Chinese Arts Week brings China closer to New York audiences

Whether traditional or contemporary, art and culture have long served as a bridge between the Chinese and American people.

This week, New Yorkers have the opportunity to experience that connection firsthand.

Following the memory of its Shanghai Day event during the 2025 Summer for the City festival, the Lincoln Center has expanded its celebration this year with Chinese Arts Week, with events being held July 22 to 26. The weeklong program brings together the rich heritage of Chinese culture with the creativity and dynamism of contemporary China.

The lineup spans music, dance, film and cultural exchange. The week kicked off with vibrant yingge and lion dance performances, followed by a high-energy fusion of Chinese kung fu hip-hop dance.

Shen Wei Dance Arts also celebrates the 30th anniversary of its Lincoln Center debut with a special joint performance alongside the influential Guangdong Modern Dance Company.

Contemporary Chinese music is also in the spotlight, with performances by Hanggai, an eight-member Inner Mongolian folk ensemble, and Taiga, a Chinese electronic music duo.

The festival also features About Face: Disrupting Ballet, a feature-length documentary following former New York City Ballet soloist Georgina Pazcoguin, and author, producer and choreographer Phil Chan as they challenge long-standing Asian stereotypes in ballet through their Final Bow for Yellowface movement. The screening is co-hosted by the China Institute as part of the organization's centennial celebration.

"Together, these performances offer different windows into China: its traditions, its modern energy, and the creativity of its people. Through music, dance and shared experiences, we hope American friends will discover a China that is authentic, various and full of life," said Ma Xiaoxiao, deputy consul general of China in New York.

He said that in recent years, exchanges between China and the United States have been increasingly mutual, with many institutions and individuals traveling to China for cultural and educational exchanges.

"The best way to understand a country is to see it, hear it and experience it for yourself. From the snowy north to the lush south, from the western deserts to the eastern coast, China is a land of remarkable beauty and variety," he said. "Beyond its landscapes, most importantly, the Chinese people, like the American people, are warm, kind and welcoming. We sincerely invite all of you to visit China. To meet its people, experience its culture, and discover for yourselves a country where ancient traditions and high-tech life come together."

Jessica Sgambelluri of the José Limón Dance Foundation recently returned from a trip to China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. She told China Daily that watching traditional Chinese dance in New York after her visit to China made her realize how meaningful and informative cultural exchanges can be.

"Once we welcome each other's traditions, there's a very organic sense of poetry, intelligence and thoughtfulness in the choreography. There's a deep understanding of nuance," she said.

Deepa Liegel, who also traveled to China with the foundation on her first visit to the country, said the experience revealed unexpected cultural connections.

"The two cultures are oceans apart but still have some sort of similar ground," she said.

China continues to welcome international travelers. The country recorded more than 150 million inbound visits in 2025, a year-on-year increase of more than 17 percent. Among them, visa-free entries by foreign nationals surpassed 30 million, reflecting the continued expansion of China's visa-free policies.

Content creator Andrew Cap, who plans to return to China in September, said people-to-people exchanges have had a lasting impact on his life.

"We need more people traveling from China to America, and more Americans traveling to China. We need more exchange programs. I first went to China when I was 19, and it changed my life. Now, 11 years later, I'm going back again. I always tell young people who want to see the world: just go," he said.

mingmeili@chinadailyusa.com