Youth Spring Festival gala brings cultural dialogue to New Jersey
On Feb 14, at American Dream entertainment and shopping complex in New Jersey, the stage glowed not only with lights, but with languages, costumes and rhythms from across cultures, brought together by the next generation of young performers from diverse backgrounds across America's East Coast.
Centered on the Spring Festival following its successful inscription as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, nearly 300 young performers gathered for the 2026 American Youth Spring Festival Gala, reimagining this centuries-old celebration through the lens of a new generation.
The event was co-hosted by J.I.A. International Group Inc. and American Dancer Association Inc. It was more than a holiday event; it unfolded as a vibrant dialogue among youth, illustrating how tradition travels, transforms and connects across cultures.
Eastern and Western art forms shared the spotlight on stage. For many non-Chinese youth performers, the gala provided an opportunity to engage with the Spring Festival not as an abstract cultural concept, but as a lived artistic experience. Through performances and bilingual hosting, the evening conveyed a simple yet powerful message: culture, when shared, becomes a common language.
A promotional segment from China Media Group's Spring Festival Gala was screened during the program, introducing American audiences to the philosophical ideas of "harmony" and "reunion" embedded in the festival. The segment offered an engaging introduction to the deeper cultural meaning behind the Spring Festival.
David Cui, chief planner and artistic director of the gala, described the event as both cultural preservation and cultural outreach.
"The Spring Festival is not only the most representative traditional festival of the Chinese nation, but also the most important spiritual bond for Chinese communities overseas," he said.
Hosting the youth gala at a multicultural landmark like the American Dream entertainment and shopping complex, he explained, was intended to create a platform where Chinese American and multicultural youth could showcase their talents, connect with the world, and help audiences from diverse backgrounds better understand China through shared cultural experiences.
Executive director of the Gala, Chen Wang, together with three youth hosts from diverse cultural backgrounds, co-hosted the event in both Chinese and English. With poise, fluency, and confidence, they guided the audience through the evening, exemplifying the openness, inclusiveness, and global outlook of the new generation.
