Original title: Chinese cheongsam “encounters” Western ballet in the dance drama “In the Mood for Love” to relive the old Shanghai style
The ballroom dancing of “Bang Cha Cha Cha”, the rickshaws walking through the streets, the scattered Shikumen… take you through the Shanghai in the 1930s.
On the evening of August 10th, the Shanghai-style ballet “In the Mood for Love” landed at Shanghai Poly Grand Theater. The play is a large-scale production jointly created by outstanding Chinese and French artists by Shanghai Ballet on the basis of introducing and absorbing foreign experience. Modern Ballet. The characteristics of Shanghai-style ballet “romantic but not luxurious, delicate and tense” are fully demonstrated in this play.
Accompanied by an old song full of old Shanghai charm, it began to rain on the stage, and the actors lifted and rotated lightly and relaxedly on the soft and moist stage, thus kicking off the prelude to the ballet “In the Mood for Love”.
According to Xin Lili, head of the Shanghai Ballet, the play tells the emotional journey of a pair of lovers who fell in love with each other in the 1930s but might not come together. , to express the inner world of the hero and heroine.”
On the stage, the hero and heroine in the real world are restrained and restrained, while the lovers in the illusory world are exaggerated and unrestrained, and the extreme contrast has moved many audiences. The complex emotions are very sincere and very touching.”
Different from classical ballet, “In the Mood for Love” incorporates jazz dance and modern dance elements in the play, accompanied by symphony and old Shanghai classic songs, showing the Shanghai style. “We try to imitate the posture and demeanor of Shanghai women during that period. When walking, they will not be as light and agile as classical dances, and they will take every step down-to-earth.” The lead actor Qi Bingxue introduced.
The stage design is also quite attentive. Shikumen, wonton shops, rickshaws and other props have been put on the stage, and the perfect combination of cheongsam and ballet is the biggest attraction of the work. The atmosphere of coexistence of culture and foreign countries is very lively and vivid.
“It’s very kind. My grandma used to live in Shikumen. It seems that she has traveled back to her era and is full of old Shanghai fireworks.” said Ms. Shi, an audience member.
In fact, it is difficult to dance ballet wearing a cheongsam, which requires constant adjustment by the team. “The cheongsam has slits. In order not to lose the beauty of ballet, but also to restore the old Shanghai style as much as possible, we rehearsed and performed while changing it. Designers also use lines, colors and tailoring to make cheongsam and ballet from the West complement each other.” Xin Lili said.
The play premiered in 2006, bringing together many well-known artists from China and France. After more than ten years of polishing, the plot of the dance drama and the diversity of dance have been more fully integrated.
“The director is French and pays great attention to the portrayal of the characters’ hearts. I have been dancing for more than ten years, and I will continue to optimize and improve each performance, so that I can become more and more into the characters.” said Wu Husheng, the lead actor.
It is understood that the performance will continue until August 14.Return to Sohu, see more