Leap of faith onto the international stage

Three Chinese dancers spearhead California's Ballet San Jose tour of China this month and the young men are jumping for joy. "I am very excited about being back in China to perform with an American dance company for a Chinese audience," says Qingdao-born Chen Shuai. "When we dance, I feel I am representing China whenever I perform."

Chen became enchanted with ballet at the tender age of 10, and 14 years later is living his dream of touring the world.

Hao Bo and Zhang Jing make up the three-man Chinese team. All assume principal roles and in the troupe's last production, Carmina Burana, turned up the heat with a fiery celebration of sensuality.

Based on the medieval collection of poems, Carmina Burana is a popular choral-orchestral work by 20th-century German composer Carl Orff.

"Carmina shows the fortune wheel of life," says choreographer Dennis Nahat, artistic and executive director of Ballet San Jose.

"It is about the life cycle, the ups and downs of life, spring, beginnings, falling in love. It is about human relationships."

Nahat helped Chen move to the US in 2006 after receiving videos of past performances in Singapore and Beijing of the Nutcracker Suite.

Chen and Hao dance the roles of monks as well as the Monk Topers in the Tavern of Carmina Burana, and Shanghai-born Zhang dances the Winter Army.

In Shanghai last month, the masterpiece was co-presented by Ballet San Jose, the International Festival Chorus (IFC) and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra.

The hour-long $200,000 spectacle featured stunning medieval sets and costumes by David Guthrie and the IFC boasted 55 singers from 22 different nationalities.

But the collaboration is reaching far beyond this event. After Carmina Burana was staged in Shanghai, the 69-member ballet team is scheduled to tour eight cities in China.

The Goodwill China Tour took off in an all first-class Boeing 747 aircraft, loaned by Fry's Electronics, with Chinese themed decorations and the Firebird logo, gracing one side of the aircraft tail. On the other side is the roasted swan from Carmina Burana.

Performers and production staff have been preparing for the tour by studying Chinese tapes, history, arts and culture.

"I hope to gain an appreciation of Asian culture," notes Brieanna Olson, a dancer from Colorado Springs. "I know this experience will help me grow as a person and a performer. It is all so priceless and surreal."

Maggie Heaman, costume director of Ballet San Jose, says the tour is an opportunity to shine.

"I am aware that people will judge not only me and our company, but the US as well, by their experience with us," she says.

In addition to the performances, Ballet San Jose's China tour is reaching out to the community by presenting public "Ballet by Day" educational programs.

At each city, the program will work with local schools and professional ballet companies incorporating young dancers into the productions. All rehearsals and classes are open to the public.

"We want the people to see how we work. Bringing China and the US together in this educational endeavor to share ballet will be a highlight of our tour," says Nahat.

At the Shanghai leg, an "Introduction to Ballet" precedes the main performance of Carmina Burana, to give the audiences who are new to ballet a brief idea about the steps, hand movements of classical ballet.

"Perhaps some people think China may be a little behind in classical ballet, but it is now gaining a reputation in international ballet competitions," says the Chinese ballet talent Chen Shuai.

"Nowadays, all major ballet companies in the world have Chinese dancers in their group."

China Daily

June 10: Wuhan Qintai Grand Theater, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Ontogeny, Mendelssohn Symphony, Serenade, The Firebird

June 13, 14: Beijing Poly Theater, Serenade, The Firebird, Mendelssohn Symphony

June 17, 18: Liaoning Grand Theater in Shenyang, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Ontogeny, Mendelssohn Symphony

June 20, 21: Ningbo Grand Theater, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Ontogeny, Mendelssohn Symphony, The Firebird

(China Daily 06/10/2008 page19)