On the evening of December 31st, the First New Year’s Eve Gala of Nanjing University of the Arts (NUA), titled “An Unforgettable Night: New Year’s Eve Countdown”, was magnificently staged at the campus sports ground. Nearly 2,000 faculty members and students assembled to watch President Xi Jinping’s New Year message. Together, they share China stories by good communications and spread the voice of China through the medium of art, showcasing a series of stunning performances in a multifaceted manner.

The New Year’s Eve gala boasts a distinct theme and profound intent, centering on youth engagement and student cohesion. Adhering closely to the theme of “Nourishing the Heart with Beauty, Pursuing the Path to Beauty”, the event focused on aesthetic education principles of “cultivating the followers, inheritors, creators, and disseminators of beauty by nurturing the beauty of the heart, promoting the beauty of culture, creating the beauty of art, and practicing the beauty of action”. It was structured into three chapters: “Rhythm of Beauty”, “Blossoming of Beauty”, and “Voyage of Beauty”, thus creating an effulgent, passionate, and highly-distinctive youth artistic performance.

At the event, Li Xiangmin, the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of NUA, joined the faculty and students in watching the gala and extended New Year greetings. He encouraged everyone to embrace the opportunities and challenges of 2024 with high spirits, to make the most of their youth and forge ahead with determination, and to strive to make new achievements in the new year.

“Everyone cheers! Couldn’t get enough!” “The atmosphere was fantastic; everyone enjoyed it immensely!”  The faculty and students in attendance expressed their opinions, unanimously agreeing that welcoming the New Year in such a delightful ambiance was a deeply moving and joyful experience for them.

The New Year’s Eve gala was prepared in just three days, with enthusiastic participation from teachers and students from all departments across the university. The gala commenced at 19:30 that evening, with nearly 60 brilliant performances in a variety of forms captivating the stage during the course of five hours. The performances included various musical and dance performances, talk show and clapper talk, traditional Chinese culture displays, DJ sets, and even stage performances of “Art+Technology” innovative original works that incorporate traditional culture. The stage was illuminated by the talent and brilliance of NUAers in all aspects. While expressing their collective goodbyes to the year 2023, the gala also conveyed the determined aspirations of all NUAers to advance into 2024.

The gala was full of climactic moments, among which the most surprising performance was undoubtedly the “Subject Three” dance by the beloved young dance instructor Liu Jia—who has appeared twice on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala and participated in popular shows like “Dance Smash” and “Call Me By Fire”—along with student representatives, dormitory supervisors, and canteen staff. The teachers and students exhibited a stretch of graceful dance moves with unparalleled coordination. While the steps of dormitory supervisors and canteen staff were slightly inferior, their fiery enthusiasm delivered an intense visual impact and infectious energy that swiftly resonated with everyone present.

As midnight approached, the audience joined in a collective countdown accompanied by the sound of chime bells, propelling the atmosphere of the gala to its zenith.

The gala concluded with the young teacher Jiang Xiaomeng and student representatives performing the song “Between the Clouds and Waters” under a burst of applause. 

To further heighten the festive spirit of the New Year, the Student Affairs Office and the Chinese Communist Youth League Committee co-hosted a special festival edition of the cultural and creative market. From 8 a.m. to midnight, the market showcased a collection of Chinese-style handicrafts, calligraphy supplies, ceramic cups, exquisite accessories, and cute ornaments, alongside classic snacks and warm beverages, adding a cozy and pleasant experience for New Year's Eve celebration. There were also fantastic activities organized by various student clubs, such as cosplay parade, figurine exhibition, and Hanfu fashion show. To enhance the interactivity of the evening, a lucky draw was specially organized in a novel form, with a wide variety of cultural and creative gifts prepared for the winners, intensifying the lively atmosphere on site.

One minute of performance on stage requires 10 years of practice offstage. A wonderful performance is an auditory delight, a visual impact, and, even more so, a result of the tireless dedication of numerous performers and crew members both at the front stage and behind the scenes. 

On the day of the event, the kick-off ceremony for the “Alliance for Promoting College Students’ Psychological Well-Being in Jiangsu Province” was held at NUA. This New Year’s Eve gala served as a concrete action to fulfill the Alliance’s mission and to practice the concept of “nourishing the heart with aesthetic education”. It also represented an innovative approach to mental health education and a vivid practice in building the brand of “nourishing the heart with aesthetic education”. In the future, NUA will further unite efforts to enhance the role of aesthetic education in nurturing the heart, fortify our commitment to social aesthetic education responsibilities, and push forward the high-quality development of mental health education through diverse approaches such as environment-based aesthetic education, event-driven aesthetic education, and immersive experience-based aesthetic education. (Student Affairs Office)