The first generation of Qionghua and dancer Bai Shuxiang (second from right) rehearsed the ballet "Red Detachment of Women". (File photo)
The second generation of Qionghua and dancer Xue Jinghua performed the classic action "Kicking the Purple And Golden Crown Backwards". (File photo)
On June 19, 2021, a new generation of actors from the National Ballet of China performed the ballet "Red Detachment of Women" at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Photo by Liu Fang
Author: Liu Xiaozhen (Associate Researcher, Institute of Dance, China Academy of Arts)
The revolutionary modern ballet "The Red Detachment of Women", which premiered in 1964, and the feature film of the same name released in 1961, can be described as a double bi in the red classic. In 1971, the ballet "Red Detachment of Women" was also put on the big screen and widely circulated. More than half a century later, while reliving the revolutionary course, ideals and beliefs and the spirit of struggle of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army through this classic, we can still appreciate its artistic charm and creative height.
The ballet "The Red Detachment of Women" tells a revolutionary story in the form of a ballet. The dance drama is more refined in terms of plot and character setting than the film of the same name, which is necessary for stage narrative. The characters in the dance cannot self-declare their identities like the characters in the feature film, and too many character relationships can cause the burden of stage narrative. For choreography, the use of basic forms such as solo dance, double dance, three-person dance, group dance, etc. to shape the character image and promote the development of the plot needs to be played, so the choice of main contradictions and typical scenes is particularly important. On the one hand, Qionghua and Hong Changqing, Qionghua and Nanbatian constitute the main character relationship, providing the basis for the contradiction and conflict between solo dance and double dance; on the other hand, the bright and cheerful tone of Su District contrasts with the gloomy and oppressive background of Nanbatian Mansion, providing an emotional background for group dance choreography.
"Evergreen Guiding the Way" is only a narrative section in Xie Jin's film, with Hong Changqing and Qionghua facing the path leading to the company headquarters of the Female Scout Army in the Soviet District, and the camera flashes by. But in ballet, "Evergreen Direction" is the turning point of the plot and a highly symbolic scene. After Qionghua fled Nanfu, she met Hong Changqing and Xiao Pang for the first time in the coconut grove, psychologically from wariness, hesitation to acceptance, step by step change, and finally under the hint and foil of the main melody of the Red Girl Scouts music, the three of them jointly faced the direction where the Su District was located. This is an important moment for Qionghua to decide to embark on the revolutionary road, and it has also become one of the classic styles of dance drama. In addition, at the end of the theatrical version of the dance, Hong Changqing was mounted on the fire by the enemy, and at the same time, the international song sounded, and the revolutionary spirit rose in the flames. In these two scenes, the inspiration of the revolutionary spirit and the narration of the action language are unified, which is a model of a high degree of integration of ideology and artistry in the dance drama.
The revolutionary experience provided by the ballet "Red Detachment of Women" for the history of world ballet in terms of artistic ontology is a challenge to the aesthetics of classical ballet in the West, and a useful attempt to combine ballet creation with traditional Chinese body language. The aesthetics of Western classical ballet are rooted in court culture, supported by systematic and perfect toe technology, and there are specific norms for gestures and shapes. Under this premise, the shaping of the image of fairies, princesses, and ladies is integrated with the dance technique, forming a specific elegant style. Obviously, the inherent pattern of classical ballet limits the inner emotional tension of the character of Qionghua, and the elegant style cannot match the identity and strong expression of Qionghua, so the ballet "Red Detachment of Women" needs to transform the traditional classical ballet.
After Qionghua was injured and fled Nanfu, there was a lyrical solo dance in the coconut grove - clenched fists and various skillful flips in traditional Chinese opera movements, all of which vented the anger and hatred in Qionghua's heart, and the amplitude of the movements that opened widely was released at all times, releasing the backlog of bitter feelings at all times. All of this is perfectly grafted and integrated with the tiptoe technique, so that the character of Qionghua is plump and vividly shaped, and also adds a red revolutionary image to the women in the ballet world.
For classical ballet, which highlights the toes and leg skills, the expressiveness of the upper body is relatively weak, which is greatly improved in "The Red Detachment of Women". In the two scenes of "Women's Army Training" and "Military and Civilian Music", female soldiers practicing gun group dance, female soldier training knife group dance, men's short knife group dance, bucket dance, etc. are added with props that conform to the plot, which technically enriches the classical ballet language and also provides a classic case for the choreography of ballet group dance. Taking the action and shape of the female soldier aiming at the forward movement of the gun as an example, in fact, this is not only a challenge to the classical tiptoe skills, requiring the actor to have the excellent technique of the tiptoe, but also must have the arm strength and balance ability of the end gun, otherwise it will be impossible to effectively present the image of a brave and strong female soldier. In addition, in the melodious music of "the water of the Wanquan River is clear and clear", the dancing bucket dance not only conveys the beautiful atmosphere of military and civilian music, but also provides a model for the combination of ballet and folk dance, and the artistic style is distinct.
Revisiting the ballet "Red Detachment of Women" makes people have to marvel at the organic integration and high unity of its ideology and artistry. This drama not only condenses the collective wisdom of the previous generation of artists to create carefully, but also embodies the revolutionary spirit of emotion in the middle and outside. The significance of revisiting the red classics lies in using aesthetic methods to learn revolutionary history, inherit the revolutionary spirit, not forget the original intention, and continue to move forward.
Classic playback
The ballet "Red Detachment of Women" is based on the collective creation of the film of the same name written by Liang Xin, with Li Chengxiang, Jiang Zuhui and Wang Xixian as choreographers, Wu Zuqiang, Du Mingxin, Dai Hongwei, Shi Wanchun and Wang Yanqiao as composers, Ma Yunhong as stage designers, and Liang Hongzhou as lighting designers. This ballet has left many memorable dance passages and popular musical melodies in its creation, among which the theme song "The Song of the Girl Scout Army" and "The Water of the Wanquan River are Clear and Clear" created by Huang Zhun are the most widely sung. Since its premiere in 1964, the ballet "Red Detachment of Women" has been performed more than 4,000 times, which is an impressive milestone in the history of Chinese ballet.
Source: People's Daily Overseas Edition