#1 Artistic Dialogue of Traditional Chinese Music and Western Approach in Choreography
UDC: 792.8(510)
COBISS.SR-ID 139173897 CIP - 7
Received: Jan 15, 2024
Reviewed: Jan 25, 2024
Accepted: Feb 02, 2024
#1 Artistic Dialogue of Traditional Chinese Music and Western Approach in Choreography
Citation: Huang, Shengya. 2024. "Artistic Dialogue of Traditional Chinese Music and Western Approach in Choreography." Accelerando: Belgrade Journal of Music and Dance 9:1
Acknowledgment: To my professor Ana Galikowska-Gajevska, who was my mentor and supervisor during my work on MA diploma choreografies at the Eurithmics department at the Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk, Poland.
Abstract
The author, in the text below, discusses her 4 choreographies based on Chinese culture and art. There are two compositions by Pierre-Octave Ferrous from Trois Pieces pour flûte seule series, another two represent the music of Chinese composers: Zhang Qu - Musical Letters and Huang Haihuai – Horse Racing. Shengya Huang in her artistic works used the elements of traditional Chinese dance and Chinese props. The premiere of the choreographies described below took place in Poland, in 2023, and was performed by the students of The Eurhythmics Faculty at Stanislaw Moniuszko Music Academy of Gdańsk and by the author herself. She presented her artistic works in China, as well, with the participation of The College Music and Dance, Nanchang Vocational University students.
traditional Chinese music, traditional Chinese dance, ‘water sleeves’, dancing with fans
Trois Pieces pour flûte seule
Bergere Captive
Two out of three pieces from the series Trois Pieces pour flûte seule, Bergere Captive and Jade, miniatures for solo flute composed by a French musician, Pierre-Octave Ferrous, in the early 20th century and not at all simple in terms of emotional aspect, impressed the author with their sound structure and diversified mood. The author has discovered in the choreography of those pieces a genuine reflection of Chinese music aesthetics. That was the reason why she decided to use the props. In the first miniature, Bergere Captive, designed in movement for one performer, she introduced an oil-paper umbrella. Its purpose was to emphasises lightness, transience and elusiveness of music.
Oil-paper umbrellas(see yxfanwen.com) are commonly used in the traditional Chinese dance. They might be used in order to bring to mind the natural scenery and to create the vision and fantasy-like atmosphere of dancing. The use of umbrellas makes dance more appealing and charming. An umbrella is a prop that requires very good body movement coordination. Below are a few photos (Picture 1) of the soloist holding a Chinese umbrella.
Picture 1. Shengya Huang, choreography of music, Pierre-Octave Ferrous, Bergere Captive. Performer: Dominika Massloch. Photo: Tharakum Photography.
Jade
Another choreography was inspired by the piece entitled– Jade. The author herself danced it, with one other performer. There, Shengya decided to use the costumes featuring an element typical of Chinese culture, namely: Shui Xiu (水袖), so called water sleeves.
Shui Xiu (see baike.baidu.com) are the artistic essence of the national Chinese culture. The culture of water sleeves has a long history. It dates back to the ancient times, when it was an element of traditional Chinese garments. Water sleeves have an exceptional expressive potential. They embody the charm of classical Chinese dance and the spiritual temperament of The Chinese nation. Water sleeves optically elongate the arms, but also all body movements, stretch the force of body expression and expand the emotional aspect.
In the language of dance, the water sleeves are a significant means of expression for the dancers. Today the use of water sleeves in the classical Chinese dance has become to a certain extent its signature look. Water sleeves may emphasise the physical strength and the power of a dancer's expression. Body strength is the extent to which one can move the water sleeves, and the dynamic beauty resulting thereof produces a powerful expression. Both components intertwine and complement each other. Below are a few photos (Picture 2) depicting the performers in costumes, whose key feature are Shui Xiu.
Picture 2. Shengya Huang, choreography of music, Pierre-Octave Ferrous, Jade. Performers: Dominika Massloch and Shengya Huang. Photo: Tharakum Photography.
Musical Letters
Another artistic diploma work was created to be performed with the music of a well-known and acclaimed composer, Zhang Qu. The piece, entitled Musical Letters, was created for the famous Chinese dance drama: Confucius. The music itself is majestic, but slightly sorrowful. It symbolises the rocky road depicting Confucius' life and is an account of the worthless life he led, travelling around the world. The piece inspired Shengya Huang to create her own art. She created a spatial-movement visualisation of music with the use of fans - so typical of Chinese national dances. Such props allow the dancers to express a wide spectrum of emotions. And so it was in the case of Polish performers - ten students of The Eurhythmics Faculty at Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk Using two types of fans and traditional Chinese costumes in the choreography, along with the music, formed a coherent, uniform whole (see Picture 3).
