Economic Observer Network reporter Chen Yueqin In May in Beijing, a bunch of Yang Xu floated into the rehearsal room of the Hou Ying Dance Troupe. When the wind blows, Yang Xu, dust and dancers under the spotlight sway together.
The Hou Ying Dance Troupe is located in a small village in Songzhuang Town, Tongzhou District, outside the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing. It takes four hours for the dancers to travel back and forth from the city.
Away from afar, Hou Ying felt that the rent here was cheaper and the people were deserted. There was almost no need to worry about the address of the dance company appearing in the epidemic situation list. When the sky is clear, Hou Ying can see the stars at night while standing in the yard.
The Hou Ying Dance Troupe’s training room is located outside the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing. Usually, few people come to Chen Yueqin / Photo
On April 25, Beijing announced that it would suspend large-scale gathering activities such as theatrical performances. These words almost became the last straw for many private dance troupes.
News of the troupe’s disbandment followed:
On April 28, Tao Body Theater issued a message: Affected by the epidemic, it was unable to bear the operating costs such as the salary of the group members, and had to plan to disband;
On April 29, Yang Liping disbanded the “Yunnan Image” group with tears, and bluntly said, “Without a stage, we really have no way to survive”;
At the same time, Beijing Modern Dance Troupe chose to live stream the dance drama “Three Shifts of Rain”, which was supposed to be performed at the Jixiang Grand Theater. Three hours before the broadcast, Gao Yanjinzi, the artistic director, opened the dance to all members of the troupe. A meeting with the theme: Is the dance company going to disband? If you don’t disband, how will you survive?
This day happens to be “World Dance Day”.
On the same day, writer Hong Huang expressed his respect and regret for Tao’s body on the video account, praising them for dancing Chinese modern dance, showing the beauty and strength of the Chinese body. At the end of the video, Hong Huang choked up for a while, “How much I wish I was a rich man at this moment, but unfortunately, I can’t go back to heaven”.
In the third year of human beings coexisting with the epidemic, after the closure of physical venues such as cinemas and bookstores, literary and art groups and artists are also standing at the crossroads of going and staying.
Is the dance group going to disband?
At 23:27 on April 25th, the Hou Ying Dance Troupe made the final preview for the two days later on the Tianqiao Art Center in Beijing and appeared in “Disappearance”. The lighting engineer discussed in the WeChat group how much overtime the workers would be paid for that day and when the props would enter the venue. Two minutes later, the notice to “suspend the performance of the show” slammed, and the Hou Ying Dance Troupe, who was still rehearsing all night, was caught off guard.
Dancers of Hou Ying Dance Troupe make training pictures for “Disappearance” performed at Beijing Tianqiao Art Center at the end of April｜Provided by interviewees
Previously, worried that the health treasure pop-up window and return to Beijing would be blocked due to the epidemic in various places, Hou Ying postponed some performances outside Beijing in advance, and devoted herself to preparing for “Disappearance”.
Shows are always suspended. Seeing the news, Hou Ying was stunned for a long time, and then said: “Everyone has worked hard. This time disappearing is for the real appearance!”
That night, the staff had just received the performance certificate from the theater, and they were still warm, so they all returned the next day. “It’s just a little bit.” The dancers lamented. The next day, a dancer told Hou Ying that she was dancing in her dreams last night.
This performance has sold more than 70% of the tickets. In view of the regulation that the attendance rate should not exceed 75% during the epidemic, neither the theater nor the dance company dared to publicize it too much.
The same straw also bent another “camel”.
On April 29, Tao Body Theater, which has been in the group for 14 years, was originally planned to hold a 6-day “digital series full performance” at the Taihu Stage Art Center of the National Centre for the Performing Arts. But the day before the performance, Tao Body Theater issued a tweet announcing that due to the epidemic prevention and control policy, the performance would be live broadcast online, and at the same time, it was announced that the dance troupe planned to disband. However, the live broadcast did not go ahead as scheduled.
Wang Hao, one of the founders of Tao Body Theater, asked for help in the circle of friends: accept any kind of support and help. Please don’t let Tao Body Theater, a dance troupe that has been standing for 14 years, disappear…
On May 7, Wang Hao told the Economic Observer.com that Tao’s body was still discussing solutions internally, and all members have been given a long vacation.
