To celebrate the Lantern Festival, on February 8, the New York branch of the “World Chinese Business Association” invited teachers and students from the Northern Arts Academy to perform a diverse and high-level dance show at the Overseas Chinese Cultural and Educational Service Center in New York. The audience exceeded a hundred people, with a full house and enthusiastic applause filling the venue.
Led by Professor Cui Rongrong from the Northern Arts Academy, the performance was presented free of charge to the community, adding a festive atmosphere and showcasing Chinese culture for the Lunar New Year. Professor Cui Rongrong, who has been in the United States for 50 years, is a renowned dancer. Many older generation Taiwanese still vividly remember her name. In the 1960s and 1970s, she choreographed and danced for Taiwan’s most popular variety show, “Star Gala,” which nurtured a group of singers including Teresa Teng.
In the 1970s, she received a scholarship from American dance master Martha Graham to study modern dance in the United States. She later taught dance at the Graham School and Northern Arts Academy.
The cultural performance began with a festive song and dance “Congratulations” performed by versatile community member Wang Baojun, setting a lively tone for the show. Followed by a song by community member Yang Ailun, dancer Cui Rongrong’s graceful performance showcased her talent as in her younger days.
The teachers and students of the Northern Arts Academy presented a rich and diverse dance performance. The female performers displayed elegance while the male performers exuded strength and power. Their movements were graceful and expressive, conveying the depth of the dance’s meaning and emotions.
“Every minute on stage represents ten years of hard work off stage,” said choreographer Liu Mingye, who studied martial arts in primary school before switching to dance and dedicating decades to the craft. The program had been in preparation since last summer.
For example, the performance of “Missing Taiwan” carried a touch of Taiwanese nostalgia, while “Lantern Festival” showcased the festive atmosphere and colorful lanterns of the February celebration. “Heroism” highlighted the bold and righteous spirit of ancient Chinese heroes. Other performances like “Memories of Jiangnan” (live accompaniment on the pipa), “Tang Palace Dance” (with music from “Rui Jue Gu” and “Twelve Hours of Chang’an”), and Peking opera performances all displayed rich colors of traditional Chinese culture.
The Chinese dance “Brotherly Love” used body language, music, and narration to interpret the historical allusion in the poem “Seven Steps” by the Eastern Han Dynasty poet Cao Zhi, captivating the audience with vivid emotions.
The venue was packed with no empty seats, as the audience filled the Overseas Chinese Educational Center. Many stood to watch as there were not enough seats available. They took out their phones to capture photos and videos, showing appreciation for the performers with warm applause.
Yang Ailun presented a commendation from State Assemblyman Ron Kim to the organizers on behalf of the state legislature.
Notable attendees at the performance included Xu Zhuliu, founding president of the New York Chinese Women’s Chamber of Commerce; Zheng Xiangyuan, former chief engineer of the New York City Planning Department; Zheng Qigong, former president of the New York Chinese Writers Association; and veteran film and television actor Lu Yu.
Xu Zhuliu expressed his delight in seeing so many young talents deliver an outstanding performance, bringing high-quality art appreciation and joy to the community for the New Year. He hopes to see such wonderful performances every year.
Lu Yu, who has appeared in over thirty films in Hong Kong and earned a bilingual master’s degree in the United States, emphasized the emphasis Taiwan places on traditional culture and art. He praised the continuation of traditional culture by Taiwanese and mainland Chinese people overseas, expressing his deep emotion upon seeing the successful performances by the young talents.
Mr. He, who had worked in the cultural industry in mainland China, remarked that the artistic performance embodied the enduring essence of Chinese culture. He expressed how rare and valuable it was to witness such a high-level performance for free in the community. He marveled at how Chinese culture naturally thrives overseas without constraints, enabling the promotion and magnification of traditional culture, revealing another aspect of China abroad.