If the staging of the French "Queen's Comedy Ballet" in 1581 has been regarded as the initial - embryonic - form of the ballet, the spread and development of ballet in China is almost more than three centuries late. However, although the start is late, it is a leap forward.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were foreign ballet troupes performing in China, but on a limited scale. Since then, one after another, the Russians came to China to open private ballet schools, Shanghai, Tianjin, Harbin and other places more influential - the Chinese ballet enlightenment education has a positive effect.
It goes without saying that the real rise and development of ballet in China also took place after the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC), which is closely related to the Chinese government's basic policy of positively absorbing and supporting all outstanding cultural arts of world significance.
Initially, it was the Russian school that had an influence on Chinese ballet. From February 54, the first Soviet expert O-A-YEALINA (O-A-YEALINA) was invited to Beijing to open the first "teacher training class", to 58 years China staged the first classic ballet "escape from Jiaozhi Lake", Chinese ballet to realize the initial period of the speed of the "3 jumps During this period, the Chinese ballet realized a rapid "3-level jump" in its infancy. During this period, Dai Ailian, who is familiar with the art of ballet, also played an important role.
The first phase of the "teacher training class" students (most of whom had received some ballet training), in half a year's time, miraculously completed the syllabus of the Soviet Union Dance School 1 - 6 grades, through a rigorous examination of all qualified. They became the teaching backbone of the Beijing Dance School, which was founded in the same year and specialized in ballet. Since then, they have continued to improve in practice, and have grown into real ballet educators - training one batch of outstanding talents after another.
The important step to realize the "3-level jump" is to train and practice performance. During this period, famous Soviet ballet artists often came to China to perform, and the superb performances attracted a large number of audiences, and the Chinese people gradually became familiar with and loved this art.
In 1957, under the guidance of Chaplin, China staged a ballet for the first time in its entirety - "Unprofitable Prudence" (LA FILLE MAL GARDEE), which is a work of Jean Dobelwal at the end of the 18th century, with a realistic style, suitable for the actual level of the Chinese ballerinas at that time, and through the performance of the team has been improved.
In October 1958, under the guidance of Gusev, Beijing Dance School concentrated all its efforts on the successful staging of the world-famous classic ballet "Escape from Jiaozhi Lake" (Ojeda played by Bai Shuxiang) (SWAN LAKE), which aroused a strong reaction at home and abroad. Through strict rehearsals, a ballet team with various talents was created at a high speed. Today, "Escape from Jiaozhi Lake" has "settled" in China - becoming the most appealing ballet program to the audience.
The Beijing Dance School Experimental Ballet Theatre was founded at the end of 1959, the first professional ballet company in China. In the following year, Shanghai set up a dance school with the same establishment as Beijing, and also took up the task of cultivating professional ballet talents. From then on, the north and the south echoed each other, and endeavored to open up new horizons for the ballet cause.
Following the "Escape from Jiaozhi Lake", 59, 60 years, under the direction of Gusev, and then successfully staged the "Man of the Sea" (LECORSAIRE), "Giselle" (GISELLE) young Chinese ballet team to undertake these two styles of the famous ballet has appeared to be more comfortable.
This period China sent Jiang Zuhui (1934 -), Wang Xixian (1933 -) and other successive to the Moscow State Theatre Institute choreography department for further study, the results are excellent. After returning to China, Jiang Zuhui presented her graduation work, The Daughter of Spain (based on the famous Renaissance poem Village of Sheep Springs by the famous European writer Lope de Vega, premiered at the Tianjin Opera and Dance Drama Theatre in 1961); and Wang Xixian directed and staged his graduation work, The Fountain of Tears (based on the famous long poem by the Russian poet Pushkin, premiered at the Beijing Opera and Dance Drama Theatre in 1961; and Wang Xixian directed and staged his graduation work, The Fountain of Tears (based on the famous long poem by the Russian poet Pushkin, premiered in Beijing. The Fountain of Tears (based on the famous poem by the Russian poet Pushkin) was premiered by the Experimental Ballet Theater Company of the Beijing Dance School.