Lin Huaimin, a famous Taiwanese choreographer and founder of “Cloud Gate Dance Collection”, once commented: As long as Tao body can stay, Tao Ye (one of the founders of Tao body theater) may have the opportunity to become a young Chinese choreographer who works hard. a lamp.
At the same time and space, like Hou Ying Dance Company and Tao Body, Beijing Modern Dance Company, which has been established for 26 years, has also reached the intersection of going and staying.
It’s hard to tell all the ups and downs in the past two months: Beijing Jixiang Grand Theater is only the third stop of the annual tour. In March and April, the tours in Guangzhou and Xiamen were cancelled one after another due to the epidemic; in mid-April, I returned to Beijing from Xiamen. Gao Yanjinzi, a member of the group, was ordered to isolate at home for 14 days. After the observation period ended, the epidemic in Beijing re-emerged, and the dance troupe’s training venue in Feijia Village was quarantined. After receiving the news that she could not perform, Gao Yanjinzi decided to switch to live online.
There was no live audience, no professional lighting, no stage set, the dancers were face-to-face, and even the lead actors were quarantined and could not be present. The original design required gorgeous costumes and make-up in a large rehearsal hall with only gray cement walls. staged.
Three hours before the performance, Gao Yanjinzi held a meeting for the whole group and revealed the real predicament to everyone – the dance group could no longer pay the rent, the wages for May could not be paid, and the remaining funds were only enough. Covers all actors with 4 months of social security. The company may not have any performances now and for the next few months.
Today, Beijing Modern Dance Troupe owes rent for half a year. The monthly rent plus water and electricity is 60,000 yuan. After May, the monthly salary cannot be paid, and only 38,000 yuan per month for social security. If there is no turnaround after 4 months, the dance company may not be able to pay the social security of the dancers.
Daily training chart of Beijing Modern Dance Company｜Provided by respondents
Is the dance group going to disband? If you don’t disband, how will you survive?
Gao Yanjinzi handed over the decision to each member: “First, if the actors have a good place to return, I wish you all the best; second, if you know that the dance troupe is facing all kinds of difficulties, you are not willing to leave, but willing to With the dance troupe, I won’t let anyone leave. Let’s find a way together.” Gao Yanjinzi knows that many actors are from the north and the cost of living in Beijing is very high. .
As a result, Gao Yanjinzi was surprised, and every actor said no. “Then I will tell everyone that if everyone is willing to help each other, the Beijing Modern Dance Company will not disband.” She told the actors that we may lose many conditions for survival, but what we will not lose is the ability to dance.
Expenses! Expenses!
“Disappearance” spanned the three years of the epidemic from conception to final performance.
The creation timeline can be traced back to January 29, 2020, when the epidemic broke out in Wuhan. Hou Ying felt the fear of death from the confrontation between human beings and the epidemic. Humans wear masks, playing games with themselves, the virus, and the unknown. game. Therefore, Hou Ying wanted to add fencing elements to modern dance to reflect the confrontation and attack and defense. She chose fencing as the stage shape, “It is a protective coat, and two people wearing helmets face to face cannot see each other’s faces – they are serious stab”.
Dancers of Hou Ying Dance Troupe are rehearsing “Disappearance”, which combines modern dance and fencing | Photo provided by the interviewee
“Disappearance” only took a full year to create, recruit dancers, choreograph and rehearse. It also invited Tian Yuchuan, the former head coach of women’s saber of the Beijing fencing team, and Liang Jiayue, a national first-level referee, to make dances for the dancers for half a year. professional fencing training. The dancers have practiced every movement a thousand times over and over again—a thrusting attack, a roundabout defense, a leaping lunge.
In 2021, Hou Ying Dance Troupe’s focus is to complete the work “Disappearance”. During this period, due to insufficient funds, it is expected that the rehearsal time for half a year will have to be shortened. When the choreography gradually matures, in June 2021, Hou Ying began to look for funds.
