Yunnan artists shine at national dance exhibition

The third show of the 12th National Dance Exhibition was staged at Yunnan Arts University on July 16.

Among the 16 outstanding dances that feature the Han, Mongolian, Yi and Tibetan ethnic cultures, three were presented by Yunnan Province: Nie Er, Luo Yin (the Luo impression) and Ling Jing (the soul garden).

The solo dance “Nie Er” was selected by the Yunnan Song and Dance Theater and starred by the young dancer Yuan Zhiping. The dance begins with the resurrection of a Nie Er sculpture, showcasing Nie Er’s excellence and reshaping his image with music and body languages. 

A Yunnan native, Nie Er was a Chinese composer best known for “March of the Volunteers”, the national anthem of the People's Republic of China. 

"Luo Yin" is a group dance derived from the gourd-pipe dancing of the Hualuo people, a branch of the Yi ethnic group in southeast Yunnan’s Wenshan Prefecture.

During festivals, a senior of the Hualuo people would raise a high-footed umbrella, leading the females to have a circle dance. The moves are simple, clear and tidy, bearing the charm of primitive dancing.

In the eyes of the Hualuo people, the high-footed umbrella represents the sun, which enlightens the world and grants the Yi people a happy and prosperous life. The Hualuo culture is marked by the umbrella. 

With the theme of eco-protection, “Ling Jing” is a group dance by Yunnan Arts University. 

Fusing traditional Hani artistic elements into modern choreography, the dance tells the story of the Hani people who, seeing the palm trees and silver pheasants dying from environmental pollution, began their eco-protection.

Thanks to their unyielding spirit and insistence, the Hani people finally won the environmental campaign and brought life vitality to the hills and lands.

Source: ylxf.yn.gov.cn; trans-editing by Wang Shixue