《鹤之语》Red-Crowned Crane

Performance Link

Author: Carissa Kwan

DANCE SYNOPSIS

This piece depicts a red-crowned crane standing alone beside the lake as it looks loftily towards the distant water and clouds. The plot is divided into two main sections: the first part (0:06-3:45) portrays the crane’s reluctance and apprehensiveness as it stays mostly grounded, while the second part (3:46-5:46) shows the promise of precious freedom as the crane finally spreads its wings.

The choreography strongly features arm and leg extensions, as well as integrated use of the costume, to define the elegant mannerisms of this beautiful bird. This dance is a metaphor for the perseverance of the human spirit. Despite the uncertainty of the future, one still courageously pursues their dreams and aspirations.

BACKGROUND

The red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) [丹顶鹤 dān dǐng hè] is a large crane native to southeastern Russia, northeast China, Mongolia, and eastern Japan. It has a black face and neck in addition to a majority pure white body with black secondary and tertiary feathers that appear almost like a black tail when the bird is standing (Figures 1-2). The red-crowned crane gets its name from the distinctive patch of bare red skin on the crown of its head (Figure 3). These cranes are noted for their dancelike behavior, such as jerky bounces, graceful leaps, and running with outstretched wings, all of which serve as forms of communication.

The crane is a highly regarded symbol in Chinese culture. Red-crowned cranes in particular are the most popularly depicted type of cranes in Chinese paintings and are associated with a number of auspicious meanings, such as longevity and immortality (Figure 4). These cranes are also often called “fairy cranes” [仙鹤 xiān hè], as immortals in Chinese myths are often depicted riding on them (Figure 5).

COSTUME

This costume design was heavily inspired by the many distinguishing physical traits of the red-crowned crane. The headpiece is adorned with red feathers to mimic the patch of red skin on the crane’s head (Figure 6). The costume itself consists of a feathered upper bodice and a full-length double circle skirt made with light, flowy fabric. A white-to-black gradient on the bodice feathers and the skirt imitate the coloration of the crane’s head and neck as well as body and wings, respectively (Figure 7).

CHOREOGRAPHY

《鹤之语》 starts with the crane lying besides a lake. Initially contemplative and uncertain, the crane hesitantly begins to explore its surroundings by looking at its reflection and stretching its wings. The bird slowly stands up and cautiously steps around as it acclimates to the environment, its movements gradually become bigger and bolder. This change in temperament is depicted through small explosive displays of technique, such as front walkovers [前桥 qián qiáo] and back attitude kicks [后踢腿 hòu tī tuǐ], interspersed with softer sustained movements.

The choreographer also utilizes repeated movements, with modifications each time, to demonstrate the crane’s growing confidence. For example, the dancer performs technique movements requiring a split [劈叉 pī chā] four times throughout the piece to denote the crane stretching its legs. The first instance occurs when the dancer is on the floor in a chest stand [趴前脸 pā qián liǎn]. The second and third occasions both include vertical leg holds [朝天登 cháo tiān dēng]. However, the dancer is facing away from the audience during the first leg hold while the side-facing second leg hold allows the audience to glimpse the dancer’s face. The final display features a penché [探海 tàn hǎi]. Unlike the leg holds, which involve the moving leg held against the front of the body, the penché requires the dancer to fully open her chest, embodying the crane’s faith and courage.

Multiple Chinese classical dance techniques were utilized and adapted to visualize the movements and behaviors of the red-crowned crane.

1. The orchid flower hand position [兰花指 lán huā zhǐ] is the default hand position used in most Chinese classical dances. This dance uses a modified version of this hand position, with more relaxed fingers and a bent wrist, to symbolize the head of the crane (Figure 8).

2. To depict the motions of a walking crane, the choreographer uses passé développé [吸伸腿 xī shēn tuǐ]. This technique is featured most predominantly during 3:09-3:22 by repeating this fundamental movement on alternating legs and linking each through a relevé [立脚尖 lì jiǎo jiān].

3.  A small archer jump [小射雁跳 xiǎo shè yàn tiào] is used to imitate some of the communicative dancing behaviors of the red-crowned crane. The soaring jump coupled with a dynamic upwards fling of the skirt evokes imagery of a crane gracefully leaping into the air.

