LION DANCE COMING TO LIBRARY
LEOMINSTER >> Families and children are in for a treat with all the upcoming library programs and can expect an especially fun event to kick them off.
First up is a special performance by the Gund Kwok Asian Women’s Lion & Dragon Dance Troupe of Boston on Saturday, April 13 at 1 p.m. No registration is required and the program sponsored by a generous donation from the late Robert and Constance Cormier will include an interactive story time and a costume try- on as well.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to bring the community together for a unique and exciting event,” said Children’s Library Associate Renée Wheeler, the point person for the lion dance program. “I’m really looking forward to not only seeing the performance but also learning about the significance and history of the lion dance.”
Gund Kwok, which is the first all-asian women’s Lion & Dragon dance troupe in the U.S., is known for its uniquely choreographed, colorful, and inspiring performances that embrace but go beyond traditional performance styles. For a long time before that, women were traditionally not allowed to learn or perform the lion dance because women were seen as weak and inferior.
Gund Kwok was created by Sifu Cheng Imm Tan in 1998 to showcase women’s power, creativity, and artistry. It was also created to provide Asian women the opportunity to push beyond stereotypical roles to live a bigger life for themselves in a mutually supportive environment.
The library is closed on Monday, April 15, Patriot’s Day, but the events calendar is chock full the remainder of April school vacation week. Young children, tweens, and teens will have the opportunity to participate in a number of activities including making a terrarium, adopting a succulent, a metalwork bookmark workshop, and much more.
Plush Pet Adoption Day returns on Wednesday, April 17 from 10 a.m. to noon, there will be a live Animal Adventures show on Thursday, April 18 from 3 to 4 p.m., and children ages five and up can meet and read to the adorable Penny the Cockapoo, a certified therapy dog, on Friday, April 19 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Some library programs require registration while others are drop-in. For more information visit leominsterlibrary.org/calendar-events/calendar .