Tribute to treasured porcelain

China Oriental Performing Arts Group is known for producing the hit dance drama, Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, which premiered in 2021. It drew inspiration from the iconic painting, A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, by Wang Ximeng from the Song Dynasty. The dance drama has been staged for over 500 times and enraptured audiences across 62 cities at home and abroad, captivating viewers with its artistic portrayal.

According to Li, compared to Poetic Dance, which features classical Chinese dance as a major dance form, the new production, Blue and White: Impression of China, will not only feature classical Chinese dance but also infuse contemporary elements.

"Imagine a stage bathed in soft, iridescent light reminiscent of Qingbai porcelain glaze. As the curtains part, dancers clad in costumes in sync with the porcelain's color palette and patterns glide onto the stage. Their movements, fluid and precise, mirror the elegance of the porcelain's curves and the subtlety of its designs. Each gesture and step is choreographed to evoke the spirit of Qingbai — serene, harmonious, and evocative," Li says.

The music, composed specifically for the production, is by Lyu Liang, who was also the music composer of Poetic Dance. According to the artistic director, it echoes the delicate melodies that one might imagine resonating from the kilns where Qingbai porcelain was fired centuries ago.

Additionally, the costumes were thoughtfully designed with color emphasis. Yi selected the traditional hues of qing (blue) and bai (white) to highlight the characteristics of Qingbai porcelain.

At the 2024 CCTV Spring Festival Gala — one of the most-watched TV shows in China, which is aired on Lunar New Year's Eve, one segment of the dance drama, titled Impression of China, was staged, offering the audience with a glimpse of the production.

On stage, the core action of rotation is used to achieve a perfect fusion of porcelain and dance. Dancers spinning on stage resemble porcelain pieces revolving around a central axis, simultaneously demonstrating the dynamic beauty of dance and the static grace of porcelain.