Chinese Ethnic Dances Win Enthusiastic Applause

The yearly Ah-Lan Dance show has grown from well-done recital by students of Ah-Lan Min's Chinese dance classes in Albany to all-out stage production with elaborate costumes, dramatic lighting, fresh choreography and, this year, a cast of more than 100.

The annual pageants have often focused on traditional dances from different ethnic groups, and the second half of this year's program drew its inspiration from dances associated with wedding ceremonies in Yunnan province, home to 25 of China's 56 ethnic minorities.

The production, titled "A Yunnan Wedding," again took advantage of the lighting and audio capacities of the high-tech performance hall at El Cerrito High School.

El Cerrito Mayor Greg Lyman took the stage before the show to welcome the company and the nearly full-house audience, and he expressed delight that Min, an El Cerrito resident, is building a studio on San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito where she will offer her wide range of classes. She has taught for several years at the Albany Community Center.

"It's with great pleasure that we're welcoming Ah-Lan Dance to El Cerrito," he said.

The first half of the show was more of a potpourri of various ethnic groups with a couple of non-Chinese forms, including ballet (a staple of the Ah-Lan Dance classes) and zumba, which has become popular with the kids.

The production is being staged again on Sunday, Nov. 24, at 2 p.m. Tickets for $18 may be purchased at the door while they last.