Miami Living Magazine features the best Miami has to offer. Click on any magazine below and enjoy. You can download our free app on iTunes. Ideal for iPad and iPhone users.
Issue link: https://digital.miamilivingmagazine.com/i/1516097
To unlock the treasures of Chinese civilization, understanding the language is key; which, of course, can present something of a challenge for most of the world. Fortunately, though, there is one language that anyone can understand, although it is entirely unspoken—the language of classical Chinese dance. Much like China’s written language, classical Chinese dance was developed and refined over thousands of years. With a vast and independent system of movements, postures, and gestures, it has deep roots in traditional Chinese ideas about beauty and grace. It is also physically demanding, incorporating dramatic flips and tumbling techniques that share a common ancestry with martial arts. One final element is essential to classical Chinese dance—yun, which roughly translates as the spirit of the dance itself. Yun embodies the expressiveness of the dancer, the feeling he or she conveys through every movement and facial gesture. Many artists consider yun to be the most important dimension of Chinese dance because, ultimately, the dance is a form of communication. Within the vast system of classical Chinese dance, any character can be portrayed: deity or villain, victorious general or shy maiden. This ability to bring such characters to life makes classical Chinese dance the perfect medium for telling stories. But where can you find classical Chinese dance? At dance schools in Beijing or Shanghai? Perhaps in decades past, but today you need not venture so far afield. Classical Chinese dance is experiencing a global revival, and its new home is in New York. So if you wish to experience the saga of the Chinese people in all its glory, here is some good news. Shen Yun is coming soon to a performance hall near you.