Ancient story on the grassland

When Genghis Khan's army ravaged Eurasia eight centuries ago, the formidable Mongolian warriors brought with them not only swords and spears but chants, musical instruments and dances. Next week, The Cyclone of Genghis Khan featuring 80 performers from Inner Mongolia will raise the curtain of the Sixth Beijing International Dance Festival at the Poly Theater.

Choreographed by Ma Yue, China's leading choreographer specializing in Mongolian dance, the show recounts how a boy named Temujen was crowned Genghis Khan - "emperor of all emperors". The eight-scene show uses energetic and sensual music and dancing to convey the nomadic people's love for their land.

Ma auditioned more than 500 performers over two years. Eighty percent of the final 80 dancers are from Mongolian ethnic tribes. "These 80 dancers perform themselves. I don't care much about their techniques. Their blood gives them a passion and natural talent to perform Mongolian dances," says Ma.

"Mongolian dance is one of the most impressive and intense types of ethnic dance to conquer your heart. It makes you feel you can't help but get out of your seat and dance with them.

"Why can Riverdance attract audiences from all over the world, even though it is a dance of ancient Celtic mythology and Irish history? Because the emotions interpreted in the show are universal. And this is what a world-class production should achieve. I believe The Cyclone of Genghis Khan is a show of this kind."

The music is mainly composed by Natsagiin Jantsannorov, Mongolia's former Cultural Minister. Lauded as Mongolian's Mozart, Jantsannorov is noted for his ingenious fusion of traditional Mongolian sounds with contemporary music.

The score features a morin khuur, a Mongolian fiddle which played the sounds of the steppe even before Khan's time. Identified by UNESCO as having a rare heritage, the morin khuur has only two strings, made of horsetail hair.

Despite this, its musical spectrum is wide enough to mimic everything from a soft breeze in the grasslands to horses galloping on the steppe.

Mongolian vocalists will perform urtiin duu (folk songs) and khoomii (throat singing). Renowned Inner Mongolian dancers Hasodon and Saina will perform the leading roles.

7:30 pm, Oct 30-Nov 2

Poly Theater, 14 Dongzhimen Nandajie

5860-1088, 400-810-3721

(China Daily 10/24/2008 page22)