Watch as Chinese New Year celebrations get underway in Kelowna

At aged 67, Kelowna’s Shui Lee jokes he’s getting too old for this.

But those gathered to watch him perform in the Dragon and Lion Dance at Okanagan College’s main atrium Wednesday were more than impressed with his experienced moves.

Lee, the chairman of the Chinese Freemasons in Kelowna, joined Asian students in kicking off Chinese New Year celebrations.

With Lee’s son on the drum, the Dragon dancers wound their way around several circuits of the floor, before Shui delivered his more poised solo Lion Dance.

“Dragon Dance brings us good luck and Lion Dance good fortune,” he told Kelowna10 while getting his breath back after his choreographic display. “I like to pass on my Chinese culture to the next generation and they can learn our valued history.”

That has happened for the Lee family. His son Hayman often accompanies his dad by keeping the beat for events like this.

“I was born and raised in Kelowna when there wasn’t much diversity around here,” Hayman explained. "So now, as Kelowna grows, we get more international students, we’re trying to spread the culture. We want students with the same ethnic background to feel more welcome and at home even though they’re away from home.”

English student Weiqi Teng is far from his Chinese home for the New Year, but he was delighted to be part of the performance.

“It’s my first time to play the Dragon Dance,” he said. “It’s very exciting for me. I’d only ever watched it on TV.”

He said being part of the event with fellow students makes this time of year special, even when far from family.

“There are so many Chinese people in Kelowna and Canada. My homesickness is okay,” he said.

Celebrations are underway around the globe to mark Chinese New Year, and similar festivities in many other parts of the Asian world.

The Lunar New Year is on Sunday, marking the Year of the Rabbit.