Most of us fall far short in understanding ballet let alone Chinese Dance. This item elucidates both through the act of comparison. It is remarkable to see two completely different traditions side by side using mostly the same tools.
We need to see more of that in other arts as well. In fact we need to make a discipline out of comparing arts, rather than the arts themselves. For instance, i am interested in the Olmec paint stroke which informed their glyphs.
Without the art of comparison new forms are first shocking or obviously novel. Yet logically consistent once past that..
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True to Form: Western Ballet vs. Classical Chinese Dance
Mind and method illustrate core differences between the arts of ballet and classical Chinese dance
The
starting point for ballet is perfection in outer form, whereas the
inner quality called “bearing” is the root of all movement and
expression in classical Chinese dance. (Shen Yun Performing Arts)
One of my earliest memories of classical dance was
watching Mikhail Baryshnikov in White Nights brazenly win a bet with 11
consecutive pirouettes. The raw beauty and heroism of the moment stayed
with me. But nothing compared to what I witnessed in New York for my
first glimpse of classical Chinese dance.
I sat in silence, captivated like those around me, enjoying a private
showing of Shen Yun. One dance portrayed the legendary general Yue Fei,
whose mother famously tattooed the words on his back, “jin zhong bao
guo”—”Be totally devoted to your country.”
As war drums resounded, dancers leapt through the air, opening my
heart, drawing tears from my eyes—so touching and real, it was as if I
could sense the general himself.
As I continued to watch, I noticed many core differences between the
two art forms of Western ballet and classical Chinese dance—some
physical, some not.
Two Hemispheres
To begin to understand the differences between ballet and classical
Chinese dance, we can look to Western and Asian art. The West’s golden
age, the Renaissance, created masterpieces in flawless form—detailed,
realistic works of art. The Sistine Chapel is so lifelike it could very
well be a window to Heaven.
Ballet is like this too, precise and athletic—pursuit of perfection in external form.
A Chinese painting, on the other hand, embodies sweeping, less
realistic brushstrokes, more revealing of an inner journey, symbolic of
divine sentiments. Likewise, a performer’s inner nature is the starting
point of classical Chinese dance—called bearing—the root of a dancer’s
physical and emotional expression, often to convey divinity through
dance.
Shen Yun principal dancer Melody Qin, gold winner of the adult female division in the NTD Classical Chinese Dance Competition, performs “A Beauty Next to the Autumn Water.” (Shen Yun Performing Arts/Facebook)
Ancient Arts
Ballet’s beginnings trace back to the 15th-century Italian
Renaissance, with the form systematized a century later by the
quintessential patron of the arts, King Louis XIV.
Classical Chinese dance, on the other hand, grounds itself in five
millennia with origins of ancient imperial palace dances, folk
traditions, and, of course, one of the most beloved Chinese
pastimes—kung fu.
Classical Chinese dance and martial arts can be thought of as two talented brothers who parted ways a long time ago.
During grand celebrations in the palaces, generals performed in front
of the emperor, showcasing the same martial arts used on the
battlefield. Avoiding a spear, for instance, transmuted into a backflip;
defending many simultaneous attacks spun into a sao tang, or
“sweeping-the-hall spin.”
One art form didn’t come from the other; rather techniques used for
combat became martial arts, whereas those same movements used for civil
enjoyment became dance. The Chinese language hints of this relationship.
Though written differently, the wu in wu shu (martial arts) and the wu
in wu dao (dance) are pronounced exactly the same.
Fundamentals
One of the easiest distinctions to see between the two beautiful arts
is how ballerinas and Chinese dancers move across the stage. Ballerinas
use a pointe—a perfectly straight leg that extends all the way to the
tips of the toes. Classical Chinese dancers, by contrast, glide across
the stage with a rapid heel-to-toe mini-step, as if floating on a cloud.
While each form of footwork poses unique challenges and
characteristics, so too does the complete training system of each fine
art. Ballet typically trains first the footwork and strengthens the legs
and core. The focus then evolves to work on the hands, pointe,
partnering, and high-level techniques (such as the pirouette).
Classical Chinese dance revolves around three core
components—bearing, form, and technical skill, which includes many
high-level techniques not present in ballet.
High-flying Shen Yun principal dancer Rocky Liao portraying great poet Su Shi of the Song Dynasty in the 2012 NTD Classical Chinese Dance Competition. (Shen Yun Performing Arts/Facebook)
Bearing
Bearing, or yun, is a quality belonging only to classical Chinese
dance—it’s the inner feeling behind a movement. Connected to the
dancer’s breathing, state of mind, moral character, aura and
personality, it’s the reason why the Yue Fei dance gave me such a strong
emotional reaction. In essence, spirit leads form, so that form
embodies spirit.
Though the classical Chinese dancer’s source for movement and
expression is internal, the journey is holistic, where the requirement
is mastery of mind and body — a symbiotic dance between inner and outer
realms.
Form
The second core component, form, represents the hundreds of
specifically Chinese movements and postures. While rotation of the
trunk, direction of the gaze, and placement of the fingers appear to be
individual movements, they actually flow together in unison, perfectly
coordinated and circular—the whole body like a universe or ecosystem
that functions in harmony with all its parts.
Diving deeper, while both traditional Western and Eastern
perspectives share the same end goal of life—returning to one’s
celestial home—the two art forms reflect contrasting philosophies of
time on earth.
The movements in Western ballet are straight and linear, a
manifestation of Western belief of one lifetime—life, then death—an
earthly journey with a clear end.
Chinese classical dance, on the other hand, is round, circular,
reflecting an understanding of birth, death, rebirth—reincarnation.
Technical skill
The third core element of classical Chinese dance is technical
skill—highly difficult techniques such as jumping, leaping, turning, and
flipping. Many of these physically strenuous movements are not included
in ballet.
In ballet, spins, for example, are performed vertically, with the
body on a perfectly perpendicular axis. Whereas in classical Chinese
dance, the upper body leans forward, tilting upwards or twisting
backwards, spinning within multiple planes. Within the Chinese art, a
dancer can even spin on one leg while holding the other high above her
head.
Flips (fanteng) from classical Chinese dance are absent in ballet,
though they have impacted the West. Several decades ago, Chinese Olympic
gymnasts borrowed several of these acrobatic classical Chinese dance
movements for their floor routines, captivating the Western world.
Consequently, these movements have become staples in Western gymnastics.
Despite differences and signature styles, both Western ballet and
classical Chinese dance represent beautiful, virtuous art forms that
speak to the heart of humanity. Seeing them live preserves the planet’s
heritage and enlivens us here and now.
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