Last year, an electrifying dance performance captured the attention of countless viewers in China. Now, this spectacle, which took the internet by storm, is set to dazzle the audiences of Macau.
Performed by the renowned China Oriental Performing Arts Group, the show is titled “Dance Drama, Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting.” At its heart, the dance has been inspired by Wang Ximeng‘s classical Chinese painting. The dancers execute gravity-defying bends, contorting their bodies sideways and backward in a manner reminiscent of the painting’s graceful arcs and fluid lines.
One particularly challenging 90-degree backbend move earned the moniker qingluyao or “blue green waist”. This was in homage to the dancers’ dress colors and became a social media sensation. The move’s fame reached its zenith during the Chinese Central Television’s Spring Festival Gala in February 2022. An estimated 1.3 billion viewers witnessed the breathtaking performance.
The troupe emphasizes that such a dance move is not innate; it is honed and perfected through relentless practice. Zhou Liya and Han Zhen, the visionaries behind this masterpiece, created it in 2021. Both women, in their 30s, have been celebrated as the “twin stars of Chinese dance” for their unparalleled choreographic prowess.
Their creation has seen the stage over 300 times throughout China. In 2022 alone, they graced 33 different theaters across 30 cities, with a staggering 18 consecutive performances at Beijing’s Poly theatre. Such fervor marked an unprecedented record for a Chinese dance drama in the nation’s capital.
While Macau is the first destination outside mainland China for this tour, the show’s charm seems universal. Fans, so entranced by the performance, have watched it upwards of 30 times. The allure is not just the dance itself but the rich tapestry of the Song dynasty it weaves.
The title’s “legendary landscape painting” points to Wang’s masterpiece, Qianli Jiangshan Tu or “A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains.” Painted when Wang was but a teenager, this painting is a testament to the zenith of blue-green landscape art of the Song dynasty. Zhou and Han, deeply moved by this 11-meter-long scroll depicting resplendent mountains and rivers, chose it as their muse.
Upon delving into the painting’s history, the duo unearthed its myriad dimensions. Notably, Wang’s choice of colors greatly influenced their choreography, set design, and costumes. The dance drama tells a captivating tale. It showcases not just the genius of Wang, but the numerous unsung heroes – the scroll maker, seal cutter, silk weaver, stone grinder, brush maker, and ink maker. Each of these characters plays a vital role in the creation and preservation of the masterpiece, ensuring its vibrancy remains unfaded, even a millennium later.
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