| 2008 Chinese New Year preparation Dalian Urbonya traces her Chinese roots |
Dalian Urbonya’s growing up years in China
I grew up in China, living in typical Chinese neighborhoods. This was unusual because during the 1980s
and early ‘90s, most foreigners in China were only allowed to live in foreigners’compounds, separated from
the Chinese people. Although it was technically illegal for foreigners like my family to live in Chinese
neighborhoods and attend Chinese public schools, somehow my parents managed to arrange this.
I spent my preschool years in Dalian, the northeast seaport city I am named after, and my family moved to
Beijing when I was about six years old.
Growing up in China, therefore, I felt I was Chinese. My parents told me I was Chinese. I could
understand English, but could not speak it very well. My parents speak fluent Mandarin so I would usually
speak to them in Chinese, and they would speak to me in mixed Chinese and English.
The Chinese would say, "Ruxiang Sui Shu." It is similar to the idiom "When in Rome, do as the Romans
do." I did what other kids did. When I drew pictures of people, their eyes were Asian. All my drawings were of
Chinese people. The only other “cultural” experiences I had was when I was exposed to other foreigners who
spoke English. I spoke with Chinese grammar and could not totally relate to them. My mother did not like
western food, so we only ate Chinese food. For the most part, we lived a Chinese lifestyle.
I thought of myself as being Chinese, and although I had blonde hair and white skin, the other little kids
didn't really think of me as being different — until the adults came around to remind them. Time after time,
I would be playing happily outside with some kids only to have adults come over and point out
incredulously, "Look at the foreign child. See the foreign child?” They would call me a little "lao wai,"
which is a negative way of addressing someone from a foreign country. I truly don't think the other kids ever
really noticed that I was different. It was something that they had to learn from their parents. So I grew up
with adults constantly and continuously reminding me that I was different, with the underlying point that I
wasn't one of them. And when they would hear me speaking Chinese, it was almost as if they had
experienced a miracle. They would remark over and over again how good my Chinese was. Although
Chinese was (and is) my native language, I was always credited for being very smart for learning Chinese so
well.
When I was in third grade, one of my "tongxue" (classmates) was telling me how lucky I was because my
parents were native English speakers. My classmate asked me why I never spoke English with my parents.
She said if her parents spoke English, she would try to learn from them. I then realized that those who spoke
English in China were admired. So, from that day on, I made more attempts to speak English rather than
Chinese with my parents.
Back to the U.S.A.
When I was 11, we moved to the U.S., so obviously I had to learn English. I was put in ESL at Shorewood
Elementary School, along with the other immigrant students. Shorewood had many Chinese students and I
wanted to make friends with them because I felt I could relate to them better than other American kids. But
their parents would not let them speak Chinese with me. While my Chinese classmates would always speak
Chinese with each other, they would never speak Chinese with me, even though I am a native speaker and,
in fact, spoke better Chinese than many of them. For awhile, my English was not good enough for
socializing, and since Chinese children my age were not allowed to speak with me in Chinese, I resorted to
speaking Chinese with my mother's adult Chinese friends. Now I have Chinese friends of all ages. Also, I've
found that when young women become college-aged, they freely speak any language they want with their
friends.
Times have changed
As China becomes an economic power, Chinese is now considered a very powerful language. More
immigrants to the U.S. retain their Chinese language skills and more parents do not want their children to
forget Chinese. All of this change has happened in the past six years.
Dancing is Dalian’s passion
Throughout my life I have been a dancer. I started dancing at age 3 and shortly thereafter, began
performing with the Beijing TV Dance Troupe. During this time, I studied Beijing Opera, both singing and
acrobatics. I also studied at the Beijing Dance Institute and at the Eastern Song and Dance Ensemble. The
system of dance study was different then. Teachers would only teach students who they thought had
potential to become professional dancers and the teachers were very rough. Recently, it has become more
about money. If a student can pay a high tuition, they are admitted into training.
Currently, I teach Chinese dance at a Chinese school directed by Huang Ping. I also direct my own dance
troupe, Hua Mulan. I have taught dance and Chinese language since I was 14 years old. Assisting others to
learn Chinese language and dance has helped me recover from so much of the hardships and prejudices in
my younger years.
Dalian’s latest visit to China and her observations
I visited China this past summer. I had not been to China for six years. Everything in Beijing was built up.
