After years of balancing a career in software engineering with evening dance rehearsals, Olivia Xia, a Chinese American born in Washington DC, never imagined that her lifelong passion for Chinese classical dance would take her to China.
When Xia stepped onto the stage at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in California to receive the inaugural Li Chen Fellowship for Chinese Dance Studies, the moment reflected both her personal journey and the organizers' broader efforts to promote Chinese classical dance through education and international exchange.
"I'm incredibly honored to be the first recipient of this fellowship," Xia says. "Chinese classical dance is my passion. It connects me to my cultural roots and provides me with a rich artistic experience. This fellowship will help me pursue dance as a profession."
The fellowship, which provides $5,000 annually for two years to support Xia's graduate studies at the Beijing Dance Academy, was unveiled during the recent 2025-2026 Taoli World Dance Competition North America Finals.
Presented by the Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance, the competition brought together hundreds of dancers, educators, choreographers, and scholars from the United States and Canada.
The fellowship was established by Kurt Haunfelner, former vice-president of exhibits and collections at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, in memory of his late wife, Li Chen, a Chinese dancer who died in 2025 after a six-year battle with breast cancer.
For Haunfelner, supporting young dancers is a way to preserve both his wife's legacy and the cultural tradition she devoted her life to.
"I think Chinese classical dance is extraordinary," he says.
"It's beautiful, it's heartfelt, and it brings people together."
Haunfelner says he believes culture offers something politics often cannot. "Sometimes we let politics get in the way of the connection between human beings. But when we connect on a human level, we understand that we all have the same dreams and the same hopes," he says.
The Taoli World Dance Competition was founded in 2017 by Pan Zhitao, a professor at the Beijing Dance Academy. It has evolved into an internationally recognized platform dedicated to preserving and promoting Chinese dance overseas.
This year's finals featured performances in Chinese classical dance, Chinese folk dance, contemporary Chinese dance, ballet, and modern dance by competitors ranging from children to adults.
The competition was judged by an international panel of leading dance educators and artists from China, the US and the United Kingdom.
Beyond performances, the event included multicultural master classes, academic forums, alumni exchanges, and educational workshops designed to encourage artistic dialogue across cultures.
Cheer Pan, co-founder and executive director of the Pan America Chinese Dance Alliance, says Chinese dance has seen remarkable growth since she began teaching in the US three decades ago.
"We are encouraged to see Chinese dance increasingly recognized, appreciated, and embraced on international stages," she says.
The competition, she adds, seeks to preserve the artistic standards and cultural identity of Chinese dance while encouraging international exchange.
She hopes younger generations will gain not only professional training but also a deeper appreciation of their cultural heritage.
Local officials say the competition also reflects Irvine's identity as one of Southern California's most diverse cities.
Scotty Hong, executive assistant to Irvine Mayor Larry Agran and commissioner of the Irvine Sustainability Commission, says the event demonstrates the city's commitment to multiculturalism.
"This is a great showcase of what our city values most, which is diversity," Hong says.
Former Irvine mayor Farrah Khan says the performances introduced audiences to the richness and diversity of Chinese culture.
