Dance is meant to entertain, but it can also open up your imagination to places you’ve never been, Chinese dancer Nai-Ni Chen told about 100 primary and secondary school students on Friday morning at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.
Each of the four pieces they performed told stories about China and its people.
The first portrayed a child dancing with a lion, which was played by two other dancers in costume.
“The lion that we just saw was quite adorable, but normally when we think of a lion we think about a big, fierce and scary animal,” one of the performers said at the end of the piece. “In the dance, a child plays with the lion, and that signifies peace on earth and shows us that the fierce animal can live in harmony with humankind.”
Rainy day
Another piece depicted a rainy day in a tropical region of China: At the beginning, three female dancers walked on stage holding bamboo umbrellas as soft music played.
That piece was a favourite for Elmore Stoutt High School student Aleyah Smith.
“I loved the movement of the dancers,” said Ms. Smith, who takes classes at BVI Dance School. “The lighting made it soft, calm and easy to watch.”
During her classes at the BVIDS, Ms. Smith has learned many of the techniques she saw on Friday.
“Like the spotting, which is what we do when we spin around in ballet — it helps when you turn rapidly,” Ms. Smith said of a technique that involves turning the head faster than the body to minimise dizziness. “This show makes me want to work really hard.”
Art careers
Such workshops also expose young people to careers in the arts, said Diandra Jones, who teaches at the BVIDS.
“It should help them realise how much dedication it takes to dance at that level,” Ms. Jones said. “It is very important, especially for young people with artistic passions, to see where their talents might be able to take them someday.”
The Friday showcase has inspired Francis Lettome Primary School student Ashleigh Penn to visit China someday.
“I learned that China has many kinds of dance moves and cultures,” she said. “I think it is fun, and I’ll like to travel there.”
Ashleigh was among 15 students who were invited on stage, where they learned different ways of dancing with ribbons as well as basic hand gestures used in Chinese performances.
Skye DaBreo, a lower-school student at Cedar International, wasn’t picked to go on stage, but she was impressed with the performance.
“I think it was really cool,” Skye said, “and I think that the choreographer did well with the dancers.”
{fcomment}