Record number of performers shine at Liverpool Confucius Institute gala
by Educate Magazine February 26, 2025 · Uncategorized
On Sunday, January 26th, the Liverpool Confucius Institute (LCI) hosted its annual Chinese New Year Gala in The Tung Auditorium to celebrate the Year of the Snake.
This year’s gala centred around the theme of cultural collaboration and brought together local groups and students who showcased Chinese culture and their own creativity.
A pre-show VIP reception was filled with the sound of the Rainhill Community Choir, the LCI Children’s Choir and the visual feat of hip-hop dance.
Liverpool is home to one of the oldest Chinese communities in Europe and the gala aimed to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
The gala officially started with a lion dance from the Jinlong Cultural and Performing Arts, who also left the audience spellbound with a delicate umbrella dance, martial arts and graceful Chinese ballet, before closing the evening with a dragon dance. The gala’s hosts Billy Hui (BBC Radio) and Yuqiao Cai, commented on the importance of the work organisations such as Jinlong undertake, as they preserve cultural heritage and pass it on to the next generation.
Audiences were also treated to performances by Liverpool Hope University and University of Liverpool music students, Cardinal Heenan High School and Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra, along with other organisations.
Representatives from the People’s Republic of China Manchester, Consul General Tang Rui, the Lord Mayor, Richard Kemp CBE and Professor Richard Black, Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Liverpool were among the event’s special guests.
Dr Penny Ding, the UK deputy director of the Liverpool Confucius Institute said: “It was a privilege to organise such a diverse and joyful gala. This year we welcomed a record 150 performers, ranging from six-year-olds in the Liverpool Confucius Institute children’s group to a 76-year-old singer in the Rainhill Community Choir.
“This event is about more than just a performance – it’s about bringing people together. From primary schools to universities, community groups to professional performers from China, this stage belongs to everyone.
“I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in the gala and wish you all a very happy and prosperous Year of the Snake.”