In 1963, when the Central Opera and Dance Theater was founded, the ballet troupe attached to the school ended its experimental phase and became part of the national theater. Soon after, Jiang Zuhui directed another famous ballet, NORTRE-DAME DERARIS (based on the novel of the same name by the famous French writer Victor Hugo, premiered by the Central Opera and Dance Theater. ...... In just 10 years, Chinese choreographers, directors and performers have basically been able to independently manage the creation, rehearsal and stage performance of classic ballets.
Since '64, the practice of creating Chinese ballets has begun. In fact, the first generation of ballet choreographers and directors, mostly from the study of folk dance to the ballet profession, his or her national cultural background, undoubtedly help the exploration of ballet nationalization.
Large-scale Chinese ballet "Red Detachment of Women" (THE RED DEPACHMENT OF WOMEN) is staged, although not strictly speaking, "the first record", (before this, there have been different types, different scales, different results of the ballet nationalization of the exploration) but can be said to be the first! The most successful large-scale Chinese ballet - from the content to the form has a distinctive Chinese style, Chinese style.
The Red Detachment of Women premiered in 1964, choreographed by Li Chengxiang, Wang Xixian and Jiang Zuhui; composed by Wu Zuqiang and Du Mingxin; premiered by the Central Opera and Dance Drama Theatre; female lead: Bai Shuxiang as Qionghua; Wu Jingzhu as Company Commander; male lead: Liu Qingtang as Hong Changqing; Li Chengxiang as Nan Batian; main supporting actress: Zhao Ruhang as Qionghua's comrade-in-arms; and Wan Qimu as Lao Si.
It is based on the movie of the same name. It tells the story of China's second revolutionary period: the tortured Qiong Hua, unable to endure the oppression of landlord Nan Batian, escapes from the tiger's mouth and coincidentally encounters Hong Changqing, a party representative of the Red Army. After his guidance, Qiong Hua participates in the Maiden Scouts, and grows up to become an outstanding revolutionary warrior after going through trials and tribulations. After Hong Changqing's death, she took over the red flag and moved forward bravely.
The dance drama with shocking tragic plot, magnificent and gorgeous scenes, distinctive characters and the regional flavor of Hainan Island, from its birth, has won multiple praise. It is unprecedented in the ballet stage portrayed a valiant "wearing pointe shoes" image of the Chinese Women's Soldiers, the essence of the ballet and the Chinese style into one, for the world ballet world has added a wonderful flower.
White Hair Girl, created by Hu Rongrong (1929-), Fu Aidi (1936-), Cheng Daohui (1932-), and Lin Yangyang (1939-), was introduced at the same time as The Red Detachment of Women and was equal to it, and it was another successful exploration of Chinese ballet.
The White Haired Girl (THE WHITE HAIR GIRL) premiered in 1965, composed by Yan Jinxuan; premiered by Shanghai Ballet; leading ladies: Cai Guoying (A) and Mao Huifang (B) as Xi'er; Gu Xiaomei (A) and Shi Zhongqin (B) as the White Haired Girl; leading men: Ling Guiming as Dachun; and main supporting men: Dong Xilin as Huang Shiren.
It is based on the opera of the same name and tells the story of Xi'er, the daughter of a poor farmer, who is forced to sell her to the evil landlord Huang Shiren to cover a debt. Unable to withstand the abuse, she flees into the mountains. After years of exposure, her hair turns white, and those who don't know her call her a "white-haired fairy goddess" (a ghost). In the end, she was rescued by the Eighth Route Army and reunited with her young lover, Dachun, who was already a soldier in the Eighth Route Army. The opera "White-haired Girl" has touched millions of Chinese people with the true story of "the old society forces people to become ghosts, and the new society turns ghosts into people".
The ballet did not follow the original work - take shortcuts, but according to the characteristics of ballet art, re-creation. It cleverly uses the material of Chinese classical and folk dances, and combines realism and romance to present the drama in a balletic way. The main characters of the play, such as: Xier's innocence, sweetness and tenacity after becoming "White-haired Girl"; Dachun's simplicity, generosity and bravery after joining the army, as well as Huang Shiren's insidiousness and venomousness,......, etc., are all sharply and vividly portrayed.
