In anticipation of NTDTV's inaugural Chinese Dance Competition, following is one in a series of articles that gives our readers insight into the history and meaning of authentic Chinese classical dance. To help nonprofessionals understand the intricacies of Chinese classical dance, NTDTV interviewed Chinese dance expert Ms. Cao Yi.
This is the first in a series of interviews with renowned Classical Chinese dance expert Cao Yi. Please see Part Two: Chinese Dance—Flying Feet and Swallow Leaps .
How the body moves can express many degrees of meaning. This is the key to "Shen-yun"—body postures ("shen fa") that express layers of meaning ("yun lu"). "Shen fa" is the path of movement while "yun lu" is the feeling the movement conveys. When one holds a flower, they feel happy or "shen yu." But one can use the same movement to express a different feeling or "yun lu."
Chinese classical dance coordinates movement of the whole body. Movements ("fa") coordinate with steps ("bu"). When the hands move, the eyes and body follow, and the feet also step out. The connecting movement is called "fan-er." For example, the dancer faces you, then turns their body away. The dancer bends an arm, curved smoothly. There's no sharp bend. To push away from the body forms a pleasing curve.
Dancing masters of the Han and Tang dynasties compiled and choreographed dances using paintings, sculptures and written records of those periods. They also used literary sources such as Bai Juyi's poem "Changhenge," which alludes to Nishang-Yuyi Dance. Specialists later choreographed dances from musical scores of the time.
The earliest Han-style dances were compiled as a dancer's feet beat a drum while dancing on it. Some dances imitated the poses of ancient sculptures, such as were depicted in the Dunhuang frescoes of the Tang Dynasty. Those dances used "three curves" and depicted images of Buddhas as seen in the Dunhuang caves.
On the other hand, ballet developed its elegant stylization in the West over a period of 300 years. Many have enjoyed Swan Lake, Giselle, or the Nutcracker. The performances are stylized and movements have become specialized expressions of dancing language. Chinese classical dance is very rich in expressions and portrays a wide range of characters, such as male, female, young and old.
In "The Loyalty of Yue Fei," for example, as his elderly mother lifts her son's arm, we feel as if she went back to the time when Yue Fei was a baby and she held him in her arms. She had no stylized movements, but simply expressed a mother's deep love for her son in these circumstances.
As she uses a needle to tattoo his back, her expression was also very exquisite. When the needle pricks his flesh, one senses her trembling heart. Yue Fei's mother loved her son but put the interest of the country first, showing loyalty. This kind of expression is much richer than ballet—a dancer can express many feelings in an instant.
Ballet's training system has enjoyed a long period of development, so it is quite scientific and standardized. Students must learn precise movements and train many years. All its movements are required to be open—the dancer's hipbone is open and all its positions are open. Ballet students study the structure of the human body and sports medical science.
Dancers turn and jump but do not—as in the Chinese classical dance—somersault. Ballet turns are horizontally round, while Chinese classical dance can also turn vertically. Chinese classical dancers perform highly-skilled in-air movements such as the "Yun-Men Great Turn" and a 360° spin.
With many types of turning, dancers exhibit airborne connecting movements, making a rich and wide vocabulary for Chinese classical dance. "Shen yun" exquisitely performed means a rich experience of movement with meaning, the gift of Chinese classical dance.
NTDTV's International Classical Chinese Dance Competition will be held in July 2007. This is a wonderful opportunity for Chinese dancers throughout the world to present and promote authentic Chinese culture. As co-host, The Epoch Times is proud to support this important event.
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