Japanese-language yoga class in Shadyside, Saturdays from November 3.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Shadyside (map) will host Japanese-language yoga sessions on Saturdays, from November 3. The cost is $10 per session, and though reservations are not required they are recommended as space is limited.

Pitt hiring Assistant Instructor of Korean for Fall 2019 start.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor of Korean for a Fall 2019 start.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh (http://www.deall.pitt.edu) invites applications for an Assistant Instructor position in Korea studies, pending budgetary approval, beginning September 1, 2019. The position is non-tenure stream with the possibility of renewal for a multi-year contract. The successful candidate is expected to contribute significantly to the Korean language program and teach language courses on all levels. The successful candidate should hold an MA in teaching Korean as a foreign language or in an allied field, possess native or near-native competence in all skill areas of Korean and English, and have at least one year of teaching experience at a North American institution of higher education.

The new hire should be prepared to teach classes for both undergraduate and graduate students. Instruction to graduate students may involve PhD and MA students whose focus may be on literature, history, art history, religion, anthropology, etc. Preference will be given to candidates who possess linguistic knowledge of the Korean language, and who demonstrate familiarity with theories in second language acquisition and current practices in Korean pedagogy in North American higher education settings. Any expertise in non-language areas such as film, popular culture, literature, etc. will be a plus. Duties include teaching both recitations and lectures of language courses as well as working closely with the language coordinator to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the Korean language program. The appointee should expect to collaborate with Asianists in other units (e. g., the Asian Studies Center) to promote Korea studies.

The application deadline is November 9; additional application details and requirements are available on the job posting.

Pitt hiring Assistant Instructor of Chinese for Fall 2019 start.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor of Chinese for a Fall 2019 start.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh (http://www.deall.pitt.edu) invites applications for an Assistant Instructor position in Chinese, pending budgetary approval, beginning September 1st, 2019. The position is non-tenure-stream with the possibility of renewal. The successful candidate is expected to contribute significantly to the Chinese language program and teach language courses on all levels. The successful candidate should hold an MA in Chinese as a foreign language or in an allied field, possess native or near-native competence in Chinese and English, and have at least two years of Chinese language teaching experience at a North American institution of higher education.

Preference will be given to candidates who possess linguistic knowledge of the Chinese language and who demonstrate familiarity with current practices in Chinese pedagogy in North American higher education settings. Duties include teaching both recitations and lectures of language courses, as well as working closely with the language coordinator to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the Chinese language program. The appointee should also expect to collaborate with Asianists in other units (e. g., the Asian Studies Center) to promote Chinese language learning and China studies.

The application deadline is November 9; additional application details and requirements are available on the job posting.

US premiere of Yabin Wang Dance's "Moon Opera," November 3 at Byham Theater.

Photo by Wang Ning, via Yabin Wang's Behance page.

Yabin Wang's "Moon Opera" will make its US premiere in Pittsburgh on November 3, as part of the city's International Festival of Firsts:

Yabin Wang is China’s superstar. One of the most promising and pioneering choreographers in contemporary dance in China, her work was commissioned by English National Ballet and was performed by the company at Sadler’s Wells for their prestigious She Said series. Westerns know her best for her incredible dance in the film House of Flying Daggers.

In her newest work, Moon Opera, she has collaborated with a multi-disciplinary team of award-winning designers and composers to unveil a dramatic modern-day story of an artist. Through the lens of Chinese culture, contemporary dance tells the story of a Peking Opera performer struggling between her dreams of artistic stardom and the harsh realities of maintaining her traditional role as a woman in society.

The Byham Theater is located at 101 6th Street in downtown's Cultural District (map).

"Cherry Blossoms, Traditions, Symbols, and Stories" at Pitt, October 30.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Ann McClellan and her talk "Cherry Blossoms, Traditions, Symbols, and Stories" on October 30.

Author Ann McClellan will explore the images and tales associated with the ethereal Japanese cherry blossoms. People have celebrated the blooming of these trees for more than 1000 years, and today they serve as instruments of diplomacy, as landscape enhancements, and as eternal signs of spring and romance.

Ann McClellan is the author of two definitive books about the Japanese cherry blossoms including the official book of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

The talk runs from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in 540 Cathedral of Learning (map) and is free and open to the public.

University of Pittsburgh hiring Chinese-speaking student to be Program Coordinator for Shougang Executive Education program visit.

The University of Pittsburgh is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English student to be the Program Coordinator for the Shougang Executive Education program through the Katz Graduate School of Business.

The candidate will work closely with the Director of Operations to provide logistical support for the Shougang Executive Education program. The candidate will attend all academic sessions, all site visits and all meetings with the Shougang and WholeRen team. Where necessary, the candidate will provide verbal and written translation services.

Fluent in Mandarin and English (spoken and written). Experience in business. Must be able to attend all academic sessions and site visits. Must be able to work independently.

Crazy Rich Asians free at Pitt, November 2.

The Pitt Program Council and the Chinese American Student Association will present a free screening of Crazy Rich Asians on November 2.

Join Pitt Program Council and Chinese American Students Association in the WPU Assembly Room at 10:00 P.M. on Friday, November 2nd for a FREE screening of Crazy Rich Asians! We will be providing Asian-influenced snacks, and there’ll be a photo booth. Doors open at 9:15.

The event is free and open to Pitt undergraduates with a valid student ID.

"Somebody is Watching"—lecture on Koshikijima no Toshidon (甑島のトシドン)—at Pitt, November 5.

via satsumasendai.gr.jp

Pitt will host Dr. Michael Foster of UC-Davis and his talk on "Koshikijima no Toshidon (甑島のトシドン)" on November 5.

"Koshikijima no Toshidon" is a New Year's Eve ritual performed annually on the island of Shimo-Koshikijima off the southwest coast of Kagoshima Prefecture. During the event, men masked and costumed as frightening demon-deities enter individual households to "discipline" and "educate" young children. In 2009 the ritual was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This talk will introduce Toshidon with a focus on the way a structure of surveillance, of "seeing and being seen," informs the performance of the ritual and to a certain extent the everyday lives of the islanders. An understanding of the dynamic of this "optic imaginary" provides insight into broader questions of community, tourism, UNESCO, and the production of heritage in Japan and elsewhere.

The talk runs from noon to 1:30 pm in 602 Cathedral of Learning (map).

1934 Chinese silent film The Goddess (神女) at Pitt, November 15.

The University of Pittsburgh's Film and Media Studies Program will present the 1934 Chinese silent film The Goddess (神女) on November 15.

The November Pittsburgh Film and Media Colloquium will feature a screening of the Chinese silent film The Goddess (directed by Wu Yonggang, 1934). Released by the Lianhua Film Company (United Photoplay), the film stars Ruan Lingyu in one of her final roles. This will be a special presentation featuring pipa artist and composer Min Xiao-Fen and guitarist Rez Abbasi, two New York-based artists who have created a score to accompany the screening of the film. The film will be introduced by Kun Qian, Associate Professor of Chinese Literature and Film.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm in the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium (map).

"Storytime: Chinese and English" at Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill, October 27.

The Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host its next "Storytime: Chinese and English" on October 27.

Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in Chinese and English. For children birth-5 years and their caregivers.

It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am and is free and open to the public. The Carnegie Library branch in Squirrel Hill is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, and 74.