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Everybody gets into the act in Citizen Art Festival
By Wing Tan |
July 6, 2013, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
The nine-month-long First Shanghai Citizens Art Festival is reaching its high point this summer, and in Jinshan District the creative spirit is running high.
In the festival that started in March, Jinshan so far has held more than 9,500 art shows attracting more than one million visitors, far more than expected.
One of the major shows, "Shanghai New Village Stage," is performed by and for farmers and has staged five gala performances in towns and villages since the festival kicked off on March 23.
"Community Days" are one of the highlights. Since April 13, the 11 communities in Jinshan have offered colorful festivities of song and dance on holidays and weekends.
In Caojing Town, 65-year-old Deng Guohua launched his own home-style concert in his house on June 16. The Huangmei Opera and Yueju Opera fan made a whole band of traditional musical instruments by himself, including zithers and drums. He even built a sound amplifier. His wife stitched two costumes for him.
Deng's neighbors gathered in his house and sang along with the couple. "My home is kind of a mini stage for my villagers. And it's also a bonding time for us," Deng says.
On Zhujing Town's Community Day on April 13, the farmer and storyteller Lu Yajin set up a small table in a teahouse.
The primary school graduate has created and adapted dozens of fairytales, historical events and celebrities' anecdotes, told with vivid gestures and wit.
"They like my stories," Lu says. "With a cup of green tea costing no more than 2 yuan (30 US cents), you can idle away a whole day with pleasure."
Citizens are the stars, the only leading actors and actresses during the festival.
Everyone can take part and show their talent on stage.
The district's 204 villages and more than 400 art troupes comprised of farmers will take the stage in the Citizens Festival this year, giving numerous performances.
Wide range of entertainment
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of entertainment and folk arts, such as lotus dancing in Zhujing Town, farmers' painting in Fengjing Town, lian xiang (a long stick) dancing in Langxia Town and many other attractions.
Since March, floods of locals - students, office workers, farmers and retirees - have booked seats online for community shows.
In almost every square, plaza and park, dancing is popular in the evening. More than 180 dance teams applied for the Jinshan Square Dancing Competition and 22 danced to the quarter-finals. Seven were selected to join the city-level dancing contest this summer.
On May 21, more than 1,200 students set up easels and picked up paint brushes on the grass in scenic Fengjing watertown, and painted their quaint hometown from many angles.
The local government distributes brochures in villages, towns and communities, encouraging locals to take part in events and explaining how they can join in.
The brochure "Charming Jinshan" introduces the bit shows in spring, summer, autumn and winter. The "Events Guide" lists venues, dates and hotlines for shows. People can log onto the website (www.jswhg.com) of the Jinshan Culture and Arts Center to access the brochures online.
During the festival, musicians are teaching 970 migrant children in five primary schools folk music and how to play instruments.
Many art associations are exhibiting painting, calligraphy, photography and other works.
The calligraphy and painting association hosted an exhibition in May, while the photography association volunteered to capture the highlights of the festival with their cameras and post them for everyone's pleasure.
In the festival that started in March, Jinshan so far has held more than 9,500 art shows attracting more than one million visitors, far more than expected.
One of the major shows, "Shanghai New Village Stage," is performed by and for farmers and has staged five gala performances in towns and villages since the festival kicked off on March 23.
"Community Days" are one of the highlights. Since April 13, the 11 communities in Jinshan have offered colorful festivities of song and dance on holidays and weekends.
In Caojing Town, 65-year-old Deng Guohua launched his own home-style concert in his house on June 16. The Huangmei Opera and Yueju Opera fan made a whole band of traditional musical instruments by himself, including zithers and drums. He even built a sound amplifier. His wife stitched two costumes for him.
Deng's neighbors gathered in his house and sang along with the couple. "My home is kind of a mini stage for my villagers. And it's also a bonding time for us," Deng says.
On Zhujing Town's Community Day on April 13, the farmer and storyteller Lu Yajin set up a small table in a teahouse.
The primary school graduate has created and adapted dozens of fairytales, historical events and celebrities' anecdotes, told with vivid gestures and wit.
"They like my stories," Lu says. "With a cup of green tea costing no more than 2 yuan (30 US cents), you can idle away a whole day with pleasure."
Citizens are the stars, the only leading actors and actresses during the festival.
Everyone can take part and show their talent on stage.
The district's 204 villages and more than 400 art troupes comprised of farmers will take the stage in the Citizens Festival this year, giving numerous performances.
Wide range of entertainment
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of entertainment and folk arts, such as lotus dancing in Zhujing Town, farmers' painting in Fengjing Town, lian xiang (a long stick) dancing in Langxia Town and many other attractions.
Since March, floods of locals - students, office workers, farmers and retirees - have booked seats online for community shows.
In almost every square, plaza and park, dancing is popular in the evening. More than 180 dance teams applied for the Jinshan Square Dancing Competition and 22 danced to the quarter-finals. Seven were selected to join the city-level dancing contest this summer.
On May 21, more than 1,200 students set up easels and picked up paint brushes on the grass in scenic Fengjing watertown, and painted their quaint hometown from many angles.
The local government distributes brochures in villages, towns and communities, encouraging locals to take part in events and explaining how they can join in.
The brochure "Charming Jinshan" introduces the bit shows in spring, summer, autumn and winter. The "Events Guide" lists venues, dates and hotlines for shows. People can log onto the website (www.jswhg.com) of the Jinshan Culture and Arts Center to access the brochures online.
During the festival, musicians are teaching 970 migrant children in five primary schools folk music and how to play instruments.
Many art associations are exhibiting painting, calligraphy, photography and other works.
The calligraphy and painting association hosted an exhibition in May, while the photography association volunteered to capture the highlights of the festival with their cameras and post them for everyone's pleasure.
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