{"id":57754,"date":"2025-11-18T02:05:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T02:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/57754\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T02:05:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T02:05:19","slug":"the-aquarium-of-the-pacifics-24th-autumn-festival-fuses-music-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/57754\/","title":{"rendered":"The Aquarium of the Pacific’s 24th Autumn Festival fuses music and culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thunderstorm warnings and heavy rain rescheduled most local events, but not the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Annual Autumn Festival, highlighting traditions from China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Saturday and Sunday, approximately 100 people crowded the Aquarium throughout the two-day, 15 group musical festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Spectators \u2013 including friends, family and children \u2013 danced, laughed and smiled as they got to experience arts and cultures from around the world.<\/p>\n

\"\"Children and audience members enjoy Wei Zhong\u2019s Changing Faces performance, many of them left smiling and speechless during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Cultural Autumn Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 15, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"Eung Hwa Kim\u2019s non-profit academy Kim Eung Hwa & Korean Dance Academy performers wow audiences at the Aquarium of the Pacific just before the group received recognition from the aquarium on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s an amazing opportunity to be able to explore some different cultures that maybe we\u2019re not used to on a daily basis,\u201d said Burgundy James, who was an attendee at the festival. \u201c[It\u2019s] just a wonderful display of very friendly, warm, welcoming people willing to share their culture with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

James was visiting Long Beach for the first time and said she enjoyed the Long Beach Ondo Group, where the public was able to join in and dance with the musicians for multiple songs.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI just think it\u2019s pretty amazing how it can get the whole family involved [and] can get people learning about their neighbors, learning about more people that live with here in Long Beach,\u201d said Chelsey Coleman, who has run the festival for five years. \u201cI think that\u2019s really important right now because there\u2019s more trying to divide us than keep us together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Aquarium honored Eung Hwa Kim, founder and executive of the non-profit Kim Eung Hwa & Korean Dance Academy<\/a>, which provides education and training to help foster cultural awareness with its performances.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Eung Hwa Kim\u2019s non-profit academy Kim Eung Hwa & Korean Dance Academy performers showed off their dance moves just before the group received recognition by the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\"\"The Northern Shaolim Kung Fu team brought in a traditional Chinese lion\/dragon dancer, who patiently waited before rushing the stage during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\u201cIt took me by surprise but I\u2019m thankful that I\u2019m a recipient as a representation of Korean culture,\u201d Kim said. \u201cMy goal has always been not about these awards and titles, but how we expose Korean culture more to the general public and how we can let more people know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

By far one of the most popular groups that performed was Viorhythm<\/a>, a Violin Pop Fusion ensemble that has performed at the Autumn Festival three times. Audience members filled the first floor guardrails and the upper deck of the Honda Blue Cavern at the Aquarium to see the eclectic group perform.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Audience members were dancing along to different anime theme songs and even PSY\u2019s classic hit, \u201cGangnam Style.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Poshi Kawanishi, the daughter of the main violinist for Viorhythm, was dancing to every single song enthusiastically with sweat rolling down his smiling face. Audience members joined along, dancing with each song.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI love it,\u201d Kawanishi said about Viorhythm\u2019s performance and about the Long Beach Autumn Festival. \u201cIt\u2019s a mix [of different cultures], bringing Asian culture to the exhibition, letting us play, that\u2019s amazing, it\u2019s a great opportunity and they [the audience] can enjoy it as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Viorhythm captivated adults and children alike during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 15, 2025. Elena Yamanga (left) was part of the group who was performing for the audience, signing hit Disney and anime songs. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"The Long Beach Ondo Group dances with the audience in a small circle near the Honda Blue Cavern during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Annual Autumn Festival on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

Elena Yamaga and Ritaro Izuaka, both performers and members of Viorhythm, said they felt happy and excited since everyone was having fun during their set.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re representing culture in a fun way, they\u2019re wearing light up clothes, they\u2019re playing songs that everybody knows and they\u2019re getting people to sing and dance, it\u2019s so much fun,\u201d Coleman said.<\/p>\n

One constant throughout the two-day festival was Art Nakane, who performed six times over the weekend as a One Man Band. This weekend marked 21 years Nakane has wowed audiences at the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s Autumn Festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just my pleasure, I always look forward to it,\u201d Nakane said.<\/p>\n

Nakane sang songs to the audience, blending electronic keyboard samples with occasional marocas and cymbal sounds mixed in. The Japan-based musician has a people-focused approach to his performances, oftentimes conversing with people and creating dedicated songs to them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s important for people to take the time to explore other cultures outside of their own,\u201d James said. \u201cTo understand that while there are many differences among us, at the end of the day we\u2019re all people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photo Gallery: <\/p>\n

\"\"Japanese Classical dance academy Bando Ryu Kyu No Kai preformed at the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Cultural Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 16, 2025. The traditional dance has students ranging from 3 to over 80 years old, with their goal being to bridge Japan with the global world by promoting the traditional art rom that is rooted in the Kabuki theater. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\"\"Audience members and the Long Beach Ondo Group dance together, smiling and moving with one another, during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Annual Autumn Festival on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"Spectators shuffle into the Aquarium of the Pacific for their 24th Autumn Festival on Nov. 15, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"Yaya Dance Academy shows the audience different types of Chinese Dances at the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"The traditional lion and dragon dance was brought on by the Northern Shaolim Kung Fu team during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival on Nov. 16, 2025. Director Ken Hui allowed some of the kids to wear parts of the Chinese lion costume and learn a few traditional moves. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"The Northern Shaolim Kung Fu team walked inside the Pacific Visions Theater after going outside the theater to dance with the families during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 16, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"Spectators filled up the Aquarium of the Pacific for their 24th Autumn Festival on Nov. 15, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"The Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts use props such as an abaniko, or a hand fan, as they practice Filipino dancing and music during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 15, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"To open up the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Annual Autumn Festival, Dance Space Ai Vibration danced as a group to end their performance on Nov. 15, 2025. Their members range from 3-year-olds to high school students, preforming at multiple dance competitions throughout the year. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune) <\/p>\n

\"\"The Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts is an ensemble that dazzled the crowd with different songs and props to show their love for Filipino culture during the Aquarium of the Pacific\u2019s 24th Autumn Festival in Long Beach on Nov. 15, 2025. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

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