Dance and Creativity Achievement Legends Cheer Pan: Use dance to regain cultural confidence

From founding the Pan American Chinese Dance Alliance to establishing the Southern California Chinese Dance Company under the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center, director Cheer Pan has always carried a simple yet profound mission: to promote Chinese Folk dance. Her goal is to create a welcoming family where teachers, students, friends, and even family members living overseas can join. She understands the challenges of promoting Chinese culture, and while dance may be a niche within it, it has a powerful, inspirational force.

Cheer Pan began studying dance at a young age and currently pursuing a PhD in Education in the United States. In 2018, she and members of the dance alliance had the opportunity to participate in the production of the "Mulan" musical by the Chinese orchestra at the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center. This experience reignited her passion and reinforced her belief in the importance of using dance to promote Chinese culture. She invited teacher Xinyue Wang and her dance team to collaborate, adding dynamic dance elements to the "Mulan" musical. That successful performance became the catalyst for founding the Chinese Dance Company of Southern California with the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center.

However, destiny soon tested them. The pandemic in 2020 loomed like a dark cloud, putting the newly formed dance team at risk of disbanding. Cheer admits she hadn’t expected that the teachers and dancers, despite the pandemic, would continue to practice weekly on Zoom, displaying incredible perseverance and passion. In those difficult times, it was their love for dance that brought them closer together, both emotionally and spiritually.

As the pandemic gradually receded, Cheer and her team reflected on their experiences and made a firm decision to start again with renewed energy. They wanted to present the musical works they had accumulated over the past few years to showcase the power of art and the charm of culture. Cheer expressed her gratitude to the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center for their support, which helped bring together the creativity of the teachers and formed a strong collaborative force.

In her view, this kind of artistic creation is not only about restoring cultural confidence within the Chinese community but also about fostering cultural exchanges between the East and West, especially among the younger generation. She believes that the true future talents will be those children who can blend and bridge both Chinese and Western cultures.

On October 12th, the "Legends" musical will take place at Segerstrom Hall in Orange County, attracting nearly 3,000 attendees. Cheer Pan is filled with anticipation for this performance. She warmly invites Chinese friends in Los Angeles to join them for this creative feast and to witness the beauty and allure of Chinese culture.

Please click on the video interview with Director Pan Qier:

從創辦泛美中國愛好者舞蹈聯盟到成為南海岸中華文化中心所屬的南加中華舞團，總監潘琪兒始終懷抱著一個簡單卻崇高的使命：推廣中華國舞，讓身處海外的每一位老師、學生，乃至朋友和家人，都能加入這個大家庭。她深知，推廣中華文化的不易，舞蹈雖只是其中的小眾，卻能散發出強大的啟發力量。

潘琪兒從小學習舞蹈，目前正在在美國攻讀教育學博士。2018年，她和舞蹈聯盟的團員有機會參與南海岸中華文化中心中華樂團製作的《木蘭》音樂劇，她的靈感再度迸發，也讓她意識到持續用舞蹈來推廣中華文化的重要性，於是她請來老師王馨悅老師和其舞蹈團共同合作，為木蘭音樂劇增添了靈動的舞姿。而那次成功的演出，也為她和南海岸中華文化中心共同創立南加中華舞團的契機。

只是命運的考驗，緊接而來。2020疫情猶如黑雲壓境，讓新成立的舞團，面臨存亡的挑戰。Cheer坦言，那時她沒想到，老師和團員們不但未受疫情影響，還在Zoom上堅持每周練習，展現出令人驚豔的毅力與熱情。在艱難時期，正是大家對舞蹈的熱愛，讓他們的心靈，更加緊密相連。

隨著疫情漸漸退去，潘琪兒和她的團隊回顧這段經歷，決心以最佳狀態重新出發。他們想到將過去幾年積累的音樂劇作品，呈現在觀眾面前，讓大家感受到藝術的力量和文化的魅力。Cheer很感謝南海岸中華文化中心的支持，讓她與老師們的創意交匯，形成一股強大的合力。

在她看來，這樣的藝術創作，不僅是要為華裔社區找回文化自信，更希望未來的中西方文化交流，能夠在年輕一代找到共鳴。她相信，未來真正的人才，是能夠將中西文化融會貫通的孩子們。

10月12日，這場在橙縣Segerstrom Hall舉行的音樂劇，即將迎來近三千名觀眾。潘琪兒對即這次演出充滿期待。她誠摯邀請洛杉磯的華人朋友們，與他們一起共享這場創意的盛宴，見證中華文化的魅力與美麗。

總監潘琪兒的專訪視頻請點選 ：