Chinese cultural center celebrates life of co-founder a year after death
The bright colors of decades-old traditional Chinese costumes dazzled incoming guests, distracting them from the dancers, martial artists and singers scurrying to get some final moments of practice. They were about to take the stage at the Chinese Performing Arts of America cultural center on Saturday in San Jose to participate in a commemoration of the life of its co-founder, Ann Woo.
Just over a year has passed since Woo died under unexplained circumstances. But while a police investigation into her death persists, people gathered this weekend to showcase her lasting impact on the community.
“We are going to carry on her passion, her mission, her legacy,” said Feng Han, a choreographer who moved from China to work at the center.
The West San Jose center that houses Woo’s nonprofit Chinese Performing Arts of America has two stories and more than 14,000 square feet of space, which it has used for years to offer classes and host performances that brought in 20,000 viewers per year.
“It’s important for young people to remember their heritage,” Kin Woo recalled his sister saying.
That’s why after years of working as one of the first female Asian electrical engineers in Silicon Valley, Woo dedicated her life to an organization that would promote the kind of Chinese dances and songs she remembered and loved.
Woo’s brother recalled her saying, “Silicon Valley will not miss one engineer. But Silicon Valley needs more artists.”
When Woo died in August 2017, many believed the organization might die as well.
“She single-handedly ran the whole place by herself,” said her brother. “She passed away so suddenly.”
That left the center and its members unprepared to function without her.
“She couldn’t talk. She left no instructions,” her brother said.
After months of internal quarrels
with board members, and some departures, devoted volunteers and patrons gathered together to offer the time to keep the organization alive. Last month, the center’s landlord extended the lease.
Kin Woo’s wife, Jenny Woo, took up the role of executive director at the center, after serving as the organization’s treasurer for five years. Currently, the center’s main source of income is from renting out its thousands of square feet to classes and instructors. The plan is to keep that business growing. “We’re going to get more students, more teachers,” said Woo.
More than just Chinese cultural dances and songs are taught at the center.
“Ann’s vision was not just to promote Chinese culture, but all cultures,” said Kin Woo. He explained that Woo reached out to a myriad of cultural communities, welcoming them to use the center for their benefit.
Each week, the Chinese Performing Arts of America center attracts around 5,000 students. Many of them take Indian, Japanese, Korean and Latin American dance classes.
Wanchi So sat in the audience Saturday, marveling at the dancers’ dedication. She was only casually aware of the center and its activities, but came out to see what it could offer her children, both still in preschool.
She agrees with Woo’s mission. “I want to keep the heritage alive,” she said.
Amid the colorful showcase of dance, song and poetry, however, hung the pain of the tragedy that brought everyone there for the commemoration.
Woo was found gravely injured in front of her West San Jose office on Aug. 11, 2017, after an apparent argument over an upcoming cultural event. She died later that month.
Woo’s mysterious death still weighes heavily on the board members.
“We’re frustrated,” said Jenny Woo. “We want to have a conclusion. Either way, we want this resolved.”