◆Freelance dancer, choreographer. 30 years old, from Chengdu. Graduated from the Modern Dance Department of Beijing Dance Academy.
◆ Formerly served as rehearsal director of Beijing Modern Dance Company. Currently, he is a special invited choreographer of the National Ballet of China and a special invited artist of Wuzhen Theater Festival, Aranya Theater Festival, Zhongguancun Dance Festival, and Tsinghua University Art Museum.
◆Director of the 2024 CCTV Lantern Festival Gala. Won several gold medals in domestic and foreign international dance competitions.
◆Personal masterpieces: Dance Theater "29", "Children of the Stars", "The Boy in Striped Pajamas", "The Play of Life" and "The Shadow of Life".
◆ Representative works of dance dramas: "The Rite of Spring", "White Deer Plain", "Wish for Rain at the Third Watch", "Twenty-Four Solar Terms Twelve Voices Between Flowers", "Twelve Zodiac Signs", "Water Question", "The Great Wall" and "Beijing Us" "Fantasy Tea Mystery Sutra".
During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday that just passed, from June 7th to 10th, Chen Zihao Dance Theater's work "500 Miles" was performed at the "Drum Tower West" Theater for 6 consecutive performances. It was a special tribute to the 10th anniversary of the "Drum Tower West" Theater.
The first time I watched Chen Zihao was his "29" at the People's Liberation Army Art Theater in October last year. I felt like I was struck by thunder and was confused. I remember that it was raining lightly that night, and when I walked out of the theater, I felt like a whole sail was beating in my chest.
This time, I went to the first rehearsal on the evening of May 30th. In the third rehearsal room of Gulou West with the fan turned off, we stood in the viewing seats the whole time. The white contemporary art installation in front of us was a maze and an island. The dancers who shuttled through and jumped above were either under our feet or in front of us. I looked at the sweat. A little bit seeped into their skin. That night, Chen Zihao wore a hair tie and was sweating profusely. His concentrated face and body felt broken.
premiered on the evening of June 7th. I saw the stage and the light. Everyone in the audience was invited to walk through the "maze" on the stage. It was really narrow. It was incredible how the dancers could run in it and how painful it would be if they bumped into it. Looking at the dancers I interviewed one by one in the audience, Tian Kai, who was so handsome, had his hair cut short; Gao Xupeng, who was studying for the MFA "Dance Performance" at Minzu University of China, spoke with sincerity and fullness. He is a child, but he dances like a god; Xiao Qixin is from the Bai ethnic group in Dali, and her knee-length hair runs like mist and flags in the wind, and it feels like every hair strand can dance; Zhou Xinyu, who graduated from the People's Liberation Army Art Academy, Like her name, she is light and sassy, and her faith is bright.
In my impression, the "Drum Tower West" theater that night was like a dream.
"The work is me. Whatever you see it looks like, that's what I look like."
Beijing Youth Daily reporter Wu Fei (hereinafter referred to as Wu Fei): When I watched "29" last year, at first I thought it was a retelling of a foreign work. , it’s really great. Later I found out that it was your original work, I was so surprised. Interested in your experience.
Chen Zihao: I am from Chengdu. I left my parents very early at the age of 12 and went to a professional dance school. At the age of 17, I passed the Beijing Dance Academy and came to Beijing to attend university. So it's more independent.
Wu Fei: Isn’t it difficult to dance? That training, that discipline.
Chen Zihao: It will be very stressful and tiring.
Wu Fei: Is this your favorite?
Chen Zihao: I like it. I chose my own life and got to where I am now. Fortunately for me, I am doing something I like and am relatively comfortable in it. Although there are worries, it’s about practical things, such as age, dancers are still very sensitive to age; there is also survival, future prospects, whether it can become a sustainable thing.
So at every stage I have a dialogue with myself - what do you want? Who do you want to be? What do you want to do? This is reflected in my works. When I was reading "29", I was thinking about everyone's anxiety, hesitation, panic, and nervousness before they turned thirty. This is very realistic, because there are only a few people at the top of the pyramid, and there are also a few people who are born with a silver spoon in their mouths.
