Latin America celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year

People take part in a parade to celebrate the Chinese lunar New Year in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, Feb. 6, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

Latin American countries have enthusiastically embraced the Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 8 this year, with dance and music performances, some of them by acclaimed Chinese troupes.

From Mexico in the north to Argentina on the southernmost tip of the continent, Latin American countries have organized Chinese-style performances, including the renowned musical stage show "My Dream," which have been welcomed by both Chinese and local people.

Mexico wowed by Chinese stage show

Throughout the past week, the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee for the Asia-Pacific region in Mexico co-hosted, with the Chinese Embassy, workshops on Chinese films, performing arts, language and customs.

"Culture has been an important factor in forging close ties. The Mexican culture, from art to cuisine, has been deeply influnced by our good friend, China," said Senator Teofilo Torres, the committee's president.

China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe (CDPPAT) performed its show "My Dream" at Mexico City's landmark Esperanza Iris Theater on Thursday and Friday nights, as an important part of the Chinese Culture Week starting from Monday to celebrate both the Chinese New Year and the 44th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two nations.

The world-famous show, by dancers and singers whose sight or hearing is impaired, attracted a large number of Chinese and Mexican people with its complicated musical elements, delicate choreography, dazzling sets and costumes and poignant stories.

"The Dance of a Thousand Hands," performed by 21 dancers with 42 hands, which represent a thousand hands in Buddhism, won a standing ovation.

Visually impaired singer Liu Tao sang "Mexico Lindo y Querido," the country's unofficial anthem, leaving the audience profoundly moved.

The award-winning troupe stages some 150 shows in more than 10 countries each year, and donates much of its earnings to charity. It has raised more than 9 million yuan (1.4 million U.S. dollars) in the past three years for Chinese state-run charities and over 80 thousand U.S. dollars for international charities for the disabled.

The Chinese Embassy's cultural attache Zhuang Lixiao said 70 percent of the ticket sales from Friday's performance were used to help Mexican disabled people.