虞姬的悲歌 - Lady YuJi's Lament

I've written about this dance before - YuJi, the beloved concubine of Xiang Yu, King of Chu (232 - 202 BC), knows that there's no way they can win the battle, surrounded as they are by Liu Bang's forces. It's such a heroic act of love that she kills herself with his sword, but the suffering of her lord must have been complete upon losing her. So many stories like these have become legends in their own right, and it's fascinating to study them.

My favorite segment of this dance is when YuJi fondly recalls serving her lord tea, in happier times. Portraying her in this moment was a joy and also difficult - her love and devotion to her king is absolute, and every movement and expression must convey this to the audience. I am alone onstage, but I hope that everyone could see that he was right there with YuJi, in her heart. This photo, taken during one of my performances, is where she hears Liu Bang's troops approaching; fear overtakes her.

新疆小伙子？！ ... Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy belated Valentine's Day! It's been quite busy with Lunar New Year celebrations and other events. This time I got to dance in everything from a 50 year anniversary party of the city of Union City to the first joint production that CCTV (the main television station in China) has done with an organization outside the country. It might have aired in China and in the San Francisco Bay Area already; I've honestly been too busy to check ...

This photo depicts a piece from the northwestern part of China (Xinjiang). It is a charming tableau of a young man in love, and he is exuberant after having received a rose from his sweetheart. Because this is a dance meant to be performed by a man, I've had to work very hard not only to keep up with the energy and technical ability required, but it's also been a challenge to learn how to move like a brash youth. The Uighur are very different from the Han in the east, and there is definite Kazakh influence from the costuming, the music, to the instrument the youth holds to serenade his love. This is one of the best pieces I've ever performed and I hope I have opportunities to repeat it so that I may become more skilled in speaking to the audience with every movement. One small thing: I hope to have a photograph in which I'm not wearing the same makeup meant for another (female) dance - it looks awful in this getup!

Happy New Year!

Spring is coming and the Year of the Ox with it! That means lots of performances, and while I am a bit stressed out with 3 challenging solos and several group numbers for different events I know I wouldn't have it any other way. Physically it's been a bit rough, but hopefully I'll feel stronger soon and be ready for the 6+ shows I have lined up in the next couple of weeks. Onward and upward!

Almost Year-End

Once again the holidays are upon us and I while I finally have a chance to breathe a little bit after traveling in Asia, I still have much work to do in terms of dancing. I've been asked to dance several holiday events, but honestly this is a bit of a challenge because I find myself quite sick with the cold! I already have performances lined up for January through March, and although it will mean a lot of hard work I am glad to have these opportunities.

I discovered that this photo was published in the newspaper about one of my dancing performances. The red kerchief in this moment symbolizes marriage portent as the girl peeks out from the kerchief at her intended and then hides her face behind it once more, too shy to look any further.

Here's to happy times and to not being sick - All the best this holiday season!

Dancing on the Road

It's tough keeping limber and in good condition while traveling for work, but nonetheless every night thus far for the last 2 weeks I've been stretching and doing whatever tumbling I can in my hotel room. I'm in my third city in as many weeks and I hope I stay healthy, but the travel and hectic work schedule is getting tougher on my body. There is a Shanghai Dance Academy graduate who is willing to give me class so I am looking forward to that when I land in Shanghai.

While in Beijing, I was able to catch two performances by the Beijing Dance Academy graduates as well as from the Military Arts Academy. These dancers are absolutely stunning. They inspire me to continue to work harder and to strive for more strength, better technique, and most important, they make me remember the passion I have for everything that I do.

Giving Ballet a Try

I've recently rediscovered ballet, which I grew up watching extensively. Thanks to YouTube, I've been able to find many recent clips of brilliant dancers as well as dig up dances I'd watched as a child and loved so much. Ravel's waltzes are so romantic and beautiful. Even though Chinese classical dance is based on the same fundamentals as ballet, there are slight differences in emphasis. I've been inspired to try and take some classes to work on my technique. I'm a bit nervous, but taking ballet can't be bad! (This photo is not of ballet; I'm in costume for an Uighur folk dance but I decided to have some fun and jump for the photographer.)

Back to Basics

After a busy summer of performances, I've tried to focus on bringing it back to the barre and have been paying special attention to where it all comes from - technique. It's definitely the hardest part, to me the most mundane and yet cherished hours spent in my life. Sure, I may dread certain skills and feel ill after the 6th cycle of turns or having been upside down for awhile, but without work there is no improvement. At least that's what I keep telling myself when I think I can't go any farther and my teacher says I look like I've taken a shower (ie I am very, very sweaty).