Historical dance drama prepares students for the future

Zhengyang Gate, located on the southern part of Tian'anmen Square, sits in the heart of the capital. It was originally built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) as one of the nine gates guarding the inner city of Beijing. Partially destroyed by the Eight-Nation Alliance Forces during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, it was later rebuilt in 1906 with a height of 42 meters.

Today, it is one of the capital's key historical sites, sitting on the Beijing Central Axis, a 7.8-kilometer-long north-south line down through the center of the historical neighborhood of Beijing, which generally follows a symmetrical layout.

"We use different colors to name the six acts of the dance drama with each color representing a different period of time and historical event," says the director, referring to the six acts titled Ink, White, Red Brick, Golden Stone, Green and a finale titled Colorful.

"We prepared the dance drama for over six months. We visited Qianmen many times to get inspired by this historical landmark, which stands tall not only as a cultural symbol of Beijing but also as a witness to Chinese history," says dancer Peng Yibo, who plays the role of great-grandfather, a soldier in wartime defending the Zhengyang Gate.

The family's following generations, such as Xiao Bei and Da Zhi, dedicate themselves to the revolution, contributing to the founding of New China. In the 1980s, with the country's reform and opening-up, Yuan Xing leaves his home and embarks on a journey to pursue his dreams. He returns to Zhengyang Gate in 2008 when the city hosts the Olympic Games, starting a new chapter of his life.

"There are familial bonds, love and patriotism across five generations in this dance drama," Peng adds.

The production features original music by renowned composer Kang Zhuqing, who used musical instruments such as a sanxian (a three-stringed plucked instrument), and excerpts of Peking Opera pieces, which instantly take audiences back to the old Beijing city.

According to director Shuai, the dance drama is a project of the Beijing Dance Academy that involves students, which prepares them for their studies and work after graduation.

"I am very lucky to be selected to perform in the dance drama, which allowed me to witness how a dance drama was born from zero," says Chi Yingxuan, an 18-year-old freshman of the Beijing Dance Academy, who performs as a group dancer in the dance drama.