Melody Wu, a teacher at the Bridgeport-based DanDance Art Academy, gave her dancers a smiling thumbs-up as they finished a public performance in Chinatown Square.
The Uyghur ethnic dance, part of an event Sunday celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, was the culmination of lots of hard work, Wu said.
Wu’s students have been honored in citywide competitions. And the school’s K-pop group is sending 11 teens to a national competition this fall.
“The girls are so hardworking,” she said. “As a teacher, I’ve been glad to see them improve themselves.”
The showcase featured a variety of dances.
Performer Zhi Qing Aiu showcased the face-changing art of bian lian. Aiu swapped masks mid-performance, sometimes hidden behind a fan or hand, to show the changing mood of his dance’s story.
A traditional dragon dance is performed at at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
DanDance Art Academy students perform at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026. The school has been honored in citywide competitions and is sending 11 teens to a national K-pop competition later this fall.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
A traditional dragon dance is performed at at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Dancers wait to perform a traditional fan dance at at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
From left: 2026 Miss Chinatown Chicago 1st Runner Up Jennie An, Chinese Consul General in Chicago Wang Baodong, 2026 Miss Chinatown Chicago Lingyu Zhou, State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, State Rep. Theresa Ma, and Ald. Nicole Lee (11th) attend the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Dozens gathered to watch performances at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Zhi Qing Aiu performs the face-changing art of Bian lian at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026. It uses different masks swapped out mid-performance — often hidden in the blink of an eye, hidden behind a fan or hand — to show the different emotions of the dance’s story.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Dozens gathered to watch performances at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Zhi Qing Aiu performs the face-changing art of Bian lian at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026. It uses different masks swapped out mid-performance — often hidden in the blink of an eye, hidden behind a fan or hand — to show the different emotions of the dance’s story.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Dozens gathered to watch performances at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Happy For Fitness performs a lantern dance at at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
DanDance Art Academy students perform at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026. The school has been honored in citywide competitions and is sending 11 teens to a national K-pop competition later this fall.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Happy For Fitness performs a lantern dance at at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
DanDance Art Academy students wait to perform at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026. The school has been honored in citywide competitions and is sending 11 teens to a national K-pop competition later this fall.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Happy For Fitness performs a lantern dance at at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Chicago 168 Fitness Team presents a large-scale community dance and fitness performances at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Melody Wu, a teacher at the Bridgeport-based DanDance Art Academy, coaches her students before they perform at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
A woman wears a traditional headdress at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
A woman wears traditional attire at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
Dozens gathered in celebration at the “We love Chinatown” Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month event in Chinatown Square Sunday, May 17, 2026.
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Candace Dane Chambers/Sun-Times
But art was not the only focus of the celebration 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 that were unexpectedly dominated by discussions about Taiwan.
Baodong said he is hopeful the Chinese diaspora in Chicago will rally together, just as he hopes the two countries will.
“This year is a big year for Chinese and U.S. relations,” Baodong said. “Our countries should be partners rather than rivals.”
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