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Taiwan: High Praise for the "International Chinese Classical Dance Competition," a Pioneering Event By Li Huirong, Minghui/Clearwisdom reporter
(Clearwisdom.net) From July 6 to 8, 2007, New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV)
will hold the inaugural "International Chinese Classical Dance
Competition" at Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at New York
University. The competition provides the outstanding dancers of Chinese
classical dance around the world with an opportunity to compete on an
international stage and creates a platform for people with lofty ideals to work
together to create a new era for Chinese dance. The competition has also seized
the attention of Taiwan dance circles. Chinese dance educates people's minds Gu Che-cheng and his wife, once a top-ranking dancer in the Taipei Folk Dance
Group and Wu Gou Dance Theater and currently Chinese dance teacher at the Tainan
University of Science and Technology, and Ms. Liang Yan-fang, chairperson of Ren
Wu Dance Theater, are veteran dancers with over 20 years of experience. They
praised the inaugural International Chinese Classical Dance Competition as a
pioneering event and are looking forward to seeing Chinese dance come on the
world stage. Talking about the inner meaning of Chinese classical dance, Gu Che-cheng said
that dance plays a role of rectifying one's heart and correcting one's behavior.
"In the Western Zhou Period, people used music and dance to educate
people's minds. People who learn dance actually are very orderly. The dancer
must comply with the beats and the steps, and he must cooperate with others. A
well-trained dancer absolutely abides by rules. He must complete the same beats
as the music. If you say he must reach a certain place at a certain number of
beats, he absolutely and precisely arrives at that place." He said that dance contains the characteristics of folk culture. In
traditional Chinese culture, dance movement can express men's masculine strength
and women's gentleness. Gu Che-cheng said that cultural heritage must start from a point and continue
in a line and further spread completely to a plane. He thought that the
International Chinese Dance Competition would play a positive role. The CCP's interference with the competition is "business as usual" The Chinese Students and Scholars Association in New York University,
manipulated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), released a public letter to
slander The International Chinese Classical Dance Competition. Chairperson of
the Ouyang Hui-chen Dance Group Ouyang Hui-chen was not surprised. Her dance
group won first place in five consecutive years in the Taipei County Outstanding
Dance Groups. She said that the NTDTV's dance competition will carry forward
China's divinely inspired authentic culture, which is far different from the
CCP's anti-traditional nature. At present, the CCP even bullies Taiwan arts
groups, not to mention NTDTV's activities, both quite different from the CCP's
ideology and principles. The CCP's attempts at interference and destruction can
only be imagined. Ouyang Hui-chen said that art should forever express truthfulness, kindness,
and beauty. "There is no political partyor and politics in the mind of an
art professional. Their thinking is pure. They love dance and love art and
Chinese classical dance. The common feeling for every dancer is to perform the
Chinese classical dance beautifully, letting it illuminate every corner of the
world." Ouyang Hui-chen said that classical dance not only can incorporate historical
figures' characteristics, but also the dancers' exquisite techniques can impart
such emotions as happiness, anger, sadness, joy, filial piety, moral integrity,
righteousness, unselfishness, and benevolence. "Classical dance is worth
handing down from generation to generation." Ouyang Hui-chen praised the NTDTV's International Chinese Classical Dance
Competition. She also called on the whole world to let these dancers and
children who participate in the competition exhibit their talents in a safe
environment without political contamination. "Suppressing dissidents" is an old CCP trick. But Ouyang Hui-chen
pointed out that if we succumb to the CCP's rogue-like suppression, it will be
more rampant. She therefore made an ardent plea that politics not interfere with
art. "Please give everyone who loves Chinese classical dance a safe stage
and let all the world's people be able to appreciate the elegant beauty in
Chinese classical dance and the inner meaning of authentic Chinese
culture." Expanding new visual fields Chiayi City Culture Bureau Director Rao Chia-bo appreciates the art of
Chinese dance and calls on dancers to grasp the opportunity to become famous by
marching onto the international stage. Rao Chia-bo said that to express truthfulness, kindness and beauty through
dance is a thorough exploration. Chinese dance plays a definitive role in
expressing such flavor and charm. "The NTDTV's International Chinese
Classical Dance Competition is a rare opportunity." Bo Er Art Exhibition Association director Xu Yi-nan also said that through
the Chinese dance competition, the essence of the Chinese culture will be
carried forward, and it will help to elevate the spiritual culture of the
Chinese dance tradition on the world's stage. Dance competition causes a sensation in Taiwan dance circles The International Chinese Classical Dance Competition has caused a sensation
in dance circles and also filled students in dance classes in Taiwan with a
shock force, enhancing their confidence in their study and their interest in
participating in the competition. Chiayi Women's High School Principal Chen Yi-chun said, "So many people
want to devote themselves to it, we are so pleased. I think in dance education,
we also want to put our effort in this aspect." Promoting Chinese dance to the whole world "Ping Ying Dance Group" art supervisor Ye Ya-ping said that the
NTDTV's Chinese dance competition has created a performing stage for Chinese
dance, and she was very impressed with the contribution of NTDTV. Yi Ya-ping traveled to Shanghai, Beijing, Yunnan and other places in mainland
China in 1999 to 2000 to learn folk dances of different nationalities. She
passed the test for ballet teacher with the UK's Royal Academy of Dance in 2000. Yi Ya-ping said that NTDTV is bringing Chinese dance to the whole world. The
promotion is not only for a single ethnic group and Chinese people, it is also
for children around the world. She is very happy that NTDTV's Chinese dance
competition provides children who learn dance with another stage. It is not
necessary to conform to the dance rules in China and have only the CCP's stage
on which to perform. For Chinese classical dance, Yi Ya-ping believed that the big difference
between dancers in China and Taiwan is that dance teaching in China is quite
systematic, restricted by the CCP's thinking and regularization, while Taiwan
dancers are comparatively adaptable and innovative. Recently, the US Divine Performing Arts toured the world. Regarding its
Chinese classical dances, Yi Ya-ping watched the performance and commented that
her favorite part was the portrayal on stage of the unity of body, mind and
soul, the expressions of inner meaning, and vividness. She was moved by the
devotion of the performers. In addition, she felt the best part of the Divine Performing Arts was that it
was not affected by China. The group was formed in the US. Using the same
elements to train different ethnic groups enabled everybody to feel the essence
of dance. Top-ranking dancers from around the world will be participating in the
competition, breaking the barriers between nations. It will be a grand cultural
feast. Posting date: 7/6/2007 |