Festival bridges cultures in the US capital

Despite the ongoing tensions between China and the US, a cultural festival kicked off in Washington DC, on Saturday, fostering new opportunities for people from diverse cultures to learn from each other and build connections.

At the 22nd Washington Chinese Cultural Festival, the crowd erupted in cheers many times during the lion dance performances. The traditional dance, performed by two people, surprised many attendees as they saw, for the first time, a non-Chinese person under the lion's head.

The dancer, Anaje Kilpatrick, an African American, has been practicing Chinese kung fu for six or seven years. "I started with Tai Chi. Then I joined Wong People at the Chinese Cultural Center in Chinatown, where I began learning kung fu. Since lion dance incorporates many kung fu stances, that's how I got into it, and I love it. Ever since then, I just never stopped," Kilpatrick told China Daily. "It's a great opportunity to engage with the community and showcase what I love to do."

Kilpatrick emphasized the community spirit in Washington DC, saying "We have all different types of races here. At first, people are surprised when they see us under the lion, but they tend to love us after a while."