The Red Detachment of Women and The White-haired Girl are milestones in the development of Chinese ballet. They are the deeper practice of "foreign for Chinese", standing on its own in the world of ballet art with its unique Chinese characteristics. Collective wisdom to make up for the lack of experience, so that the exploration of the Chinese ballet, a higher starting point, started very quickly.
Unlike the fate of other dances and dance dramas, these two works were designated as "model plays" during the Cultural Revolution - two of the very few dance dramas allowed to be staged at that time. Having stood the test of time and society, The Red Detachment of Women and The White-haired Girl still retain their artistic vitality. Both works have been recognized as "classics of the 20th century".
Literary recovery in the field of ballet performance, first of all, the resumption of the classic Western ballet repertoire of performances, so that long-term only see 1 "red" 1 "white" of the majority of the audience, after a long time without the colorful ballet, set off a wave of "Escape from Jiaozuo Lake
Chinese ballet in the new period, showing a vigorous development trend:
First of all, with a more open vision, the world widely absorbed, borrowing, and not limited to a single Russian school of influence. From the beginning of the 80s, there have been famous ballet artists from Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Canada and other countries in the form of friendly exchanges to teach skills. There were ballet veteran Anton Dowling, famous ballet choreographer Ben Stevenson (B-STEVENSON), etc. in the Central Ballet guided the rehearsal of their own works: purely classical style of male and female "Four Dancers" (TE-PASDE QUIXOTE), the "Prelude", and the famous ballet master BALANCHINE's "Dance of Four Dancers". BALANCHINE's SERENDE ...... etc., most of which have become the Company's regular repertoire.
In addition, over the past decade, China has staged a number of different styles of Western classic repertoire, such as: in 1980, by the Paris Opera ballet master Lisette Sanvall personally guided, the Central Ballet performed the famous French Romantic ballet "Sylvia" (SYLVIA); in 1984, by the renowned British ballet artists Belinda Wright and Yulissa Tjelkau couple re-rehearsal performance. In 1984, by the famous British ballet artists Belinda Wright and Yurisha Jelkow couple re-rehearsed the performance of Anton Dowling version of the "Giselle"; in 1985, in the world-class ballet artist Rudolf Nureyev (R-NUREYEV) and ballet master Eugene Poliakov personally guided the performance of the "Don Gioconda" (Don Quixote); and the "Zoumio and Juliet" (Romeo and Julliet) (). 1989, directed by Roman Walker) and SLEEPING BEAUTY (1994, Macmillan MAC MILLAN version, directed by Morrico Parker) ...... were both successful. In particular, Nureyev, with his unrivaled virtuosity and deep understanding of the dramatic characters, combined with the reality of the Central Ballet, conducted rigorous training, which greatly contributed to the improvement of the level of the actors - leaving a precious page in the history of Chinese ballet. In the many international exchange activities mentioned above, Irene Dai has played a very good role as a bridge.
At the same time, the Beijing Dance Academy persisted in its tradition of combining study and practice, staging Gebelia (1979) and Dancing Girl (1981); the Shanghai Ballet staged Act 3 of Napoli (also known as The Fisherman and the Bride); the Tianjin Opera House revived Daughter of Spain (1982); and the Liaoning Ballet, formed in 1981, presented Hai Biao (The Sea), which was the first ballet in China to be staged in the United States. Ballet Troupe launched the "Sea Man" (1983) ...... This not only enriches the cultural life of the masses, but also after the world ballet authority to guide the performance of pure classical ballet masterpieces, so that a new generation of ballet talent grows rapidly.
In 1982, Wang Qifeng (female, Shanghai), Zhang Weiqiang (Beijing) in the United States, Jackson International Ballet Competition, for the first time Chinese players to open the record of awards (performance third prize). Since then, Chinese players frequently participate in various international ballet competitions, showing strong strength. Some of the more outstanding ones are:
1984 - The First Paris International Ballet Dance Competition, Wang Qifeng (Shanghai) and Wang Caijun (Beijing) were awarded special prizes;
1985 - The 13th Lausanne International Ballet Dance Competition, Li Ying (female, Beijing) was awarded the first place, and Xu Gang (Beijing) was awarded the second place;
1985 - the 5th Moscow International Ballet Dance Competition, Tang Min (female, Beijing) was awarded the third place. Ballet Dance Competition, Tang Min (female) won the Best Performance Technique Award, Zhang Weiqiang and Zhao Minhua won the third place in Men's Pair Dance and and Solo Dance respectively (all from Beijing).
