With the final performance of Troy University’s TROY-STAR Chinese Language Camp looming in the near future the campers have been practicing their dancing skills.

While at camp, each student is assigned a traditional Chinese dance to learn and perform at the final performance, not only connecting them to the language but the Chinese culture as well.

“I think it’s important for people to learn the Chinese culture along with the language because it gives so much more background and it gives so much more knowledge as far as learning the culture,” says Dance Instructor Scott Lei. “If you were to go to China it would be useful to know the language but knowing the culture, knowing the traditions, knowing norms is part of learning Chinese as a whole.”

And for some campers who already have a connection to the Chinese culture they are excited to share their new traditional dancing skills with members of their family.

“I am able to not only connect better with my ancestors that I had I now have something better to tell my mom about because she doesn’t know a lion dance so she can’t tell me anything about that but I am now able to tell her about something she may not know,” says TROY-STAR Camper Anna An.

For the full story watch Claudia’s report.