(Minghui.org) Hosted by New Tang Dynasty (NTD) Television, the 8th International Classical Chinese Dance Competition concluded its finals at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York on September 21. 90 professional dancers from over ten countries and regions participated and 37 finalists stood out after the screenings in the North American Division and the Asia Pacific Division.

This competition is the only international platform that aims to restore and share authentic Classical Chinese Dance. As one of the most rigorous and expressive art forms in the world, Classical Chinese Dance has thousands of years of history and is known for its set of challenging techniques as well as deep inner meaning.

Award ceremony on September 21, 2018 after the finals.

Highlights from Gold-Award Winners' Performances

“Enjoying the Spring” by Michelle Lian, principal dancer of the New-York based Shen Yun Performing Arts. She was one of the gold-award winners of the adult female division.

“Grassy Riverbank in the South of the River” by Jane Chen, gold-award winner of the adult female division.

“Drinking and Pondering under the Moonlight” by Monty Mou, principal dancer of Shen Yun Performing Arts. He was one of the gold-award winners of the adult male division.

“Young Fellow at a Restaurant” by Roy Chen, gold-award winner of the adult male division.

“The Loyal Yue Fei” by Chad Chen, principal dancer of Shen Yun Performing Arts. He also won the gold award of the adult male division.

“Rain in the South of the River” by Meilian Yang from Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. She was one of the gold-award winners of the junior female division.

“Spring in the Courtyard” by Zhongtian Zhang from Japan. She also won the gold award of the junior female division.

“Spring Awakening” by another gold-award winner of the junior female division, Yue Huang from Fei Tian Academy of the Arts.

“Loyalty for Ages” by Xinlong Liu from Fei Tian Academy of the Arts. He was one of the gold-award winners of the junior male division.

“Battle of Gaixia” by another gold-award winner of the junior male division, Shaohao Hong from Fei Tian Academy of the Arts.

Feedback from Judges and Participants

“The whole team is very pure, very positive. It’s outstanding,” said Vina Lee, one of the judges of the competition this year.

“Even at such young ages they are able to control their emotions, strive in their careers, and have self-discipline, while at the same time not be overly competitive,” Ms. Lee said.

“The overall skills of the participants improve every year. For the dancers this year, there are actually not big differences among them. So that's a big challenge for us judges,” said Yungchia Chen, another judge of the competition.

Many dancers who grew up in the West felt that through Classical Chinese Dance, they were able to obtain a deeper understanding of the culture.

“I have always been in a very western society, so learning Classical Chinese Dance helped me understand my heritage and my culture better,” said Meilian Yang, a Canadian participant from Fei Tian Academy of the Arts who won the gold award in the junior female division.

“Before learning to dance, the teacher would say that if you want to learn to dance, you must learn to be a good person first. So moral quality and character are very important for dancing. If there is no morality, the performance is not good. So if you want to dance, you must first cultivate your heart and uplift your morality,” said Roy Chen, a gold-award winner in the adult male division.

“The real Classical Chinese Dance has not been recognized by many people,” he said. “I think the Classical Chinese Dance [competition] hosted by NTD will let more people understand what the essence of Chinese culture is.”

List of Winners

Junior Female Division:Gold Award: Zhongtian Zhang, Meilian Yang, and Yue HuangSilver Award: Yu Zheng, and Yuting HuangBronze Award: Tianqing Si, Bella Fan, Hanyue Yu, and Anqi Lin

Junior Male Division:Gold Award: Shaohao Hong, and Xinlong LiuSilver Award: Tony Zhao, and Shawn RenBronze Award: Jingyuan Yin, and Dawei XiaoHonorable Mention Award: Shanhui Xu, and Peter Zhou

Adult Female Division:Gold Award: Michelle Lian, Jane ChenSilver Award: Shindy Cai, Lin Jie Huang, and Karina FuBronze Award: Kaidi Wu, Ellie Rao, and Emily PanHonorable Mention Award: Olivia Chang, Jenni Song

Adult Male Division:Gold Award: Monty Mou, Roy Chen, and Chad ChenSilver Award: Benjamin Lee, Victor Li, Ruri Zhang, and Danny LiBronze Award: Aaron Huynn, Baiyuan Wang, and Felix SunHonorable Mention Award: Tim Lin