Chinatown heritage – Dancers and families filled Chinatown Square on May 17, 2026 for an Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration that spotlighted performances from DanDance Art Academy and others—while a keynote from China’s consul general turned to the stra
In Chinatown Square on Sunday, May 17, 2026, dancers in colorful costumes moved through the final moments of a public showcase, with Melody Wu—teacher at the Bridgeport-based DanDance Art Academy—offering her students a smiling thumbs-up as they finished.
The program. part of an event celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. drew performers who brought a range of styles to the crowd.. For Wu, the hardest part of the work was also where the pride showed.. The Uyghur ethnic dance was the culmination of “lots of hard work. ” she said. adding that she’s been “glad to see them improve themselves.”
Wu said her students have been honored in citywide competitions. She also pointed to the school’s K-pop group, saying it is sending 11 teens to a national competition this fall. “The girls are so hardworking,” she said.
Onstage, the showcase included the face-changing art of bian lian, performed by Zhi Qing Aiu.. He swapped masks mid-performance, sometimes hidden behind a fan or hand, to reflect changing moods in the story.. Other acts added to the variety. including a traditional dragon dance and dances such as a lantern dance performed by Happy For Fitness. along with large-scale community dance and fitness performances presented by the Chicago 168 Fitness Team.
While the performances drew dozens of spectators, the gathering was also shaped by remarks from officials and community leaders. The event was hosted by the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and the Chinese American Association at Greater Chicago.
Wang Baodong, Chinese Consul General in Chicago, spoke about Present Donald Trump and China’s recent diplomatic meetings.. He said those talks were “unexpectedly dominated by discussions about Taiwan.” Baodong also expressed hope that the Chinese diaspora in Chicago will rally together—“just as he hopes the two countries will”—and said. “Our countries should be partners rather than rivals.”
The day’s schedule placed art and diplomacy in the same space: Wu’s celebration of student progress through training and competition ran alongside Baodong’s message that 2026 is “a big year for Chinese and U.S. relations,” with Taiwan taking center stage in diplomatic meetings.
As the event continued. attendees stood among the performances and pageant representatives. including 2026 Miss Chinatown Chicago 1st Runner Up Jennie An. 2026 Miss Chinatown Chicago Lingyu Zhou. Chinese Consul General in Chicago Wang Baodong. State Rep.. La Shawn K.. Ford, State Rep.. Theresa Ma, and Ald.. Nicole Lee (11th), all present for the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event.
MISRYOUM USA News Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Chinatown Square Bridgeport DanDance Art Academy Uyghur dance bian lian Wang Baodong Taiwan U.S.-China relations K-pop competition