 |
|
|
 Entertainment | June 2005 
A Dance For 5,000 Years
 Ana Rosa Gutiérrez - El Universal
| | Five millennia of Chinese culture will be told in the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City by the Shanghai Song and Dance Company. |
Of the traditional dance movements of the East, China's may be the least presented in Mexico. And so, in an effort to better display this integral part of Chinese culture and society, the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble will visit Mexico City for the first time ever to present "Shangai: 5,000 years of Chinese Culture" Friday at the Auditorio Nacional.
Defined as an exotic tour through the elaborate world of Chinese culture, this exhibition includes a repertoire of timeless performances incorporating traditional songs and the most important dances compiled during 5,000 years of history.
The anthology commences with the customs, social life, warfare and the clothes of the nation's ethnic minorities. The dancers perform, for example, the "Masculine Dance," where we can see the "Dance of the Buffalo Horn," traditional of the ethnic minorities of China. Another part of the show features the distinctive terracotta soldiers of the Qing Dynasty of 2,000 years ago.
China's most ancient music is exhibited in the number titled "Titer" where the mythical phoenix makes an appearance. This is followed by another folkloric musical piece, "Kangdind," which features the paixlao; an instrument made of bamboo.
Finally, in perhaps the most impressive scene of the show, we see the "Dance of Gold and Silver," which reflects the importance of the iron battle suits worn in combat during the final Chinese Dynasty. This is followed by a traditional ethnic Taiwanese song and dance ensemble.
The performers' elaborate costumes, with a total manufacturing cost of US3 million, were made especially for this spectacle that places great importance on accurately portraying each epoch of Chinese history in its original form.
In addition to the eye-catching costumes, a projection screen features images of landscapes and important structures from around Shanghai as the dancers and singers perform.
Founded in 1979, the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble is not only considered the most important dance company in China, but also "a great messenger of the nation's culture." Over 200 artists belong to the company and of those, 60 dancers and 20 musicians will be part of the performance in Mexico.
"Shangai: 5,000 years of Chinese Culture" has been presented in some 30 European and Asian nations, as well as in the United States. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us