Under the bright moonlight, the gentle "Serenade" is beautiful and romantic; amidst the passionate music, the wild "The Rite of Spring" fully demonstrates the power of life. Last night, Suzhou Ballet's new work "Serenade - The Rite of Spring" was unveiled at the Shanghai Grand Theater, showing Showing the softness and strength of ballet. This is the first time that "Ballet Goddess" Tan Yuanyuan has brought the troupe to perform in Shanghai since becoming the artistic director of the dance troupe.
went from the front to the backstage, stepping out of the comfort zone. The challenge was not only the adaptation to the new identity, but also the running-in with the new team. She said: "In the past, I just had to dance the most beautiful dance under the spotlight; now, I am more like a parent and have to worry about everything."
Today, she is also the director of the Dance Collaborative Innovation Center of the Shanghai Theater Academy and the director of Suba Art Director, she turned her focus to the cultivation of dance talents. Running between Shanghai and Suzhou, she hopes to use the resources she has accumulated over the years to "let more of China's outstanding young dancers be seen by the world."
Curtain Call and Curtain Opening
Spin and jump, over and over again. On the stage, the youthful and energetic young generation always reminds Tan Yuanyuan of his youth. At the 5th Paris International Ballet Competition, 16-year-old Tan Yuanyuan won the gold medal. At the age of 18, she became a soloist with the San Francisco Ballet. Before she was 20, she was promoted to the principal of the company.
If you want to wear a crown, you must bear its weight. The "white swan" will inevitably have a lonely journey before it spreads its wings. Along the way, there were moments of vulnerability and tears. Over the overseas phone call, my mother’s words were gentle but firm: “Dancers should prove themselves on the stage.” Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. A “rescue” allowed Tan Yuanyuan to show her strength, and that Very tenacious. And that dance was the work "Stravinsky Violin Concerto" choreographed by Balanchine.
It is hard to imagine how she, who had never been exposed to Balanchine's works, "chewed" this difficult dance in one night. "I watched the video repeatedly to figure out the details of the movements. The dance was fast-paced and the movements were complicated, but I knew I had to win it." The performance was a success, and Tan Yuanyuan established himself on the overseas ballet stage. On April 9, 2018, she won the "San Francisco Mayor's Art Award", the title of "San Francisco's highest artistic honor". This day was also named "Tan Yuanyuan Day" in San Francisco.
On February 14 this year, Tan Yuanyuan, who danced for 29 seasons with the San Francisco Ballet, performed "Marguerite and Armand" as his farewell performance at the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House. That day was her birthday. On the day the news broke, the dance company's ticketing system crashed due to the overwhelming number of ticket buyers.
"She was born for dancing, and she was born to belong to the stage." That night, dance fans "flew" in from all over the world, and they shouted her name. On a stage filled with flowers, Tan Yuanyuan knelt down on one knee and blew a kiss to the dance fans and the audience, as well as to her favorite stage. "Dance is my belief. From beginning to end, it is." Farewell means a new encounter, and the curtain call breeds another curtain call. Transformed into an artistic director, Tan Yuanyuan appears in another capacity.
Hard work and self-discipline
"Serenade" is Balanchine's pioneering work after arriving in the United States. It was first performed in 1934. The work uses avant-garde creative concepts to open up new development ideas for ballet. It not only retains the beauty of classical ballet, but also brings the audience into the deep inner world of the dancers. 2024 coincides with the 90th anniversary of the work. The "Serenade" introduced by Suba is the New York City Ballet's version, and the company's creative director Rebecca Meisel is specially invited to serve as rehearsal director.
It is not easy to perform Balanchine's works. Tan Yuanyuan wrote emails to the Balanchine Foundation and communicated repeatedly before obtaining permission to perform. "'Serenade' can be passed down for 90 years, and there is a lot worth learning." The foundation has strict standards for each Balanchine work. They sent a "Performance Manual" as thick as a brick, with clear regulations on everything from the color and fabric of the costumes to the size and texture of the stage props.
's work has almost "harsh" requirements for girls' body shape. The thin skirt must bring out the girl's light figure.Tan Yuanyuan said that in order to present a beautiful effect, actors must strictly control sugar during rehearsals and performances, and high-sugar foods such as milk tea and drinks are prohibited.
Even though it is so difficult, Tan Yuanyuan still has to persist in the "challenge". As an art director, Tan Yuanyuan has considerations. In the world of "Serenade", dancers are more like real "actors". Although they are not arranged to perform the plot, they need to convey their inner feelings about dance, lead the audience into a dream, and experience the pure beauty of freedom. This puts forward higher requirements for dancers. "Young dancers should be exposed to more world-class works to hone their skills and improve their aesthetics."
Similarly, "The Rite of Spring" is also a new exploration and attempt by Suba. In 2020, the dance company introduced "The Rite of Spring" by 20th-century American choreographer Len Tetley. This is also the first copyrighted work imported by the dance company since its establishment. Since its premiere, the play has toured many cities in China and has been performed in Spain, Algeria and Malaysia.
Whether it is "Serenade" or "The Rite of Spring", it is an attempt and a leap for actors accustomed to classical ballet. Tan Yuanyuan said: "A dancer's life is to deal with the body and music. The extremely beautiful ballet is a cruel art. Only through hard work and self-discipline can one climb the peak of art." (Xinmin Evening News reporter Zhu Yuan)
