Thai community members filled the Asian Art Museum’s Samsung Hall on Sunday to celebrate the Thai New Year with traditional music and dancing.  Songkran, commonly referred to as Thai New Year, refers to the sun’s annual passing into the Aries constellation, the first of the Zodiac, marking the start of the new year. The holiday is celebrated with traditions of uniting with families, paying respects to elders, ancestors and Buddha, musical festivities and more activities. For example, pouring water is a significant act that symbolizes cleansing, reverence and good fortune for the new year. People of all ages filled the museum hall, playing instruments and performing traditional dance and song to an overflowing community of audience members. Children as young as nine years old were on stage contributing to the music. The first of several performances was a traditional Thai dance known as the blessing dance. Young women swayed with slow, repetitive movements with the intention to show ...