I could not even find the street of a school near Beijing University where I went to kindergarten and first
grade. The street was not even there anymore! The pollution was worse then ever. We saw blue skies only
one or two days. The rest of the time the sky was gray and the air oppressively hot and polluted. However,
Beijing has clearly become an international city with a lot of energy and excitement. People from all over
the world are in Beijing. Beijing is a city that never sleeps. It is like being at a never-ending party — loud
and fun, but after awhile it feels like you need a break.
During my stay, I studied Chinese ethnic dance and Chinese watercolor. It was fabulous to learn from my
teachers. It was great to see my family friends in China who knew me as a baby. Many of them have finally
been able to pursue their dreams in the new China. To some it is travel; to others, it is more education or
starting a business. They may not always attain their dreams, but they have hope. Now, anything is possible;
whereas before, even traveling was restricted. Since many Chinese people have traveled, they have seen
more foreigners. Sure you still get called "lao wai" on the street. And people will still say shocking things
like, "Foreigners use public restrooms, too!" after you come out of a restroom. However, there is more of an
understanding and appreciation of other cultures by many Chinese people that did not exist before.
Many Chinese say that they are surprised that foreigners can bargain just as well as Chinese now. My
sister, Jong May, 13, is an example. I am not sure if she can be considered a foreigner because she was
born in China and also speaks Chinese fluently. Jong May was able to "kan jia" (negotiate the price) so well
that even Chinese stopped in amazement while she was in the outside markets.
Chinese New Year celebration in February
Chinese New Year is the first month and first day of the lunar year. It falls on a different calendar day
each year, usually from mid-January to mid-February. A new year is something to celebrate about. There is
a cycle of 12 years. Each year represents one of 12 animals. This year is the Year of the Rat. Many customs
are centered around bringing in good luck for families and warding off bad luck. We have to celebrate with
different customs, such as fireworks to ward off any bad luck in the coming year.
2008 UW-Chinese New Year Gala at WI Union Theatre
The UW-Chinese New Year Gala is an annual event sponsored by the Chinese Student and Scholar
Association of UW-Madison (CSSA). This year, it will be held on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin Union
Theatre. The event is open to the public and free of charge. The CSSA is a wonderful organization. The
president this year is Zhu Dan (Sabrina) and our business director, Terry Tao, also has worked extremely
hard all year to bring about this event to the public. Students and community groups work together to bring
out the best in Chinese culture for everyone.
Dalian will direct this year’s celebration
Last New Year, the business director asked me to be director this year. My Hua Mulan Dance Troupe
appeared in last year's show and I was one of the hosts two years ago. Chinese New Year has always been a
special family tradition for me. Also, I love putting together shows as I have been a part of the
entertainment world since my childhood. When I was a little girl, my father was a pop singer in China. I
often went to his performances with my mom. I also performed Beijing Opera and danced on Chinese
Television. My parents were part of a prime-time TV series when I was 3. They took me on the set. When I
was 4, my parents and I performed a skit for New Year's Day on national TV with one of China's most famous
comedians, Pan Chang Jiang.
When we came back to the U.S., my parents organized several large Chinese New Year events which
included entertainment. I always participated in creating dances and hosting the events. I find it very
exciting.
New Year Gala Event on Feb. 3
Musical Acts are the highlights of the show. There is an array of great acts such as the Zhong Yi Kungfu
Lion dancers, possibly a comedian and many Chinese Dancing acts. We will have some instrumental
numbers, too. Hua Mulan has new numbers this year. We are performing a Mongolian wine cup dance and
fusing it with Tanya Tandias’ traditional Spanish and flamenco dancing. Also, Hua Mulan has a new
northeastern handkerchief dance with some acrobatics.
Dalian’s invitation
People are beginning to see China emerge as a superpower, not only politically but also culturally. Also,
this is the first Olympic year for China. The Year of the Rat, 2008, is a great year to celebrate Chinese
Culture for both Chinese and non-Chinese alike.
We know many Chinese scholars, students and professionals have family in China they want to be with
during the New Year. We hope that by coming to our show, we can bring them a piece of their beloved
homeland and help ease the pain of family separation during such as special time.
Speaking on behalf of the University of Wisconsin Chinese Student and Scholars Association, we warmly
welcome ("relie huanying") everyone to attend.
I grew up in China, living in typical Chinese neighborhoods. This was unusual because during the 1980s
and early ‘90s, most foreigners in China were only allowed to live in foreigners’compounds, separated from
the Chinese people. Although it was technically illegal for foreigners like my family to live in Chinese
neighborhoods and attend Chinese public schools, somehow my parents managed to arrange this.
