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SLAM Social—Lunar New Year
For many cultures across Asia, Lunar New Year is one of the most important festivals of the year and is associated with an animal from the zodiac. This year, the weeklong holiday starts on Tuesday, February 17, and marks the Year of the Horse.
SLAM’s event will feature music, performances, art-making activities in partnership with local organizations, and a cash bar.
Lunar New Year 2025
Lunar New Year schedule
4–8 pm, Grigg Gallery
Celebrate Lunar New Year with hands-on art making, including stamped bookmarks and festive origami to welcome the year ahead. WashU’s Chinese Students Association (CSA) will join the event to facilitate art making and share more about their organization.
4:30 pm, Sculpture Hall
Tai chi is a gentle, slow-motion practice that combines physical movement with mind-body coordination and meditative qualities. The St. Louis Chinese Language School will demonstrate Tai Chi Fan, which combines the characteristics of Chen-style tai chi with the artistic and martial functions of the fan.
4:45 pm and 5:45 pm, Sculpture Hall
Students from MICDS will perform a traditional Chinese lion dance.
5 pm, Sculpture Hall
The St. Louis Chinese Language School will perform Zhuo, a well-known Chinese folk dance characterized by high-energy movement, spinning, and rhythmic steps. This performance keeps the traditional style but adds a modern stage touch to make it even more exciting to watch. Dancers dressed in gorgeous Tibetan traditional clothing move to the beautiful music with light steps, smooth spins, and ever-changing formations, while bringing out the joy and passion of the Tibetan people.
5:30 pm, Sculpture Hall
The St. Louis Chinese Language School will perform Guose, a traditional dance imbued with the classical beauty of China. Through graceful movements and formation changes, dancers dressed in long-sleeved, Tang-style skirts will recreate a vivid scene of a grand Tang Dynasty palace.
5:30 pm, Bakewell Gallery 233
Philip Hu, SLAM’s curator of Asian art, will give a brief gallery talk about Horse Chamfron (dang lu) with Design of Animal Head, a piece of decorative horse armor that was made more than 2,000 years ago. Hu will give the same talk at 5:45 pm.
5:45 pm, Bakewell Gallery 233
Philip Hu, SLAM’s curator of Asian art, will give a brief gallery talk about Horse Chamfron (dang lu) with Design of Animal Head, a piece of decorative horse armor that was made more than 2,000 years ago. Hu will give the same talk at 5:30 pm.
6 pm, Sculpture Hall
Students from the Lunar New Year Festival at Washington University in St. Louis will perform Samulnori music, a form of traditional Korean percussion music.
6:30 pm, Sculpture Hall
Students from the Lunar New Year Festival at Washington University in St. Louis will perform a traditional Vietnamese scarves dance.
7 pm, Sculpture Hall
Students from the Lunar New Year Festival at Washington University in St. Louis will perform the Tinikling, the traditional dance of Philippines.
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
