The Piu Yum Recreational Club held its Mid-Spring Dream Festival at the Boyle Street Plaza on the afternoon of Saturday, May 4. For over five hours an audience of close to 400 people enjoyed performances ranging from traditional Chinese opera and musical theatre to tai chi (sometimes with swords). The show also included a few Western pop songs such as John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” Approximately 80 people also attended as dancers, singers, other performers of various kinds, and volunteers.

Planning for this impressive event took more than six months. Club President Eleanor Wong, says, “I love it. We have a great group.”

The club has some members and instructors who are professional or semi-professional. Members come from all over the city, including the nearby Chinese seniors’ residences.

The club has been operating for 19 years, and for the past three years it has been meeting every Monday evening at the Boyle Street Plaza. Wong likes that the space is “very clean, and the sound system is good.”

President Candas Jane Dorsey brought greetings from the Boyle Street Community League. Dorsey says, “Ever since Piu Yum started partnering with the league to provide this program at the community centre, we have been delighted by their spirit of community and friendliness. Their music, dance, and tai chi are fun and lighthearted, but also a serious commitment to fitness and quality of life. The show was really wonderful –there was such a wealth of talent involved, and it was a real pageant of colour, sound, and movement! I had a thoroughly great time, and was so happy to see the huge audience at the festival.”

Anita Jenkins is a retired writer and editor who lives in Boyle Street.