Ardenwald First Grader’s Fancy Footwork Helps Celebrate Lunar New Year

 

It’s a special assembly morning at Ardenwald Elementary, and as classrooms of curious students shuffled into the gym one by one, a group of frenzied first graders couldn’t hold back their excitement upon first gazing at the guest performers concealed under giant colorful lion costumes.

“Do you think that’s him?” one asked a nearby classmate, eagerly pointing toward one of the fluffy costumes. “Nah, I think he’s in the other one,” her friend quickly replied.

Why did Miss Messina’s first graders seem to know so much about a secret celebrity performer in the upcoming Lunar New Year assembly?  Because once the drums started pounding and the dancing lions came to life, it didn’t take them long to realize it was their classmate Kingston Ho-Phanouvong under a lively red lion bobbing and weaving right up front.

At just seven years old, Kingston is one of the youngest members of the White Lotus Dragon & Lion

Dance team, a Portland-based group who performs cultural dance routines for schools, corporations, and festivals throughout the Pacific Northwest.

“He’s loved it ever since he was a little kid,” said mom Kathy Le, who stood off to the side snapping photos as Ardenwald students cheered with eyes fixated on the red and yellow lions dancing across the gym floor. “We used to follow the team around just so we could see them, and that really inspired him to join when he was just five.”

While balancing elementary school with after-hours practices, Kingston has performed in many Lunar New Year and Autumn Moon festivals for the past two years at schools and businesses.

“Asian businesses usually call the team out because they bring good luck,” explained Le. “The instruments are to scare away bad spirits, so a lot of businesses request them year-round to come bless their businesses to do well.”

Kingston says performing on the Moda Center floor at a recent Portland Trail Blazers game might be his favorite, but today’s assembly in front of his classmates ranks right up there.

“It was really fun,” he shyly stated afterward, as he asked for mom’s help getting out of his costume.

But don’t be fooled by the shyness, say Ardenwald staff members.  “He’s probably the most polite student I’ve ever come across,” said paraeducator Julie Derby. “We just love him here.”

And based on the cheers and applause roaring through the gym this morning, so do all the Ardenwald classmates of this sudden schoolwide celebrity.