The Shanghai International Arts Festival was the first to throw an olive branch and agreed to commission the Hou Ying Dance Troupe, and “Disappearance” will premiere at the Shanghai International Arts Festival. Hou Ying formulated a plan of 1.5 million yuan for this purpose, but later, the Shanghai International Arts Festival could only give 1/5 of the team’s total funding, that is, 300,000 yuan, and only 150,000 yuan in the early stage, etc. The remaining 150,000 yuan will be paid after closing. The start-up is only 150,000 yuan, which is completely unable to cover all costs such as labor, venue, and music production. Hou Ying repeatedly evaluated it, but it still could not be done.
But Hou Ying was not reconciled, and she took the producer to look for money everywhere in Shanghai. Fortunately, McaM Ming Contemporary Art Museum agreed to provide 200,000 yuan of creative funds.
Nonetheless, the cost of the entire work estimated by Hou Ying in the early stage was more than 700,000 yuan, including the cost of training actors for 3-6 months, production costs, costume modeling, design, music, etc., all of which need to be invested in advance. With a start-up capital of 350,000 yuan, Hou Ying could only reduce expenses a little bit. In addition to cutting the rehearsal time in half, the cost of lighting, stage art, costumes, and music were also reduced to a very low level. The designer told Hou Ying that they followed her to make art and knew that the dance troupe could not make much money. The only requirement was that the production fee should not be cut, that is, to guarantee the salaries and production costs of several dancers in the team.
After a few months of rehearsal, the dance troupe can only pay the lighting engineer 10,000 yuan, and it will only be paid after the performance. The costumers also know that the funds are stretched, and they all ask for priority to guarantee the production fee, and even go to Shanghai to watch the show at their own expense. The music production fee is minimal, and the choreography fee is not even a cent.
Even so “stingy”, the funds were still insufficient. Until September last year, Hou Ying finally spoke to her sister and friends and borrowed more than 200,000 yuan.
Hou Ying said that she has always been arrogant and would not easily ask her family for money. She had never made her family too worried about the dance company before. Before 2020, although the dance troupe is not big, it can still make a profit, can pay the actors’ wages, have its own rehearsal hall, and even have some money to do some exchanges around the world.
Hou Ying’s mother knew her daughter’s character and knew that she would not speak to her family until the critical moment. “For the past two years, my mother has been worried that I will have no money again, and asked me to pay the actors quickly. I have always said that there is no need for family support, because a benign organization should not rely on family blood transfusions to maintain its operation.”
It was also in March last year that Hou Ying’s father’s health gradually deteriorated; in the middle of the year, the week she set out to raise money in Shanghai, her father suddenly became seriously ill, and Hou Ying was unable to meet him for the last time. Until now, Hou Ying is still regretful. In the last half year of her father’s life, “I should stop working and take good care of him, maybe he won’t go so fast.”
More than two years after the epidemic, the financial difficulties of the dance troupe made Hou Ying’s mother realize the hardships of her daughter’s insistence on the artistic path. Before the May Day holiday, her mother would still specifically tell her that the festival is coming, and she must give money to the children (dancers) first.
In fact, the original Hou Ying Dance Troupe was not as embarrassed as it is today, but some unexpected events made the troupe worse. After the premiere at the end of October last year, the dance troupe was unable to provide the additional 1.2 million yuan required by the Shanghai Arts Festival. Invoice, so that the final payment of 150,000 yuan could not be settled. However, the cost of training and production in the early stage had been paid in advance, and the project performance was on the line, so Hou Ying had to borrow money from her family.
As a co-producer, McaM Ming Contemporary Art Museum advanced the second year’s funds to “Disappearance” in advance to provide funds for the creation of the work, which requires the dance company to replace a part of the box office, such as 10% of the income from the 2nd to 4th performances of the tour in 2022 as feedback.
Today, due to the impact of the epidemic in various places, all the performances in Beijing Tsinghua University, Tianqiao Art Center, Zhuhai Grand Theater and Hangzhou scheduled in the first half of the year have been cancelled. The schedule for the second half of the year still faces many uncertainties. A major problem for the team.
In October 2021, Hou Ying Dance Troupe completed the premiere of “Disappearance” at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater｜Supplied by the interviewee
The change in advance receipts led to the cut of funds, not only the experience of Hou Ying Dance Troupe, but also the Beijing Modern Dance Troupe where Gao Yanjinzi worked was cut because of the application for the creation fund, which intensified the operating pressure and was on the verge of dissolution. If we don’t deduct it, our money will be used very sparingly. Now we owe more than 300,000 yuan for on-site rent. If we keep everyone’s wages and social security down, we can still support the second half of the year and do some meaningful things.”
fragile operation
For several months, the dancers have often traveled from the urban area to Tongzhou for rehearsal, a four-hour round trip, every day under the stars. A few thousand yuan a month, even if it continues to be reduced because of the suspension, “What attracted them to come here?” Speaking of which, Hou Ying lowered her head.
