UMMA Family Day: Dragons Everywhere All At Once
Dragons stir the global imagination, writhing through water, sky and earth. Join us as we learn more about the many facets of dragons through East Asian art, culture and dance. Featuring performances, collaborative art making, and development of your own personal mini-zine! All ages welcome.
Free and open to the public, registration recommended.
SCHEDULE Of EVENTS:
3:30pm
-
EVENT BEGINS
Check-in and wander the Museum with your crew
3:30pm, 4pm, & 4:30pm
- PERFORMANCE
Sonic choreography with U-M Assistant Professor of Dance, Fangfei Miao and percussionist James Koo.
Throughout
- 100 WAYS TO WRITE DRAGON
Although there is only one standard character for dragon, pronounced long in Chinese, 100+ distinct ways to write this word can be achieved by manipulating the thickness and style of the strokes. Follow artist Zhen Guo as she demonstrates the artistry of the written character on a long, unfurling scroll–and add your version—strokes, pictures, or words. - WHATCHA MEAN-MAKE A DRAGON ZINE
Make a mini, one-of-a-kind zine booklet with art, words, and pop-ups about dragons with UMMA Gallery Educators
Special Guests & Performers
Zhen Guo
Zhen Guo is a female ink artist active in the international art world and a pioneer of American Asian contemporary female ink art. She has participated in many international art exhibitions, and has long been committed to the research and exploration of global contemporary female art.
Fangfei Miao
Dr. Fangfei Miao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dance at the University of Michigan. She serves on the editorial and advisory committees of leading dance studies journals in both Anglophone and Chinese-language academia. Her artistic research explores Buddhism and dance-theatre interdisciplinarity. With extensive professional training in modern dance, Chinese classical and folk dance, Tai Chi Quan, and ballet, she has toured her evening-length concerts in Lyon, New York, Shanghai, and Harbin, among other locations.
James Koo
James Koo is an award-winning percussionist who has dedicated much of his artistry to the study of ritualistic practices, pulling from his roots in traditional Chinese percussion and the contemporary repertoire of the 20th-21st century. Recent appearances include the Monday Evening Concerts (Los Angeles), 2024 Tromp Concours (Netherlands), Sandbox percussion & Project Blank San Diego. He is currently pursuing a Doctor in Musical Arts at the University of California, San Diego, studying with Professor Steven Schick.
SUPPORT
This UMMA Family Day kicks-off a cultural and artistic initiative at the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies (LRCCS) centered around the dragon in Asian culture as a symbol of tradition, innovation and inclusivity. Scheduled for Winter 2026, the LRCCS program includes an artist residency led by renowned feminist artist Zhen Guo, who will create a dragon head sculpture using recycled materials, while students and volunteers craft the dragon’s body for use in performances scheduled around campus and community art sites and festivals.
A partnership with the Center for World Performance Studies, the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, ArtsEngine, and the International Institute East Asia National Resource Center, a U.S. Department of Education Title VI program.
This event is generously supported by the University of Michigan Credit Union Arts Adventures Program, UMMA’s Lead Sponsor for Student and Family Engagement.
