"It’s cool to see different types of dance and the performers were very skilled," said student Lindsay Wormser. "I especially loved the colors. It benefited all the visual learners and made learning about Chinese culture easier."

This was one of the main reasons why both Principal Michael Fox and President of the Parent Teacher Organization culture committee Yi Lan Hsu wanted to bring the famous dance company to the middle school.

"The goal for the kids is to learn about culture and specifically, dance," said Hsu. "Chinese is starting to get popular and the language is now being offered as a class to students. It’s important to study diverse cultures to get a mutual understanding to help each other obtain a better life."

Another reason for focusing on the specific art form of dance is that the middle school has a team and the enthusiasm about the topic has been overwhelming.

"We do run a dance unit and this program brought a cultural aspect to it," said Fox. "Any time students can become more broad, it will assist them later in life."

The students were hooked from the moment the curtains opened, as three dancers performed the "River Dance" in bright green and luminous pink garments. The performers twirled their arms, while holding bunched ribbons in each hand that looked like blooming flowers. The three whipped the clustered ribbon to unfurl down to the ground, as the crowd wowed in unison.

"It was interesting and I’ve never seen that before," said student Michael Dermksian. "The props, especially the flowers, were amazing."

Another prop Dermksian mentioned was in the next dance called the "Long Spear." This solo dance symbolized a warrior preparing for battle. The dancer, with spear in hand, combined a mix of acrobatic kicks and arm movements, as he moved to the pulsating beat in a luminous blue traditional robe.

"It was very visual and I’ve never seen martial arts like that," said Ray Choi. "It was new to me."

This was followed by the "Fan Dance" where three dancers dressed in strawberry red and flamingo pink amazed the audience by flittering fans and finally coming together to create a twirling flower, as each fan symbolized a petal.

"The outfits were fantastic," said Wormser. "It’s not like you can go outside to see people wearing traditional Chinese clothing."

Members of the company discussed that, in Chinese traditional dance, props represent various symbols and representations of the elements, from flowers to clouds.

"The performance was fantastic, captivated the middle school audience and the students greatly respected the whole presentation," said teacher Regina Eftychiou.

The students really gained an appreciation for the dancers, as they were given insight watching the professionals demonstrate their warmup activities. The crowd was in awe after observing the rigorous exercises, especially the advanced aerobic butterfly kick.

After a festive spring dance displaying all the previously demonstrated dance elements accompanied with drum playing, students were picked to mimic professional ribbon movements. Twelve teens were taught basic movements, such as the "rainbow," "waterfall" and "ocean wave." The audience giggled and smiled as their classmates fumbled to coordinate the new moves. It was a jubilant sight to see the students bend and loop their ribbons in unison to present a short dance.

"It’s a nice change from the regular classroom setting, giving the kids a hands-on opportunity. I think they enjoy it more," said Eftychiou. "Most of the kids are visual learners and by being able to learn like this they’ll internalize the experience."

A question and answer period followed the demonstration. The highlight came when a student asked one of the dancers to do a back flip. The crowd volume peaked, as the professional fluidly defied gravity flawlessly twirling and twisting in the air.

The world-renowned Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company strives to "introduce students to the elegance and beauty of Chinese culture. Through the language of movement, the dancers reveal the richness of China’s long history and complex heritage."

"I think it went over very well and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it. As a principal I’m always proud when my students respectfully behave," said Fox. "It was a quality event."