Welcoming the Year of the Dragon:
A Spring Festival performance from the Performing Arts Troupe of Beijing Normal University
On Monday, 30 January 2012 we were very proud and excited to celebrate this year's Chinese New Year Spring Festival with a spectacular show from the renowned performing arts troupe of Beijing Normal University at Academy 2 in Manchester University's Student Union to kark the advent of the Year of the Dragon
An excited audience made up of members of the public, university staff, students and children gathered in the early evening to be greeted by officials from the Confucius Institute, the Chinese Consulate and Beijing Normal University. Our hosts wished everyone a very happy Year of the Dragon and extended a warm welcome to all the guests.
The show opened with a traditional Chinese dance called Dunhuang that is inspired by the Mogao Grottos. The perfectly choreographed dancing and fabulous yellow costumes made for a real spectacle and set the mood for a joyful and energetic show, letting us know that we were in the hands of real professionals.
This was followed by a Shaolin King Fu demonstration that included a spot of bare-handed brick-breaking that had the crowd gasping with amazement and wincing at the same time, though the performer came away magically unscathed and smiling. This was followed by second folk dance with the theme of Spring, featuring beautiful pink costumes, and a technically astonishing performance of Chinese neo-folk music played on traditional instruments like the erhu and dizi.
Next up we were treated to a demonstration of Tai Chi that perfectly showcased the strength and beauty of this ancient art form. This was followed by a recitation of the Chinese poem Yuan Ri, which describes the Spring Festival Celebrations, accompanied by a traditional dance and a demonstration of classical calligraphy. The resulting scroll was presented as a gift to the Chinese Consulate Mr Fu, and he received it with great pleasure.
The remainder of the performance featured choral folk song further martial art demonstrations featuring traditional Chinese weapons and flags and ended with a joyful chorus of You and Me, the song that was sung in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. This final performance received great applause as the performers took their bows and proudly unfurled the flags of their University.
The troupe have toured extensively, playing to audiences of thousands in China, America and Europe, warming hearts all over the globe and encouraging a broader understanding and appreciation of Chinese arts. This special perforrmance in Manchester formed part of their tour of the UK a journey which has seen them take in much of the North of England.
The event was a huge success and offered the perfect opportunity to celebrate the advent of the Year of the Dragon in authentic style, bringing a broader and deeper understanding of Chinese culture to the people of Manchester
The Spring Festival Gala was this year's main event to mark the advent of Chinese New Year of the Dragon. You can find out about last year's performance of the Little Red Flower performing arts troupe welcoming the Year of the Rabbit here.
All images by Russell Hart