AlumniAlumni
Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 09:00
Jessica Ng
People are confused when I say “C4EO.” First they have to digest the six words that the acronym implies, and then they ask, “So what does 'Contra Costa Chinese Cultural Enrichment Organization' even mean?” For me, though, e name “C4EO” conjures a clear mental image, one simultaneously of panting dancers, swirling ribbons, rushing mothers, and laughing girls. I have been with C4EO for eight years now, and it is rewarding to reflect n how I have grown not only as a dancer, but also as a person.
The most important role C4EO has played for me has been in providing an environment where I can break free of the expectations I feel in other areas of my life. I need not worry about my grades or test scores because they do not matter in dance. I can be different from how I am at school or at home—not a different person, but a different part of the same person.
Having been a member for eight years, I have seen dancers come and go, some off to college, others moving away, and still others simply losing interest. Now we have assembled a core group of dancers who have shown years of dedication, and we have all bonded over dance experiences, such as doing each other's hair and makeup, altering dance formations for each performance, and trying to adjust the stubborn thermostat in the dance studio. We have formed special friendships, the kind that grow when people work together and share sometimes challenging, sometimes rewarding experiences. I will miss them dearly when I leave for college, but I know we will continue to be part of each other's lives for years to come.
I advise new C4EO members to get everything they can out of this terrific opportunity. There is so much to learn from the program, from the dance moves themselves to makeup application to coping with performance disasters. They can, as I did, grow in confidence from performances and learn to adapt flexibly to unpredictable performance circumstances. They can be inspired by the way dance allows for self-expression and seek other forms of dance to improve their technique, as others have done. Above all, they should embrace the opportunity to explore a beautiful form of Chinese culture with which not many people are familiar, learning to use various props, differentiating between ethnic styles, and finally showing audiences historical and beautiful Chinese dance.
Amelia Fambrini
I remember my first dance lesson with C4EO. Joining C4EO was something my mom and I had discussed but little did I know that Sunday morning after she had picked me up from my friend’s sleepover in my pajamas that we weren’t going home but straight to the studio. I was surprised and a little embarrassed as my bare feet tread over the shock-resistant floor and I took my place at the end of a line of girls I didn’t know. By the end of my first lesson, these girls were no longer strangers but my friends.
Dancing with C4EO has been an amazing experience that has allowed me to grow as a dancer and become part of a tight knit group of dedicated parents and students. For me, Chinese Dance was a gateway to a new form of expression that I had dabbled with but never really pursued. As I felt my body adapt, as repetitious ballet exercises developed and shaped my muscles and how I moved, I also felt a large appetite for more forms of dance begin to grow. I took up ballet, jazz, tap and cheer which also strengthened me as a dancer no matter what style I was performing, but more importantly my prior experience with Chinese Folk Dance allowed me to excel in those other forms.
What C4EO has also provided me with over the years is an amazing support network of dedicated parents and friends. I always feel happy and comfortable around them at the studio or at a performance. Performing Chinese Dance has also made me feel more cultured and really appreciate the beauty of my heritage. It has also led to a multitude of really great inside jokes that I share with the other dancers.
For new dancers, I think the most important thing that they should know is that what they’re doing is really unique and beautiful. It’s not like some ballet class where everyone does it when they’re four or five and then quits because they’ve moved on to some tomboy phase; it’s a really rewarding experience and what you get out of it depends on how much work you put into it. Thus if they work harder and try harder it only gets better and actually at some point will become easier as well.