BETHESDA, MD―New dancers are finding their way to Chinese Classical Dance as the Shen Yun performances win popular acclaim worldwide. A dance competition is one way to generate interest in Chinese Classical Dance and to find tomorrow’s most talented Chinese Classical dancers.
But “dance” isn’t all that you may think it is. There is a large “acting” component in Chinese Classical Dance, and this fact may hold the key to its strong appeal to aspiring young dancers.
Two young men who come from Maryland tied for first place in the third annual “International Classical Chinese Dance Competition,” which was a four-day event held in Tribeca in lower Manhattan, New York City, at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center.
Tony Xue, from Bethesda, Maryland and Rocky Liao, from Damascus, Maryland each won $10,000 for their performances in the male junior division in Chinese Classical Dance which was held from June 19 to June 21.
Both young men have been performing in the Divine Performing Arts, now known as Shen Yun Performing Arts New York company, and have toured throughout the world, including Frankfurt, London, Antwerp, Paris, Oslo, Linkoping (Sweden), Aarhus (Denmark), Stockholm, Berlin, Lodz, Vienna, Brno (Czech Republic), Edinburgh, Dresden, and Amsterdam.
Also a member of this touring company is William Li, who took second place in the junior male competition. He was staying with Rocky Liao’s family when I interviewed Liao. I interviewed both of them together; Li, however, is not from Maryland but makes his home in Toronto.
These three winners of the international dance competition will be performing in Washington, D.C. for an “encore” performance August 26-30.
Technique vs. Expressing a Character
Xue said the dance competition consists of two components: a 1-2 minute “technical” performance of “required movements and techniques,” and a 2-3 minute dance routine of their own choosing.
Liao explained that the technical part “tests your ability of technical dance. It is very specific, very strict; like it has parameters, you just have to do it; if you don’t do it [right], you don’t get points.”
By contrast, the dance portion of the Competition “tests your ability to express a character,” said Liao. In this part, one is graded on “how well you express Chinese Classical Dance—techniques, feeling and rhythmic sense,” said Xue.
“It’s not like opera where you can sing,” said Liao. “You can’t say anything [in the dance],” and that makes it harder to convey the character.
There are two main components in Chinese Classical Dance: bearing and form. The forms are the movements, and other kinds of dance, such as ballet, emphasize form.
Bearing conveys the inner meaning of the dance, and is not emphasized in ballet. In a Chinese Classical dance, two different performers will express the feeling side of the dance in his or her own way, because their bearings will not be the same.
Choosing an Historical Person to Portray
Li shown his acting talent last year in his portrayal of monk Ji Gong, who displays an “unorthodox and seemingly-crazy, manner of doing good works,” said the program notes—quite an achievement for playing a much older man and a highly eccentric one at that.
Xue and Liao had lead roles last year in Legend of the Brush, which tells how a divine being, a Dao, comes down to earth to teach the Chinese people how to write with ink and brushes. Xue played the recipient of the gift from Heaven and Liao played the Dao.
Xue chose Han Xin, a brilliant general during the Han who died in 196 BC. Though born poor, he emerged as a superior military strategist and won battles against great odds. At the same time, he could show great humility.
Liao chose Xiang Yu, a legendary hero who led rebel forces to bring about the end of the Qin Dynasty. Liao said that he lost all of his men in a battle where they were surrounded and greatly outnumbered. Xiang Yu could have escaped by crossing a river and make his way home, but instead chose to commit suicide rather than face the families of his men whom he felt responsible for having led to their deaths.
William Li said he could not come up with anyone. So he called his parents in Toronto who suggested Yang Liu Lang, another warrior—the sixth son of the Yang clan, this time from the Sung dynasty.
DC’s August 2009 Shen Yun Program Includes 10 International Competition Winners
Washington, D.C. is fortunate in having 10 first place winners in international competitions perform at the Kennedy Center Opera House in August 26-30, when the Shen Yun Performing Arts New York company returns for an encore performance. In addition to Xue and Liao who won the 2009 junior male division, Golden Li took first place in the adult male division. In previous competitions, NY Company’s Timothy Wu and Yung-chia Chen won the adult male division in 2008 and 2007, respectively.
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