Showcasing Colorful Silk Road Culture and Promoting Civilization Exchange and Mutual Learning- Observation of China Xinjiang International Ethnic Dance Festival
In the midsummer, 60 wonderful performances from three continents will be staged in Xinjiang in turn, bringing all kinds of dancers who are good at singing and dancing The people of the ethnic group feasted their eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
Civilizations are colorful because of exchanges, and civilizations are enriched because of mutual learning.
From July 20th to August 5th, the 6th China Xinjiang International Ethnic Dance Festival was held with the theme of “Dancing Dreams and the Beautiful Silk Road”. More than 1,000 artists from more than 10 countries and regions in Asia, Europe, and Africa gathered at the foot of Tianshan Mountain, using dance as a medium to make friends. Through the window of the dance festival, people saw a real, open, and beautiful Xinjiang, and also felt the Chinese style of beauty in each, beauty in beauty, beauty in sharing, and harmony in the world.
Communication, the Silk Road dances to the Tianshan Mountains
Late at night on July 23, Urumqi Diwopu International Airport. After about 30 hours of flight, Luyanda Mdingi and his companions arrived in Xinjiang, China from Cape Town, South Africa. They were greeted by six performers from Muqam Art Troupe of Xinjiang Art Theater as soon as they got off the plane.
The music is loud and the dancing is flying. In the exit hall, before they had time to put down their backpacks, the members of the South African Elvis Dance Art Troupe learned Xinjiang dance, and then showed South African Zulu dance. The fatigue of the journey was swept away.
“The enthusiasm in Xinjiang makes me feel like I have returned home.” The words of the head of the dance troupe, Nomhand Dasso Mrunwa, expressed the common aspirations of many visiting art troupes.
Xylophones, pagoda hats, gold-plated masks, traditional long drums… In order to show Thailand’s national treasure art – Kong opera, various musical instruments brought by the dance troupe of the Thailand Arts Development Institute weigh a full 300 kilograms. “This is a great event, and we look forward to presenting the best performances to the Chinese audience,” said Quintana, head of the dance troupe.
Daiyu enters the mansion, concubine Yuan visits relatives, Xiangyun is drunk… On the evening of July 26, the dance drama “Dream of Red Mansions” brought by Jiangsu Grand Theater was staged at the Grand Theater of Urumqi Cultural Center. The long implication of a masterpiece handed down from generation to generation.
Tickets for the show were sold out immediately, and the venue was packed. It’s late at night, the show is over, and there are still many “die-hard fans” dressed in Hanfu taking pictures at the theater…
The masterpiece “Dawn” by the Dawn Song and Dance Troupe of Saratov State in Russia, the folk dance “Enjoy Korea” by the Busan Municipal Dance Troupe in South Korea, and the classic dance drama “Sleeping Beauty” by the Belarusian National Theater Ballet… The show lasted for more than half an hour The month’s artistic feast brought together 28 excellent plays from home and abroad, and the cast and performance scale reached the highest ever.
Communication, global civilizations reflect each other
The original dance drama “Zhang Qian” by Xinjiang Art Theater Song and Dance Troupe is the opening performance of this dance festival. “Zhang Qian’s ‘journey through hollowing out’ opened up the ancient Silk Road and achieved the brilliance of ‘envoys meet each other on the road, and business travelers continue on the road’, which has something in common with the bridge of friendship built by the dance festival with graceful dance steps. “Xing Shimiao, chief director of the opening ceremony, said.
After watching the dance drama “Zhang Qian” live, Nadezhda Borisovna Makeyeva, the director of Russia’s Saratov State Dawn Song and Dance Troupe, could not be calm for a long time.
“Although I don’t understand the language, I can fully understand the whole plot of “Zhang Qian”. The protagonist explored the ancient Silk Road, went through hardships, and gained sincere friendship and touching love, which is very moving,” she said.
Nusraiti Wajiddin, honorary chairman of the Xinjiang Musicians Association, also couldn’t hide his excitement after watching the dance drama “Soul of Ubuntu” by the Elvis Dance Troupe of South Africa.
“Although the way of expression is very different from ours, it can be felt that South African artists have unreservedly conveyed pure enthusiasm and happiness to the hearts of the audience through their body language,” he said.
The diversity of human civilizations endows the world with colorful colors. Diversity brings exchanges, exchanges breed integration, and integration produces progress. During the dance festival, scenes of different cultures intermingling can be seen everywhere.
During the performance of “Our Common Homeland” by the Tumor Song and Dance Troupe of the National Center for the Performing Arts of Uzbekistan, the familiar and friendly melody of the famous Chinese classical folk music “Joyful Yangyang” sounded, and the actors performed a wonderful Chinese-style dance, which surprised the audience unceasingly, there was warm applause.
In front of a projected moving picture showing farmers’ harvest in the Xinjiang Art Museum, 17-year-old Russian dancer Sophia Yefremenko and her companions started to learn the dancing moves in the moving picture. “Xinjiang has done a good job in protecting and inheriting the cultures of various ethnic groups, and it has made use of modern technology, which is impressive,” she said.
After the performance, members of the visiting art troupe walked into Xinjiang Art Museum, Xinjiang Library, Urumqi Peking Opera Theater and other places to wear Hanfu, experience paper-cutting, listen to famous Guzheng songs, learn traditional Chinese bowing rituals, and feel the artistic charm of the quintessential Chinese Peking Opera.
Maire Aimatijiang, an actor of the Xinjiang Art Theater Song and Dance Troupe, participated in the first dance festival. “At that time, I was the lead dancer in the Xinjiang song and dance “Bowl Dance”, and this time I was the lead dancer in the dance drama “Zhang Qian”. The International Dance Festival has become a good platform for us to learn from each other and enhance friendship with foreign actors.”
Integration, people-to-people bonds to promote openness
Culture transcends time and space, and art transcends national boundaries. With dance as the medium, this year’s dance festival has also become an excellent opportunity for artists from all over the world to experience the beauty of different cultures and promote mutual understanding.
The China Xinjiang International Ethnic Dance Festival showcases the vibrant and diverse cultures along the Silk Road, promoting civilization exchange and mutual learning among nations. As dancers from different countries and regions unite on the stage, they not only entertain the audience with their remarkable performances, but also create a platform for cultural exchange and understanding.
Through this festival, Xinjiang reveals its openness, diversity, and beauty to the world. The dancers from various countries bring their unique art forms, traditional costumes, and musical instruments, creating a magnificent display of cultural diversity.
The performances, such as the Russian dance drama “Dawn,” the Thai Kong opera, and the South African dance drama “Soul of Ubuntu,” are a testament to the universal language of art that transcends barriers and touches the hearts of people from different backgrounds.
In addition to the performances, the visiting art troupes also had the opportunity to explore Xinjiang and experience the local culture. They visited museums, libraries, and theaters, immersing themselves in Chinese traditions such as paper-cutting, Guzheng music, and Peking Opera. This cultural exchange not only deepens their understanding of Chinese culture but also strengthens the bonds between people from different nations.
The China Xinjiang International Ethnic Dance Festival is a platform for cultural dialogue and mutual respect. It is a celebration of diversity and a testament to the power of art in building bridges between civilizations. Through dance, the Silk Road comes alive, connecting people from different corners of the globe and fostering a spirit of harmony and mutual learning.