This is a dance themed on Sichuan Opera

While the red and white peonies appear to be a little bit “tired” under the sun, those girls from Department of Dance, College of Arts, are even more splendid than those flowers – everyone was very attracted by their graceful, lithe and exquisite dance.

These girls are more splendid than those flowers.

This is a dance themed on Sichuan Opera called Blooming Flowers in Spring. It begins with the memory of a “Laodan” (an old female character type in Chinese operas): she recalls her flowering youth, reflecting the glory of Sichuan Opera in the past. As the time goes by, Sichuan Opera begins to fade, and the old lady becomes inconsolable for the falling of traditional art…

Dancing girls form a gorgeous scene.

Later on, more and more young people are affected and inspired by the “Laodan” as well as her persistent love for Sichuan Opera and thus choose to learn, protect and carry on Sichuan Opera. By the end of this dance, a glorious picture scroll where Sichuan Opera is thriving and handed down from age to age is delivered.

In 2017, Blooming Flowers in Spring won first prize for dance in the Fifth Chongqing College Student Art Show and was invited to the stage of 2018 National College Student Art Show. On April 15th, this dance will be delivered in Shanghai.

This is our responsibility to carry on Sichuan Opera culture

In May 2006, Sichuan Opera was included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritages. In recent years, several dances designed with Sichuan Opera elements were performed occasionally, and Blooming Flowers in Spring was born at the right moment to carry on excellent Chinese culture and develop Sichuan Opera in Chongqing.

This dance has been performed during cultural exchange activities with Confucius Institutes in France, Italy, etc. “We are very glad to see that foreign audience are also attracted by our dance, because we know we are spreading our profound Chinese culture,” said Fu Manfang, one of the dancers. (Translated by Sun Jiuyang, Fathom Language Limited)