1992 - The 5th Paris International Ballet Competition, Tan Yuanyuan (Shanghai) won the first prize;
In the same year, Tan Yuanyuan won the gold medal in the women's juvenile group of the 1st International Competition of Japanese Ballet (China's Liaoning's female Yu Xiaonan won the silver medal in the juvenile group of the same session); the Polish Nijinsky Grand Prize.
1994 - The 6th Paris International Ballet Dance Competition Wang Yuanyuan (female) and Cao Huanxing (both from Beijing) won the second place in modern ballet pas de deux.
1995 - Helsinki Ballet Dance Competition, Zhang Zhao (female) and Han Liquid both won the second place in the Junior Group.
1997 - The 8th Moscow International Ballet Dance Competition, Zhang Zhao, who has won many awards, won the first place in the women's pas de deux.
In the new situation, the exploration of Chinese ballet has also taken new steps. Chinese literature, theater masterpieces adapted ballet, the results are remarkable. Such as: "Thunderstorm" (original Cao Yu), "Home" (original Bajin), "Soul", "Q", "The Hurt Locker" (original Lu Xun) and so on. In terms of structure and presentation, some breakthroughs have been made, which are bold and useful attempts.
Among such works, the dance drama of the same name based on Lu Xun's famous novel "Blessing" and "Lin Daiyu" based on Cao Xueqin's masterpiece "Dream of Red Mansions" are quite influential.
The Blessing (The New Year's Sacrifice) premiered in 1980, choreographed and directed by Jiang Zuhui; composed by Liu Tingyu; premiered by the Central Ballet. Actresses: Yu Leidi as Xianglin Sister-in-law; Wu Zhaoning as He Laoliu.
The original novel reveals in profound strokes the tragic fate of working women in the olden times under the rule of the feudal yoke: Sister Xiang Lin, a simple and honest young widow, earns her living as a maid for a rich family and is sold into the mountains - to He Laoliu as his wife. She fights to the death, but is touched by the kind-hearted He Laoliu, who marries her and gives her a son. But the good times don't last long - the husband died and the son lost ...... Because of the feudal consciousness, the crowd regarded the remarried twice Xianglin Sister-in-law as an ominous symbol, there is no place in the sky to accommodate this unfortunate woman, in a snowy and windy night, she left the world with the resentment and accusation of life.
In its second act, "Resistance to Marriage," the writer-director carefully utilizes the Chinese wedding custom of "covering the bride's head," meticulously designing the plot of the "three coverings": when He When He Laoliu's friends and relatives - simple mountain people, dancing a joyful folk dance, blowing and beating for the bride layer by layer to uncover the head, never thought that the bride was tied hands, mouth stuffed with cotton balls. With tears streaming down her face, she threw herself headlong against the table - but begged for death! He Laoliu with sympathy to return her to freedom, Xianglin sister-in-law was touched by his kindness, decided to stay ....... The Blessing Act 2 has become an independently staged chapter of the dance drama with its rich vernacular flavor, wonderful duo dance sequences and stirring plot treatments.
Lin Daiyu premiered in 1982, choreographed by Li Chengxiang and Wang Shiqi; composed by Shi Fu; premiered by the Central Ballet Theatre Company, female lead: Wang Pingping as Lin Daiyu; Feng Ying as Xue Baochai; male lead: You Guoqing as Jia Baoyu.
This magnificent work by a late 19th-century Qing Dynasty literati sounded the death knell of China's feudal society by depicting the rise and fall of prominent feudal clans. The hundreds of characters in the book are jingly different -- each with a different voice.
