2021 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the first year of the 14th Five Year Plan. In order to earnestly carry out the celebration activities, the Dance Collegeand the Dance School affiliated to Shanghai Theatre Academy have worked closely in the planning of a series of performance activities to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and have hosted and participated in a number of productions.
The Dance College has vigorously supported the original works, encouragedteachers and students to actively engage in creation and choreography, and launched many excellent dance works about the revolutionary history, such as the large-scale symphonic dance poem "The Yellow River", the documentary "Red Secret in Shikumen", and the newly created medium-scale dance drama "You and theYouth", thus inheriting the revolutionary spirit in an artistic way, and using the original works to pay tribute to the centenary of the CPC.
The Dance College has always combined teaching with artistic practice. Through "dance plus ideological and political education", it aims to improving students’ideological level and political awareness in stage practice. It has organized students to participate in performances of the "Dance in Changning" event (in cooperation with the Dance School) and the "Chinese National Dance Cultural Heritage Base" project (in cooperation with the Dance School), and has held the students’ dance workscompetition with the theme of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.
The Dance College of Shanghai Theatre Academy actively participates in the cultural development in Shanghai and even the whole country, and in serving the society. It participated in the performance of "Ode to the Red Flag" (in cooperation with the Dance School) in the Gala Evening of Shanghai in Celebration of the 100thAnniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China, the Cultural and ArtisticPerformances of Shanghai Education System in Celebration of the 100thAnniversary of the Founding of the Communist Party of China, and"Red Plum Blossoming in Youth".
The Dance Collegehas participated in many works such as "Outpost" and "The Way to be aTeacher", which narrates the red history and the deeds of revolutionary martyrs through different artistic techniques. At the same time, it has paiddue attention to the cross-art interaction between dance and drama, and strengthened the exchange and integration between different art categories.
Among them, the large-scale symphonic dance poem "Yellow River" has been a "highlight" of the cooperation between the Dance College and STA’s affiliated Dance School. The play is a major literary and artistic creation project funded by the Shanghai Cultural Development Foundation. The production team is led by Chen Jianian, Dean of the Dance College of Shanghai TheatreAcademy and Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Dancers Association.
With the Yellow River, the mother river of the Chinese nation, as the perspective of creation, this play integrates the international standard ballroom dance into the dance poem work for the first time. Since its premiere on 1 October 2019, the work has been revised for improvement for many times, and has won praise from all walks of life. The large-scale symphonic dance poem "Yellow River" will be staged in the Grand Theatre of Shanghai International Dance Center for six consecutive days from 1 to 6 July 2021, as a tribute to the centenary of the founding of the CPC.
The Dance College will use the performances one after another on the revolutionary theme to look back on the CPC's course of struggle over the past 100 years, look forward to the grand blueprint formulated by the Central Committee of the CPC, inspire the fighting spirit and set the direction with the CPC's course of struggle and great achievements, strengthen the faith and gather the strength with the glorious tradition and fine style of the CPC, enlighten the wisdom and temper the character with practical creation and historical experience of the CPC, and continue to move forward with the never-slacking state of mind and with the attitude of indomitable struggle.
