The curtain concealing the stage rose slowly, classical elegant music flowing gently; a group of beautiful "Qing Dynasty Princesses" appeared. Walking out in small graceful steps, they started dancing delicately. The audience broke into loud applause.
This is the "Manchu Dance," part of the Chinese New Year Spectacular hosted by New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) and performed by the Feitian Dance School. Geges (princesses)—classically elegant and of noble disposition—left an unforgettable impression on the audience. This reporter took the opportunity to interview one of the Geges, Dong Meijing, during the troupe's stop in San Francisco.
Dong started learning dance at the age of four. When she was admitted into the Feitian Dance School, she says: "I was very happy to be accepted." Looking at Dong's sweet tranquil smile and hearing her bright clear voice, it is apparent that she is a lively and outgoing teenager.
At the Feitian Dance School, she received professional basic training in ballet and Chinese traditional dance. Dong's diligence has laid a solid foundation for her performing career.
Dong danced the lead in "Flower Deity" in NTDTV's 2006 Chinese New Year Global Gala. Her performance won favorable reviews. This gentle and beautiful figure was seen in many dances in the Gala. In the "Manchu dance," she played a noble and dignified Gege walking gracefully. Her performance deeply impressed the audience.
Regarding this years' performance, Dong said that when she first put on the shoes for the Gege dance, it was very difficult for her to keep her footing, not to mention kicking her leg while making a turn. She decided to practice walking through the dance steps first. She said: "It was really difficult, but after lots of practice, I'm used to it."
Dong dances in many numbers in the Spectacular. When asked which number she liked the most, she said without hesitation: "The 'Mongolian Bowl Dance,' because Mongolians are very bold and unconstrained. They walk casually on the grasslands with a pagoda of bowls stacked on their heads. I relate to this, because I'm usually open and broad minded by nature and optimistic."
Dong shared, "I couldn't get the feel of this dance at first. But when I picture myself on the grasslands, I feel like a Mongolian girl enthusiastically handing a bowl of tea with milk to the audience, this gives me a very good feeling. I feel that I have discovered the essence of this dance."
Dong said that because of the tight time schedule, routine training is very important. In dance, each movement of the hand and foot reveals whether the movement is correct or not.
To achieve this level of performance, she spends two hours each day on the bar, which includes practicing stretching to achieve the required flexibility. In addition, dancers must also practice the Gala numbers daily. They practice from dawn to dusk every day.
Dong is now on a world tour with NTDTV's Chinese New Year Spectacular, bringing traditional Chinese culture to 30 cities around the world.
The Epoch Times is proud to join with New Tang Dynasty TV and Sound of Hope Radio in co-sponsoring NTDTV's Chinese New Year Spectacular ( http://shows.ntdtv.com. )
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