I spent my preschool years in Dalian, the northeast seaport city I am named after, and my family moved to
Beijing when I was about six years old.
Growing up in China, therefore, I felt I was Chinese. My parents told me I was Chinese. I could
understand English, but could not speak it very well. My parents speak fluent Mandarin so I would usually
speak to them in Chinese, and they would speak to me in mixed Chinese and English.
The Chinese would say, "Ruxiang Sui Shu." It is similar to the idiom "When in Rome, do as the Romans
do." I did what other kids did. When I drew pictures of people, their eyes were Asian. All my drawings were of
Chinese people. The only other “cultural” experiences I had was when I was exposed to other foreigners who
spoke English. I spoke with Chinese grammar and could not totally relate to them. My mother did not like
western food, so we only ate Chinese food. For the most part, we lived a Chinese lifestyle.
I thought of myself as being Chinese, and although I had blonde hair and white skin, the other little kids
didn't really think of me as being different — until the adults came around to remind them. Time after time,
I would be playing happily outside with some kids only to have adults come over and point out
incredulously, "Look at the foreign child. See the foreign child?” They would call me a little "lao wai,"
which is a negative way of addressing someone from a foreign country. I truly don't think the other kids ever
really noticed that I was different. It was something that they had to learn from their parents. So I grew up
with adults constantly and continuously reminding me that I was different, with the underlying point that I
wasn't one of them. And when they would hear me speaking Chinese, it was almost as if they had
experienced a miracle. They would remark over and over again how good my Chinese was. Although
Chinese was (and is) my native language, I was always credited for being very smart for learning Chinese so
well.
When I was in third grade, one of my "tongxue" (classmates) was telling me how lucky I was because my
parents were native English speakers. My classmate asked me why I never spoke English with my parents.
She said if her parents spoke English, she would try to learn from them. I then realized that those who spoke
English in China were admired. So, from that day on, I made more attempts to speak English rather than
Chinese with my parents.
Back to the U.S.A.
When I was 11, we moved to the U.S., so obviously I had to learn English. I was put in ESL at Shorewood
Elementary School, along with the other immigrant students. Shorewood had many Chinese students and I
wanted to make friends with them because I felt I could relate to them better than other American kids. But
their parents would not let them speak Chinese with me. While my Chinese classmates would always speak
Chinese with each other, they would never speak Chinese with me, even though I am a native speaker and,
in fact, spoke better Chinese than many of them. For awhile, my English was not good enough for
socializing, and since Chinese children my age were not allowed to speak with me in Chinese, I resorted to
speaking Chinese with my mother's adult Chinese friends. Now I have Chinese friends of all ages. Also, I've
found that when young women become college-aged, they freely speak any language they want with their
friends.
Times have changed
As China becomes an economic power, Chinese is now considered a very powerful language. More
immigrants to the U.S. retain their Chinese language skills and more parents do not want their children to
forget Chinese. All of this change has happened in the past six years.
Dancing is Dalian’s passion
Throughout my life I have been a dancer. I started dancing at age 3 and shortly thereafter, began
performing with the Beijing TV Dance Troupe. During this time, I studied Beijing Opera, both singing and
acrobatics. I also studied at the Beijing Dance Institute and at the Eastern Song and Dance Ensemble. The
system of dance study was different then. Teachers would only teach students who they thought had
potential to become professional dancers and the teachers were very rough. Recently, it has become more
about money. If a student can pay a high tuition, they are admitted into training.
Currently, I teach Chinese dance at a Chinese school directed by Huang Ping. I also direct my own dance
troupe, Hua Mulan. I have taught dance and Chinese language since I was 14 years old. Assisting others to
learn Chinese language and dance has helped me recover from so much of the hardships and prejudices in
my younger years.
Dalian’s latest visit to China and her observations
I visited China this past summer. I had not been to China for six years. Everything in Beijing was built up.
I could not even find the street of a school near Beijing University where I went to kindergarten and first
grade. The street was not even there anymore! The pollution was worse then ever. We saw blue skies only
one or two days. The rest of the time the sky was gray and the air oppressively hot and polluted. However,
Beijing has clearly become an international city with a lot of energy and excitement. People from all over
the world are in Beijing. Beijing is a city that never sleeps. It is like being at a never-ending party — loud
and fun, but after awhile it feels like you need a break.
