The Brandeis Chinese Cultural Connection presented the Lunar New Year 2008 celebration in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Saturday to usher in this Year of the Rat. What better way to do so than with a two-hour dance, musical and theatrical showcase of Brandeis students and off-campus Chinese cultural groups? The performance began with a pop dance routine that had a sufficient amount of attitude and glimpses of hip edginess that were distinguishable despite the fact that there were too many dancers on the stage. Many of them did not seem as if they were feeling the music, but some did, and those were the ones who were able to add a hard-edged realism and professionalism to the performance.But this instance did not represent the theme of the entire show. The word that best represents the mood and spirit of the show is "cute." A skit was performed shortly after the dance number that was meant to elucidate the origins of the Chinese zodiac for the audience members who were culturally deprived. Thirteen students lined the stage, each adorned in simple costumes representing each animal of the Chinese Zodiac. Each introduced himself in a manner that resembled the nature of his animal. "I'm the tiger," said one girl in a tiger suit worn underneath a white T-shirt, which displayed the Chinese representation of tiger: "I'm sympathetic, courageous and powerful. Raaawwr!"

"I'm a monkey," said one boy wearing monkey ears as he ate a banana. "I'm clever, skillful and inventive!"

I think you get the point. The problem within the context of the skit was that there were 13 animals, and the new zodiac system that the Jade Emperor wished to instate included only 12. In order to weed out one of the animals, the emperor held a race to his palace. The last one to cross the finish line would be excluded from the zodiac. The cat, who tried to hatch a plan that would involve tricking the rat and ox into helping it cross the finish line first, did not end up finishing at all. In fact, his plan backfired, as the rat and ox left him to drown in the river, a sight that was recreated with a blue sheet that two people shook violently as the cat went underneath and sporadically bobbed up and down to represent his flailing, desperate attempts to save himself. Now, every year represents one of the remaining 12 animals, and each animal's year recurs every 12 years. I chose to outline this part of the performance in particular detail because it represents the spirit and history of the Chinese New Year celebration. The story of the Zodiac should be remembered at a time like this.

There were other performances during the night that define "cute" in my mind. Around 10 children between the ages of about nine and 12 hurried onstage holding Chinese yo-yos. They were the Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association Yo-Yo Group (GBCCAYYG for short), and after waiting an agonizing three minutes for the audio person to return to the troubling world of reality and play the correct song, the children snapped to attention and, like methodical gears on a grandfather clock, began to spin, flip, whiz and whip their yo-yos to the rhythm of the music. Each took turns showcasing their own unique yo-yo stunts in 30-second intervals, maneuvering the hourglass-shaped bell between their legs, around their neck and torso and through the air. The audience seemed distressed throughout this segment of the performance, as many people let out winces and quick, anticipatory inhales as if expecting one of the youngsters to lose focus, drop the yo-yos and throw the whole clockwork out of whack. The focus of these young Asian kids, however, was unwavering and there were no visible mistakes. Their demonstration was impressive and perhaps the best act of the performance.

Other acts included the rock band Super Going, which also fell victim to absurd audio mistakes. The microphones were not working, but the singer's voice was so true and her confidence so charmingly overwhelming that you could still hear her voice slightly, though it would have been sensational if it were properly amplified. The audio supervisor was completely unprepared for the show. The music that accompanied the dancers and singers was much too soft as well. I attribute any pitch problems that the singers had to their inability to hear the accompanying music. Thanks a lot, sound guy.

However, there were more notable elements in this special Chinese New Year presentation. For instance, the costumes were dazzling. One act featured a two-person dragon costume that did not have to be maneuvered all that skillfully in order for it to appear alive. It seemed that the costume itself did most of the work in the way that its strikingly sequined scales wavered brilliantly and loosely with the slightest encouragement. The giant eyes of the great beast were particularly interesting as the lids blinked intermittently. If nothing else, the dragon was realistic enough to make small children in the audience cry as it ventured down the aisles.

The show ended with a weak erhu performance in which students attempted to recreate popular songs on this atavistic, two-stringed lute instrument. "Moon River" didn't exactly translate well. The show's finale, however, was a fashion show in which couples pranced down the stage in silk dress as they were met with intensely excited vocal approval from their friends in the audience. The goal was to appear sexy and to drum up a good innuendo-inspired pose, which most accomplished to the delight of their friends in the audience. The garments consisted of solid blue, silver, green, gold and black colors that provided a backdrop for a sprawling floral pattern. Most wore sleevelessdresses but some girls wore backless tops with jeans.

The Lunar New Year celebration wasn't finished when the show ended. Afte the show, there was a Chinese-themed marketplace in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium that consisted of a large jewelry booth and Chinese buffet. The clock striking midnight legitimized the New Year's entrance. The Year of the Pig is now over. This year is a whole different animal altogether. It is time to pay homage to the rat and give all people born in the Year of the Rat the respect for which they are so long overdue. For if you are a rat you are noted for your charm and attraction to the opposite sex. You are also a hard worker and extremely ambitious. For those born in the following years, congratulations, you are a rat; enjoy 2008: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996.