Some people don’t understand, “Are children nowadays so stressed?” It’s really that great. Because there are too many outstanding and powerful people now. If you don’t work hard and run, you will be eliminated, so everyone is running hard and fighting for it.
So when I made this work at the age of 29, I was actually quite sincere about myself. I put things on stage that I was afraid to face, my real fears—survival, age, and not wanting to grow up. I hope that I can always be a teenager who has not grown up, but the reality is that you have to grow up, face it, and grow up. Because this is called responsibility and must be borne. Your responsibility to yourself, your family, and even your responsibility to society - because you must have a certain value, otherwise you will be a useless person.
Wu Fei: Is modern dance also an option?
Chen Zihao: Choose. In fact, I am quite determined in my heart, and I feel that modern dance is me.
Wu Fei: Did you not think much about the future at that time?
Chen Zihao: I haven’t thought about the future. I am very lucky. Since I was a child, I have never attended a party to dance as a backup dancer. Dance has always been a wonderful thing for me, and I have never thought about using it to make money. This good fortune actually makes me quite confident. This kind of confidence can actually be seen sometimes in my works.
Because I am very willful, and I don’t pretend to be pretentious, I am very direct. I never hide or conceal my ambitions and desires, they will appear in my works, and even some very private and obscure things will appear in my works. The work is me, whatever you see it looks like, that’s what I look like.
Wu Fei: In the eyes of many people, being willful requires capital.
Chen Zihao: My capital actually lies in that my family has given me a lot of encouragement. My parents have actually given me a lot of love and support. They have nothing to do with dance or art, but they want me to be healthy first and happy second, and then do what I want to do.
So I dance not to survive, but because it allows me to use my profession to do something for society, this era, or this world. This is what I've been thinking about. I think this is spiritual nourishment, it can change another person, and this power can be given to another person.
(from left) dancers Xiao Qixin, Tian Kai, Gao Xupeng, Zhou Xinyu
"Life is a parkour trip, and it will be smooth as you run."
Wu Fei: What did you do before "29"?
Chen Zihao: I am a director who pays attention to the present. All my works are realistic themes. I will explore every moment and every special group. For example, I pay attention to autistic children and autistic groups. I compiled a book "Children of the Stars", which won an international award. The grand prize (Editor's Note: The 12th American International Ballet Competition USA IBC2023 Best Choreographer Gold Award) is that I hope to use my ability to let more people see them and give love to this group. I think I can use my major to Soothing and hugging them, that's valuable to me.
Wu Fei: I am very interested in your soul. Some people cannot see this.
Chen Zihao: I think everyone is wrapping themselves up very tightly now. Maybe gradually they don’t even know what they really are like.
I want to put them out for them, release them for them, let them see themselves, and then let them know that I am still worthy of being loved and embraced. So what if I am not hugged and loved, I can still live a good life, and I can feel safe by myself.
Wu Fei: Then you are great. And it’s so rare. Many people have to be very old to reach reconciliation with themselves.
Chen Zihao: When I was doing "29", I said that fear and nervousness are not important. What is important is whether you can reconcile with yourself. Why does "29" end with raincoats and balloons? The balloon is a dream, it is light, it is erratic, it moves with the wind; the raincoat is like the soul of each of us, not so heavy. As long as you believe in dreams, as long as you believe in that moment, dreams will be light and people will be relaxed. All the pressure and tension are given to you.
Of course, I also give myself tension and pressure. For example, I also have insomnia, can’t sleep, and I also get nervous sometimes.
Fei Wu: I saw it in "500 Miles". There is a paragraph where everyone has insomnia on an isolated island.
Chen Zihao: It doesn’t matter. I told myself that if I can’t fall asleep, I can’t fall asleep. Just enjoy the inability to fall asleep. The next day you can relax and exercise. You may be tired or drink wine and fall asleep, right? ? Of course, everyone is different, our experiences, growing environment, our emotions, and families. But I think I need to reconcile with myself. In fact, the most important thing I want to say is to love yourself. Why should I die for a person? Why should I torture myself if I don’t do this job well? If it’s not done well, it’s not done well, just leave it to tomorrow.
