Chinascope, a cultural organization that centers on learning about Chinese culture and bridging gaps between local and international communities, held its annual Dragon Night last Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Mandela Room. Themed after the Chinese drama series “The Untamed,” the evening brought together multiple performance groups and individuals to showcase their talent while representing authentic Chinese culture through food and dance.

The Mandela Room featured a stage, photo stations for the night’s performances and tables decked out with lanterns and roses. Two emcees hosted the event, guiding the audience through performances, skits and fun games throughout the night.

“Chinascope is an organization on campus dedicated to bridging the gap between the international body of Chinese students and the Chinese-American community,” Preston Zheng, Chinascope’s president and a junior majoring in economics, wrote in an email. “We aim to create an inclusive space for anyone to join and immerse themselves in Chinese culture, as well as meet people of all backgrounds.”

The event featured performances from Paradox and MODA — two subgroups of dance troupe PARAMODA — and Illuminations, a Chinese cultural dance troupe from Cornell University.

Illuminations started the night off, dressed in outfits that combined traditional attire with dance costumes. Performers wore mesh hats, long sleeves and colorfully layered skirts, flowing with every move and enhancing their choreography. Their different outfits for each number showcased the transition from oceanlike and low, meditative dances to fiery, fast-paced solo performances.

HongYi Lin, one of Chinascope’s cultural chairs and a sophomore double-majoring in economics and cinema, explained that the process of planning this year’s Dragon Night was more intense than the rest, as it was a first for many of the club’s E-Board members. They have worked on coordinating performers, finalizing schedules, creating backdrops and more.

Following the first performance, Paradox came dressed to the theme, matching the event’s formal attire in white button-downs and black jackets. Using popular K-pop songs, the audience was mesmerized by their bold choreography and group formations. Their seamless song transitions blended modern moves with hip-hop.

In between the dances, audience members got a chance to enter a giveaway event offering Labubu dolls, a brand of popular figurines, as a prize. Members were asked to participate in a game of chance, as participants held up flags that determined if they moved on to the next round. This game was an exciting experience for attendees, immersing in the night’s experience.

MODA brought a unique vision to the stage as the third performance of the night. Their metallic outfits hypnotized the crowd as the performers flipped across the floor. The group danced as a cohesive unit in structured formations, amping up the audience with their energetic performance.

In between dance numbers, Chinascope also performed fun skits, which followed members of their E-Board engaging in a comedic story featuring ghosts, fights and parties.

The dances were later followed by a performance by Hong Zhang, a senior instructor in the Department of Asian and Asian American Studies and a Chinese opera singer. Her powerful yet delicate voice moved many attendees, allowing them to connect with the music and culture shared throughout the night.

After Zheng’s performance was the Hanfu show, which featured models dressed in a traditional style of colorful patterned robes tied with a contrasting band. As they made their way through the room, two singers accompanied the models with solo and duet performances, and music played through the rest of the show.

Chinascope is very active on campus, holding free events during the semester that highlight Chinese cultural milestones.

“In the past, Chinascope has hosted crafty and foody DIY events, celebrated big Chinese festivals like the Mid Autumn Festival, and held food socials,” Jessica Tu, one of Chinascope’s event coordinators and a sophomore majoring in biology, wrote in an email. “For the rest of the semester, we have a mix of cultural food events like ramen tasting, artistic DIYs like slime making and succulent painting, and social events like movie nights with snacks planned.”

“The events are both social and cultural, aiming to build community bonds and celebrate Chinese heritage,” she added. “We’re so excited that we have the opportunity to collaborate with four other cultural organizations, allowing us to merge our cultures and communities together!”