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Health & Fitness

East Meets West Pleases with Divine Style and Perfection –Margot Ferron

It was the perfect recipe for an enchanting afternoon.    A dash of “East Meets West” provided the pageantry from China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines.    

Hundreds of guests arrived in silk blouses from the Orient, Chinese and Japanese jackets at the Norman Murray Community Center on Sun., June 30 to celebrate their love of various eastern and western cultures.  They were welcomed with Asian instrumental music, the soft glow of delicate Japanese lanterns and an appetizer of fresh sushi and brewed tea.

“When I walked in the room and I saw all the detail in the beautiful table settings, I knew I was in for a treasured evening,” praised Lillian Aranda.

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Everyone was pleasantly surprised by the flawless cuisine from three, local, ethnic caterers, the details in the decorations and the breath taking entertainment; all just $12.

In keeping with the evening's theme, "East Meets West," Mr. Don Kim choreographed the music of the Segerstrom’s Arts Teach.   Kim shared his knowledge of two types of Korean dances: the Flower Crown Dance(Hwa-Gwan Mu) and the Changoo Chung(drum dance). 

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He explained that that these dances are for two different groups of people - the royal court and the farmers or the simple country man.  The music can be created with more than 60 different instruments, some that are thousands of years old.

The Korean drum, Changoo, has an hour glass shaped body with the heads that are covered in animal skins and is played differently than the American drum.  Each head has a different pitch and timbre.  It is believed that the harmony represents man and woman.  The cadence is a beat of three.

Another beautiful instrument Kim shared was a zither-like, instrument called a Kayaum made of silk strings.  Hyundai Laigee was the Korean folksong he played for us.

While drumming with a stick and their hands on the Changoo, the dextrous performers danced moving their shoulders and their bodies in numerous positions.   Through the applause, “oohs and ahs,” you knew the audience was carried away.

“The Flower Crown dance is one of the oldest court dances in Korea,” explained Kim.   “It was performed by court dancers at banquets for royalty. The dancers are elegantly dressed in full attire.”  

In addition, the audience was entertained by Mei-Ling Lee Chinese Dance Group which represented the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center.  They ranged in ages five to 40 years old and performed four, Chinese dances in spectacular costumes.

Through the magnificent sights, sounds and tastes of “East Meets West”, the guests left with an enriched appreciation of the various cultures, harmonies and traditions.

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