▲ "Horse Diagram" stills. (All pictures in this article are provided by the Chinese Dancers Association)
▲ Stills from "Scattered Music Diagram".
▲ "Jue" stills.
Balance bikes, walkers, scooters, twist bikes... Is this really the scene of the "Lotus Award" classical dance awards? That's right, this is exactly the performance in this year's group dance work "Door God", which was shortlisted for the final evaluation of the 13th Chinese Dance "Lotus Award". This classical dance is inspired by the "door god painting" in the folk art annual painting, allowing the people and objects in the painting to "cross" into the modern era to "protect" the people, which is eye-catching and controversial: is this still the classical dance that once was sunny and snowy, and the clouds flowed?
In recent years, works such as "Tang Palace Night Banquet" and "Only This Green Green" have become popular in the circle, and under the "national tide" fever, Chinese classical dance has gradually been loved by more and more people. As a "cultural business card" to display the national and national spirit, how can Chinese classical dance "break through" and continue to stand out of the circle? Perhaps, people can find the answer from this year's Chinese dance "Lotus Award" classical dance award.
Rooted in tradition and each with its own talents
Traditional Chinese culture is overwhelmed
Recently, the 13th Chinese Dance "Lotus Award" Classical Dance Award was held in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. Among the 47 finalist works, "Horse Diagram" selected by Beijing Dance Academy, "Scattered Music Diagram" selected by the Dance School of Shenyang Conservatory of Music, and "Jue" selected by Beijing Dance Academy ranked the top three in scores.
The excellent traditional Chinese culture is the "root" and "soul" of the Chinese nation. This year's Chinese dance "Lotus Award" classical dance award works, let the audience deeply feel the wave of Chinese traditional culture, cold cultural relics also seem to "live". The group dance "Sanle Tu" is based on the mural "Sanle Tu", accompanied by national musical instruments such as pipa and sheng, and the "Liao Dynasty dancers" dressed in narrow sleeves and wide clothes dance, blending music and dance, combining movement and static, reproducing the charm of "Liao Dynasty Sanle" for the audience; The group dance "Guiyi" is based on the mural "Zhang Yichao Unified Army Travel Map" in Cave 156 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, showing the spirit and spirit of the rebel army to forge ahead bravely and safeguard national unity; The group dance "Lady with Hairpins" is based on Zhou Fang's famous painting "Lady with Hairpins", recreating the exquisite life scenes of women in the Tang Dynasty; "Red Mountain Jade Dragon Ballad" takes the important representative cultural relics of Hongshan culture - "Red Mountain Jade Dragon" as the background, telling the spirit of the dragon, allowing cultural relics to travel through thousands of years and meet the audience.
Culture is the bloodline of a nation and the spiritual home of the people. In this award activity, the choreographers made bold explorations and attempts from different perspectives such as ancient mythology, classical aesthetics, historical figures, and classical poetry. There are works such as "Journey to the East" and "After the Rain" that show mythological meaning; There are works such as "Yi An Drunk" and "Nian Xueli" that make historical figures jump on the stage; There are works such as "Ode to Orange" and "Fuchun" that borrow lyrics and are infinitely reverie in ancient poetry; There are also works such as "One Chuan Qingshui" and "Light Makeup Heavy Smear" that show the artistic conception of oriental traditional aesthetics. They integrate the roots of Chinese culture into the expression of classical Chinese dance art, giving the works a strong cultural charm.
At the seminar held during the award, Zhang Yunfeng, Secretary of the Party General Branch and Executive Vice President of the Creative College of Beijing Dance Academy, mentioned the importance of "root culture". He said that in the contemporary context, if the creator does not have the deep immersion of the excellent traditional Chinese culture, how can his works highlight the profound aesthetic value of the traditional culture of the Chinese nation?
Subject consciousness, contemporary construction
China's spirit dances into the future
Being rooted in tradition does not mean being limited by tradition, and classical dance is not the same as "ancient dance". "Focusing on the spirit of tradition is the most important thing, but it is not a matter of filling the space with the spirit of tradition step by step." Gao Chengming, director of the China Dancers Association and first-class choreographer, said that in the face of traditional materials and themes, there is also a way to follow the laws of art itself.
With martial arts and dance, the solo dance work "Jue" returns to the aesthetic origin of classical dance between one move, one style, one breath and one breath, and its body expression transcends the "commonplace" classical dance momentum, on the basis of absorbing postmodern body language expression, seeking breakthroughs in limitations, and bravely moving forward in confusion and struggle, showing the artistic pursuit of contemporary dancers.
Inspired by Xu Beihong's series of "galloping horses", the group dance "Horse Diagram" portrays the authenticity and simplicity of human nature with the image of "horse", and reflects the people's nature and epochality of dance through unique body interpretation and traditional reconstruction. The work carries tenderness with perseverance, expresses the suffering and indomitable aspiration of the Chinese nation, and reflects the integrity of the Chinese.
Luo Bin, secretary of the sub-party group and resident vice chairman of the China Dancers Association, said that the shortlisted works boldly explored and innovated in the subject matter, jumped out of the "barriers" of ancient figures such as deep palace grudges and women in the past, and deeply explored realistic themes and revolutionary historical themes. There are not only works that carry forward the revolutionary spirit and show revolutionary history such as "Nanniwan" and "That Year Blossom", but also works that explore the meaning of life circumstances such as "No Question" and "Unclean"; There are also works based on traditional folk skills such as "Qiju Scarf", "Fist Shape", and works such as "Zhaizi China", "Lead Hua, Full Wall", "Dragon and Phoenix Yi" and other works that show a strong national cultural heritage.
"In the award works, I feel the transformation from ancient and classical to the diversified development trend of subject creation." Su Ya, director of the graduate department of Beijing Dance Academy, said that Chinese classical dance should strive to break through from the cognitive stereotype of "based on antiquity" and explore how to do a good job in the global expression of Chinese discourse.
The expert judges believe that this award activity shows the trend of contemporary cultural construction of Chinese classical dance and even the entire dance industry, and is a relatively successful exploration of the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese classical dance to China's excellent traditional culture. "Of course, we still have a lot of room to deeply embed the excellent traditional Chinese culture, we should base ourselves on tradition, broaden our horizons, follow the artistic laws of Chinese classical dance itself, and dance for the people and the times with creations full of true feelings." Mao Hui, vice chairman of the China Literary and Art Critics Association and researcher of the Dance Research Institute of the China Academy of Arts, said. (End)
Author/Meng Meng Wang Xiangyi