7-Year-Old Dancer To Appear For Chinese New Year
Stanley will be one of the youngest dancers in the "Chinese New Year Spectacular" shows hosted by the television network New Tang Dynasty.

What is it like to be seven and famous? Ask Stanley Cheungang, a second grader from Flushing.

"When we walk down the street, everyone calls out his name. He's a little star in Queens," said Stanley's mom, De Rong Zhang.

But it is what he is famous for that is most striking. This seven-year-old is a dancer. "The boy wanted to dance. One day he told me, 'I want to go dancing.' I told him that he doesn't practice, so how could he go dancing?" But sure enough the next day, a friend from Canada, Tia Zhang, called to say that she wanted him to try out for a dance she was choreographing. He was very happy, he kept jumping up and down," Zhang said. "He had his wish granted."

Cheungang will perform in the New Tang Dynasty Television "Myths and Legends" Chinese New Year Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall February 14 through 17. Performances are at 2 and 8 p.m. Visit www.shows.ntdtv.com.

In spite of his fame and the responsibilities that come with it, Stanley is still very much a seven-year-old boy. His mother and father confide that he would much rather play than practice. "He doesn't like to practice at home, he only likes to do it in public, with other people," his mother said. His advantage, however, is that Stanley's father, Fa Ping Cheung, is a lion dancer. Trained in Kung Fu, Fa Ping used to do the lion dance atop electric poles. "I train him every day, 15-20 minutes with stretches and kicks," Fa Ping said.

Stanley will be one of the youngest dancers in the "Chinese New Year Spectacular" and "Holiday Wonders" shows hosted by the television network New Tang Dynasty. In traditional Chinese costume and with his brows knitted in concentration, he does, indeed, look like a smaller version of the hundreds of other professional dances in the Chinese New Year variety show, which brings to life myths, legends and ancient traditions through dance, music and singing.

"A child is innocent, he accepts whatever you give him. NTD gives him an opportunity not only to know Chinese culture through dancing, but also to know the deeper meanings embodied in Chinese culture. From this aspect he will benefit tremendously," said Zhang.

Stanley moved to the United States when he was just a year old. Although his parents speak Chinese to him at home, they must contend with what every immigrant family encounters- the balance between assimilation and maintaining one's cultural roots. For the Zhangs this is even more complex, because not even they have a thorough understanding of Chinese culture. During the period of the Great Cultural Revolution in China, much of traditional Chinese culture was destroyed by the Chinese Communist Party. The Zhangs find that they are rediscovering their cultural traditions right alongside their son.

"Chinese culture is 5,000 years old, it's a different cultural system. I hope my son will feel proud like I do of Chinese culture," said Zhang.

For Zhang, the performances are also a way to give back to the country that she has immigrated to. She feels proud that her son can help others understand a culture to which- even today- few people have access.

"I know a lot of westerners want to learn about Chinese culture and this show is the best venue to get exposed to it. It best shows the values, costume and mannerisms of ancient China- ancient China, not modern China," said Zhang.

With both her husband and son in the performance this year, Zhang will be going to the show with friends including the immigration lawyer who helped her family to come to the United States. The first year the lawyer came by himself, the second year with his wife, the third year with his mom and dad. This year he is bringing his whole family.