On February 15, 2026, at 3:00 PM EST, the 2026 Chinese New Year Gala, hosted by the Chinese Club of Western New York, was held at the Center for the Arts at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Chinese community organizations, the Buffalo Chinese School, cultural and performing groups, along with numerous local families from the Western New York area, came together to celebrate the Lunar New Year in a warm and festive atmosphere.
At the start of the gala, Mark Wu, President of the Chinese Club of Western New York, warmly welcomed all guests and community members, extending his best wishes for the Year of Horse. Senator Jeremy J. Zellner of New York State’s 61st District attended the event. Senator Zellner delivered an opening address and presented the Chinese Club of Western New York with an official Proclamation, recognizing the Club’s longstanding dedication to organizing the Chinese New Year Gala and serving the local community. He also conveyed his Chinese New Year greetings to everyone present. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause, setting a solemn yet warm tone for the evening.
The performances officially began with the appearance of the Buffalo Fanghua Dance Troupe performing “The Ballad of Northeast.” The dancers, gracefully wielding red fans, seamlessly shifted between strength and elegance, capturing both the grandeur of China’s black soil region and the tender nostalgia of those far from home. The familiar melodies and enthusiastic applause quickly filled the venue. The evening was jointly hosted by Yanhong Na Baranski, Libing Wu, Blenche Chen, Wayne Seguin, and Leila Hu.
The 2026 Chinese New Year Gala featured a tightly scheduled program with a diverse range of performances, including dance, singing, traditional opera, recitation, folk music, fashion shows, and children’s acts. Performers included both long-standing community arts groups as well as children and families making their stage debut, reflecting the broad and organic participation of the Chinese community in Western New York.
A Tapestry of Arts — Showcasing the Charm of Community Dance
Dance performances became one of the most visually captivating segments of the evening, blending the elegance of Eastern classical styles with the freedom of Western modern dance, while also highlighting the innocence of children and the vitality of youth.
The Buffalo Fanghua Dance Troupe’s “Tales of Opera” fused dance with elements of traditional Chinese opera. Dancers’ flowing water sleeves and graceful movements evoked the image of beauties stepping off a Jiang-Nan opera stage, every gesture and smile full of theatrical charm. “Prayers from the World Plateau” used stunning costumes and ethereal lighting to convey a sincere wish for the Chinese New Year amidst the winter, with fluid movements and a sense of infinite serenity.
Performances from Yi’s Studio showcased the talents of multiple age groups. The children took the stage first, performing a series of pieces including “A Joyful Spring Outing”, “Mountain of Blossoms”, “Wings of Freedom”. Set to bright, melodious Chinese-style music, they danced with lightness and joy—imitating playful springtime children, embodying blooming peach blossoms, or spreading their arms like fledgling eagles taking flight. Their innocent steps and bright smiles brought the vitality and wonder of spring vividly to life.
The classical dance “Grace Everlasting” followed, with expansive, elegant movements. The dancers’ fluid lines and contemplative gazes seemed to tell stories that should not be forgotten over the flow of time, each gesture full of poise and depth. The mood then shifted dramatically when the iconic rhythm of “Lady Marmalade” filled the hall. The dancers transitioned to a Broadway-style performance, with retro makeup, precise movements, and expressive eyes, fully unleashing the glamour and energy of the jazz era, igniting the audience’s excitement.
Finally, the community’s young performers brought high-energy K-pop dances, featuring trendy choreography and strong rhythm. Moving in perfect synchronization to the hottest K-pop tracks, they executed sharp formations and powerful beats, showcasing the confidence and creativity of a new generation growing up in a multicultural environment. Through their passion and effort, they demonstrated that, no matter where they are, the pulse of youth always resonates.
Refined Opera Elegance Showcases National Heritage — Tai Chi and Colorful Costumes Dazzle the Stage
During the Chinese cultural segment, several community groups took the stage in succession, skillfully blending the rich heritage of traditional culture with contemporary performance art, earning resounding applause from the audience.
The Beijing Opera class from Buffalo Chinese School opened the segment with a medley performance titled “Spring Radiance in the Pear Garden.” The children, dressed in exquisite opera costumes and stage makeup, performed with surprising precision and expression despite their young faces. Their singing, speaking, acting, and combat movements were all executed with proper rhythm and style. This performance not only showcased the solid training they received at the Chinese school but also offered the audience a hopeful glimpse of China’s cultural treasures being passed down overseas.
Next, students from the Chinese school performed the bamboo pole dance “The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style,” taking the energy in the hall to its peak. To the beat of lively music, the dancers skillfully opened and closed the bamboo poles, producing crisp, powerful sounds with each strike. The young performers leapt and weaved nimbly between the moving poles with agility and grace. The infectious rhythm had many audience members clapping along, creating an animated interaction between performers and spectators. The entire theater was filled with a joyful, festive atmosphere.
