UIC held a Chinese Talent Show on 20 December 2023. This event was organised by its Chinese Language and Culture Centre (CLCC) of the School of General Education to showcase the linguistic achievements of UIC's exchange-in and international students taking Chinese language courses.
International and exchange-in students watch others perform on stage
The show was hosted by CLCC's Chinese teacher Ms Candy Cai Jingjing and her Intermediate Chinese II student, McKenzie Grover. It consisted of multiple sections, including games, poetry recitation, and song performance.
Ms Candy Cai Jingjing (left) and Ms McKenzie Grover
Students go head-to-head in the Ping-pong Balance Race
The Elementary Chinese I class recite the poem "Facing the Sea with Spring Blossoms (面朝大海，春暖花开)"
The Elementary Chinese II class recite the poem "Thoughts on a Tranquil Night (静夜思)" in their languages respectively and then in Chinese together
Senior American exchange-in student Jonas Doerr gave a particularly soulful performance, leaving the audience torn between laughter and tears. He later explained, "I tried to recite this classic poem about homesickness with genuine sadness. But it took a lot of acting, because being surrounded by my friends here at UIC, it already feels like I'm home."
A group of Russian-speaking students from different Chinese classes perform a Russian-Chinese rendition of "наше лето (Our Summer)", singing for love and peace
Students team up in a game named Pictionary
The class of Chinese Intermediate II, along with a Chinese student, perform the Chinese song "Returning to Mother's Home (回娘家)"
CLCC teacher Ms Michelle Wang presents the Lucky Draw 3rd Place Prizes to student recipients
CLCC teacher Ms Angela Liu presents the Lucky Draw 2nd Place Prizes to student recipients
CLCC teacher Ms Candy Cai presents the Lucky Draw 1st Place Prize--a scroll of One Hundred Blessings (百福图) to student recipient
Students receive a gift: stuffed dragons designed after the dragon from the animated movie Mulan
This was the first talent show hosted since the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the first semester for many exchange students to be able to visit and study on the UIC campus. After appreciating Chinese and foreign cultures, the participants parted ways, celebrating all the learning they had done together and all the things they had experienced together during an unforgettable fall semester at UIC.
Group photo
Scene photo
From CLCC and MPRO
Reporter: McKenzie Grover
Photographer: Cecilia Yu, Covee Wang
Editor: Cecilia Yu, Deen He