The ballet "Lin Daiyu" cuts off the original fine work and complex plot, capturing one of the most moving love story - Lin Daiyu, Jia Baoyu and Xue Baochai relationship between the entanglement and the ultimate tragic end, which 4 acts of "Daiyu's death" is quite ingenious. It depicts the life-threatening Daiyu still love Baoyu, holding a token of love - silk handkerchief, hallucinating in the netherworld ...... suddenly feel Baoyu near at hand, the two told each other their feelings; suddenly feel the darkness around, Baoyu without a trace; suddenly see Baoyu and Baochai into marriage - she was in the middle of it flitting! ...... the distant sound of drums and music of the wedding of Baoyu and Baochai, Daiyu returned to the cruel reality - angrily burned "silk handkerchiefs", and left her life in extreme grief. The choreographer and director boldly used the stream-of-consciousness technique to fully reveal Daiyu's journey with the nationalized ballet vocabulary, which is very infectious. Act 4 of "Lin Daiyu" - "The Death of Daiyu" - has become an independent chapter of the ballet.
In addition, the Liaoning Ballet's large-scale ballet "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai" (1983), which was a collaboration between Zhang Guoli and Ali, and young choreographer Shu Junjun's "Searching for the Light Trilogy" (1985), "Orchid Flower" (1988), and Xiao Suhua's "Fantasia of the Red Mansion" (1992) are also positive examples of ballet nationalization. It is also a positive exploration of ballet nationalization.
In addition to Beijing, Shanghai, according to the ballet position, in 1992, Tianjin, the official establishment of the Ballet, public performance of the "Night of the Tianfang Tan", "Escape from Jiaozhi Lake" and other plays; in 1995, the Guangzhou Municipal Ballet "Anna Karenina" performance as the establishment of the troupe's debut after the "appearance". ......
Over half a century the art of ballet in China has made great progress, and now, is ambitious to step into the ranks of the "ballet country".
Modern Dance in China (I)
Modern dance in China has a broad definition and a tortuous development process. As mentioned earlier, Wu Xiaobang, Dai Ailian, Jia Zuoguang and other pioneers of the new dance art in their own dance enlightenment, have honored masters to learn authentic Western modern dance. In their artistic practice, they have shared the concepts of freedom and innovation with modern dance, and at the same time, they have pursued more strongly the ethnicity and the spirit of the times in dance. Among them, Wu Xiaobang's wise saying of "dancing with the pulse of the times" and "20th century classics" such as "March of the Volunteers", "Song of the Partisans" and "Hunger and Fire" should be regarded as the precious spiritual values of "Chinese Modern Dance". Modern Dance in China" should be regarded as a precious spiritual wealth.
In the development of modern dance in China, broadly speaking, all the dances that do not have a specific national style or classical program can be classified as "Chinese modern dance". However, we have not included in the category of "Modern Dance" those works mentioned above that refine the language of dance from life, reflect the social and historical events of public concern, and have a distinctive realist character, because, strictly speaking, they are different from the "Modern Dance" that belongs to the Western modernist art system. The reason why we do not include them in the category of "modern dance" is that, in a strict sense, they are different from the "modern dance" that belongs to the Western modernist art system.
At the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s, Wu Xiaobang founded the Tianma Dance Studio, which systematically implemented the teaching system that he had created, which was derived from modern dance, and carried out a variety of creative practices in order to take a path of "Chinese modern dance". The works of this period include: "Ambush on Ten Sides", "Three Plum Blossoms", "Flat Sand and Falling Geese" ......, which are inspired by ancient songs and pursue the spirit of traditional Chinese culture; and "The Shepherd Boys Learn to Read and Write", "Soccer Dance", "Butterfly and Flowers" ......, etc., which are based on the real life. etc. His artistic beliefs remain the same, but the impact of the above works is not as great as that of his dances during the war period. Later, with the interruption of the Pegasus Studio, the exploration of modern dance in China declined.
The re-emergence of modern dance in China took place in the late 70's and early 80's, with the deepening of reform and opening up. In the early days, a number of works were called modern dance by the masses, such as Hope, Silent Song, Goodbye, Mom, Wedding on the Penal Colony, and Cutting the Strings, etc. From conceptualization to breakthroughs in language patterns, these works have been a great success in China. From the conception to the breakthrough of language mode, all of them have obvious innovative consciousness and greater impact. However, with the exception of Hope, most of the works have not yet detached themselves from the expression of figuratively reflecting specific characters in specific events. Obviously, this is not a modern dance in the strict sense. After that, Shanghai Hu Jialu launched his own series of works "Call of Ideal", "Rope Wave", "Blood Sinking", "Game Random Song", "The Other Side", "Monologue" ...... From the creativity of the works to the form of expression - language planting, it seems to feel that the choreographer is moving towards the "modern dance" in his mind. "
Modern Dance
Modern dance in China is not yet in the ascendant (two)
China really let go, the direct introduction of Western "authentic" modern dance and on this basis for new exploration, is more than a decade. Guangzhou, the outpost of reform and opening up, and Beijing, the capital of China's cultural center, were the "bases".
