Shanghai dancers in message of solidarity
A video expressing Shanghai’s solidarity with people all over the world in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic has been produced by the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the SMG Performing Arts Group.
“One World Filled With Love,” made with support from the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, features more than 50 dancers from Shanghai Dance Theater performing to the famous Chinese charity song of the same name.
“When the situation was serious in China, we received a lot of messages from arts groups from all over the world, such as the video produced by the Japanese Matsuyama Ballet Company,” said principal dancer Zhu Jiejing. “Their words and performance gave us great encouragement so we would also like to show our support to them.”
She added: “The virus knows no border, nor does art. We hope, via the video, that people in other countries can feel our hearts are with them and we will fight hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder to win the battle against the pandemic.”
In the video, dancers take off their masks before dancing.
“Because of the pandemic, we now have to wear masks to prevent infection, and we do wish that one day we all can take off masks and show our bright smiles,” she said. “I think that moment will be really happy for all.”
Zhu said there were not so many difficult moves in the video, rather, a number of sign-language acts to express more affection to more people.
Wang Jiajun, the premier dancer, said there were many friendly gestures, such as hugs and touching faces, in the dance.
“There are many things, including hugs, which we cannot do now due to the pandemic,” he said. “We hope we can hug more people soon.”
Ma Chencheng, president of the performing arts group, said the video is one of the two they have made to show solidarity with the world in the fight against the coronavirus. Another one, in which singers from Shanghai Opera House perform “We Are the World,” will be released later.
“In communication with art groups from other countries, we found them more panicky than we were about two months ago, so we feel we need to send our care and encouragement to them,” he said. “Dance and music are common languages that can be well received by people from all over the world.”
The dance theater’s “Crested Ibis,” for example, has become an ambassador for people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries.
“It has been staged more than 200 times in other countries, including Japan and the US,” he said. “The beautiful performance and the topic – harmony between human beings and nature – are loved by local audiences.”
He said the opera house has also performed Chinese versions of some famous foreign musicals, all well received in the Chinese market.
“So of course the world is big, but it is also small as it is a community with a shared future,” he said. “We can communicate with artists from other countries by means of arts as we share same concerns and values.”
The dance video includes clips of their performance of “Crested Ibis” in Japan.
“I think when the international community sees the familiar dance, they will feel our care and our wish for them to recover from the pandemic,” he said.
“We hope that everybody can return to the status before the pandemic and sit down in theaters to enjoy performances as soon as possible.”