Chinascope celebrated its annual Dragon Night on Friday in the Mandela Room. Themed around the Chinese coming-of-age series “​​When I Fly Towards You,” the event showcased a short film inspired by the show, promising food, prizes and performances by MODA and Chinascope’s stunning Hanfu models.

The Mandela Room featured a stage bathed in red light, where performers and interactive games took place. Attendees sat at tables decorated with lollipops and Polaroid cameras, eating delicious Chinese food from the large buffet.

“Dragon Night is our annual banquet and has been ongoing annually for the past 27 years,” Selina Chan, Chinascope’s vice president and a senior majoring in economics, wrote in an email. “It is our biggest event of the academic year that gathers not only other cultural organizations on campus but also our outer chapters like Stony Brook and several of our alumni!”

“Every year we follow a popular Chinese movie/show for our theme,” she continued. “This year was based on the show ‘When I Fly Towards You.’ The vision is for a nostalgic academic feel. One that portrays youth and nostalgia.”

Michelle Luo, Chinascope’s president and a senior majoring in business administration, and Aaron Ha, Chinascope’s freshman representative and a freshman majoring in business administration, were the hosts of the event. They presented much of the celebration and introduced each unique portion of the event.

Before the festivities began, Ha announced onstage that Dragon Night was sponsored by 2nd Heaven in the Marketplace; Hay Hay Roasted, a restaurant in Manhattan’s Chinatown; and Moshi, an Asian beverage brand, specializing in sparkling drinks that were served as refreshments at the event.

Throughout the event, after each individual segment, a portion of the student skit titled “When I Fly Towards You” played on the big screen. The student film served as a parody for the 2023 television series of the same name, a popular romantic comedy that explores themes of youth, friendship and personal growth.

“It takes a lot into organizing and holding Dragon Night,” Mika Lee, Chinascope’s multimedia intern and a sophomore majoring in sociology, wrote in an email. “Our E-Board starts planning fall semester, making sure every little aspect is coordinated, whether it be BSSL, deco, foods, sponsorships, performances, and the skit itself. The event requires lots of careful planning, hard work, and collaboration. It really takes the collective effort of everyone in Chinascope to make the banquet the best it can be.”

After the first scene of the skit, volunteers from the audience came onstage to play “Name-That-Tune: Emoji Edition,” where contestants looked at a random grouping of emojis and guessed the song it was representing. One of the first songs contestants guessed was “Ice Ice Baby,” which was represented as two ice cube emojis and a baby emoji on the screen. The winner eventually got a free gift card.

Linghui Tu, professor in the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing, China, performed a rendition of a Chinese opera song. Tu wore a sparkly headdress and Chinese opera attire that glittered as she glided across the stage with her fan, singing with powerful vocals, almost effortlessly. After Tu’s performance, the room buzzed with appreciation and excitement as they all clapped for her and the emotional song.

The next games were chaotic and exciting to watch. One of them was the “wig snatching competition,” where volunteers from the audience were given various wigs of different colors to wear while charging at each other, and the person who won was the contestant who snatched their opponent’s wig first. In the next game, “Scavenger Hunt,” contestants searched the room for someone who fit the description of the category or sentence on screen.

Attendees looked for someone they thought was the tallest or had the most followers on Instagram, depending on the prompt given by the hosts, and then brought them onstage. People won gift cards and all sorts of prizes from these interactive games, resulting in mayhem and collective hijinks.

MODA, the hip-hop unit of the dance group PARAMODA, performed in an energetic display that left attendees screaming. The synchronized choreography and sharp formations captured the playful intensity of each pop track. Every beat was met with cheers as MODA members executed intricate footwork, cartwheels and fast movements.

Soon after, the Hanfu models made their way onstage. Chinascope’s yearly model runway show highlighted students paying homage to traditional Chinese clothing. The models danced together gracefully, with flowing silk sleeves and intricately embroidered robes swirling in unison, transforming the stage into a spectacle.

Katherine Lian, a Hanfu model and sophomore majoring in accounting, shared her appreciation for the group and the opportunity to perform at Dragon Night.

“It was a great group to work with,” Lian said. “Everyone was really nice and we all gave each other constructive criticism during the process.”

The event neared its end with a raffle, where attendees won prizes such as a camera and a 50 dollar gift card to the Marketplace.

Luo thanked everyone for coming and was especially appreciative to the Chinascope seniors who are graduating this semester, honoring them with flowers and pictures.

Annie Weng, Chinascope’s banquet chair intern and a freshman majoring in biochemistry, described her experience joining the organization and the sense of community that has allowed her to create meaningful bonds with her fellow E-Board members.

“Whether it was through bondings, retreats, study rooms, food crawls, yap sessions, or even just in our group chat, there was always endless laughter,” Weng wrote in an email. “As for my favorite part of Dragon Night, it would have to be the very end when we’re all taking pictures together. Not just because the event is over, but because at that moment, the stress fades and you can really see how everyone’s hard work paid off. All the late-night dance practices, skit filming, deco after class, and months of planning come together really made everything so special and memorable. There really is never a dull moment with Chinascope.”