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Text: Fu Bao
Edited by Fu Bao
preface
"The peacock dancer is no longer young, but her dance is always alive" – this sentence is perhaps the best interpretation of Yang Liping, a legend in the Chinese dance world.
While most people only have a vague impression of the term "Peacock Dance", Yang Liping has already been using the hands of a pious artist to nurture, nurture and push it to maturity. She used the great work destined to be completed in this life to interpret what is called "the fate of an artist".
The flame of cultural inheritance is never extinguished
Yang Liping has been at the helm of "Yunnan Reflection" for 20 years, spreading Chinese dance culture to all over the world and making great contributions to the tourism industry in her hometown. But her greater significance lies in the fact that through her own artistic practice, she has pushed the unique peacock dance to an unprecedented height.
Now, although she is getting older and her physical strength is difficult to regain her strength, Yang Liping has passed on the whip to a new generation of disciples. But we have reason to believe that under her careful cultivation over the years, the Peacock Dance will be passed down from generation to generation, and one day it will be completely inherited as a treasure of the Chinese nation. At that time, Yang Liping's artistic concept and value pursuit will be understood and recognized by more people.
Looking back on Yang Liping's long life journey, it is not difficult to find that her dedication to dance is so unsparing. From being photographed at the age of thirteen to joining the art troupe, to later creating the Peacock Dance, which integrates various dance elements; and then vigorously promoted it and eventually became an outstanding representative of the Chinese dance scene...... Along the way, she used her own practical actions to explain in detail what is called "the fate of an artist".
Dedicating her life's work to the dance cause of the motherland is the direction that Yang Liping will always aspire to. She is well aware that art must keep pace with the times and continue to innovate and develop in order to truly add luster to Chinese culture. Therefore, although she has been questioned and criticized by conservatives for many years, she is still determined to boldly explore the creative path of peacock dance.
And to achieve today's achievements, Yang Liping also paid an extremely heavy price. In order to maintain the best stage condition, she insisted on eating only petal water and cutting her nails short so as not to affect her dancing posture, and the cruelty of her style can be imagined. The successive breakdown of two marriages and the personal sacrifice of being childless for life are the difficult choices she made for the Peacock Dance.
Some people say that Yang Liping's pursuit of dance has gone beyond the artistic level and reached a certain religious fanaticism. But it is undeniable that it is with this unswerving dedication that she can polish her dance style step by step to world-class quality.
The hardest moment of my life
Yang Liping's stage road was not all smooth sailing. An unexpected stage accident caused her to break her ankle bone, which was a bolt from the blue for a professional dancer in her late teens. Many people thought that this would be the biggest obstacle to her continuing to persevere. At the beginning, the photo of her on crutches at the airport once caused discussion among netizens.
Unexpectedly, after a short period of recuperation, Yang Liping regained her strength in only 3 months, and stood on the stage again to great acclaim. This perseverance and ability to be reborn is her most valuable asset on the road of art, and it is also one of the reasons why she finally became famous.
The fanatical love for the dance career is destined to be reciprocated with a pious heart. As Yang Liping herself said: "Dancing is my life, I will keep dancing and never stop."
Now, although Yang Liping can no longer play freely as she grows older, her romantic obsession with dance has never been erased. Whenever she talks about the peacock dance, her eyes always shine, and her demeanor is as simple as the girl back then. This kind of youthful vigor and inner romanticism is the inexhaustible driving force for the peacock dance to maintain its vitality forever.
Yang Liping has never received a formal dance education, but her innate artistic talent is extraordinary. Since joining the art troupe, she has shown excellent on-the-spot imitation ability, as well as a strong comprehension of the details of her movements.
In 1979, 21-year-old Yang Liping took advantage of the national stage of the Spring Festival Gala to create and premiere the Peacock Dance, which integrated classical, ethnic and ballet dance elements, and won her the reputation of "Peacock Princess" in one fell swoop. This work marked the formal formation of a new style of Chinese dance and became a sensation. Yang Liping has also become a household name in the dance world.
From a small village girl to a "modern dance upstart"
Yang Liping was originally born in a backward and poor Bai village in Dali, Yunnan. As a child, she could only pass the time in the family farming, and she had no relationship with the art of dance. It wasn't until she was 13 years old when she was favored by a local folk art troupe that her life trajectory began to take a fundamental turn.
Today, Yang Liping has become one of the most outstanding representatives of the Chinese dance scene, known as the "Dance Master" and "Oriental Dance God". From a small village girl who no one cares about, she has become a "modern dance upstart" who has attracted the attention of the world, and she has used her life to interpret the most wonderful counterattack legend.
Although on the road to the promotion of peacock dance, Yang Liping has also suffered a lot of criticism and doubts. Some conservative views argue that she is too innovative and deviates from the simplicity of the art of dance. Some people even bluntly accused her of being "shameless".
But Yang Liping has always had a normal heart, and she understands that only by constantly innovating and developing can this unique dance be passed on forever. Therefore, even though she has suffered the ups and downs of public opinion, she is still determined to make unremitting explorations on the road of inheritance and innovation of peacock dance.
In her, it is not difficult for us to find a forward-looking artistic vision and the ultimate responsibility for national culture. It is precisely because of the support of this artistic ideal that she can write a strong stroke for the Chinese dance industry with her own hard work.
Dance out the spiritual core of the meaning of life
As the core concept of Yang Liping's artistic creation, the Peacock Dance draws on the essence of Chinese classical dance, ethnic folk dance and ballet, and the three elements are organically integrated to form a unique dance genre that is elegant and moving. In the stage performance of the dancers, it seems that a smart peacock is dancing, dazzling.
To achieve such a state, what kind of mental journey is behind it? Yang Liping said that for her, dancing is like a lover, she is as focused and crazy as a girl. This is the reason why the Peacock Dance has survived to this day and remains youthful and energetic forever - it is the epitome of art with a pure heart, romantic and persistent, and never stops.
As a dance artist, it is understandable that Yang Liping's artistic path has been questioned. After all, the pursuit of innovation is likely to deviate from the fundamentals of art. But it is undeniable that her unswerving persistence is precisely to interpret the "mission of the artist" with practical actions.
A true artist should never be complacent with a heart to learn. They should follow their inner artistic pursuits, have the courage to challenge authority, and dare to innovate and break through, so as to continuously promote the development and progress of art. This artist's responsibility and ideal is one of the important reasons why Peacock Dance can become a quintessential dance.
Yang Liping interpreted the fate of this artist with her own practical behavior, and wrote a strong stroke for the motherland's dance career with a persistent attitude.
As one of the most outstanding artists in the Chinese dance scene, she has demonstrated to us the tenacity required for the pursuit of artistic excellence and the high sense of responsibility for national culture.
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