Golden Ribbon along Silk Road Flower of China-Austria Friendship
——2018CBDF Vienna Chinese New Year Ball Series Held in Austria
Stills of Not Forgotten, Excerpt of Red Sail on Haihe River
Adult Ceremony
LUO Bin, Event vice-chairman of Chinese Dancers Association, delivers a speech at the dance festival.
Group photos with guests at CBDF Vienna International Forum
In the magnificent Hofburg Imperial, azzng crystal chandeliers hanging from the roof, 16 classical orchestra playing the Strauss's solos on stage, ladies in formal dresses and gentlemen in black tuxedo dancing alongside the music, while the smiling young people enjoy delicate food and appreciating the "Elegant Collection" of Chinese and Western cultures and arts: the classical ballet Romantic Waltz, the Mongolian dance Long Tune with Chinese national characteristics, the Unforgettable, the excerpt of The Red Sail of Haihe River, China’s first ballet dance drama, the Latin dance Gypsy Dance and treble ensemble of men and women Tanzen mocht'ich .....
When it comes to standard ballroom dancing, what would you think of? The rapid rotation of Latin dance, the elegant turning of modern dance, the wild and delicate makeup, or the waving garment with the erratic rhythm? You will be surprised to find that the standard ballroom dancing bears the social etiquette and the beauty of the hidden cultural history in addition to the competitive charm in the arena when stepping into the Hofburg Palace with a hundred years of history.
Since 1986, China's standard ballroom dancing has gone through 30 years of arduous and wonderful course. Professional athletes continue to improve their skill levels, teenage students in professional colleges have also made rapid progress, reaching major breakthroughs and progresses in athletics. Through regular national competition, Curriculum by Stars, University Competition, Championship Group Matches, Games for Families, Games for Teachers and Students and other innovative forms and projects for promotion, the standard ballroom dancing, as a novel, healthy and stylish art activity, witnesses rapid popularity amongst the general public. However, with the appearance of the annual events of the performance art show of standard ballroom dancing and the seminars of this regard, and the advent ..of the first ballet dancing drama of standard ballroom dancing The Red Sail of Haihe River, the "stage" and "art" attributes of the standard ballroom dancing are highlighted, successfully integrating body skills into sife and human emotions while drawing on the elements of five Chinese dances (Chinese classical dance, Chinese folk dance, ballet, contemporary dance and modern dance) to show a refreshing aesthetic form and artistic charm of the standard ballroom dancing, making it more realistic, close to life and people, demonstrating the brand-new artistic realm and uniqueness of Chinese standard ballroom dancing. However, what is the content and reasons? Why the Chinese standard ballroom dancing always looks a bit falling behind? In addition to "competitive" "art", the two attributes, whether it should explore and develop from its origin? Hence, the Roots Trip committed to experiencing its cultural etiquette from the heart and root, under the initiative and convening of China Ballroom Dance Federation, has been held on January 21st in the capital of European from Vienna, Austria.
However, it has been an unprecedented situation for the Chinese to hold the standard ballroom dancing event in foreign countries.How can this be accomplished without such precedent? Just ignoring the high cost, geographical separation and language differences, how to guarantee the smooth arrival of more than 500 participants and the security during this period? How to ensure the orthodox culture of the original? How to fully demonstrate the Chinese standard ballroom dancing’s art and the artistic images in the exchanges of Chinese and Western cultures ... Innovation and courage become the indelible key words in this journey.
About a year ago, WANG Yonggang, Vice-chairman and Secretarygeneral of China Ballroom Dance Federation and CAO Xiaoming, Deputy Secretary-general traveled to Britain, Germany, the United States, Russia and Austria for preliminary surveys on several occasions to make full use of the wisdom and platform of folk arts exchanges. After comprehensive exchanges, the International Liaison Department of CFLAC, Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Austria-China Friendship Association, the Chinese Embassy in Austria and the Austrian Embassy in China have established a multilateral consensus of goodwill; At the end of September, GAO Zhanxiang, the honorary chairman of China Ballroom Dance Federation and relevant personnel have conducted friendly talks with Austrian former President Heinz Fishcher concerning preparations for the Chinese New Year's ball during his visit to China with his wife, laying a solid tone for the event in Vienna.
After hundreds of attentions and countless days and nights preparation in terms of site selection, personnel organization, program invitations, link design, on-site security, catering, hotels, transportation and funds, hundreds of dancers of standard ballroom dancing from China , under the guide of China Ballroom Dance Federation, cross the geographical, linguistic and cultural barriers to gather by the Danube - Vienna, joining dancers from all over the world and local politicians for the 2018CBDF Vienna Chinese New Year Ball co-hosted by Chinese Dancers Association, China Ballroom Dance Federation and Austrian Chinese Friendship Association with support from Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Vienna Government, the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna, witnessing the arrival of this important historic moment.
Another highlight of the ball is the "Adult Ceremony" presented by 40 couples of young people from all over the world. Among them, there are excellent professional athletes of Chinese modern dance and Latin champion, as well as students from Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, Peking University, Tsinghua University and other famous high schools and their peers from the local dance schools and military academy in Austria. Marching with elegant and cheerful dancing moves, holding bouquets and wearing a holy white veil, they stepped into the center of the dance floor watched by the public and in the ancient palaces, they solemnly completed their own adult ceremonies, experiencing a unique Western dance culture.
The ballroom activities have also drawn wide attention from the political, business and literary circles of both China and Austria. Over a hundred participants have attended the event, including LI XiaoSi, Ambassador of China to Austria, Doris Bures, Second Speaker of the Austrian National Assembly, SONG Jingwu, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, LV Hongwei, Deputy Director of European Department of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Mag. Andreas Schieder, Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of the Austrian National Assembly, LUO Bin, Vice Chairman and Secretarygeneral of Chinese Dancers Association and Chairman of China Ballroom Dance Federation, WANG Yonggang, Vice-chairman and secretary-general of CBDF, ZHAO Tiechun, Vice President of National Centre for the Performing Arts and deputy secretary-general of CBDF, LI Shufen and CAO Xiaoming, vice secretaries of CBDF, Gerd Kaminski, executive vice chairman of the Austria-China Friendship Association and his wife ZHANG Hongbin, and LI Xiade, president of the Austrian Presidency of the Confucius Institute at the University of Vienna amongst others. In the "2018CBDF Vienna International Dance Festival", all the teenage dance elites from China, Britain, Russia, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and Spain have participated in this event. For these "Stars of Tomorrow", the exchanges and practices in the imperial palace with hundred years of history will be their unforgettable and extraordinary experience.
Enjoying at will. The graceful rhythm of dance is not only the cultural link between the peoples of China and Austria, but also the colorful flowers under the grand blueprint of the "Belt and Road" initiative. Diplomacy of culture and art, they have described the long history and splendid civilizations of both countries through the dances, transmitting the image of China, demonstrating the country’s changes, and highlighting the cultural confidence. While promoting the artistic exchanges and friendship between the dancers of the two countries, it has successfully demonstrated the excellence and prosperity of standard ballroom dancing in China, building it into an art event of the blend of Eastern and Western culture.
