The Emcee - Kailin Gow
An Award-winning Filmmaker and Host of Television Show Kailin Gow's Go Girl Travel, Food, and Lost History on Amazon Prime TV which concluded its first season; Kailin Gow is also the ALA YALSA Award-winning million + books selling author of over 300 books fiction and non-fiction that empowers women and girls. Her bestselling fantasy series Bitter Frost is in development as a film, as well as her coming of age romance Loving Summer. Her books have been translated into Chinese, Korean, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, French, Hindi, and Japanese. She is also the host of Kailin Gow's The Crazy Ones tv show about innovators, and the upcoming travel food series, Kailin Gow's The Perfect Cup about finding the perfect cup of coffee and tea.
A California native, she grew up in the San Gabriel Valley area, went to UC Irvine to major in Social Ecology and Drama. Then received her Masters in Communications Management from USC. In the book world, she is known as the "Glamorous Author" and a pioneer in publishing. She was an invited speaker at the biggest book industry expos in North America - Book Expo America as a bestselling author, quoted as an "Author Influencer" by Amazon, and was featured on the home page of Amazon as an Author Success Story. She has sold over 5 million books worldwide and has over millions of views on YouTube. She is also the CEO and Founder of the first female-centered programming OTT global content network featuring films, tv shows, health and lifestyle shows, books, and shopping from America, Asia, Canada, Europe, and Australia called FemaleFlix.com launched in 2017.
In Asia, she is known affectionately as "Made in America". Having written The Loving Summer Cookbook showcasing healthy California-based recipes, Kailin Gow is also an advocate for healthy living. She has also written a guide on TEA, called The Perfect Cup: TEA which touches on the Taiwanese Tea that is integral in the tea dancing and songs which the performers will perform at this event. Her book releases on August 6, and is based on the upcoming television show, A Perfect Cup that she is hosting.
Rom Shing Hakka Opera Troupe
Rom Shing Hakka Opera Troupe has been performing the lost art of traditional tea-picking opera dancing arts since 1986 when it was revived and reorganized. A combination of graceful dance, martial arts, acrobats, and singing with strong musical drum beats and flutes; the performance is both dramatic as well as elegant.
Rom Shing Hakka Opera Troupe had been awarded Taiwan's prestigious Living Heritage Award for its social education of its cultural tradition. Each performance whether it is about an old folktale or the Journey of the Monkey King, is infused with acrobatic movements, dance, or martial arts.
The troupe now consists of four generations in a 70 member strong cast.
They are here for one day only for charity on a Voluntary basis and will be performing a Chinese/English martial arts-filled and acrobatic version of the Journey of Monkey King at this event.
Lei Dance Theater
The Sun Concert
Sam Wei-Chih Sun is a conductor, pianist, and music educator from Taiwan. He holds a B.A. in Piano Performance from Taipei Municipal Teachers College and an M.A. in Choral Conducting from Azusa Pacific University where he is an Adjunct Professor of Music. Sam also holds teaching positions at Citrus Community College and the Chinese for Christ Calvin Chao Theological Seminary.
Sam is the music director at Good Shepherd Taiwanese Presbyterian Church in Monterey Park and keeps busy conducting several choirs in the greater Los Angeles area. Currently, Sam is the conductor for the Southern California Taiwanese Hakka Chorus, the Arcadia Chinese Chorus, the Southern California TPC Master Chorale, the Irvine Chinese Chorus, Irvine Feel-young Chorus, and the Song of Song Choir.
Grace Lai has led a varied and award-winning career as soloist, chamber musician, and teacher throughout the United States, Canada, and Asia, and is passionate about bringing classical, contemporary, and Taiwanese music to a diverse range of audiences.
Taiwanese pianist and harpsichordist, Melody Hui-Chi Lin enjoys an active musical career across Asia, the United States, and Europe. She received a Master's degree in Music, majoring in Piano Performance as the top and best graduate student from Taiwan Fu Jen Catholic University,
Hsin-Lei Dance Academy was founded by Professor Yu-Ying Wang in 1978, it has been 39 years by now. Since 2013, current CEO, Alison Liu, has officially established “Lei Dance Theater” as the very first professional dance company in Hsin-Chu Area. Being the most representative dance group of Hsin-Chu County, no matter how hard it will be, Lei Dance Theater insists to create unique and quality dance production every year, especially integrating traditional and modern choreographing skills in the style of Hakka and Taiwanese dance. They are here on a voluntary basis to perform for charity, from Taiwan, as a cultural education and philantrophy to the U.S.