Mills' dragon tradition dances on

Fourteen years ago, international relations teacher Wayne Phillips wanted to start a cultural day. Some Chinese parents had expressed interest in a celebration at school but nothing was planned. Phillips advocated for the creation of a Chinese dragon, to be built by students. Four students took on the challenge. Now 85 students from Mills put on the performance and the crew will be performing in the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade and during the Millbrae Lunar New Year Festival.

The dragon is student created, constructed, designed, decorated and reconstructed, said Phillips. The 101-foot dragon requires about 20 people to man it at any given time. The teams also switch off during the parade because running, swerving and holding the dragon can be quite tiresome.

Also, the shaking can cause wear and tear on the cardboard-based dragon head.

"These guys know how to shake it,” Phillips said, to which senior Mark Ren and junior Andrew Constantino, both are heads, fist bumped in agreement.

Students are split into teams: Flag, music, pearl, head, body and tail. When performing, a group of students spin red and yellow flags before a truck with a drum being played in the back. Right behind the truck a student twirls the pearl which the dragon chases.

"Our dragon was created by students. The dragon is special for another reason; it is traditional, meaning people stand underneath it,” said Phillips.

For some it’s a tradition. Anna Kobayashi, pearl and Constantino both followed in the footsteps of family members who participated before them. The dragon team had intrigued Allie Wong, who plays music, since she was little.

"We’re able to take a culture and bring it over here,” said Ren.

Seventeen-year-old Eric Tsang, flag, explained the whole thing is a team effort.

"It all depends on the team. If one member goes down, they take the group down with them,” he said.

That bond makes the group like a family, Constantino said.

Dragons hold mythical and cultural meaning in Asian cultures. One Chinese tale explained pearls are believed to be droplets that fall like rain from the moon into the sea. Dragons are searching for the ultimate pearl, the moon. This love of the moon is kept alive with a constellation of the dragon chasing the moon. This chase is celebrated during the Chinese New Year when the moon rises just out of reach of the dragon.

The pearl is really the only part of the dragon itself uncovered, leaving Kobayashi exposed. When she began as a freshman, she too was under the body. During her sophomore year, Kobayashi recalled a comment made by her brother before a performance.

"He said, ‘I'll see your feet. I’ll see you're feet. I’ll see your face,’” she remembered recalling just how an adrenaline rush hit shortly after.

The group particularly enjoys performing, but was quick to point out without Phillips and other adults who volunteer the time, the program would not be what it is.

The San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade will be 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 starting at Market and Second streets. For a complete parade route map visit http://www.chineseparade.com/.

The Millbrae Lunar New Year Festival kicks off 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 with the Jasmine Blossom cultural performance at the Mills High School Auditorium. The Lunar Golden Ox parade will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting at the Mervyn’s parking lot. Festival events will be held at the library and civic center plaza.

Heather Murtagh can be reached by e-mail: heather@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 105.