The 11th NTD International Chinese Classical Dance Competition was held on September 13 at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center in New York State, USA. The semi-finals were open to the public, showcasing extraordinary skills of the contestants with elegant and dynamic dance movements that conveyed rich and emotional messages, captivating the audience present. Some were moved to tears, while others couldn’t praise enough.
Kyle Lee, who watched the competition, was deeply touched by the brilliant performances of the young contestants. “I am very moved. As we all know, one minute on stage requires ten years of hard work off stage. I feel that each of their performances is particularly inspirational.”
“For these young contestants, regardless of the results they achieve, through their continuous practice, traditional culture has already been integrated into their every move. So no matter what they do in the future, they will bring the revival of traditional culture to those around them.”
Lee further stated, “Regardless of the rankings they achieve, they are all very good, each one is their own champion.”
Lee believes that each contestant has shown their unique characteristics, “Each performance has its own features, each actor has different qualities, so their understanding of dance and art is also different, which is why I think each one is special.”
From the contestants, Lee saw the presence of traditional culture in classical dance art as it should be, and also understood what kind of message divine beings want to convey to humanity.
“They exude a kind of charm in every move they make.”
“We all know that Shen Yun embodies the beauty of divine dance movements, and today, while dancing, they exhibit a certain depth, including the dignity expressed by their stretched bodies, showing the traditional Chinese culture from the inside out.”
Coming from mainland China, Lee found the dance he witnessed today very different from what he sees domestically, “Mainland Chinese dance is superficially lively, lacking depth. It may give you a sense of rhythm, a noisy feeling, without any internal support. Watching it is just momentarily pleasurable. Afterwards, you don’t feel like it leaves anything with you.”
However, “Real classical dance is completely different. You will be deeply impressed by every performance, every leap, feeling as if the divine is dancing in the air. So it feels completely different.” He said, “I think the main difference lies in the underlying depths and the differences in surface culture.”
He explained, “They are more of traditional, orthodox things. And in today’s popular culture, it lacks intellectual content, often being something not restrained by morals. So, I think the difference is quite significant.”
Lee’s wife, Echo, also expressed her appreciation for the high-level dance skills and natural emotional expressions of the contestants she witnessed for the first time at the classical dance competition. “The level exceeded my expectations. The solo dance format made me feel more connected to the emotions expressed by the performers. Especially when I was seated close to the stage and could clearly see the actors’ expressions.”
The dance drama “Journey to the West” left a deep impression on Echo, “There is a sense of fusion between the East and the West. Even Westerners know this story, and the form is quite lively and innovative, attracting young people to watch. I think this program is very innovative. Today is a day of great joy for me.”
Born in Taiwan, antique jewelry dealer Anna Lin has her own jewelry business. She shared that she came to the United States at the age of 12, and from a young age, she studied piano, dance, and painting, having a strong interest in art. She majored in piano and stage performance in college.
Seven to eight years ago, Lin had once seen a classical dance competition held by NTD. “Their progress now is simply amazing.” Lin exclaimed, “In the past, it seemed to focus more on technique, but in today’s dances, the actors completely embody the characters. It easily stirs the audience’s emotions. The movements are more expansive, with excellent control of the body. The storytelling, the artistic conception, the musicality, everything is perfect.”
“Every performer here is a treasure, they are so outstanding at such a young age, their future achievements are limitless.” Lin said, “I am very happy to be able to watch their competition. Many moments of the performances deeply touched my heart.”
“For example, the story of those brothers. The deep bond between them and their steadfast faith made me tear up.” She said, “To be able to show such deep emotions in such a short time is remarkable.”
As someone with a background in the arts, Lin said, “Art has a profound influence in shaping one’s moral values. Modern art emphasizes self, feeling one is great. I think some modern artists are not good role models. But these NTD competition participants are very different. They pursue such high standards, display a positive and sunny temperament. A far cry from the current atmosphere in society.”
Lin believes that NTD’s classical dance competition has a very positive impact on society, “It will lead humanity towards a positive future. I sincerely hope that more people can see this dance competition.” She said, “The world today is too negative. The media, art, entertainment, politics are all sliding towards negativity. Many people are drifting through life aimlessly without realizing.”
For the future, Lin is confident, “Perhaps seeing such beautiful art once or twice may not deeply move people. But over time, there will definitely be a huge positive impact. Art can subtly influence people.”