The Buffalo Tai Ji Academy presented a stylized Tai Ji performance titled “The Oath of the Peach Garden,” showcasing the harmonious blend of strength and softness inherent in Chinese martial arts. Dressed in flowing Tai Ji uniforms, the performers moved with fluid grace, seamlessly integrating the subtle power of Tai Ji with the emotional grandeur of the accompanying music. Every push, every turn conveyed a perfect balance of strength and flexibility, allowing the audience to experience the philosophical wisdom of Chinese tradition—“overcoming hardness with softness”—through both stillness and motion.
The Buffalo Chinese Qipao Fashion Troupe presented the fashion show “The Second Waltz,” skillfully blending Eastern elegance with Western classical melodies. Models gracefully showcased a variety of styles, walking in time with the lilting waltz, creating a “highlight moment” that had the audience reaching for their phones to capture the stunning display.
Young and Old Share the Stage — Expressing Hopes for a Joyful New Year
Participation across all ages was a defining feature of this year’s gala. From silver-haired elders to young children, multiple generations of the Chinese community took the stage, each expressing their love of life and hopes for the New Year in their own unique way.
The Evergreen Chinese Community Dance Team from the CCWNY’s senior division performed “Joyful Life in the Mountains.” With light, lively steps and radiant smiles, the dancers conveyed the relaxed and carefree spirit of rural life. Though not professional performers, they brought genuine enthusiasm and joy from everyday life, showcasing the seniors’ active, optimistic, and vibrant spirit within the community.
Children and teenagers also added a colorful dimension to the stage. The Rainbow Bridge Cultural Center presented the children’s skit “Big Coat and Double Pants,” delighting the audience with lively Northeastern dialect and humorous physical gestures. The young actors performed confidently, delivering their lines with precision, prompting waves of laughter and applause. The Rainbow Bridge Children’s Choir followed with the group song “Your Smile Is So Beautiful,” their pure, clear voices paired with simple, heartwarming lyrics creating an instant sense of warmth across the theater. The Chinese Youth Club of Western New York presented the recitation “Cherish,” sharing sincere reflections and gratitude through simple yet heartfelt language. The calm and confident delivery by the young performers won genuine appreciation from the audience.
Music performances ran throughout the gala, providing a rich backdrop that complemented acts across all age groups. The Buffalo Chinese Folk Orchestra opened with the majestic “Spring Festival Overture,” weaving the sounds of the erhu, pipa, dizi, along with oboe, keyboard, drum, into a vivid tapestry of Chinese New Year festivity, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience. The Buffalo Chinese Choir followed with “The World’s Gift to Me” and *“The Joy of Snowflakes,”* featuring gentle melodies and delicate harmonies that warmed hearts like the winter sun.
A special highlight of the evening was the bilingual (Chinese and English) performance of “Gong Xi Gong Xi” by children from St. Benedict School. Holding lanterns, the young performers—each from different families—sang the festive lyrics, “Gong Xi Gong Xi Gong Xi Ni,” with innocent yet earnest voices, making it one of the most beloved acts of the night. This performance was not only a cultural showcase but also a vivid illustration of the Chinese New Year crossing ethnic boundaries and integrating into the wider community—on the soil of Western New York, the blessings of the Chinese New Year are being heard and shared by more and more people.
A Song of Heritage by the President — Stories of Thousands of Homes in a Single Frame
The gala featured two special segments that became the most memorable moments of the evening.
The first, titled “Presidents’ Blessings,” brought past and present presidents of the Chinese Club of Western New York onto the stage to perform a group rendition of the familiar song “A Better Tomorrow.” For many audience members, seeing leaders from different eras perform together was a rare and touching sight. Some quietly sang along, while others raised their phones to capture the moment. Standing side by side, the presidents embodied the Club’s history and continuity, evoking a deep sense of familiarity and connection for many community members.
The second special segment, titled “Hopes in Photos,” was set to the song “As Wished.” On the large screen, photos of local families and their Chinese New Year greetings were displayed in a continuous slideshow. Each genuine smile and heartfelt blessing connected families and individuals across different stages of life, transforming the celebration into more than just a performance—it became a shared memory that united the community and conveyed warmth and togetherness.
Finally, the choir from the senior division of the CCWNY performed the heartfelt song “Sleepless Tonight.” As the familiar melody, carrying memories of years past, filled the hall, the 2026 Chinese New Year Gala drew to a close in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.
This gala not only provided a platform for the local Chinese community to gather, interact, and participate, but also allowed families of all ages and backgrounds to share in the festive moments together. The CCWNY affirmed that it will continue to place the community at the center, hosting more cultural events that are close to everyday life and foster unity and connection.
Written by: Jing Niu, Libing Wu Photos by: Jianhua Huang, Sean Smith, Cheng Liang, Joshua Bessex, Leanne Lei Reviewed by: Mark Wu, Libing Wu, Bingling Chen
