In the forests of southwest China, people sing and dance after transplanting rice seedlings or reaping a bumper harvest. The first one that springs to mind is perhaps the Dai group's elephant-foot-drum dance. Legend has it that in ancient times, two man-eating monsters lived in the region. Later a youth from the Dai ethnic group killed the monsters and used their skins to make these drums. During ceremonies and festivals even today, lads come from far and near for the elephant-foot-drum dance.
On the beautiful prairies of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in north China, horses have always been the best friends of the nomadic people. They ride horses and live with horses. No wonder these people move their bodies to show their affinity with the animal. One such dance is called Sha Wu Er Deng, which means plucking strings in the local language. The dance imitates the movement of the head of a running horse. When the music starts, dancers move their whole bodies to the melody in a show of speed and galloping.
On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, people have created a special dance genre called Yi Bian Shun. When people dance, their left arm stretches out to accompany the left foot, while normally the left arm would match the right foot. Because oxygen is scarce on the highland and the roads are bumpy, locals find this way of walking to be more comfortable. Their funny walk developed into a dance.
The deserts and oases in the northwest once witnessed prosperity. Several thousands of years ago, foreign traders traveling along the Silk Road introduced goods and dances from faraway lands. Today, local dances have incorporated the quintessence of the east and the west.
The Sanam Dance of the Uygur people is one example. It originated in southern Xinjiang. The movements are graceful, elegant and varied, depending on the music, tempo and occasion.
There are of course many more dance genres in China. Over the past centuries, most have remained active in their own regions and some have been shown in other areas. They have kept their own distinct characteristics, occasionally borrowing elements from other genres. No wonder people say you need more than one life to see all the dances in China.
(CCTV.com September 16, 2003)
