The forecast was accurate — “An Oriental Monsoon” came to MTSU recently in a powerful, swirling display of light and sound inside Tucker Theatre.

“An Oriental Monsoon,” a theatrical production by faculty and students of China’s Hangzhou Normal University, was held Thursday, Feb. 6, in Tucker Theatre on the MTSU campus. The event was free and open to the public.

Artists from the Hangzhou Normal University Dance Troupe perform the “Mongolian Bowl Dance,” balancing porcelain bowls atop their heads as they sit, stand and whirl about the stage. The troupe from the People’s Republic of China displayed a combination of traditional Chinese entertainment with a modern twist at Middle Tennessee State University’s Tucker Theatre Feb. 6. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for MTSU and the community to see these performers and their musical program,” said Guanping Zheng, director of MTSU’s Confucius Institute, which co-sponsors the presentation with the Office of Chinese Language Council International (Hanban).

“The Tucker Theater was packed for this fantastic performance. The enthusiastic response from the audience was amazing,” Zheng added.

The mission of MTSU’s Confucius Institute is to enhance the understanding of Chinese language and culture, facilitate engagement with China and create opportunities for exchange and collaboration between communities in Tennessee and China.

In observance of the Year of the Horse, the Hangzhou Normal University Dance Troupe performs “Thousands of Galloping Horses” at Middle Tennessee State University’s Tucker Theatre Feb. 6. The evening’s entertainment by artists from the People’s Republic of China was made possible by MTSU’s Confucius Institute and the Office of Chinese Language Council International. (MTSU photo by Andy Heidt)

Hangzhou Normal University and MTSU forged a partnership on Dec. 1, 2009, when MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Hangzhou President Ye Gaoxiang signed an agreement calling for outreach programs and cultural exchanges.

The Confucius Institute at MTSU opened in 2010 and has since taught hundreds of students about Chinese language and culture.

“The Chinese culture is fascinating and our Confucius Institute plays a critical role in bringing slices of that culture to our campus for the entire community to enjoy,” McPhee said.

“Not only will this visit by our friends from Hangzhou Normal be a terrific learning experience but an entertaining one as well.”

Zheng described the program of dance, vocals and instrumentation as “traditional with a modern flavor.”

Segment titles included “Tibetan Lasses,” “Bathing in the Light of the Moon,” “Mongolian Bowl Dance,” “The Rhythm of Martial Arts” and, in a nod to the Chinese New Year celebration of the Year of the Horse, “Thousands of Galloping Horses.”

For more information, contact the Confucius Institute at MTSU at 615-494-8696 or cimtsu@mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)