Just like this time when I was working on "500 Miles", I encountered a lot of difficulties, dissatisfaction, and troubles. I told myself: "Do you want to do it? If you want to do it, okay, then do it." Move forward courageously. The section where the ladder appears at the end of this work
is actually parkour. Life is a parkour journey. You are always running and overcoming countless obstacles. Isn’t it just a matter of running? Is it okay to just run? Even if you fall, it doesn't matter. You must have the ability to accept your own failures, then you will have the opportunity to embrace yourself standing on the stage and your successful self. If you cannot accept that you are a failure, you will never be a success.
No one is born destined to succeed. You see him succeed, but you don't know that this man has died 999 times. He only achieved his success at that moment when he was reborn in the face of adversity. So what I always tell myself is, "Relax, talk to yourself, and love yourself. It doesn't matter if you don't succeed. It doesn't matter if you have insomnia. Just let it be insomnia." I'm fine even if I suffer from insomnia for a week.
"When you open your phone and the messages make you irritated, can you turn those irritations into light?"
Chen Zihao: I am a very sensitive person. My body is very sensitive and I can't sleep when I drink coffee. I will suffer from insomnia when I am slightly anxious or have internal conflicts with myself. But I think everyone knows it, don't be afraid of it, it's just a color among emotions. If you have insomnia, just enjoy it. If you really feel that it will affect your work and life, we can seek medical treatment. We can use some physical methods to change ourselves and protect ourselves.
made "500 Miles" because I think it's so difficult for everyone. Nowadays, many people are suffering and difficult. People have wrapped themselves up very tightly and don't have the courage to start over.
Life is more than 500 miles, there are countless 500 miles in life. But in every 500 miles, can you still see yourself, meet yourself, embrace yourself, and acknowledge yourself? The moment I admitted myself, I failed and I didn't get love; when I admitted that myself, I was nothing. But I left every solid footprint I had.
This is actually my original intention of making this work, and it is what I want to share with everyone. Life requires light, and life also requires faith - as long as you believe that the light is there, the light will definitely be there. This light may be in your heart, or it may be the sun every day, or it may be that when you turn on the screen of your mobile phone and see those WeChat messages that make you irritated, can you still turn those irritations into light?
Wu Fei: When did the idea for such a work come up?
Chen Zihao: Actually, I have been preparing for half a year. Now everything from script, installation, music to final presentation is very harmonious. We have been chatting with Sister Xiaojuan and the others ("Residents of the Valley") since November last year, and everyone started to come up with ideas. I saw this installation work by teacher Wang Guangle at the beginning of this year.
Wu Fei: Why did you choose this device? What inspiration did this installation give you?
Chen Zihao: Life is a maze game. Each of us is looking for the entrance and exit at every moment and every stage of our life.No one has its strategy, no one has its answer, it lies in your heart. With music, I want to convey love and affection, convey warmth, and want everyone to be loved and embraced.
With such an installation and Sister Xiaojuan’s soulful music, I think it will give the work a different presentation. It's not smooth, it's contrasting. The song is beautiful, it is the spiritual world we yearn for; the dancer appears as a person in a maze. The reality is very painful and painful, and we need to embrace and reconcile with ourselves.
Wu Fei: I like that it also has a sense of power.
Chen Zihao: Vitality.
Wu Fei: Especially full of energy. I was a little confused about the high heels part.
Chen Zihao: That period is called a dangerous relationship. In my opinion, high heels are desire, love and privacy. I think a height of 10 centimeters above the ground is an abyss. Many people fall into it and are unable to extricate themselves. Many people will never get out of this 10 centimeter abyss. So it's that dangerous relationship to me that everyone goes through, man or woman, it's a desire that's inherent in every one of us. It can't be love.
We are not talking about love, I am actually talking about people and human nature. We all have desires. I want to make 10 more yuan today, and I want to make 100 more yuan tomorrow. That is like the height of high heels. 10 centimeters above the ground is an abyss. Can you walk steadily? it.
Fei Wu: Many women will give up high heels when they reach a certain age.
Chen Zihao: I think giving up is because I no longer believe.
Wu Fei: I’m also tired.
