(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.
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