Spring on Stage & Canvas: A Celebration of Art at NYU Shanghai

As the Spring 2025 semester came to a close, NYU Shanghai lit up with creativity, talent, and celebration—from dance, orchestra and a cappella concerts to a special appearance by world-renowned pianist Kong Xiangdong and visual arts exhibitions—students showcased months of dedication and artistic growth. These moments captured the vibrant spirit of our community and the power of the arts to bring us together. Pictured: Dances of Southern China

“Yin Yang Yin” choreographed and performed by Xie Jingxuan, Devika Padinharayil, Shuang Hanzhi, Yerkezhan Zhunusova, Annie Jin, Bella Xiao, Qin Zhihan, and Jessica Yu from the course Choreography & Performance, at the 2025 Spring Dance Concert on Sunday May 11.

“A Tale of the Women” performed by Leyla Bevis-Mast, Ariel Jiang, Jiang Jiaye, Ouyang Lutong, Ralitsa Petkova, Wang Yiyi, Xu Jiayu, Lucas Yang, and Yu Xiwen from the course Dances of Southern China.

“Whispers to the Sky” performed by Leyla Bevis-Mast, Ariel Jiang, Jiang Jiaye, Ouyang Lutong , Ralitsa Petkova, Wang Yiyi, Xu Jiayu, Lucas Yang, and Yu Xiwen, from the course Dances of Southern China.

“Blackout” choreographed and performed by Xie Jingxuan for the course Choreography & Performance.

“Excerpts from The Naiad and The Fisherman” performed by Aminna Batgerel, Leyla Bevis-Mast, Amina Enkhbayar, Ariuntsatsral Enkhjargal, Brenna Mei James, Tina Lin, Caitlin McMahon, Tiri Nhawu, Sondor Tserendendev, Katy Wang, Maya Wong, Angelina Zagdjav, and Britney Zhang for the course Intermediate Ballet.

“Dances for Pieces of Wood” choreographed and performed by Xie Jingxuan, Sun Yuzhuo, Devika Padinharayil, Hanzhi Shuang, and Yerkezhan Zhunusova for the course Choreography & Performance.

“Grande Valse” from Les Sylphides performed by Aminna Batgerel, Leyla Bevis-Mast, Amina Enkhbayar, Ariuntsatsral Enkhjargal, Brenna Mei James, Tina Lin, Caitlin McMahon, Tiri Nhawu, Sondor Tserendendev, Katy Wang, Maya Wong, Angelina Zagdjav, and Britney Zhang for Intermediate Ballet.

“Pine Breeze and Water Moon 松风水月” performed by Annie Church, Naysa Escobar, Raymon Yu Hill, Phoebe Li, Liao Xulin, Sun Yuzhuo, Kelsey Wang, and Vivian Wang for the course Han-Tang Dances.

“Till we…” performed by Duanting Chen, Fu Jiaxi, Vivian Huang, Mia Lin, Valery Magne Merida, Sienna Suarez, Wang Yujie, Amelie Woc, and Zhang Jianing for Contemporary Dance.

“The Place We Stand” performed by Duanting Chen, Fu Jiaxi, Vivian Huang, Mia Lin, Valery Magne Merida, Sienna Suarez, Yujie Wang, Amelie Woc, and Zhang Jianing for Contemporary Dance.

“Can’t Help Falling In Love” performed by Pearl Rehm accompanied by Raymon Yu Hill

Left to right: Associate Arts Professor Aly Rose (Composition, Choreography & Performance, and Dance on Camera). Associate Arts Professor Tao Siye (Introduction to Dance & Movement, Ballet, Dances of Northern China, Dances of Southern China, and Han-Tang Dances), Assistant Arts Professor Zhao Yuting (Contemporary Dance, Choreography & Performance, and Intermediate Ballet).

Students performing at the “Spring Serenade” concert on Monday, May 12.

Paul Garofalo playing Alexander Scriabin’s Etude Op. 8, No. 12, at the End-of-Semester Piano Concert on May 8.

Special guest vocal percussionist Peter Huang from MICapella performing with Octave Fusion and student club SOS Dance Crew on stage.

Choir Director Katherine Girvin leading performances by NYU Shanghai A cappella and Octave Fusion singers.

NYU Shanghai’s Jazz Ensemble performing at the End-of-Semester Concert.

Special guest performance by world-renowned pianist Kong Xiangdong alongside NYU Shanghai Orchestra at the End-of-Semester Concert on May 14. Kong will address the Class of 2025 as this year’s Commencement Speaker.

The concert also featured performances by The NYU Shanghai Chorale and FaSta (Faculty-Staff) Choir.

Students from theFoundations in Painting course taught by Assistant Arts Professor of Visual Arts Maya Kramer pose together at their final exhibition, “The Products of Non-Art.”

“Ritualistic Closeup” by Lesley Manokore (left) and “Ritualist in a Metropolis” (right) explore “the tension of holding on to culture when it feels distant and broken” and is influenced by the artist’s personal experience of estrangement shaped by colonial and political history. “This work is about duality: heritage vs. erasure, stillness vs. compression, memory vs. motion,” he said.

“Liminal Spaces” by Desmond Yang. “This series reflects on the spatial thresholds where human-made structures and elements of the natural world quietly meet,” Yang writes in his description in the exhibition “Modern Reflections,” the end-of-semester showcase for the course Photo 1 taught by Clinical Assistant Professor of Visual Arts Ishraki Kazi.

“Internal Structure of an Apple” by Sun Chenxuan. “These are a few corners of my six-square-metre room,” Sun writes. “These fragments feel like slices of time. The room is like an apple steeped in four years of life. Even though I’m leaving because of graduation, the fresh scent of the apple still clings to my memories.”