Two rows of pink tape marked the space where the performers stood. The performance was illuminated by fireworks and glimmering lanterns, casting a dazzling glow over the performers.
Cathay Pacific Airlines has sponsored the event for the past two decades. Their mission is to, “promote a diversified travel experience in Hong Kong,” thereby bringing the world closer together.