Knowing how difficult it was for the dancers, even though they didn’t care, Hou Ying couldn’t help thinking: “I’ve also felt very guilty and regretful these past few years. It would be great if I could give the dancers a little more money or guarantee the performance. I can guarantee that they will focus on rehearsing in the dance company and not have to do other things. They really want to follow me, but I can’t give them a guarantee.”
The impact of the epidemic on art groups is not just a choreographer, a dancer or even a dance company. A performance needs a stage venue, and the theater must survive first; the second is the dance troupe. Although the sparrow is small, it has all the internal organs, including the operation manager, the marketing manager, the performance dancers, the production team, and the administrative staff. Even if it is a solo dance, It also needs to gather 6 parties, just like the factory chain, it needs a complete ecology.
There is a consensus in the industry that modern dance has truly begun to develop intergenerationally in China. It should be counted from the “First National Dance Competition” (1980) held after the reform and opening up. It is still in the “year of no confusion”, while foreign modern dance The development of dance has a history of more than one hundred years.
Hou Ying, who has traveled abroad for more than ten years, introduced that many countries have relatively sound systems for cultivating art groups. For example, there are national funds of different sizes, which are not necessarily the funds of the state’s finances, but some large entrepreneurs donate through donations. , funds directed to support art, public welfare, and education, and the government correspondingly reduces taxes and exemptions for some enterprises, so as to establish large and small funds. This art fund can cover the support for large, medium and small groups, and groups of different sizes do not exist. Competitive relationship, this money, can be used for art groups to create, choreograph and rehearse, and even pay rent.
Hou Ying believes that the fund does not need to provide a large amount of subsidies, but it must be sustainable, and try to allow various groups to receive corresponding support. Even if the economy is not very good, as long as the fund is still there, art can still be Survive and survive the cycle.
The box office only accounts for about 1/3 of the income of foreign art groups, and the production fee, venue rent, and employee salaries are generally covered by funds and subsidies. “At present, private art groups in China mainly rely on the box office of performances. The advantage is that the market is vast, and the disadvantage is that there is a little trouble, and many groups are instantly defeated.”
In addition, in many countries, modern dance art groups are non-profit organizations and enjoy tax-free treatment, but domestic private art groups are subject to the same taxes as all enterprises.
“Over the years, Chinese modern dance has developed purely by the prosperity of the market. The dance troupe has survived by nurturing and nurtured bit by bit over the years. The public has a demand for modern dance, which ultimately promotes the prosperity of art.” Hou Ying believes that the audience is water, and the understanding and love of art are completely spontaneous. Each individual wants to experience art, humanities, feel beauty, and improve themselves, not just food and clothing.
In a way, art saves the human heart. Even today, Hou Ying firmly believes that the carrier of art, dance troupes, may disappear, and it may be difficult to produce more outstanding works in the short term, but art itself will not die out due to the immediate difficulties.
Gao Yanjinzi’s performance work “Twenty-Four Solar Terms” Photo｜Supplied by the interviewee
Unable to stand on the stage due to various reasons, Gao Yanjinzi asked the dancers to go online and do non-profit live broadcasts regularly every day. It doesn’t matter if the dancers are isolated at home, as long as there is a little space, they can still drive professional dancers and love dance. Young people and even the elderly and children without foundation dance together. “Under the epidemic, many people’s bodies and minds are confined to a small space, but through live broadcasts, dancers and audiences can be inspired to relieve some of their inner anxiety and physical limitations.”
artistic necessity
On April 29, writer Hong Huang posted a video about Tao Body Theater on his video account, saying that Tao Body Theater has always been her favorite Chinese contemporary dance troupe, because they danced Chinese modern dance, showing the The beauty and strength of the Chinese body. At the end of the video, Hong Huang choked up for a while, “How much I wish I was a rich man at this moment, but unfortunately, I can’t go back to heaven”.
