印第安纳阳光舞蹈队简介

阳光舞蹈队成立于2004年，是印第安纳波利斯华人社区最早成立的舞蹈团体之一，多年来始终是ICCCI（印城华夏文化中心）各类演出的中坚力量。从大型游行到春节晚会，从主流赛事到社区庆典，几乎每一个重要舞台上都有阳光舞蹈队的身影。舞蹈队以传承和推广中华舞蹈艺术、服务华人社区为宗旨，为一代代在美国成长的华裔孩子搭建起学习舞蹈、亲近文化根脉的平台。

2004年，ICCCI第一次组队参加印第安纳波利斯久负盛名的Indy 500大游行，阳光舞蹈队便是其中的一员，自此与这一盛事结下不解之缘。2006年至2008年间，舞蹈队又积极投身于为2008年北京奥运会提升中华形象的系列文化活动，以充满民族特色的舞蹈，向美国主流社会展示中华文化的魅力。在日常排练中，指导老师因地制宜，将中国民族民间舞与芭蕾、现代舞的科学训练相结合，既保护了发育期青少年的身体，又让孩子们在增强体魄、舒缓压力的同时，加深了对自身文化根源的认同与族裔自豪感。

作为ICCCI演出的中坚力量，阳光舞蹈队平均每年完成10场以上的各类演出，足迹覆盖印第安纳州及周边地区。舞蹈队累计参加17次Indy 500大游行，4次受邀在NBA印第安纳步行者队（Indiana Pacers）比赛中场登台；曾5次赴芝加哥参加华人春节游行、4次受邀参与芝加哥麦当劳感恩节大游行；并常态化参与7次Carmel独立日游行、Carmel国际艺术节及Westfield国际文化节等周边城市的节庆演出。作为ICCCI的核心队伍，舞蹈队更是从未缺席本地最大的华人盛事，累计参与14次ICCCI春节联欢晚会，编排的《桃花美》等节目已成为节日中的经典保留项目。此外，舞蹈队还坚持定期前往本地老人院公益义演，在关怀长者的同时，培养年轻一代的社会责任感。

自2004年成立以来，印第安纳阳光舞蹈队已走过二十余年的发展历程。她们不仅是ICCCI舞台上当之无愧的中坚力量，也成为本地华人社区和多元文化交流的一张亮丽名片。未来，阳光舞蹈队将继续秉持服务社区的宗旨，用舞蹈这一艺术形式，为印第安纳的多元文化生态持续贡献力量。

Sunshine Dance Team

Founded in 2004, the Sunshine Dance Team is one of the earliest dance groups established in the Indianapolis Chinese community, and over the years it has remained a backbone of ICCCI (Indianapolis Chinese Community Center, Inc.) performances. From large parades to Lunar New Year galas, from mainstream sporting events to community celebrations, the Sunshine Dance Team has been a presence on nearly every major stage. Dedicated to preserving and promoting the art of Chinese dance and to serving the Chinese community, the team has built a platform where generation after generation of Chinese American children can learn dance and stay connected to their cultural roots.

In 2004, when ICCCI took part in the renowned Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade for the first time, the Sunshine Dance Team was among its members, beginning a lasting bond with this celebrated event. From 2006 to 2008, the team actively joined a series of cultural activities promoting China’s image ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, showcasing the beauty of Chinese culture to mainstream American audiences through dance rich in ethnic character. In day-to-day rehearsals, the instructors adapt their choreography to local conditions, blending Chinese folk dance with the scientific training of ballet and modern dance. This approach protects the bodies of growing young dancers while helping the children build physical strength, relieve stress, and deepen their sense of cultural identity and ethnic pride.

As a backbone of ICCCI’s performances, the Sunshine Dance Team completes an average of more than ten performances each year, with a presence across Indiana and neighboring regions. The team has taken part in the Indy 500 Festival Parade 17 times and has been invited to perform during halftime at NBA Indiana Pacers games on 4 occasions. It has traveled to Chicago 5 times for the Chinese New Year Parade and been invited 4 times to the Chicago McDonald’s Thanksgiving Parade, and it regularly appears at celebrations in surrounding cities, including the Carmel Independence Day Parade 7 times, the Carmel International Arts Festival, and the Westfield International Festival. As a core group within ICCCI, the team has never missed the community’s largest Chinese cultural event, performing at the ICCCI Chinese New Year Gala 14 times; signature numbers such as “Peach Blossom Beauty” have become cherished staples of local festivities. The team also makes regular charitable visits to local senior homes, comforting elders while cultivating a sense of social responsibility in its younger members.

Since its founding in 2004, the Sunshine Dance Team has grown over more than two decades. It is not only a true backbone of the ICCCI stage but also a bright calling card for the local Chinese community and for cross-cultural exchange. Looking ahead, the Sunshine Dance Team will continue its mission of serving the community, contributing to the rich multicultural life of Indiana through the art of dance.