Chinese Lanterns and Dance Come to Our Montessori School

Yorktown Heights, NY – February 15, 2017

Chinese New Year in 2017 is the Year of the Rooster in the Chinese Zodiac, the 9th animal in a repeating 12-year cycle. Celebrated on January 28, 2017, this Lunar New Year also celebrates the Spring Festival. This celebration was believed to have started during the Shang Dynasty in 17th - 11th century BC. The festival was initially observed to fight against the monster "Nian" who was believed to eat children and livestock. The monster, however, was afraid of red color and loud sounds. To drive away Nian, people decorated their houses in red and set off firecrackers.

Our Montessori School children learned how to make red paper lanterns which these days are symbols of reunion and prosperity. The children also enjoyed a performance by one of their classmates, Luella from Mahopac, and her Chinese grandmother. They performed a graceful ribbon dance and an energetic fan dance to the beat of drums, clashing cymbals and rippling gongs. The performance was capped by an enthralling lion dance believed to bring good luck.

Our Montessori School in Yorktown and Carmel is a private school serving children ages 18 months through sixth grade now with middle school to come. Students from over 29 different towns and villages in Westchester, Putnam and Dutchess counties, as well as several nearby Connecticut towns, attend.

Photos by Farah Biggs for Our Montessori School

For inquiries and to schedule a visit, please contact Ms. Elizabeth Silverman at Oms9@verizon.net or at (914) 962-9466

Our Montessori School

P.O. Box 72

Yorktown Heights, NY 10598

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