"Asia Pop" one-credit mini course at Pitt, Fall 2019.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will offer a 1-credit mini course titled "Asia Pop" in Fall 2019.

This mini 1 credit pop-up course explores the spread of Asian popular music across the world in conjunction with the Asian Studies Center lecture series on Asian pop culture. This year's theme is East Asian pop: J-pop (Japan), K-pop (Korea), and Canto/Mando Pop (Hong Kong and China). In this course, students will track the lecture series and discuss issues that include the global legacy of East Asian pop, the role of media and technology, popular music as an instrument of soft power, participatory fandom and international business. This course may also include some experiential learning opportunities such as a dance workshop and field trip. Students will be required to write a reflection paper at the end of the term.

Japanese garage rock band Guitar Wolf in Pittsburgh, May 22.

Japanese garage rock band Guitar Wolf will play in Pittsburgh on May 22. The show starts at 7:00 pm at Crafthouse Stage & Grill in the South Hills (map). Tickets are available online.

Balinese Offerings Workshop, April 7 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and Department of Music will present a Balinese Offerings Workshop on Sunday, April 7.

Learn how to make beautiful palm and floral offerings in the traditional Balinese style with expert artisan Ida Ayu Kumalayoni.
A brief lecture on offerings in Bali will be followed by a hands-on workshop.

Event is free and open to the public!

It will run from 2:00 to 3:30 pm in 837 William Pitt Union (map).

Erie Asian Festival 2019, May 4.

The Erie Asian Pacific American Association is presenting its annual Asian Festival on May 4.

2019 Hong Kong film P Storm (P風暴) in Pittsburgh, from April 5.

The 2019 Hong Kong flim P Storm (P風暴) will play in Pittsburgh from April 5. The Singaporean distributor provides a synopsis of this forth film in the "Storm" series:

Liu Yue Ping (Chrissie Chau) reports to the ICAC about a rich 2G Cao Yuen Yuen (Raymond Lam) who bribed officers of the Hong Kong Correctional Services (HKCS) from inside the prison. William Luk (Louis Koo) decides to infiltrate the prison as an inmate to conduct his investigation, while his partner Ching Tak Ming (Kevin Cheng) and Chief Inspector Lau Po Keung (Julian Cheung) back him up from the outside. Danger springs from all directions inside the prison. A fellow inmate, ex-Superintendent of Police Wong Man Ban is anxious to even the score with William Luk for putting him behind bars 5 years ago. The Superintendent of the prison, Sham Kwok Keung (Patrick Tam) is on the take from Cao Yuen Yuen and turns a blind eye to the constant gang fights, one of which landed William Luk in a custodian ward. With the help of a slick cell mate Wong Lam Luk (Louis Cheung), William Luk is determined to complete his mission…

The movie is playing at the AMC Loews Waterfront, and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

K-pop Dance Class at Yanlai Dance Academy this summer.

Lucy Chen will once again offer K-Pop Dance Classes at Yanlai Dance Academy this summer.

K-pop has been sweeping through the popular mainstream culture. Come learn the choruses to your favorite songs at this dance class! For all levels! Taught by Lucy Chen.

Feel free to request songs that you want to learn the dances to by commenting below or emailing lulujchen@gmail.com. We cannot guarantee your song will be taught but a schedule will be posted later with more details!

The classes will run Saturdays from May 11 through July 13 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. Yanlai Dance Academy is located at 2260 Babcock Blvd. in the North Hills (map).

"Learn to Play the Pipa (Chinese Lute) – 3 Class Series for Children," at Carnegie Library in May.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's main branch in Oakland will host pipa soloist Yang Jin for a series of free pipa lessons in May.

Renowned pipa performer Yang Jin will teach a series of 3 free pipa (Chinese lute) classes for children beginning May 2. Pipa instruments will be provided during class.

The classes, held Thursdays 6:30 – 7:30 PM, take place:

May 2 Children Lesson 1

May 9 Children Lesson 2

May 16 Children Lesson 3

Pittsburgh Sakura Project 10th anniversary hanami, April 7 at North Park.

The Pittsburgh Sakura Project is celebrating its 10th anniversary this spring at its annual cherry blossom festival in North Park.

Pittsburgh Sakura Project will celebrate 10 years of planting cherry trees on Sunday April 7, 2019 from 1 to 3 PM at the Rose Barn. RSVP is requested to sakurapghboard@gmail.com.

When: Sunday April 7, 2019 from 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Where: Rose Barn, North Park, Pearce Mill Rd at Tennis Ct Rd, Allison Park, PA 15101
Fee: free
Events: 10th anniversary tree planting, snacks & drinks, traditional Japanese music performance, door prize.

RSVP is requested to sakurapghboard at gmail.com.

"Whose Narrative? Re-Examining War Memorials In East Asia And The U.S," April 4 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Center for International Studies will host "Whose Narrative? Re-Examining War Memorials In East Asia And The U.S" on April 4.

Chinese documentary Four Springs (四个春天) and Q&A with filmmaker, April 6 at Carnegie Mellon University.

The 2017 Chinese documentary Four Springs (四个春天) will play at Carnegie Mellon University on April 6, part of the CMU International Film Festival.

After the popularity of his online diary, “My Father,” filmmaker Lu Qingyi decided to turn a camera on his parents’ everyday life in the remote town in Guizhou. Over four springs, we see the flow of life: chores, singing, hikes, celebrations, funerals, reunions, and separation. After a family tragedy forces Qingyi from the role of participant to observer, he becomes more deeply moved by the open-minded, pristine life philosophy his parents reveal through their everyday interactions with people and nature. Through the tool of cinema, Lu crafts a profound visual diary of family in southwest China that will have the viewer calling their family to say “I love you” as soon as the screen goes dark.

The movie plays at 7:30 pm in the McConomy Auditorium and is accompanied by a Q&A session with the filmmaker. Tickets are available online.