Dance drama commission The Spring in Yangjialing is inspired by Yan’an wood carving paints. As an unique form of visual art, wood carving paints from Yan’an period captured many important events and turning points of the modern Chinese history from the painters' perspectives. The plot is set in a period when the Chinese youth with advanced thoughts went to Yan’an and devoted themselves to the great cause of revolution. These young people get changed for the better in terms of ideology and spirit, and their art works usher in the spring of Chinese literature and art.
The people-oriented literary and artistic creation has become a call to travel through time and space, and continues to shine brightly. The Spring in Yangjialing blooms in history as well as in the new era.
Presenters: NCPA & Beijing Dance Academy
Producers: NCPA & Beijing Dance Academy
Performers: NCPA BDA Youth Dance Troupe, Beijing Dance Academy
World Premiere: Theatre, China NCPA on November 5th, 2022
Chief Directors: ZHANG Xiaomei, ZHANG Yunfeng
Choreographer: XU Rui
Composers: CHENG Yuan, XIE Peng
Choreographers:
Chapter I: YUAN Jia, GU Peiying, GAO Yan, ZHANG Tianyang
Chapter II: SHUAI Xiaojun, BAI Ling, YANG Hao, DENG Lili, CHENG Yongping
Chapter III: LI Shanshan, ZHU Lyu, LI Wenqi, QIAO Jingyu
Prelude & Epilogue: XIE Fei
Visual Director: REN Dongsheng
Set Designers: WANG Lifeng, ZHAO Yue
Costume Director: WU Lei
Lighting Designers: LI Chao, HU Bo
Video Projection Designers: KONG Jiang, LI Guang
Hair Style Designer: SUN Aina
Props Designer: JIN Jifeng
Script Designers: WANG Keyue, XIE Qiushui
Sound Designer: ZHEN Cheng
Cast
Printmaker: WANG Zihan/ QIAO Jingyu/ CHEN Shuolei
Musician: LYU Kedi/ CHEN Shuolei/ WANG Yanxin
Dancer: LI Chensai/ SU Yao
Dramatist: WU Shuai/ JIN Chengke
Little Soldier: LIU Yanbei/ LI Dongxuan
Old Madam: SHAO Junting/ HU Wantong
Hui'er: ZHAO Shan/ WEN Yu’er
Father of Hui'er: PENG Yibo/ XUE Xiaokun
Matchmaker: YANG Xuanzi/ LI Xinyang
In the 1930s and 1940s amid calls for the national salvation movement, a large number of literary and artistic workers rush to Yan’an, the holy land of China’s revolution. Musician and Dancer live under the same roof and eat at the same table with the working people, and experience the people’s motherly affection and nourishment like thick soil. In the course of grassroots work, Litterateur gives full play to the personal talents and wisdoms, going deep among the masses, winning the trust and support of the people, and bursting out creation passion like the rising sun. Influenced by the Luxun Academy of Fine Arts and tempered by wars, Printmakers grow into literary and artistic soldiers, who use the carving knife as a weapon” to embrace a shared future with the people.
By wielding carving knives, the artists, with heart and soul, carve the vibrant spring of Yangjialing.
Prelude
In the cry of a national peril, full of passions and ideals, batches of literary and artistic workers swarm to Yan’an, the holy land of China’s revolution. Mountain Scenery of Loess Plateau, with a towering pagoda at the core indicates the desirable place.
Chapter I. Thick Soil
Musician and Dancer feel so moved by Old Madam who cherishes the deepest selfless love. Water droplets nourish the dry land through a silhouette in Making Drought-relief Effort and Carrying Water. On the thick soil steeped in maternal love, the golden yellow tint radiates from Storage in Granary.
Chapter II. Crack of Dawn
Morning rays of dawn day by day give rise to the Litterateur’s passion and comprehension of life. As evidenced by the mediation over household affairs, the emancipation towards new ideas, vigourous Group of Women Spinners and the unprecedented Voting with Beans, the glory of progress shines over Yan’an, and the people nourish hope from the bottom of their hearts.
Chapter III. Immortality
Printmaker creates works amidst the sounds of gunfire, and grows between life and death. When Enemies Search the Hill gets rolled out. When Little Soldier steps on the Man Bridge, he converges into the flood of the people’s war. Through strokes in knife movements, Printmaker depicts the roles with belief, fulfilling a promise for “using carving knife as a weapon” with life, and forging ahead towards immortality!
Finale
Many prints, which epitomize sweat and blood, have given shape to the indelible spirit of literature and art in an endless succession.