entertainment Marcuse dancers in step for spring THE NORTH Shore's Judith Marcuse Dance Com- pany returns to Centennial Theatre tor the first of four shows in the new spring family festival line-up. Titled We Can Dance! the performance opens new doors for children into the world of dance through a variety of different styles and a question period. “There's everything fram country hoedown to con- temporary dancing,’’ said theatre publicist. Lorraine Aspden. **And there’s a nice segment on fatk dancing and some of its origins. It’s good for both aduhs and children.”* Following the Feb. 14 We Can Dance! show is Up Your Room, «here she combines mime, clowning and other antics to take the audience through every- day situations they may encounter at home. In March, Graham Walker and the Mooncats and Les Bucherons liven the theatre stage with their various musical antics in two separate performances. ‘It's a nice varicty; there’s clowning, mime," she said of the series. ‘t's really a nice relaxed package for families on a Sunday afternoon.”” Tickets can be purchased from any North Van- couver recreation centre. To order by telephone, call 987-PLAY. For mare details, call the theatre at 984- 210 Fridays, Februars 2, YORK Nerth Shore News FOLK GROUP MARRIES TWO CULTURES Celts meet Canucks CELTS AND Canucks will be the guest with the North Shore Folk Cluk Feh, 15S. in what founder Eric Armstrong calls a musical marriage of British and Canadian cultures, the group features two British men and two French Canadian women combin- ing musically for a ‘delightful -lown Gumbsot Lollipop Feb. 28 in Gumboot, Clean 4484. Ns ey ; NEWS photo Terry Peters OUT WITH the old and in with the new in Chinatown on Feb. 28 when revellers see out the hare and weicome in the year of the dragon with traditional Chinese customs and celebrations. ratte As oS eS HARE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW Make way for the year of the dragon CHINESE NEW Year is the most important of al! Chinese festivals. On Feb. 17 this year, the year of the dragon begins and the year of ‘the hare ends. Each Chinese year is popularly known by one of 12 animals cor- responding to the Chinese zodiac. In China, the names provide peaple with a handy reference to the recent past, as each animal name is used only once every 12 years. Set by the Chinese lunar calendar as the second new moon after the winter solstice, the day is between the Georgian calendar’s Jan. 21 and Feb. 19, Traditionally, the New Year involves sweeping away the bad tuck of the previous year and starting a new slate for the coming one. in keeping with this, it is customary to give the house a thorough cleaning and pay all debts. In some religious beliefs, it is thought the god-like spirits had to tell the tuler of heaven, the Jade Emperor, all the doings of the previous year. Opening the celebration by burning a paper image of health god Tsao Wang and sending him on his way one week before the new year is still done. On the day before New Year’s Eve, men usually pay ceremonial visits to colleagues and friends wishing them luck in the coming year with the traditional greeting of ‘‘happy grectings and may you gather wealth.” Final preparations are made on the last day of the year for the family’s feast, the highlight of the celebration. Traditionally, doors are sealed be- fore the meal with paper strips to prevent evil from entering. No one may enter or leave before these strips are removed shortly before the break of day. Following the beginning of the new year, time is devoted to leisure and recreation. Children traditionaliy receive gifts of money in red envelopes. No one knows how far bac the New Year's celebrations go in Chinese history, but the tradition still continues today with firecrackers and lengthy parades. Following the coming year of the dragon is the serpent, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, boar, rat, ox, tiger and hare before repeating the cy- cle again. Although China has had the Georgian calendar for more than 50 years, the new year’s festival, based on the old Chinese calendar, is still ccle- brated today. 11:30 AM. 2:30 PM 5-00 PM 11:00 PM melange of two traditions." The group — a collection of folk Music lovers getting together twice a month — hasts open stage nights and guest performers at its Pres- entauion House events. The group Celts and Canucks will perform in the lounge at about 8 p.m. LUNCH SPECIAL BEEF & BROCCOLI CHICKEN CHOW MEIN HOURS: Mon.-Thur. 10am-11pm Fri. & Sat.10am-12:30am Sunday itam-11pm Chan’s Garden 1525 LONSDALE N. VANCOUVER Seafood Bird Nest Crispy Fried Chicken Low Han Chai (vegetables) Chinese style Chow Mein Lemon Chicken fr person Phone for early reservation Edgemont Village 3043 Woodbine, H.Van. me,