Gala Night 2018: One Stage, One World

The Tsinghua International Students & Scholars’ Gala Night 2018 took place on Friday night, December 15th, to much anticipation from the international community. Hundreds of students and professors gathered to be amazed by gravity-defying martial arts, awe-inspiring dance moves, and enchanting songs.

The evening started with an opening remark delivered by Vice President Shi Yigong. He congratulated international students and scholars on their accomplishments at Tsinghua University.

24 Acts Wow the Audience

International students at Tsinghua from over 40 countries performed in 24 acts ranging from songs and dances to dramatic performances.

The program offered a little bit of everything. The energetic instrumental performance on Korean drums warmed up the crowd.

For the first act, Latin Dance turned the temperature way up as they danced in pairs to “Despacito,” the hottest international song of the summer.

Voices to Rival the Stars

On the edge of their seats, the night saw many beautiful songs performed by students and teachers. Hit songs from musicals, hip-hop artists, Chinese-Korean and Chinese-English ballads, and even beatboxing, had members of the audience cheering and singing along to the music.

Solo acts by students such as Dylan perfectly complemented the group performances by the Schwarzman Scholars, ZZAPPY, and You Say Wah Say.

Traditional-Meets-Modern

The night saw students deftly performing a fusion of modern and traditional dances and songs including a song by the Beijing Opera Students Association, traditional and modern Indian dances complete with beautiful costumes by students Reshimita and Chitra Shukla, and a lively African dance by the African Students Association.

The audience cheered and swayed to the music as dance acts ranging from K-Pop to jazz, street dance, and ballroom lit up the floor.

The Martial Arts mixed traditional movements with exciting music, jaw-dropping flips and kicks, and a glow-in-the-dark sequence showcasing their combined talents of speed and precision.

Students and Staff Who Go Above and Beyond

But the arts weren’t the only talents recognized last night. The annual Leadership Scholarship for International Students was awarded to the students who have demonstrated a passion for advancing the impact and image of the University. Service members who have positively contributed to the daily life of international students were also recognized with the 2017 Campus Services’ Person of the Year award.

The event was co-organized by the International Students and Scholar Center and the Tsinghua University Students’ Association of International Cultural Exchange.

Despite the cold, the international community at Tsinghua left Gala Night 2018 amazed and energized by the skilled performances.

The performers' talents proved that Tsinghua University and its International Students and Scholars truly embody the practice of the old and the new living harmoniously in One School, One Family.

(By Sarah Talaat)

(Photo by Li Chenxi, Zhang Bo,Du Lishan, and Wang Delong)