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Lunar New Year 2024
Year of the Dragon

Each year many Asian cultures celebrate the Lunar New Year, based on the Chinese lunar calendar, with festivities lasting over 2 weeks. It is also known as the Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival. Marking a time of birth and renewal, it is also a time to honor one's ancestors. Each year features a different animal of the Chinese zodiac of 12 animals. Saturday, February 10 marks the start of the Year of the Dragon (to learn more about traditions of the Lunar New Year, join us at our open house on Saturday, February 24 - registration is below). Each year Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi hosts events over the course of a month to help usher in the Lunar New Year.

The Year of the Dragon is extra special for Jing Ying Institute as we opened the Year of the Dragon, which was the year 2000. Wow!

Events are mostly in-person this year; but we still continue to offer some online and hybrid options.

The events are designed for the general public and do not require any previous experience. These events are popular, so be sure to register before all spots are taken.

We recommend that you arrive 10 to 15 minutes early to in-person events to settle in and about 5 minutes before online events so that you can check your computer settings before the presentation.

*We will have a small silent auction that you can view in person.

Thank you to everyone who helped us raise money in 2023 for the Alzheimer's Association. Through a local walk and our silent auction, students & Jing Ying raised $12,000! While we made a push for the Alzheimer's Assoc. this year, we also donated to other organizations, meaning that over $14,500 total was raised by Jing Ying in 2023. Every bit helps and over the past 20 years, we've raised $147,000+!


Friday, February 9

Annual Cleaning Celebration (4:30-6:30pm)
-
Before the Lunar New Year starts, it is important to clean your home in preparation for the new year. You symbolically clean away any bad luck left over from the previous year and make room for good luck coming in for the new year. We do the same at our Jing Ying facility, which is like home to us. We will dust off the trophies, sweep & mop the floors, clean the mirrors....and while cleaning look for the little dragon figure that Shimu Nancy has hidden away for the lucky cleaner to find (they get to keep the dragon and win a prize too). Afterwards there will be a pizza party (provided by Jing Ying). Students are welcome to bring any other treats and refreshments to share. This event is for students, their family, and friends of Jing Ying. Come help your school get ready for the new year. Registration is on the MyStudio app or at Jing Ying.

Register here.


Saturday, February 10

Chinese Calligraphy workshop (1:00pm-2:30pm)
- Learn basic brush strokes and characters from Chinese Calligraphy. We will focus on auspicious characters for the Chinese New Year, so you can create something to display at home. We supply paper, ink and brushes for use during class.

Presented by Wendy Ng. Fee: $6 to cover cost of supplies. You must pre-pay to hold your spot.


Register here.



Tuesday, February 13

Free Valentine's Day Pushing with Partners
(
7:15pm to 8:00pm) - End your day with a free "push hands" tai chi class that has a special sweet twist. We will celebrate the upcoming Valentine's Day with some fun partner tai chi exercises and a bit of healthy chocolate afterwards. Bringing a partner is not required, though it is fun to bring someone along.

Wear clothing that allows for movement, such as a t-shirt and sw
eatpants.

Register here.


Wednesday, February 14

Free Valentine's Day Tai Chi Class (10:30am to 11:30am) -
Join us for tai chi at the Severna Park Community Center. We will celebrate Valentine's Day with tai chi movement and also information on how tai chi helps your cardiovascular health in celebration of Heart Health month. Show someone you love and care for them by bringing them with you to class! It is suitable for all levels of fitness.

Wear clothing that allows for movement, such as a t-shirt and sweatpant.

Register here.


Friday, February 16

Tea Tasting
(6:30pm to 8:00pm) - Looking for something fun and interesting to do? Join us for an informative workshop presented by Lynayn Mielke, a tea professional with Level IV Certification from the Specialty Tea Institute. You'll try several teas, learn about their proper preparation, and gain knowledge about their health benefits.