On the same day, the Beijing Modern Dance Troupe was also deciding whether to disband due to the cancellation of the performance. Hong Huang said to Gao Yanjinzi, “You are too difficult”, “Your profession is too tragic”.
Gao Yanjinzi knows that Hong Huang has often given support to the dance company for many years. “Hong Huang knows that modern dance is in China, in this era, and even represents the value of the country in the world.” Many people don’t understand it and think that modern dance is very small and is only a category of dance, but modern dance is both dance and the body art in contemporary art, and it is the only type of dance that can cross over to contemporary art.
For more than two years, many groups, including Hou Ying Dance Troupe, Gao Yanjinzi, Tao Body Theater, etc., have experienced the shock of the epidemic suspending all literary and artistic activities.
On April 2nd, the original modern dance theater work “Yuan·22” co-operated by Hou Ying and Guangzhou Grand Theater premiered. In fact, since March 30th, several epidemics have occurred in Guangzhou one after another. Ying and the Guangzhou Opera House Fang had hesitated. In the end, it was the Guangzhou Opera House who decided not to cancel or postpone the show. After doing a good job in epidemic prevention, “we will take responsibility if there is a problem” and the performance was kept.
Before the performance, the Guangzhou Opera House moved all kinds of posters outdoors, and the security guard excitedly told Hou Ying, “Finally, there is a performance.” Before that, the Guangzhou Grand Theater was also suspended for nearly a month. After the end, dozens of media reported, “I raised money everywhere, and the motivation to strive to make “Gone” is still here: I hope to let the industry see good news. The two years have hit the industry too much. ” “Disappeared” was finally postponed to June 1.”
“Three More Rains Wish” was postponed to the end of May, and the loss to Beijing Modern Dance Company, including all rehearsal costs, was about 80,000 to 100,000 yuan. The dance troupe has not paid a cent, but the employees are paid every day, and the rent is paid. If the performance can go smoothly, at least the salary for May can be paid, and the actor can pay the rent.
Hou Ying didn’t want to take the initiative to let the dancers who had been with her for many years leave. The solution was for everyone to cancel their full-time job, which was a helpless security. For example, during the tour in March, the dance troupe kept rehearsing for a long time and was creating new works. The monthly salary could be increased a little. “The children and dancers are very considerate of me. They don’t put any pressure on me. They said to me: Teacher, alright, that’s fine”.
It’s easy to give up, but Hou Ying doesn’t want to give up everyone’s efforts. She has produced good works in the past three years. She is only one stage away. She wants to struggle for the last time and calls on the society to pay attention to the survival plight of private art groups.
Beijing Modern Dance Troupe has experienced 5 years of life without a fixed rehearsal place. lobby. There is really nowhere to go, so go to the roadside or go to the mountains. This kind of wandering state makes all members of the dance troupe a little unstable physically and mentally. Too much anxiety is not on creation, but on how to maintain the state of work. “The actors will also be very unstable. After finishing a performance, If you encounter practical problems, you may choose to leave.” Gao Yanjinzi’s biggest regret in recent years is the loss of too many talented dancers.
Once, a dancer sat on the floor crying while taking a phone call during a rehearsal break. Gao Yanjinzi later found out that it was the dancer’s mother who called, and her mother asked, “How long do you have to dance?” If I have a heart attack and go to the operating room, can you pay me for the surgery?
How do you define “unnecessary”? Will the lost dancers be able to come back when the epidemic disappears? In addition to firewood, rice, oil and salt, isn’t spiritual life important? Hou Ying even raised several questions.
In Hou Ying’s view, modern dance is an art that can broaden the dimension of thinking. It does not limit and teach the audience a certain value, or show the audience a textbook. Everyone can understand dance based on their own experience. It is free and open.
On the afternoon of May 7, Niu Jie, a dancer from the Hou Ying Dance Troupe, gently put Yang Xu into the dustpan and put it aside, not in a hurry to throw it out. Although the dance troupe has cancelled full-time, she still rents a house near her rehearsal studio in Tongzhou so she can spend more time dancing.
Niu Jie looked at Yang Xu, like a wandering self, and like a dance group that had been struggling for two years due to the epidemic, and didn’t know where the next journey would be.
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