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Community
Chinese New Year — Japanese style
Asbury-Solomons celebrates lantern fest
Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by BOB RENNEISEN
From left, Sumi McShea, Ryumi Moser, Megumi Nicholas and Keiko Siber, all members of the housekeeping staff at the Asbury-Solomons Retirement Community, stand next to the community's showcase displaying authentic Japanese mementos and artifacts they loaned as part of the community's Japanese Lantern Festival last Friday evening.
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Residents, staff and members of the community united in celebration last Friday evening in a unique special event at Asbury-Solomons Retirement Community in Solomons.
"What we're celebrating tonight is Chinese New Year in the Japanese style," said Nancy Lehman, cultural arts and volunteer manager. "In Nagasaki, they have a large lantern festival that lasts about two weeks and they celebrate Chinese New Year, so that's where we started."
While arranging for an authentic Japanese dance troupe, Kotobuki Kai, to provide the evening's entertainment, Lehman said that "it occurred to me that we should talk with members of our staff who are Japanese. First I just asked them for information, then they offered to bring in some Japanese artifacts for the display case and from that point on, they just sort of took over. It's beautiful; they brought things from home, and they dressed in kimonos."
Four members of the community's housekeeping staff are originally from Japan, Lehman said.
"[They were] just so excited about bringing their things in — it's always exciting for us when we get our associates and residents involved together in projects and events like this."
Housekeeper Keiko Seiber agreed.
"You know, we are Japanese and whatever we could do to make this a great experience, we are happy to help," she said. "We brought in some things from Japan — wedding photographs, Japanese lanterns and things like that."
The various artifacts and mementos were displayed in the community's large showcase near the main lobby.
"A lot of our residents have traveled all over the world and some of them have also donated objects for our display case from their travels to Japan," said Ingrid Amos, wellness center assistant. "We've decorated the dining room with lanterns, kimonos and other authentic items to lend a real Japanese environment for the evening," she added.
"The residents have been really excited about it — there's been a lot of chatter about how much they've been looking forward to it and the turnout response has been strong for this event."
After a buffet banquet featuring an assortment of Asian dishes, the residents and invited guests were treated to authentic Japanese entertainment, thanks, in part, to a grant from Target.
"Kotobuki Kai is performing traditional and modern Japanese music and dance for the residents and we've invited [local] Girl Scouts," Amos explained.
According to the dance troupe's Web site, Yoko Harada King, artistic director, choreographer and principal artist, is a native of Chiba City, Japan. She received her professional name and teacher's degree from the Azuma Kabuki School in Tokyo and has been performing for more than 60 years.
"Co-founder and artistic director of Kotobuki Kai since 1970, she has served on the faculties of George Mason University and the University of Maryland and teaches private students in her Riverdale Park, Maryland studio," the Web site says. "She has been honored by several choreographic grants by the Prince George's Arts Council. Critical acclaim has followed her dancing since arriving in the United States in 1958."
Dennis Poremski, director of wellness for Asbury-Solomons, was enthusiastic about the participation of the community's staff members.
"This event came together into something extra special by tying in the people who work here and we gain so much from their traditions, their knowledge and their heritage to help make everything accurate and something that meant tying us all together. Our people took it very seriously; they gave a lot of themselves," he said.
"I like the exposure we can give our staff; I really like that part of all that we do. When this kind of thing happens, it just humanizes everybody. When they were putting the display case together, they were all talking about what this means and what that means; there were so many things that I'd never heard before," he added. "I love to listen to them speak Japanese."
Asbury-Solomons resident Gunter Arndt agreed.
"Last year we did Chinese New Year and it was a big success. This year is turning out very nicely; the decorations are great and give it a nice atmosphere and it's wonderful to see some of our housekeepers who are Japanese dressed up in traditional Japanese style — it's great."
Resident Dick Hu concurred while he and his wife Sue waited for the entertainment to begin after dinner.
"I think it's great," he said. "Good food and I'm anticipating great entertainment."