Each person will receive a porcelain tasting cup that they get to take home. To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, the cup has a dragon embossed on it.

There also will be tea available to purchase after the in-person workshop. You can also order online any of the sampled teas in larger sizes afterwards as well as any other teas Lynayn has available.

Lynayn is a fun and engaging speaker, and you will walk away from the event knowing more about tea than you ever thought possible. Did you know that it is the most widely consumed beverage in the world? That there are more than 3,000 varieties of the tea bush (cameillia sinensis) and that herbal "teas" aren't actually tea? Lynayn will also be doing a mini tea meditation and discussing its importance for wellbeing on a body and spirit level. Join us to find out so much more during this fun event. We've designated @90 minutes, but Lynayn is willing to stay longer to ask questions.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT

Pay by 2/9: $25 (includes tea AND dragon tasting cup)*
Pay after 2/9: $35
Register here

*plus credit card processing fee.



Sunday, February 18

Self-defense Workshop for Women & Teen Girls
from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Learn basic skills for avoiding trouble and protecting yourself. The workshop will start with a discussion on safety to help you avoid trouble. That will be followed with a lesson on escape techniques for situations you may not be able to avoid. Finally, self-defense techniques will be covered for fighting back when you aren't able to escape easily.

During the Lunar New Year, we offer this self-defense workshop at a reduced price as a service to our local community. 100% of the proceeds go to The Bernie House, an organization that provides long-term transitional housing to a family made homeless by domestic violence. Learn more about this wonderful organization at The Bernie House.


Fee: $25 per person* (after 2/11, the fee increases to $35)

Register here.

* Plus credit card processing fee so the full amount can go to The Bernie House.

 


Class size is limited, so we recommend that you register as soon as possible. Last year the workshop was full about a week beforehand, and we could no longer accept new registrations. You must pre-pay to hold your spot. If this date does not work for you, you can schedule a workshop for your group (examples: scouts, moms groups, church groups). We will also hold our annual Self-Defense Workshop for College Students in July or August based on interest.

Here's what one mom had to say about Jing Ying's self-defense workshop:

"My teenage daughter attended one of your self-defense workshops for women, and I believe it helped prevent her abduction. Two men tried to drag her into a truck, and she was able to escape using your techniques."


Wednesday, February 21

FREE Introductory Family Kung Fu Class
(4:45 to 5:30 pm) Suitable for children ages 5 to 10, this class is an introductory lesson in Kung Fu. A parent/guardian and older siblings are welcome to join the class. Please arrive 5 to 10 minutes early to check in. Pre-registration is required so we can control class size.

Register here.

  


Saturday, February 24

Free Open House with treats and entertainment from 2:30 to 4:00 pm. Bring your friends and family to enjoy the fun. The entertainment, crafts, and treats are all FREE. There will be several giveaways and contests to add to the fun.

Lion Dance Performance at 3:00 pm, followed by demonstrations of Tai Chi, Kung Fu forms and weapons. The Chinese Lion Dance is often confused with the Dragon Dance. Both are a part of Chinese New Year and other traditional Chinese festivities. The Chinese Lion Dance is performed by two people, wearing a Lion Dance costume, and the Dragon Dance is performed by many more people.

Bring some optional cash if you'd like to "feed" the lion during its ceremonial dance. Jing Ying will provide the hong bao (red envelope) in which to place the money. This is supposed to bring good luck to the giver, and the more given, the better the luck! The money will be donated to the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, which provides support and advocacy for individuals with Alzheimer's and their families, as well as funds for research to find a cure for Alzheimer's.

Year of the Dragon Craft Activities
- have fun with theme-related crafts and learn more about the traditions of the Lunar New Year!

Lunar New Year Storytelling - listen to the Lunar New Year story about the origins of the Chinese Lion Dance.

Traditions of the Lunar New Year - Learn about the many traditions of the Chinese New Year.

Silent Auction - We are hosting a small silent auction that will run until the end of February.

Register here.