The dancer incorporates the use of her skirt to further depict the crane’s struggle to spread its wings. At first, the wings only spread out periodically. When they do, the wings merely extend partway (1:44, 2:03, 2:12). As the dance reaches its climax, the crane finally summons the courage to fully extend its wings and fly. This is illustrated through repeated flinging of the skirt with fully extended arm movements in addition to chaîné turns [平转 píng zhuàn] (3:58, 4:10) across the stage to represent the distance traveled in flight. The crane breathes a sigh of relief, its expression filled with happiness and joy, at ultimately achieving its goal. As the dance comes to an end, the bird stands tall and noble. It moves with a quiet confidence, completely at ease with its surroundings and assured that it has the ability to accomplish anything it sets its mind to.

《鄉愁無邊》Yearning for Home

Performance Link

Author: Julia Zhou

Style: Classical/Shen Yun + Modern
Choreographer(s): 佟睿睿 TONG Rui-rui
Soundtrack Title / Artist: 《月舞》
Piece Length: 4:44

Dance troupe/school: 北京舞蹈学院 Beijing Dance Academy
Lead Dancer(s): 唐诗逸 TANG Shiyi
Number of Performers: 1
Gender of Performers: Female

Premier Venue: 年第九届“桃李杯” 9th Taoli Cup Dance Competition
Premier Date: August, 2009 

《乡愁无边》(Xiangchou wubian, “Yearning for Home”) tells the story of a Beijing-born child named who is flung far away from home in order to escape warfare. Removed from relatives, the child must forge their own path through life. This dance highlights the chaos and estrangement caused by warfare, along with the aching remembrance of a far-away home.  “Yearning for Home”was choreographed by 佟睿睿 TONG Rui-rui. It debuted at the 9th Taoli Cup Dance Competition, performed by 唐诗逸 TANG Shiyi.

The dancer TANG Shiyi creates tension-filled moments, full of contrast between sharp, clear poses and milky, full body exhalations made possible by shen yun technique. For example, the dancer sinks to the floor in splits an instant (0:59) , then lingers on the ground and exhales, her chest and gazing following the sideway passage of her forearm as it glides through a semi-circle (1:01-1:04). The bodily tension and sideways gaze help trace the turbulence of acclimating to a new life, furthering the story of alienation and subsequent self-discovery.   

Two repeated motifs – swaying side to side and 跑圆场 (pao yuanchang, “circling the stage”) – combine to create a sense of scale, mirroring the dancer’s physical and psychological journey through unfamiliar landscapes. The dancer beings the piece slowly extending her arm, gazed fixed past her fingertips. She repeats variations of side extensions and swaying (1:21; 2:54-56; 4:22-24), which strike viewers with their vigor and sharpness, as if to cast off anxious energy. The dancer “circles the stage” from 0:30-0:36 and 3:08-3:11, simultaneously expanding viewer’s conception of the stage geography and conveying the great distance travelled in her journey.

The characters 乡愁 (xiangchou) represent a recurring Chinese cultural theme, representing the affection and emotional attachments towards an individual’s roots, particularly attachments to family and hometown. 乡愁 is most poignantly experienced in separation from these roots. For example, a large corpus of classical Chinese poetry is sourced from scholar-officials like Li Bai and Du Fu, who expressing their longing for home after being assigned to distance government posts or forced into exile. More recently, 乡愁 is used frequently in describing the family divides imposed by the 1949 split of mainland China (under Chinese Communist Party rule) and Taiwan (under Nationalist Party rule). After a protracted Chinese Civil War (1927-1949), the Nationalist Party fled to Taiwan after their defeat and official cross-strait travels were banned. It was not until 1987 that cross-strait travels would resume, after a 38-year hiatus. During this time, many pieces of literature addresses the personal experience of cross-strait tensions.  

“Yearning for Home” conveys the generalized longing for home, but it can also be viewed as a specific story of how Civil War affected families. Families during the period were frequently split seeking refuge from invaders, and finally split along political lines between the mainland and Taiwan. Through pure technique and masterful storytelling, the age-old concept of 乡愁 is re-interpreted for modern audiences.