Songs and dances on wings
By Jenny Qiu and Lily
Photos by Wang Xieyun

2006年中华民族儿童歌舞周暨海峡两岸青少年艺术节在厦门隆重举行. 来自中国各省市包括香港, 台湾, 澳门地区以及美国, 意大利的34个儿童艺术团近千名小朋友为厦门献上了多场既充满童趣, 又具有浓郁民族风情的歌舞表演. 艺术节还开展了两岸青少年大联欢, 为海峡两岸青少年架起了交流和友谊的桥梁.

Paper-cut girls

The 2006 Chinese Children's Song and Dance Festival and the Cross-Straits Youth Art Festival were held in Xiamen last week. 34 children's performance groups from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, other provinces of China and some other countries gathered in Xiamen. The colorful one-week festival included all kinds of activities, such as song and dance performances, the "Sun of Tomorrow" young journalists summer camp and painting and photography competitions. Performances showed off the heritage of all the countries represented, and brought a youthful energy to the city.

The Art Festival Week began on June 31 and had a succession of exciting activities. It included the first Chinese Children's Song and Dance Forum. On the evening of August 5, "M-Zone" hosted a Cross-Straits Children's Party. 800 children danced hand in hand around a big wishing tree to the Taiwan folk tune "Celebrating Together", to applause and cheers from the audience.


dancing around the wishing tree

Groups and choirs

Among the performance groups, there were groups from all over China: Taiwan, for example, sent the Taiwan Yuhe Dance Group and Taiwan Xinzuxinlei Dance Group. Children from Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia gave many excellent performances with a strong flavor of the local culture in these areas. Groups from Hong Kong and Macao also showed their artistic talents on stage.

19 children came from the other side of the Pacific - America. They were students from the Academy of Chinese Performing Arts. All of their parents are of Chinese descent, but they were born and grew up in America, and most of them were coming to Xiamen for the first time. Though very young, they had a lot of performing experience. They went to Taiwan to perform in 2002. This time, they danced three programs: an excerpt from Malan Flower, Paper-cut Girls and Dang Ma. All of these are famous and distinctive Chinese dances which have been very successful when performed in America.

Li Ling, a teacher at the Academy of Chinese Performing Arts, said all the children were very happy to take part in this festival. Dance has magical powers, and this art festival helps their young students communicate with other children in Xiamen through dance. They began to get to know China for themselves, and their feelings towards China changed from negative stereotypes to understanding and affection. It was a good opportunity to open their eyes and give them an experience of Chinese culture. All the children who came from America liked China and Xiamen very much. They all said they had had a great time staying with so many children and making friends from different parts of China.

Though they grew up in America, 70% of them can speak Chinese. Monica Chen, one of the performers who can speak excellent Chinese, said she was very excited and enjoyed talking to the other children. It was a good way to improve her Chinese and to get to know more about Chinese culture. Claire You, whose mother is from Xiamen, said that although she comes to Xiamen once a year with her parents, she still felt very excited. She felt as though she was coming home and could show off her city to the other children. They all said they would love to come to China again and hope that there will be more festivals like this.


bamboo rod dance

Cross-Straits Children's Party

At the party, groups of children sat in a circle watching the wonderful performances. Among these lovely perfomers, there was one rather special. About 30 students from Kangqiao International Foreign Language School were happily absorbed in the performances. They were the children of Taiwanese businessmen working in Xiamen. With delicate presents that they had made themselves in their hands, they were eager to share their happiness with the people around them. Lin Gengxuan, a 13-year old girl who has been in Xiamen for five years, hoped she would be able to join in more cultural activities. "Xiamen now is just like our home, it will be wonderful when children from Chinese mainland can visit Taiwan more easily."

All of the dances are showed both traditional and modern features; children wore colorful clothes and danced out their dreams and imaginations.

The closing ceremony was held on August 5. During the week, children from different parts of the world had lived together, sung together and danced together. They had a precious and unforgettable time here.

Vocabulary
photography 摄影
absorbed 着迷
magical 神奇的
empower 使能够
stereotype 老套

 

 

Culture week: August 9-15
Lunar calendar: 7/16-22

August 15: VJ (Victory over Japan) Day
抗日战争胜利日

August 12: International Youth Day
国际青年日
Set by the UN in 1999, Youth Day focuses on empowering young people to take decisions on the issues that affect their lives. The media plays a special role in promoting public awareness of youth issues.

 

 

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