In 1987, the first modern dance experimental class was held in Guangdong Province; in 1991, the Modern Dance Teaching and Research Department of the Beijing Dance Academy was officially opened. In 1991, the Beijing Dance Academy officially opened the Modern Dance Teaching and Research Department. Western famous modern dance experts were invited to conduct systematic training in form and choreography. There were: Sarah Stackhouse, Shang Ruibi, Douglas Nelson, Claudia Gittleman, Lucas Hoven, Ross Parks (USA); Beket Oksan (Sweden), Janet Randall (UK); Chinese-American experts Wang Renlu, Jiang Qing, and teachers from Canada, Australia and other countries. In addition, Chinese modern dancers who received their master's degrees in the United States in the 1940s - Guo Mingda - and especially Cao Chengyuan of the City Contemporary Dance Company (Hong Kong) have also played an important role in promoting modern dance.
Most of the young contemporary modern dancers entered the field with a sense of novelty and devotion to Western modern dance. Since China's professional dance education has formed a comprehensive network system, technical training has reached a high level. Those "new recruits" who enter the experimental modern dance training courses after strict selection have solid skills in ballet or Chinese dance, first-class physical quality, and are by no means "drawing" modern dance on a piece of "blank paper". The "drawing" of modern dance on a piece of "blank paper", high-intensity modern dance training courses have been very effective - to the surprise of the teacher, to the "students", like a tiger with wings.
Soon, the young Chinese modern dancers will be a unique style in the world of dance to show their prominence: the first record is the Guangdong modern dance class of Qin Liming and Qiao Yang in 1990, the 4th International Modern Dance Competition in Paris, with "Transmission" (Cao Chengyuan choreography), "Taiji Impression" (self-presented) won the pas de deux gold medal; after that, in 1994, 1996, Paris, the 6th and 7th international modern dance gold medal was awarded by the Paris, the 6th and 7th international modern dance competition. After that, in 1994 and 1996, the gold medals of the 6th and 7th International Modern Dance in Paris were again won by Chinese - Xing Liang and Sang Jiga. They both performed their respective works "Light" and "Shake", in addition to Cao Chengyuan's work.
Modern dance emphasizes self-consciousness more than folk dance and ballet, and is freer and more versatile in the language of the human body without requiring special styles and norms, plus modern dance training promotes improvisation and creativity among dancers. Therefore, compared with folk dance and ballet dancers, most of the Chinese modern dancers put into the practice of choreography earlier - the combination of choreography and performance, showing a high level of talent, and a number of recognized excellent modern dance programs have appeared. For example:
The dances mentioned earlier which won awards in international competitions are "Impression of Taiji" (duo), "Light" and "Shake" (solo); in addition, there are "Tides" (group dance) (choreographer: Wang Mei), "Autumn Water, Iren" (group dance) (choreographer: Zhang Shouhe); "Basket and Bamboo" (collective creation); "Sleepless Night" (choreographed and performed by Shen Wei).... ...etc. Some of these programs were performed at the American Dance Festival in 1991, and were praised by modern dance authorities around the world, who were amazed to find that Chinese artists were so quickly converging with the international scene in the field of modern dance, and that their works exuded the special charm of the Oriental nation .......
In 1992, the Guangdong Experimental Modern Dance Company was formally established; currently, Beijing is also in the process of forming a modern dance company. With the expansion of international cultural exchanges and the diversification of people's appreciation habits, the Chinese audience - especially young people - has expressed a strong interest in modern dance. Undoubtedly, the creation of a true Chinese modern dance must be explored in many ways, and should also carry forward the spirit of the times and reflect the soul of the nation.
In open China, modern dance is on the rise.
Open China, modern dance is on the rise.