Never stop dancing to the song of life

“Through dancing, I feel the true freedom in expressing myself and communicating with the outside world. I can be bold in Mongol dances and jocund in Tibetan dances,” says Lee Shu Hong, a Malaysian undergraduate who graduated from the School of Life Sciences last year, who led the Tsinghua Dance Troupe. 

Having participated in a performance group in Malaysia, Shu Hong tried different types of dances before gradually developing an interest in Chinese classic dance, which led to him joining the Tsinghua Dance Troupe in 2017. Years later, he has learned about Chinese culture through dance and observed the love and dedication of his teammates and alumni, forming a strong sense of belonging.

“Joining such a team is the best choice I have made at Tsinghua,” Shu Hong concludes.

“In life, I need a medium for all my emotions, whether it was joy, depression or frustration, and there is nothing more expressive for me than ballroom dancing,” says Tang Yiting, a Class of 2021 undergraduate from Tsinghua School of Economics and Management, who serves as a senior member in the Tsinghua Ballroom Dance Team.

After graduation, Yiting has continued her study at Tsinghua’s Shenzhen International Graduate School (SIGS) in pursuit of a master's degree in finance. Meanwhile, she hopes to continue dancing, to inspire others, and to understand and cherish the charm of this magical art form.

“Our street dance is a reflection upon the stress young people are facing every day, encouraging them to express feelings in positive ways instead of burying them deep inside their minds,” said Yu Qiling (Serbia), an undergraduate leading the Tsinghua Street Dance Club.

Starting to dance hip-pop in high school, Qiling has now become an experienced dancer after continuously practicing in routine training and festival performances at Tsinghua. In the summer of 2020, he directed and filmed a performance called the musk with his teammates. Combining street dance with modern dance elements, the production told the story of someone hiding behind a musk who tried to take it off and find his true ego.

“Street dance culture is something full of confidence, supporting uniqueness.” For Yu, dancing is like acting, which requires rich emotional expressions by the dancer. He believes that the characteristics of street dance, which is known for expression and innovation, fit well with the spirit of Tsinghua University.

“I’m my favorite version of myself when I performed the African dance,” said Chomba Lufundisha (Zambia), who has heated up the Gala Night by dancing with his partners. His dancing left a deep impression on everyone. His passion and love for dancing is the secret to his brilliant performance at Gala Night. “Always make yourself free to explore and when you find something you love doing, don’t stop!” says Chomba.

Chomba is now an undergraduate student at the School of Civil Engineering. As Chomba said, his whole family is interested in music and their best way to relax is through dancing and singing. With dancing in his genes, Chomba has brought this hobby all the way from his country to China.

With the opportunities to immerse himself in dancing at the Gala Night and the Cultural Festival, Chomba highlighted how these big stages are more than just about his love and passion for dancing. “The culture of Tsinghua in extracurricular activities such as sports and music has helped me to build great comprehensive development.”