Chen Zihao: I don’t have that much energy to think, “I can still wear high heels, I’m still confident.” Why can't you wear it? Why give up on yourself? Why give up every opportunity every day?
I want to do a dislocation. Girls look beautiful and sexy when they wear high heels.
Wu Fei: But Xiong Naiqin’s red high heels on the stage are also very big and don’t fit. And if you, a boy, wear them, some people may think that you are challenging a taboo, so I think you are quite brave. .
Chen Zihao: What I want to express in that paragraph is that in fact, the pressure on men in this era is too great, and the weight that men bear is too heavy, because girls are slowly getting stronger, and if they want to take off, can the strength of men's shoulders lift them? Gotta get up.
"Special Dramatic Performance" Xiong Naijin
"Life will definitely give you a glimmer of hope and will not leave you desperate"
Wu Fei: This time "500 Miles" Xiong Naijin is a "Special Dramatic Performance", Tu Ling plays the role in "29" This is also the role. Why should there be a dramatic role besides being a dancer? Is this a feature of your work?
Chen Zihao: This is what I deliberately searched for in these two works. I wanted to have a very pure expression. What a theater actor wants is reality and the present. She can better help me say what I want to say, using her expression, a look, a breath, a gasp, and a collision.
It’s so smooth for dancers to perform, because dancers always put their limbs first and know how to pass them. Because they can amplify, it is easy to make it unreal. Because a dancer would look beautiful if she did it, which is great. But if an actor does it, she may not be so physically comfortable. But it is precisely that blunt force that I want, and that body and expression that are not so perfect. I think that's human, that's a real thing, and no one's perfect.
Modern dance has inner expression. From this inner expression, you can see yourself, and you can even feel some emotions and the emotions it wants to convey at certain moments. It has a hidden story inside. Maybe its story and its expression are not the same thing as your heart, but you will feel soothed.
This is the difference between modern dance and traditional dance drama. Modern dance is about the present, the moment, and a very real emotion. We are not trying to portray a historical figure or perform a national custom.So when you come to the show, you don’t need to come with the idea of “I want to find an answer”, you just need to feel it. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. If you feel it, you have gained something. If you can still feel being moved many times, then you have gained a lot.
I believe that the audience can leave with something gained after watching my works. I still have this little bit of confidence. Maybe it's because I'm sincere enough. I still like things that are not pretending, because it is easy to pretend, but it takes courage and confidence to reveal oneself truly.
Wu Fei: In addition to sincerity, you must also have the ability to create high-quality things. Do you have a lot to watch?
Chen Zihao: Of course, I really like watching movies, watching performances, reading books, and reading some things that are not common among people, some niche, humanistic, and artistic things.
It's still early, this "500 Miles" has just begun. I don’t know what the next work will be. I think it is very important for me to maintain a loving heart. Because of this love, you will have expectations and hope.
Learn to love yourself, acknowledge yourself at the same time, and then you have to better understand yourself. Because too much pursuit of perfection and too much competition will cause us internal friction and pain. If this job is not done well, there will be another job; if this relationship is not good, there will be another relationship; it doesn’t matter if you are not happy at this moment, I have many next ones. If you don't succeed, you won't succeed. I think everyone puts too much pressure on themselves now, and they want too much and are too eager. If you don’t have it, then you don’t have it. Then do something well. If you want to do it, there must be a solution, there must be another way.
The English name of "29" is translated as "A glimmer of hope". Life will be very difficult and bitter, but when you are extremely miserable, life will definitely give you a glimmer of hope, and it will not leave you desperate. I believe that for everyone, as long as you persevere, be firm, and have that belief, life will never fail to give you that light. The one who defeats you will always be yourself. It’s not that life didn’t give you light, it’s that you left before it had time to give it to you.
Wu Fei: How did you come to have this understanding? You're so young and you're under so much pressure?
Chen Zihao: I am a person full of hope and love, and my heart is very strong.
I said something to my mother, I will never live for anyone, I love them very much, and I know how to protect and love them in my own way, but I am still me, no one can change it, and no one can It can be shaken and controlled. I'm not a person who talks too much and doesn't listen. I can listen very well, but I feel that the firmness must be there.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Wu Fei
Photos/Gulou West Theater
