PHOTO/ Noah Shifter Sophomores Candice Peng and Joanna Liu, along with junior Chloe Quach, will participate as part of Monarch Dance Club in the group’s first Camellia Festival performance on May 22.
By Ethan Lee,
Staff Writer
The Camellia Festival is making an in-person return, on the weekend of May 20 to 22. The festival will feature a variety of performance events, carnival rides and several booths run by local groups. Pre-sale ride tickets are available online at www.TheFunCarnival.com or in person at the Temple City Hall or Live Oak Park.
Marching Band
Hundreds of feet will hit the ground in unison as the TCHS Marching Band makes its way down Las Tunas Drive, an upbeat marching tune reverberating across the street as crowds watch from both sides. Senior Ryan Fung will play his bass clarinet from the right file, proudly marching in his last Camellia Festival performance.
“There’s a sense of excitement and duty when marching in the parade because you’re representing the city by being one of the first to move,” Fung said. “All you’re thinking about is guiding down the rank, diagonal and covering down while playing the music.”
With the onset of the pandemic, performances and competitions grew scarce. However, as the world reopens, the band will return to the Camellia Festival after a two-year hiatus. They will march from Rosemead Boulevard to Golden West Avenue, playing “Solid Men to the Front.”
“At first I wasn’t sure if we were going to have another Camellia Festival,” Fung said. “Knowing that we’re going to have the parade makes me happier. I’ve been pretty doubtful about the band this year because of how new everything is, but I think it’s nice to end on some kind of normalcy.”
Monarch Dance Club
Junior Chloe Quach took a deep breath, her body relaxed as the music began to play. She gracefully performed a choreographed dance, gliding back and forth across the stage as she practiced for her upcoming performance at the Camellia Festival.
“I felt that there wasn’t a club or extra-curricular that suited my specific interest in dance,” Quach said. “So, I felt inspired to make a club that accepted individuals that wanted to try a different style or genre of dance than those offered at TCHS.”
Despite technical challenges, each member’s devotion to the club helped it flourish into its second year.
With clubs now in person, Monarch Dance Club has started performing live. A choreographed performance at the Camellia Festival by Quach, featuring “Introspection” by UMI, is up next. They will perform on May 22 at 2:15 p.m. under the gazebo.
“It’s a bit overwhelming because this is a community event and we want to show our best versions of ourselves,” Quach said. “We feel excited to perform again, and we’re especially excited to represent our club since we’re fairly new and it would be a great opportunity to showcase what we do.”