1、The Art of Chinese DanceMost people use sound to communicate in their everyday life, but a dancer on stage uses his limbs and body to do the same thing. Just like the Chinese language, Chinese dance has its own unique vocabulary, semantics, and syntactic structure that enable a dancer on stage to fu
2、lly express his thoughts and feelings with ease and grace. The art of Chinese dance traces its origins to even before the appearance of the first written Chinese characters. Ceramic pots have been unearthed in the Sun Chia Chai excavation site in Ta-tung County of the western Chinese province of Chi
3、nghai that depict colorful dancing figures. A study of these archaeological artifacts reveals that people of the Neolithic Yang-shao culture of around the fourth millennium B.C. already had choreo graphed group dances in which the participants locked arms and stamped their feet while singing to inst
4、rumental accompaniment. Chinese dance was divided into two types, civilian and military, during the Shang and Chou periods of the first millennium B.C. In civilian dance, dancers held feather banners in their hands, symbolizing the distribution of the fruits of the days hunting or fishing. This grad
5、ually developed into the dance used in the emperors periodic sacrificial rituals held outside the city, and other religious rituals. In the large group military dance, on the other hand, the dancers carried weapons in their hands, and moved forward and backward in coordinated group motion. This late
6、r evolved into the movements used in military exercises. Chinese used choreographic movements of the hands and feet to express their veneration of the spirits of heaven and earth, to act out aspects of their everyday life, and to give expression to shared feelings of joy and delight. Dance was also
7、a performing art that brought pleasure to both the performers and the audience. After the establishment of the Music Bureau in the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), an active effort was made to collect folk songs and dances. By the third century A.D., northern China was subjugated by the Hsiungnu, Si
8、enpi, and Western Chiang peoples. In this way, folk dance forms of the various peoples of Central Asia were introduced into China, and merged with the original dances of the Han people. This pattern continued well into the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). Due to the more stable political situation durin
9、g the Tang Dynasty, dance in China entered into a period of unprecedented brilliance. The Tang Dynasty imperial court founded the pear Garden Academy, the Imperial Academy, and the Tai-chang Temple, gathering the top dancing talent of the country to perform the magnificent, stately and incomparably
10、lavish “Ten Movement Music“ dance. This dance incorporated elements from dance forms of the peoples of China, Korea, Sinkiang, India, Persia, and Central Asia into one colossal dance. It featured intricate body movement techniques, and made full use of colorful, gala stage costumes and props to set
11、off the refined dance movements. Poetry, songs, a dramatic plot, and background music were incorporated to create a comprehensive multimedia production rich in content and fanfare. This was a predecessor of modern Chinese opera. Each minority people or aboriginal group of China has its own folk danc
12、e forms. The Miao (also known as Hmong) people of southwestern China, for example, developed a lively form of antiphonal singing and competitive dance; the aborigines of Taiwan, influenced by their island life and environment, created hand-holding line dances as part of a harvest ritual. Folk dances
13、 directly reflect the lifestyles and customs of a people, and in addition to their artistic value as dances, they are a precious part of Chinas cultural heritage. In the Republic of China on Taiwan, the development of Chinese dance has taken on a dynamic and multifaceted personality. Young people go
14、ing into dance usually first study ballet and modern dance, then go back to take a fresh look at the syntax of traditional Chinese dance. From there they seek out new directions for Chinese style body expression with an open mind and spirit of experimentation. Since about 1970, their original and un
15、ique compositions have occasioned a renaissance in Chinese dance. The Cloud Gate Dance Troupe of Lin Hwai-min * began by building on a foundation of the Martha Graham school of modern dance, and gradually absorbed elements from traditional Chinese operatic performance, along with responses to modern
16、 life. It is the most active and dynamic modern dance group in Taiwan. The Cloud Gate Dance Troupe performed abroad on a number of occasions, and is viewed internationally as the most representative of modern Chinese dance groups. The New Classical Dance Troupe of Liu Feng-hsueh * also takes modern
17、dance as its starting point. Liu has conducted thorough research on traditional ethical and sacrificial dance and Taiwan aborigine folk dance. A deep level of logical thought is reflected in her dances, along with an emphasis on the human aspect. She was the first to study, import, and use dance sco
18、res. The aim of the Hsu Hui-mei * Dance Society is to collect and systematize traditional folk dances. The new dances she has created have not only the external characteristics of classical dance, but have also flawlessly incorporated the yen of modern Chinese for past grandeur. Many universities an
19、d colleges in Taiwan now have dance departments with teachers able to systematically cultivate professional dance talent. Private dance societies work actively to interest children and youths in studying dance. Every year the Council for Cultural Planning and Development of the ROC Executive Yuan pl
20、ans and holds and annual dance exhibition. They invite performers of all kinds of dance styles to create and choreograph new compositions; and they also organize performances, to foster popular interest in new developments in dance. Large-scale dance programs and song and dance dramas are often stag
21、ed in Taipeis recently completed National Theater as a major part of the theaters program. Top international dancers and dance troupes are invited to Taiwan to perform as part of an ongoin exchange in the arts. With the untiring efforts and contributions of todays dancers in the Republic of China on
