On September 13, 2025, the semi-finals of the 2025 NTD “World Classical Chinese Dance Competition” were held at the Sugarloaf Performing Arts Center in Upstate New York.
On the stage of the junior men’s group competition, the movements of the contestants exuded the unique Confucian elegance and heroic spirit of Chinese men. Among these contestants, it was difficult to spot a native American contestant. How did a Westerner manage to capture the authentic essence of Chinese classical dance?
One of the semi-finalists named Parsa Baniasadi revealed that the answer lies in his daily dedication of 6 to 10 hours of practice, as well as his study of Chinese traditional culture.
Fifteen-year-old Parsa was born in the United States to an Iranian father and German mother. He has been practicing Chinese classical dance for nearly five years, inspired initially by watching Shen Yun Performing Arts.
“When I saw those dazzling dancers on the Shen Yun stage, I felt like they were soaring on stage, displaying a beautiful art form that is unparalleled anywhere else,” Parsa said. “They inspired me to engage in dance art and strive to become a good dancer every day because I want to be part of them, to share what I have experienced with others. That has been my goal for over four years.”
However, passion is short-lived; maintaining and excelling in dance is another challenge. Parsa’s initial difficulty was achieving the required flexibility to perform intricate dance movements, often enduring excruciating physical pain.
Additionally, Parsa faced a unique challenge compared to other Chinese contestants – he is a Westerner with no understanding of Chinese culture. So how did he manage? He had to put in more effort than his Chinese peers.
“I practice for long hours every day, three hours in the morning, and continue until 8:45 p.m. most evenings, totaling about 6 hours daily, and I have been persistent in this routine for years. Recently, I have intensified my practice of dance and stretching exercises to prepare for this competition, sometimes practicing for up to 10 hours,” Parsa explained. “For some aspects of Chinese culture that I find hard to grasp, I must constantly explore and learn, striving to deepen my understanding each time to provide the audience with the best experience.”
Hard work pays off. Although this was Parsa’s first time participating in the NTD Classical Chinese Dance Competition, his fluent movements and authentic Chinese style secured his advancement to the semi-finals.
Parsa’s competition piece is titled “Loyalty to the Nation,” portraying the story of a Chinese painter who sacrifices his career to enlist in the military when the country needs him. Parsa portrayed the inner struggle and hesitation of the protagonist, ultimately stepping out of his comfort zone in devotion to the nation.
“Through this, I have learned about patriotism and selflessness, how to step forward when others need help,” Parsa said. “Chinese culture can sometimes be challenging for me to grasp, but I do my best. I also try to integrate the traditional Chinese values I have learned from dance into my daily life.”
Especially when mastering the technique of “hands lead body, hips lead legs,” Parsa feels the cultural significance embedded behind this skill.
“This all comes from within, so I dance with my heart, making a concerted effort to integrate everything I know as smoothly as possible,” Parsa said. “I understand that ‘hands lead body, hips lead legs’ aims to make your movements more fluid, to make your dance stand out, and truly immerse in Chinese culture.”
Parsa describes himself as a “competitive” individual and is delighted to have progressed to the semi-finals. Of course, he hopes to make it to the finals and even win an award.
“However, I realize that this is not a healthy life perspective. Deep down, I believe competitions are for improvement. I review my dance videos, correct the shortcomings, and persevere day by day,” he said. “So the competition is truly a learning process for me. I need to calm myself, make my movements clearer, approach it with a learning mindset rather than worrying about rankings.”