Dance drama steps back in time

A Chinese dance drama The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, which reimagines an iconic Song Dynasty (960-1279) scroll through the lens of a modern researcher, recently made its US debut.

Produced by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, the performance took place at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in New York during six shows from Jan 10 to 12, after stops in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Audiences expressed admiration for the show's artistic and cultural depth with many highlighting the significance of preserving and showcasing traditional Chinese culture on the global stage and finding the performance both moving and educational.

"There's a bit of emotion, even some tears — it's quite moving. I think the way the story is interwoven and the depth behind each scene showcases the continuity of Chinese culture," Liang Yinzi, an audience member in New York told China Daily. Like Liang, many Chinese people from the East Coast and Canada traveled to New York to watch the show. She expressed her pride in seeing Chinese art presented authentically on the international stage.

"The preservation and inheritance of traditional culture are so important. It's truly touching and inspiring to witness it," she says.

Ronald Tiersky, another audience member in New York, also speaks highly of the group's performance. "The style and characterization — it's completely (different) from anything that's American. Because of that, it was very striking," he says, adding that he enjoyed the drama's dancing and cultural elements.