Arts in Context

Austin organization breathes new life into ancient art of dragon dancing

Summitt Lion Dance Team performs at celebrations across Austin.

KLRU/Arts in Context

Editor's note: CultureMap is proud to present the latest installment in our partnership with KLRU's documentary series Arts In Context. The series explores the process of creation and what it's like to be a working artist in the Austin area. You can watch more stories at klru.org/artsincontext.

If you've attended a Chinese New Year celebration, perhaps you've seen the dancing dragon, gracefully snaking its way through the crowd. Here in Austin, the performers are likely members of the Summitt Lion Dance Team, a nonprofit organization that teaches the ancient art — and cultural importance — of lion and dragon dancing.

The tradition dates back thousands of years and is often used for big celebrations to ward off evil and welcome good luck into a business, home, relationship, or for the year ahead.

"Southern lion dancing, which is what we do, [is] more incorporated with martial arts schools," explains instructor Linda Cao of the sometimes gravity-defying moves. "That's why you see a lot of martial arts moves in the lion dancing."

Though the dance team originally began as an extension of Summitt Elementary School's dual-language program, it has grown rapidly since its founding. Today, it consists of a youth team, ranging from kindergarten to college, as well as an adult team.

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS is dedicated to telling stories that entertain, inspire, and change our lives. KLRU highlights what makes Austin unique — whether music, arts, or public issues — by creating and distributing award-winning original content. KLRU produces several series, including Austin City Limits, Arts In Context, Central Texas Gardener, Decibel, and Overheard with Evan Smith. As a nonprofit educational organization, KLRU also prepares children to succeed in school and creates lifelong learning opportunities for all.

New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Elisabet Ney Museum Austin

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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