Stage · ST104

Dance

Dances for stage and street: festival lantern dances, dances of many peoples, classical dance and dance dramas.

19works

16entries

Han–Wei Music and Dance

1 works

The Han–Wei dances are long lost; what is performed today is reconstructed from reliefs and texts.

Dance · Han dynasty (identified in the Song shu treatise on music with the scarf dance of its day)

The Gongmo DanceA Han scarf dance; by tradition the scarf recalls Xiang Bo's sleeve shielding the future Han founderHan dynasty dancers and musiciansSE10115

Dragon Dance

1 works

Festival dragon-dance troupes winding through the streets, each kind of dragon with its own routines.

Dance · Arose in the Ming and flourished in the Qing

Tongliang Dragon DanceArose in the Ming; ten dragon-lantern dances and twelve coloured-lantern dancesfolk dragon-lantern performers of TongliangSE10116

Dances of the Southern Peoples

2 works

Lusheng, bronze-drum and wooden-drum dances performed at southern festivals and rites.

Dance · 1946 (Frontier Music and Dance Plenary, Chongqing)

Luoluo Love SongA group dance by Dai Ailian based on the court dance of the aristocratic Black Yi, staged in Chongqing in 1946Dai AilianSSET10210 Dance · Date unknown; handed down among the Axi of the Western Hills of Mile

Axi Moon DanceCalled gasibi, the joyful jump, in the Axi language; men play the sanxian while women dance to the beatAxi Yi people of the Western Hills of MileSE10117

Nuo Masked Dance

1 works

Masked exorcist dances of village troupes, with demon-quellers like Zhong Kui taking their turn.

Dance · Said to date from the Han (as cited in an early Qing text)

Nanfeng Nuo DanceDanced in 180 Nanfeng villages, with 180 kinds of mask and 82 surviving dancesfolk Nuo dancers of NanfengSE10118

Lion Dance

1 works

Lion dances for festivals and openings: northern lions tumble, southern lions pluck the greens.

Dance · The awakened lion appeared in Nanhai, Guangdong, in the Ming

Picking the GreensThe heart of the awakened lion dance, as the lion leaps up to eat a hanging lettucelion dancers of GuangdongSE10119

Tang Court Music and Dance

2 works

The original Tang court dances are lost; today they are reconstructed from scores, murals and texts.

Dance · Named in 754 (Tang, Tianbao 13)

Rainbow Skirt and Feathered Garment DanceA Tang court dance suite attributed to Emperor Xuanzong, given its present name in 754Li LongjiSE10081 Dance · Tang dynasty; dancers presented to the court are recorded from the Kaiyuan to the Tianbao years

Huxuan Whirling DanceA fast spinning dance at the Tang court; Kang and other western states presented huxuan dancing women in the Kaiyuan yearsdancers from Kang and other states of the Western RegionsSSET10207

Dai Peacock Dance

1 works

Solo and group dances that mime the peacock drinking and spreading its tail, graceful and lively.

Dance · 1986 (Second National Dance Competition)

Spirit of the PeacockA solo she made and danced in 1986, winning first prize for choreography at the second national competitionYang LipingSE10120

Drum and Percussion Dance

1 works

Waist-drum, Taiping-drum and flower-drum dances, played while dancing: the faster the beat, the livelier.

Dance · Seen on a Song-dynasty tomb brick found near Yan'an

Ansai Waist DrumDrummers on a Song tomb brick found near Yan'an move much as Ansai drummers do todayfolk waist drummers of AnsaiSE10121

Huagudeng and Lantern Song-Dance

1 works

Huaihe drum-frame and orchid partner dances, with tea-picking and lantern song-and-dance skits.

Dance · Date unknown; a traditional small-ground piece of huagudeng

Grabbing the BenchA traditional small-ground piece of huagudeng, with characters and a simple plothuagudeng folk performers of the Huai River regionSE10122

Dances of Xinjiang's Peoples

1 works

Sanam, eagle dance and black-horse dance, whirling and leaping to the hand drum.

Dance · 1959 (gold award at the Vienna World Youth Festival)

Picking GrapesWon a gold award in Vienna in 1959 and has been danced by generations of Xinjiang dancers sinceXinjiang dance artists (the 1959 original; choreographer credits vary)SE10123

Mongolian and Northern Peoples' Dance

1 works

Mongolian chopstick, cup-and-bowl and Andai dances, with dances of northern hunting peoples.

Dance · Created in 1953

Ordos DanceA group dance Jia Zuoguang made in 1953, which won an award at the 1955 Warsaw festivalJia ZuoguangSE10124

Tibetan Dance

2 works

Guozhuang circle dances, xianzi, tap dances and the masked cham of the monasteries.

Dance · 1946 (Frontier Music and Dance Plenary, Chongqing)

Spring OutingA dance Dai Ailian adapted from Tibetan dance, staged in Chongqing in 1946Dai AilianSSET10209 Dance · 1964

Laundry SongA Tibetan-style song and dance staged in 1964, mixing solo, chorus and spoken linesLi Junchen · Luo NianyiSE10125

Yangge

1 works

Yangge troupes of New Year street fairs, led by the umbrella-bearer, stepping to gongs and drums.

Play · First performed at the 1943 Spring Festival

Brother and Sister Clear the WastelandFirst staged in Yan'an at the 1943 Spring Festival, and called the first of the new yangge playsWang Dahua · Li Bo · Yang Luyou · An BoSE10126

Farmers' Dance of the Korean Ethnic Group

1 works

Farmers' bands dancing as they play, whirling streamers from their hats to celebrate the harvest.

Dance · Came to China with the farmers' dance in the late 19th century

Streamer Hat DanceThe closing men's dance of the farmers' dance, with hat streamers up to twenty metres longKorean farmers' dance performers of YanbianSE10127

Classical Dance

1 works

Solo and group works built on classical body rhythm and opera movement, including sleeve and sword dances.

Dance · 1953

Lotus DanceDai Ailian's group dance drawn from a Longdong folk lantern dance, a prize-winner at the 1953 World Youth FestivalDai Ailian · Liu ChiSE10083

Chinese Dance Drama

1 works

Full-length dance dramas telling stories from myth, history and classic novels.

Play · Premiered 1957

The Magic Lotus LanternChina's first full-length national dance drama, choreographed by Li Zhonglin and Huang Boshou in 1957Li Zhonglin · Huang Boshou · Zhang XiaohuSE10082