I knew it was going to be a good night when I was handed a mooncake, light stick, and raffle ticket in the packed Frist Film/Performance Theatre. Inside the dimly lit space, I heard snippets of conversation in Mandarin that faded as the rhythmic beats of Japanese drums sounded.
A spotlight shone on a drummer from Tora Taiko, Princeton’s Japanese drumming group, as he danced around the drum. It was a mesmerizing performance of flashing red lights and coordination, and more performers quickly joined in. For a moment, the same beat coursed through the audience. Then the number was breathlessly over. The lights turned on, an abstract moon logo flashed onto the projector, and the emcees glided onto the stage.
This year, the annual Mid-Autumn Festival Gala, organized by the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars at Princeton University (ACSSPU), was almost a two-and-a-half hour event with intermission. It featured dance, drama, music groups, the inaugural singing competition “Voices of Princeton,” and a raffle. Bringing together both undergraduate and graduate students from East Asian and Chinese speaking populations, it was an event where talent from all departments, arts, and years shined. The event, which is so significant for the Chinese community, is also a night about creating a home.
The first act, 花好月圆 (Blooming Flowers Full Moon), began with East Asian dance company Triple 8’s traditional dance, mimicking the unfurling of petals as performers whirled across the stage. They were followed by the cello ensemble La Vie en Cello, whose strings echoed across the theater as the audience cheered them on. Next, the Chinese dance group HUA took center stage, and their ribbon-like sleeves billowed under the spotlight.
La Vie en Cello performs.
Faith Ho / The Daily Princetonian
The emcees — wearing long formal dresses and suits, two of them non-native Mandarin speakers — glided onto the stage again for the raffle prize. The organization secured a sponsor, and the emcee read out the promotion to much good-natured laughter. Then it was time for the second act, the inaugural “Voices of Princeton.”
Singers appeared on stage in a smoothly choreographed sequence, taking a verse each as they made their way up to the stage. It wasn’t a perfect rendition, but the audience cheered warmly, with occasional waves of applause and shoutouts.
One by one, the singers performed their piece. Shirley Xue ’25 took the stage first with a soothing performance complete with Chinese calligraphy. She was followed by Andrew Chen GS, who sung the well-known ballad “Jia Bin” (Guest) to much enthusiasm. Luyang Gan ’26 continued in a classic black suit that matched the jazzy atmosphere of her piece. Split pink-and-blue lighting illuminated the stage as Jiahao Shi GS switched up the pace in a well-executed rap performance. Chloe Yang ’26 danced onto the stage with an operatic rock ballad, shifting the mood. When it came to Jinyue ’Jerry’ Jiang GS, the light sticks were ready as the audience immersed themselves in the performance. Next, postdoc Sha Tao sang in front of a neon cityscape to resounding applause. The performance ended with Chen Yixian GS, who performed the heartfelt English ballad “When We Were Young” to more light waving and applause. On his choice of song, he said, “I just recently turned 25 — which is Adele’s age when she wrote this song, so it’s probably justified that I feel like ‘I’m getting old it makes me reckless.’”
A dancer twists mid-performance.
Faith Ho / The Daily Princetonian
Then of course, there was the raffle, this time for second place winners. During intermission, I caught up with some of the audience members. “It’s very wholesome,” Isabelle Yang ’28 said with a grin. “The lightsticks are a vibe.”
“You’re not just watching a show; you’re feeling the tension, pressure, and excitement alongside your friends on stage,” the producer of the show, Nanqinqin Li GS, later commented. “It felt like they weren’t just spectating, but were an integral part of the show and celebration.”
The third act, 月满西楼 (Full Moon Western Chamber), began with a short comedy romance by Princeton Chinese Theatre (PCT). The play, entirely in Mandarin with no subtitles, put my Mandarin abilities to the test, but I found myself laughing along with the audience on numerous occasions as the actors delivered their lines right on cue. Afterwards, Xinyi Zhou GS performed a solo dance, clad in pastel pink and blue hues as she twirled around the stage. Mufan Shao then came onto stage in traditional Chinese garb and bright blue hair as he took the audience through two songs of Peking opera to raucous applause. The final performance was electric as K-pop cover dance company KoKo Pops took to the stage in an energetic hip hop routine.
Then came the time for voting; we were directed to a Google Form to choose our top three singers. After the raffle for the first prize, the singers were all brought back onto stage as the emcees attempted to drum up suspense for the audience’s verdict: Yankun Chen came in third, Jiahao Shi second, and Yixian Chen was first. On winning, Yixian Chen commented to The Daily Princetonian, “Winning the contest is one moment of triumph, but time to shut off emotions and get back to work!” Everyone, however, was awarded a medal.
Dancers perform at the gala.
Faith Ho / The Daily Princetonian
As the gala drew to a close, the performers mingled on stage while the audience chatted among themselves, bringing the night to an end. “I think it’s interesting how student associations put together such a comprehensive programme,” Jessica Poon ’27 said to the 'Prince.'
“It’s very inclusive — there are a lot of PhDs and postdocs,” said Yu Ki Ho GS to the 'Prince.' “There are also different levels of Mandarin speaking.”
If the article sounds at times like a list of acts, it’s because of the sheer variety of the performances. Director Gloria Liu ’27 noted the challenge of coordinating the programme, explaining that preparations began as early as June, but the 16 acts were put together in just four days. Despite this, she found it deeply satisfying.
“This also became the highlight of the event — bringing talented students from a variety of backgrounds together and showcasing vastly different forms of performing arts all on one stage,” she wrote to the 'Prince.'
“The whole process was like discovering hidden gems,” Nanqinqin Li wrote to the 'Prince' in regards to putting the event together. “I would say the same of the gala itself.”
Faith Ho is a member of the Class of 2027 and a contributing writer for “The Prospect” and “Features” at the ‘Prince.’ She can be reached at faithho@princeton.edu.
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