22、 Taiwan, Chinese dance now looks forward to a rich and variegated future. The Cloud Gate Dance Troupe performed in several countriesworldwide, and is considered one of the most representative modern Chinese dance groups. Chinese Dance Chinese dance has its own unique vocabulary, meanings, and ordere
23、d structure that enable a dancer to fully express his thoughts and feelings with ease and grace. TraditionThe art of Chinese dance traces its origins to a time before the appearance of the first written Chinese characters. A study of ceramic artifacts with depictions of dancing figures reveals that
24、people of the Neolithic Yangshao culture of around the fourth millennium B.C. already had choreographed group dances in which the participants locked arms and stamped their feet while singing to instrumental accompaniment. During the Shang and Chou periods of the first millennium B.C., chinese dance
25、 was divided civilian dance and military dance. In civilian dance, dancers held feather banners in their hands which symbolized the distribution of the fruits of the days hunting or fishing. In the large group military dance, the dancers carried weapons in their hands and moved forward and backward
26、in coordinated group motion. Later, these dance movements evolved into military exercises. The Chinese used choreographed hand and feet movements in dancing to express their veneration of the spirits of heaven and earth, to act out aspects of their everyday life, and to give expression to shared a C
27、hinese Dancefeelings of joy and delight. Therefore, Dance was as much symbolism and expression as it was beauty. After the establishment of the Music Bureau in the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.), efforts were made to collect folk songs and dances. After the Han dynasty, other people of Asia invaded
28、 and conquered the Han people. In this way, folk dance forms of the various peoples of Central Asia were introduced into China and merged with the original dances of the Han people. This pattern continued well into the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.). Dance in China entered into a period of unprecedente
29、d brilliance during the Tang dynasty as culture flourished. The Tang Dynasty imperial court founded the Pear Garden Academy, the Imperial Academy, and the Tai-chang Temple and gathered the top dancing talent of the country to perform the magnificent incomparably lavish “Ten Movement Music“ dance. Th
30、is dance incorporated elements from dance forms of China, Korea, Sinkiang, India, Persia, and Central Asia into one colossal dance. It featured intricate body movements and included colorful, gala stage costumes and props. Poetry, songs, a dramatic plot, and background music were incorporated to cre
31、ate a comprehensive production and usher in the advent of Chinese opera. Each regional group of China has its own folk dance forms. The Miao (also known as Hmong) people of southwestern China developed a lively form of antiphonal, or responsive, singing and competitive dance. Due to the influence of
32、 the their island environment, the aborigines of Taiwan created hand-holding line dances as part of a harvest ritual. Folk dances directly reflect the lifestyles and customs of a people, and though their are numerous folk dances, each and everyone is an invaluable part of Chinas cultural heritage. T
33、he PresentThe development of modern Chinese dance has taken on a dynamic personality. Usually, young people going into dance study ballet and modern dance first, then they study the technique and syntax of traditional Chinese dance. From there they seek out new directions for Chinese style body expr
34、essions and movements with an open mind for experimentation. Since about 1970, the original and unique compositions of young dancers have occasioned a renaissance in Chinese dance. The Cloud Gate Dance Troupe of Lin Hwai-min began by building on a foundation of the Martha Graham school of modern dan
35、ce and gradually absorbed elements from traditional Chinese opera performance. The Cloud Gate Dance Troupe has performed abroad on a number of occasions, and is viewed internationally as the most representative of modern Chinese dance groups. the Cloud Gate Dance TroupeTraditional Chinese Dance is a
36、n important part of Chinese culture. It is a way to express oneself, a way to tell a story. It is more tangible and impressive than a piece of writing. Dance in started thousands year before. It was an old form of entertainment. Kung Fu and opera, two symbolic things of Chinese culture, are derived
37、from dance.When people talk about , they usually talk about Chinese food and Kung Fu. Kung Fu is a special kind of fighting. It is very useful in ancient when it was practiced mostly for fighting. Now, it is still popular. It could exercise ones body, protect oneself and most importantly, it makes o
38、nes heart stronger which is good for ones health. Chinese Kung Fu is well-known in . There are American pugilists who go to learning Kung Fu. Chinese Kung Fu is derived from Chinese traditional dance which included many other forms, such as dragon dance, feather fan Dance, lion dance, ribbon dance,
39、silk fan dance and sword Dance. Lion dance is my favorite. It is one of the oldest forms of dance. The lion dance goes back to about one thousand years ago. At the time, it was a way to bring luck and get rid of devil. There was folklore about the lion dance. During ancient , a monster called “Nien“
40、 appeared, attacking the men and the animals. It was so fast and fierce that neither the fox nor the tiger could beat it. In despair, the people asked the lion for help. The lion bravely rushed towards the monster and wounded it. The “Nien“ fled, but declared to come back to take revenge. In order t
41、o prevent the monster from coming back, people pretended to be lions and danced annually. Nowadays, lion dance represents joy and happiness and is more a symbol of traditional Chinese dance. When Chinese New Year arrives, people around the world go on street and perform lion dance.I have learned the
42、 Fan Dance before. I have a fan in my one or both hands. As my body moves in accordance with the music, I open and close my fan. The Fan Dance is usually a group dance since a group dance could maximize the beauty of the fan dance. Interacting with other people is the hardest thing for me to do. I always need to be aware of what others are doing to make sure that we are on the same page.
