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March 12, 2010

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Dance fest at Grand Theater

THE modern dance "Made in China - Return of the Soul" will be staged at Shanghai Grand Theater this weekend by the Shanghai Jin Xing Dance Theater.

On Saturday and Sunday, famous dancer Jin Xing will present a new interpretation of the traditional image of Du Liniang, the heroine in "The Peony Pavilion," a play written by Tang Xianzu in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), by exploring the relationship between women and love.

It will be part of the Shanghai Grand Theater Dance Festival.

"Love is an important product that has been manufactured in the love-and-dream plant, along with the development of the times," says Jin.

Jin, who is also a successful choreographer, actress and singer, is a former colonel in the Chinese military. Her transition from man to woman has brought forth the underlying, essential image of beauty, she has said.

The show is also a celebration of the Jin Xing Dance Theater's 10th anniversary.

"Chinese traditional opera is a huge treasure to my modern dance creation," says Jin.

Attitudes toward the value of love has been changing, and "love" is degenerating into a huge trademark these days, she says.

Women's emotional world will be expressed by body language.

"We can compare woman to water since water is the source of emotion and love," says the dancer.

In "The Peony Pavilion," Du Liniang falls asleep in the pavilion and has a dream of a young scholar with whom she falls passionately in love. She awakens, yearns for him, languishes and dies. The scholar is unaware of her but later falls in love with her portrait.

Referring to Du, Jin says the legendary figure completed her imagination of love in a dream. "She died for this dream and lived for this dream. I am asking myself if women still have their dreams of true love.

"I'm presenting this comparison at the stage, and I believe that love still exists," says Jin.

The Shanghai Grand Theater Dance Festival running through July will feature classical ballet, modern dance and other dance forms.

It will include the Asia premiere of modern dance "Snow Dance" from France's Ballet Preljocaj, modern dance "Nederlands Dans Theater II," "Qingming Riverside" by the Hong Kong Dance Company, the world premiere of the original ballet "Marco Polo - The Final Mission" by the Shanghai Ballet, the original dance "Farewell, My Concubine" by the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble, the world premiere of "The Memory of Shangri-La" and "The Land."



Date: March 13-14, 7:15pm

Address: 300 People's Ave

Tickets: 50-380 yuan




 

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