“The friendship between nations thrive when people connect, and true connection begins with heart-to-heart understanding. Art is the universal language, while dancing writes poetry that crosses all borders,“ said Yu.

　　Lei Qili, vice-president of the university, added that the friendship between Chinese and American youth is a shared treasure for both to grow together, and will help them better understand and collaborate with each other to address future global challenges.

　　Chinese and American youths jointly present a captivating dance performance at the East China Normal University in Shanghai on June 6. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

　　Danny Dong, organizer of the American youth dance group and president of the Sino-American Culture & Performance Exchange Association, has been committed to promoting cultural exchanges between the two nations since 1992. Over the past three decades, he has brought nearly 40 American groups to China, and over 60 Chinese groups to the US. This time, he is leading a group of about 40 members to Shanghai, many of whom are making their first visit to the city and to China.

　　Chinese and American youths jointly present a captivating dance performance at the East China Normal University in Shanghai on June 6. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

　　Ethan Jacobson, a 26-year-old part-time dancer and business owner from Utah, is one of them. Impressing the audience with several hip-hop dances and roller-skating performance on stage, he said he has gained a “breathtaking experience“ while enjoying the people, scenery, food, culture, history and basically everything in Shanghai.