Musical Letters is a composition written for strings and traditional Chinese instruments. The clash of two different musical styles, the Chinese and the Western, produced an intriguing sound, resulting in some interesting metro-rhythmic patterns. Zhang Qu in his piece introduced the following Chinese instruments:
a bamboo flute
This instrument is traditional Chinese musical instrument, common all around China. It is called 'bamboo flute' because it is made of real bamboo. Chinese bamboo flute strongly manifests Chinese national traits, and its symbolism is emotional and euphemistic. It is an important melodic instrument in Chinese folk bands. It is mainly used in solo performances, but may be one of the instruments played in a band.
Chinese drum
It is a symbol of Chinese spirit and an expression of power. The shape of the drum varies depending on the region of its origin: in the North they are usually large ones, whereas in the South drums are rather small, decorated with flowery patterns. Eben drum can be held in one's hand, wrapped around one's waist or chest, attached to the tip of one's head, to the arms, armpits, knees, etc. One person can play one or more drums.
Guzheng
It is a plucked instrument, also known as Hanzheng or Qinzheng. Often used as a solo instrument, a part of the instrumental band, an accompanying instrument for dancing, singing, opera or folk performances. It is called "the king of all music" because of its enormous musical spectrum, beautiful timbre and powerful expression. It is sometimes referred to as 'oriental piano' and is one of the most important national musical instruments, used nowhere else but in China.
Picture 3. Shengya Huang, choreography of music, Zhang Qu, Musical Letters, performers: students of the Eurhythmics of Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk, Poland. Photo: Tharakum Photography
Musical Letters by Zhang Qu was designed by the author to be performed by a larger number of dancers than originally planned: 15 students and the author herself. The students learned their dancing routines in no time. Their commitment and active participation contributed to the final shape of the refreshed, new version of the music choreography, the performance of which was recorded in the main square of Nanchang Vocational University Campus on 29th December 2023. Below are photos of performers (Picture 4) wearing traditional Chinese costumes with fans.
Picture 4. Shengya Huang, choreography of music, Zhang Qu, Musical Letters. Performers: students of the Collegau Music and Dance of Nanchang Vocational University, China. Photo: Anna Galikowska-Gajewska.
Sai Ma / Horse Racing
Sai Ma (赛马 - Horse Racing is a piece composed by Huang Haihuai, specially for the 4th Solo Erhu „Shanghai Spring” Competition in 1964. Huang Haihuai (see baike.baidu) was a famous Chinese musician and composer who taught many instrumentalists how to play Erhu. Sai Ma is a very popular song in China, liked for its majestic depth, warm mood and vibrant melody. The composer 'painted' the exciting and vivid horse racing sequence with the sounds of the instrument. It is a piece worthy of a virtuoso, demanding from the performers technical fluency and musical perfection.
The author chose the composition, arranged for Erhu, the traditional Chinese instrument, to be illustrated with her own music choreography. She eventually decided to use the version arranged for Erhu and the orchestra. Floating red- and yellow-coloured costumes were an important element of the choreography, designed for 5 students plus the author. Red in China has always been perceived as a lucky colour. The upbeat music of Sai Ma in the author's original choreography gained a new visual dimension (see Picture 6), sending the message of the best of luck to the people. Choreography performed by the 3rd year students of the dance school, and Shengya Huang was recorded in the main square of Nanchang Vocational University Campus in December 29, 2023 (see Video 1).
Picture 5. Shengya Huang, choreography of music, Huang Haihuai, Horse Racing. Performers: students of the Collegau Music and Dance of Nanchang Vocational University, China. Photo: Anna Galikowska-Gajewska.
Conclusion
Music, movement, and dance have been present in the author's life since early childhood. Fascinated with traditional Chinese dance, she decided to explore other opportunities for her professional development. Thanks to the studies at Stanisław Moniuszko Academy of Music in Gdańsk, she learned to understand music in a new way - through movement, which enriched her previous experience and knowledge acquired in China. In her artistic works, she included and combined her interest in the history of her country, using Chinese costumes and props as the elements of music choreographies. At the same time, she gave her Polish fellow Eurhythmics students and performers the chance to get familiar with Chinese music and the elements of Chinese culture. She taught Chinese students of dance about the Dalcroze's method: they could gain a new perspective on close inter-relations between music and movement. Drawing inspiration from the cultural diversity is a form of an artistic dialogue carried out by the author in two distant countries, on two different continents.
References
- https://amuz.gda.pl
- Water sleeves. baike.baidu
- Zhang Qu. baike.baidu
- Bamboo Flute. baike.baidu
- Chinese drum culture. baike.baidu
- Guzheng. baike.baidu
- Shanghai Spring. baike.baidu
- Huang Haihuai. baike.baidu
- https://www.sccm.cn
- https://www.yxfanwen.com/shuomingwen/101690.html
Video Sources
