In the 1980s, on the first day when ballet dancer Cai Yilei went to the Royal Ballet School in England, someone asked him where he was from. Cai Yilei answered, Shanghai, China. However, the other party did not know where Shanghai was and did not believe that people with yellow skin could also dance ballet.
More than 40 years have passed, and more and more young Chinese faces are emerging in the world's famous ballet troupes. They have won gold and silver medals in major ballet competitions at home and abroad, and have entered overseas dance companies as principals, lead dancers, and solo dancers, demonstrating the strength of Chinese dancers.
Dancers in rehearsal Photo by Dong Tianye
html From July 19th to 20th, "Light of the Chinese Ballet Star Gala" was performed at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater. Eleven young dancers including Yu Hang, Wang Mingxuan, Shi Yue, Bai Dingkai, Liu Sirui, Liu Chenxin, Sun Jiayong, Chen Zhiyao, Xia Jun, Liang Zecheng, and Peng Huiwen appeared. They come from eight different dance companies from the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Finland.At the invitation of young dancer Ao Dingwen and the National Dance Theater, these Chinese ballet stars who rarely appear on the domestic stage gathered together to perform classical and modern ballet works. Ao Dingwen said: "We want the audience to feel the important position of Chinese dancers on the world ballet stage, and we also hope that the world can see the charm and heritage of our Chinese ballet."
How do these young Chinese dancers join international famous troupes? What challenges have they faced in their careers?
Dancers are rehearsing. Photo by Dong Tianye
Ao Dingwen rehearses the curtain call scene for the dancers. Photo by Dong Tianye
Dancing from Shanghai to the world
Half of the 11 Chinese ballet stars who came to Shanghai to perform this time grew up in Shanghai.
Royal Ballet lead dancer Yu Hang, Dutch National Ballet lead dancer Bai Dingkai, Finnish National Ballet principal dancer Xia Jun, and San Francisco Ballet dancer Wang Mingxuan all graduated from Shanghai Dance School; former principal dancers at the Béjart Ballet in Lausanne, Switzerland Sun Jiayong studied dance at the Film School of Tongji University; Liu Sirui, the principal dancer of the Cincinnati Ballet in the United States, graduated from the Dance School of the Shanghai Theater Academy. She was once listed by American Dance Magazine as one of the 25 most noteworthy dancers with star potential in the United States.
Among them, Yu Hang, who was born in 1999, is currently the lead dancer of the Royal Ballet. In 2016, she won the championship at the 44th Lausanne International Ballet Competition in Switzerland. It has been 29 years since Cai Yilei won the championship in Lausanne. Her partner Bai Dingkai also finished seventh in that competition. After
won the award, both Yu Hang and Bai Dingkai went to the Royal Ballet School. After two years of study, they were admitted to the Royal Ballet and the Dutch National Ballet respectively. They have both been promoted to lead dancers.
Yu Hang is rehearsing. Photo by Dong Tianye.
Bai Dingkai shared her growth process with the audience. Photo by Dong Tianye.
After Yu Hang won the championship in Lausanne, reporters interviewed her. Her parents came to Shanghai from Northeast China to work hard when they were young. Because her mother liked dancing, she was sent to an amateur dance class when she was 3 and a half years old. After entering the Shanghai Dance School, Yu Hang was assigned to the class of famous ballet teacher Lin Meifang, who trained Tan Yuanyuan, the first Chinese-American principal of the San Francisco Ballet.
Unlike Tan Yuanyuan, Yu Hang is a very "slow" child, and Lin Meifang almost gave up on her back then. "You teach a movement, and it takes a week to slowly see it on her. But after a month, other children may have forgotten this movement, but she performs it more and more perfectly, as if this movement has grown on her body. Just like that, it shows how seriously she practices in private. "
On the eve of a competition, Yu Hang's toes were so swollen due to paronychia that she couldn't even touch them. The doctor's warning made Yu Hang's mother burst into tears, but Yu Hang drained out the pus and returned to the rehearsal hall, stuffed his swollen toes into small pointe shoes, and continued to prepare for the competition. "I shed tears when I look at her feet, but when I look at her face, there is no pain or grievance at all. This child is so strong!"
At the National Dance Center, Yu Hang and Bai Dingkai rehearse the modern ballet "embers" fei Photo by
Since 2014, Yu Hang has frequently won first prizes in international competitions, becoming more and more courageous as he competes.But after studying in the UK, new challenges began.