During my stay, I studied Chinese ethnic dance and Chinese watercolor. It was fabulous to learn from my
teachers. It was great to see my family friends in China who knew me as a baby. Many of them have finally
been able to pursue their dreams in the new China. To some it is travel; to others, it is more education or
starting a business. They may not always attain their dreams, but they have hope. Now, anything is possible;
whereas before, even traveling was restricted. Since many Chinese people have traveled, they have seen
more foreigners. Sure you still get called "lao wai" on the street. And people will still say shocking things
like, "Foreigners use public restrooms, too!" after you come out of a restroom. However, there is more of an
understanding and appreciation of other cultures by many Chinese people that did not exist before.
Many Chinese say that they are surprised that foreigners can bargain just as well as Chinese now. My
sister, Jong May, 13, is an example. I am not sure if she can be considered a foreigner because she was
born in China and also speaks Chinese fluently. Jong May was able to "kan jia" (negotiate the price) so well
that even Chinese stopped in amazement while she was in the outside markets.
Chinese New Year celebration in February
Chinese New Year is the first month and first day of the lunar year. It falls on a different calendar day
each year, usually from mid-January to mid-February. A new year is something to celebrate about. There is
a cycle of 12 years. Each year represents one of 12 animals. This year is the Year of the Rat. Many customs
are centered around bringing in good luck for families and warding off bad luck. We have to celebrate with
different customs, such as fireworks to ward off any bad luck in the coming year.
2008 UW-Chinese New Year Gala at WI Union Theatre
The UW-Chinese New Year Gala is an annual event sponsored by the Chinese Student and Scholar
Association of UW-Madison (CSSA). This year, it will be held on Feb. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin Union
Theatre. The event is open to the public and free of charge. The CSSA is a wonderful organization. The
president this year is Zhu Dan (Sabrina) and our business director, Terry Tao, also has worked extremely
hard all year to bring about this event to the public. Students and community groups work together to bring
out the best in Chinese culture for everyone.
Dalian will direct this year’s celebration
Last New Year, the business director asked me to be director this year. My Hua Mulan Dance Troupe
appeared in last year's show and I was one of the hosts two years ago. Chinese New Year has always been a
special family tradition for me. Also, I love putting together shows as I have been a part of the
entertainment world since my childhood. When I was a little girl, my father was a pop singer in China. I
often went to his performances with my mom. I also performed Beijing Opera and danced on Chinese
Television. My parents were part of a prime-time TV series when I was 3. They took me on the set. When I
was 4, my parents and I performed a skit for New Year's Day on national TV with one of China's most famous
comedians, Pan Chang Jiang.
When we came back to the U.S., my parents organized several large Chinese New Year events which
included entertainment. I always participated in creating dances and hosting the events. I find it very
exciting.
New Year Gala Event on Feb. 3
Musical Acts are the highlights of the show. There is an array of great acts such as the Zhong Yi Kungfu
Lion dancers, possibly a comedian and many Chinese Dancing acts. We will have some instrumental
numbers, too. Hua Mulan has new numbers this year. We are performing a Mongolian wine cup dance and
fusing it with Tanya Tandias’ traditional Spanish and flamenco dancing. Also, Hua Mulan has a new
northeastern handkerchief dance with some acrobatics.
Dalian’s invitation
People are beginning to see China emerge as a superpower, not only politically but also culturally. Also,
this is the first Olympic year for China. The Year of the Rat, 2008, is a great year to celebrate Chinese
Culture for both Chinese and non-Chinese alike.
We know many Chinese scholars, students and professionals have family in China they want to be with
during the New Year. We hope that by coming to our show, we can bring them a piece of their beloved
homeland and help ease the pain of family separation during such as special time.
Speaking on behalf of the University of Wisconsin Chinese Student and Scholars Association, we warmly
welcome ("relie huanying") everyone to attend.
As told to Heidi M. Pascual
Anyone who doesn’t personally know Dalian Urbonya would readily say she’s an
all-American White young lady. She’s Caucasian indeed, but that’s definitely only on
the surface. Dalian is Chinese, and the following interview with Asian Wisconzine will
tell you why.
Anyone who doesn’t personally know Dalian Urbonya would readily say she’s an
all-American White young lady. She’s Caucasian indeed, but that’s definitely only on
the surface. Dalian is Chinese, and the following interview with Asian Wisconzine will
tell you why.
| Dalian Urbonya feels she is Chinese |
Dalian's Hua Mulan Dance
Troupe will perform some new
dances from China, including a
Mongolian cup dance (above)
Troupe will perform some new
dances from China, including a
Mongolian cup dance (above)