WUHAN, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Drumbeats rise and fall inside a university gymnasium in central China. A brightly colored dragon surges forward, then dips and coils, its body rippling in perfect rhythm.
At the front, guiding the dragon with a pearl, is Miguel de Oliveira Manacero, known in China as Ma Feilong, a 24-year-old Brazilian graduate student.
In mid-April, he will return to Brazil as part of a university delegation for a five-city cultural exchange performance tour, where dragon dance will be among the featured activities.
"I really look forward to showing people back home how this Chinese dragon comes alive," he said. "It carries wishes for happiness and good fortune, and when it moves, it's truly something special."
His journey, in many ways, mirrors a broader moment of cultural exchange.
China and Brazil have agreed to designate 2026 as the China-Brazil Year of Culture. Over the course of the year, a wide range of activities will be organized, spanning stage performances, visual arts, music, intangible cultural heritage, youth exchanges and tourism initiatives.
Hailing from Sao Paulo state, Manacero first encountered Chinese culture through martial arts. By the age of 10, he had begun formal training, later joining Brazil's national team and winning a world championship at 16.
Yet it was not competition, but curiosity that deepened his connection. In 2019, he arrived at Hubei University in central China's Hubei Province for what was meant to be a short-term exchange.
"That's when I truly discovered dragon dance," he said. "I decided to stay."
At the university, traditional cultural practices such as dragon boat racing, dragon and lion dances, and calligraphy have been incorporated into campus life. Manacero has come to understand the deeper meaning behind the traditions of his performances.
To many in the West, dragons are often seen as fearsome, fire-breathing creatures -- symbols of destruction or evil in medieval legends. In China, however, the "loong," or Chinese dragon, tells a very different story.
"The loong symbolizes good fortune and embodies people's hopes for a better life," he said.
More than a performance, dragon dance carries deep cultural meaning in China. Often staged during festivals, weddings and major celebrations, it is believed to bring good fortune, drive away misfortune and pray for favorable weather and harvests.
Even his Chinese name reflects that connection. "Feilong" literally means "flying loong," a name that now feels especially fitting, as he carries the movements of the dragon across continents.
Unlike solo martial arts routines, dragon dance is a collective art. A full performance typically involves nine performers, guided by one individual at the dragon's head. Every lift, turn and leap depends on timing and trust.
He likens the motion to riding a bus over a speed bump: what begins as a small lift at the front becomes a much stronger force by the time it reaches the back. As the dragon accelerates, each performer must respond with increasing strength and precision to keep the body flowing seamlessly.
Since his senior year as an undergraduate, he has taken on coaching responsibilities. Today, he leads the university's dragon dance team, guiding it to top finishes in national competitions.
Life in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, has further helped him grow. He now speaks fluent Chinese, appreciates the straightforward nature of local people, and has even taken up local pastimes like mahjong.
His personal story unfolds alongside broader ties between China and Latin America.
From cherries to electric cars, China and Latin American countries have seen closer mutually beneficial cooperation. Data from the General Administration of Customs showed that China-Latin America trade value reached 3.93 trillion yuan (about 572 billion U.S. dollars) in 2025, growing by 6.5 percent year on year and exceeding the 500 billion-U.S.-dollar mark for two consecutive years, while outpacing China's overall foreign trade growth.
For Manacero, the most meaningful exchanges happen far beyond trade figures.
He has already taken dragon and lion dance performances abroad, including to Sao Paulo and Brasilia in 2023. Each time, he said, the response was immediate.
"People in Brazil are very open to Chinese culture," he said. "When they see the dragon dance, they get really excited. It's a two-way connection."
Some of his fellow Brazilian martial arts practitioners have followed his path -- studying Chinese, traveling to China, and bringing what they learn back home.
With about a year and a half left in his graduate studies, Manacero is still considering his next step. Whether he stays in China or returns to Brazil, one goal remains unchanged: to keep the dragon moving between cultures.
"Martial arts helped me understand China. Dragon dance made me fall in love with it," he said. ■
