Shanghai training camp begins for Yunnan's folk dance troupe
Dancers from the Dongyue Folk Dance Troupe of southwest China's Yunnan Province receive training from mentors of the Shanghai Dance Theater.
A training session was initiated in Shanghai on Thursday for young dancers from southwest China's mountainous regions to receive guidance from professional instructors of the Shanghai Dance Theater.
Seventeen young performers from the Dongyue Folk Dance Troupe in Luchun County, Honghe Prefecture of Yunnan are participating in the five-day training camp at the rehearsal hall of the theater in Changning District.
The dancers, with an average age of 22, are preparing for their upcoming performance at the Shanghai International Arts Festival, which kicks off on Sunday.
"We never expected to enter the rehearsal hall of the Shanghai Dance Theater, let alone perform at the arts festival," a dancer said, adding that they had not received any formal dance training, only relying on their deep passion for the art.
A team of trainers comprising the theater's leading performers will provide tailored basic training courses for them. The mentors presented new dance shoes to the performers, marking the official start of the training camp.
Representatives from the Changning Culture and Tourism Bureau visited Luchun in May. They were welcomed with performances by the troupe and were touched by the enthusiasm and dedication of the dancers, an official of the bureau said.
Dongyue Folk Dance Troupe performers follow instructions from a Shanghai Dance Theater mentor.
Despite participating in various national, provincial, and state-level competitions, the troupe lacks a professional indoor performance theater, rehearsal rooms or basic training.
The troupe's directors and performers are local young people who have a strong passion for cultural performances. They perform for local communities in the county regularly.
The theater has arranged a lineup of top national performers and tailored basic training courses for the dancers from Luchun, according to the theater.
They have also created a new program, "Dragon Soars and Phoenix Dances," which will be performed jointly by the theater and the troupe at the Hongqiao Art Center on October 17 and 18.
They will also perform at the 2023 Shanghai Citizens Cultural Festival and the Hongqiao Culture, Tourism and Shopping Festival in Changning on October 20.
The training program aims to promote cultural exchanges and integration between Changning and Luchun, fostering cultural confidence and strength in both regions, according to Zhu Jianwei, director of the bureau.
"These dancers have never been to Shanghai and have never performed on such a big stage. This event fulfills their artistic dreams," Zhu said.
An official from the Shanghai Dance Theater presents new dance shoes to the performers from Yunnan.