Yu Hang told reporters that learning the language, adapting to the new environment, and deeply understanding the Emperor's style are all difficult. When I was in Shanghai, I had help from teachers and parents, but in the UK, I had to do everything on my own. "How to create a character, how to have your own independent ideas, how to express yourself, all depends on exploration and training bit by bit."
It is inevitable to be lonely when working hard in the UK, but Yu Hang can always use social media such as Xiaohongshu It attracted the attention of the Chinese audience. Sometimes she performs with the Royal Ballet and meets domestic audiences. "It's very kind and touching. The audience's support also gives us the confidence to continue."
This year, Bai Dingkai received a lifetime contract with the Dutch National Ballet to achieve his "small goal" in life. But he does not want to stop his exploration for this "golden rice bowl". He is about to join the Norwegian National Ballet and become the only Chinese dancer in the company. "I'm still young now. I want to broaden my horizons in different dance companies, learn different works, and let myself grow continuously."
After many years, Bai Dingkai and Yu Hang collaborated again in Shanghai to perform excerpts from the dance drama "Pirates" and modern ballet "embers". Bai Dingkai said: "We have partnered once in the pas de deux in "Pirates". I hope this time it will bring a different texture than when I was a student. Many teachers and classmates will come to watch the performance, and they will be more nervous than when they were students. I hope everyone can see our performance." Growth.”
Shanghai Ballet Artistic Director Xin Lili gave a basic training class to the dancers. Photo by Dong Tianye
Find your own dance steps
At the rehearsal of "Chinese Light·Ballet Star Gala", Ao Dingwen wore a black jacket. With so much going on, it was hard to notice that she was eight months pregnant. Why do you have to be behind the scenes to put on such a show? Ao Dingwen hopes that these outstanding Chinese dancers can show different styles to the Chinese audience and let the audience see the diversity of the ballet world. "When they were practicing, I was watching and learning from every dancer."
Ao Dingwen and Shi Yue, principal dancer of the Boston Ballet in the United States, also have a close relationship with Shanghai. They performed at the 6th Shanghai International In the ballet competition, they won gold medals in the adult and male categories respectively. This time, Shi Yue and his wife Liu Chenxin, a soloist of the Boston Ballet in the United States, joined hands to perform the classic excerpts of the dance drama "Diana and Acton" and the modern ballet "Blushing".
Shi Yue said: "After so many years abroad, I found that the skills of Chinese dancers are as good as any other country in the world. No matter what stage I am on, I am proud of my identity as a Chinese dancer."
in National Dance Theater National Dance Theater provides
In the subway car National Dance Theater provides
Sun Jiayong is 36 years old. He has danced in the three major dance companies of Switzerland: Zurich Ballet, Basel Ballet, and Lausanne Béjart Ballet. Last year he danced in Béjart Ballet retired. This time, he brought his own work "die for love".
When he first joined the Béjart Ballet in Lausanne, Switzerland, Sun Jiayong did not like the very personal works of Maurice Béjart, known as the "Father of Modern Ballet", but gradually, he was attracted by the self-image of these works. Impressed by exploration and profound philosophy.
Béjart is very fond of Chinese culture. As early as 1982, he integrated the "lion dance" performance form into modern ballet. Sun Jiayong said: "Studying in different ballet companies and understanding different cultures and styles gradually opened up my horizons. These experiences also made me think about how to present Chinese ballet and how to find myself."
Sun Jiayong rehearses "die for" love" Photo by fei
Liang Zecheng, principal dancer of the Philadelphia Ballet in the United States, also brought his own work "off titles". He said: "After working overseas for many years, these young dancers on stage have experienced ups and downs, and now they are all overseas. Stand firm and see more Chinese faces on the world stage. This performance is also our answer to the Shanghai audience."
Chen Zhiyao was once the principal dancer of the Hong Kong Ballet of China and is now the first soloist of the Finnish National Ballet.She was injured once two years ago and went through a long recovery. "I'm very grateful that I persevered and was able to challenge myself again and have the courage to return to the stage."
At the National Dance Center, Chen Zhiyao and Xia Jun rehearse "Swan Lake" excerpts. Photo by fei
Jump to 36 years old, Sun Jia Yong has also experienced pain. "I once hated this stage, but I still stand on it because I am in awe of it. Chinese dancers are very hardworking and have a strong fighting spirit. And if we want to go further, the most important thing is to find ourselves Dance steps, your own language, become yourself”
text/Shangguan News reporter Wu Tong
editor/Cui Wei
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