“Disco YES!” Chinatown Art Block Party
舞動華埠趴踢
Presented by Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco and Edge on the Square
800 Grant Ave, San Francisco Chinatown
November 17, 2023 | 3-6PM
Co-presented by the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco and Edge on the Square, “Disco YES!” is a celebration of Chinatown’s creativity, community spirit, and joy.
On Friday, November 17th, Chinatown’s iconic Grant Avenue (between Clay and Washington) will be transformed into “Disco YES!”—an art block party filled with music, dance, and contemporary art installations. Rain or shine, join us to support Chinatown and dance your hearts out!
PERFORMANCES:
Grant Avenue Follies
Lion Dance Me
Marky Enriquez aka Proof
ART POP-UP:
Paper Cut Demonstration by artist Hou Yumei Inflatables by Bijun Liang
CCC Design Store
EXHIBITION TOURS:
Sign up on the spot for a joint gallery tour of Chinese Culture Center’s Present Tense 2023: Perilous Playground and Edge on the Square’s Within Others. To sign up, head over to the welcome table at the event, the tour will start promptly at 5 pm.
Exclusive CCC Design Store Offers
Shop at any Chinatown business, present your day of receipt to the staff at CCC Design Store table at the event
● Get a 10% discount on any of your purchase at CCC Design Store with a proof of the receipt of $10 or more
● Get a free copy of San Francisco Chinatown book ($40 value) with a proof of the receipt of $100 or more. Limit at 10 copies.
● Enter to win 2 pairs of free tickets to shows at the Regency Ballroom, valued at $240. Winners will be announced at the event at 5:30 pm. To enter, present your day-of-Chinatown spending receipt, regardless of the amount. Make sure to stick around until the announcement, and results will be revealed in the order of the show dates. The prize includes:
● 2 pairs of free tickets for the 11.22 show: The Landlord’s Cats 房東的貓
● 2 pairs of free tickets for the 11.30 show: Wu Tiao Ren 五条人
ARTIST BIOS
Hou Yumei 侯玉梅
Yumei Hou is a sculptor and renowned master of the ancient Chinese art of paper cutting. Hou has dedicated decades to learning, perfecting, and passing on the art of paper cutting in China and the United States. Her talent and dedication was recognized by the San Francisco Arts Commission in 2010, when she was selected to design and install a building-wide artwork for the Chinatown Central Subway. In 2022, Hou was awarded the “Visionary Artist Award” by the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco.
Bijun Liang
Bijun Liang is a Chinese-American artist based in San Francisco, CA. Her practice encompasses interactive installations and public art. Using a unique blend of playfulness, humor, and crowdsourcing, Liang puts the voices of the community at the forefront of the art she creates. In recent years, Liang exhibited her works at The Headlands Center for the Arts, Chinatown Media & Arts Collaborative, the Chinese Culture Center, and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Her recent accomplishments include creating murals like "Fufufufufu" and "Welcome to Chilltown," as well as community-based installations such as "Facepalm" and "Omens in Chinatown." Liang has been recognized in art collections on SuperRare and LACMA.
Grant Avenue Follies
Grant Avenue Follies brings to life the legacy of San Francisco Chinatown’s golden nightclub era. Originally comprised of four professional dancers from San Francisco Chinatown’s nightclub culture of the 1950s and ‘60s, they were following doctor’s orders to exercise for improved physical health. The Follies rediscovered the sheer joy and freedom of dance and reconnected with their roots. Dance classes led to recitals and eventually requests to entertain seniors at various San Francisco Bay Area daycare facilities.
Follies has garnered international attention with their 2021 anti-Asian hate music video, "Gai Mou Sou Rap" (Chicken Feather Duster Rap) that went viral on the internet. Since then they have produced "Glammas Wrap" and with AARP, a new year video titled "That Lunar Cheer." Most recently, the Follies debuted their comedic play, "GAF Glam Bang" at the Hong Kong Business Association Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii. You can see the play on November 10, 11 & 12 at Clarion Performing Arts Center in San Francisco Chinatown.
More information about the Grant Avenue Follies can be found here. The Follies also hang out at the Showgirl Magic Museum at Clarion Performing Arts Center. To visit the museum and to learn more about the Follies please call Cynthia Yee at 415-793-1183.
Lion Dance Me
LionDanceME specializes in lion dance, music, and entertainment, hence the name LionDanceME. It was founded by Norman Lau in 2012, who took a traditional Chinese cultural art and transformed it into a modern entertainment company. Originally started as a single high school club, LionDanceME has since expanded and added programs in schools all around San Francisco.
Marky Enriquez
Marky Enriquez aka Proof is a San Francisco-based DJ, throwing game-changing events, and spinning coast-to-coast with the hottest selections. Heavily influenced by funk, soul, hip-hop, disco, and house, Marky's sound caters to the discerned dance floor. His mixes, known for their global flavor and crossing genres seamlessly, have created quite a buzz with music lovers. Learn more at livin-proof.com.
Co-presented by:
Supported by:
