Across China: Evolving folk dance reaches wider audience

Clad in a black costume and brandishing a black-and-white serpent prop, Chen Zhihui led dozens of performers who rhythmically struck their two drumsticks together, while performing a mesmerizing dance in unison.

The Yingge dance, or "dance to the hero's song," merges opera, dance, and martial arts. Dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this traditional dance is often performed during traditional Chinese festivals. It became a sensation during this Chinese New Year as videos of the dance garnered millions of views online.

Chen, who led the dance, comes from Tongyu Township in the city of Shantou in south China's Guangdong Province. He has more than 20 years of experience in Yingge dancing and is nicknamed "fat snake," because of his sturdy physique and snake-dancing.

Before the 2023 Spring Festival, Chen had only about 2,000 followers on TikTok-like Douyin, but after the holiday, his number of followers increased to around 20,000. People even drove from other provinces to take a photo with him.

Contemporary Yingge dancing is closely related to "Water Margin," a classic Chinese novel. It is often performed by 36 people, corresponding to 36 heroes in the novel, according to Chen Songqi, a coach of the dance.

The length of Yingge dance performances varies, with some large-scale events lasting throughout the day. The dance troupe is mostly composed of amateur groups from the community, and the members can only practice in the evenings after work.

To prepare for a full day of performing, the Yingge dance troupe has to practice for at least half a year, according to Chen Songqi, adding that wearing heavy costumes and props and performing for several hours is a big challenge for the performers.

"Despite the physical demands, more and more young people are joining the practice team out of love for traditional culture," he said.

The Yingge dance continues to develop and change. Once traditionally performed only by men, the dance is now embracing more women performers.

Wu Yanhua, 27, is the deputy leader of a local women's dance troupe. "Practicing Yingge dancing not only improves physical fitness but also helps people learn and understand the traditional culture, and it is proving popular among parents and students," she said, adding that her dance troupe has welcomed many female students.

Wu quit her job as a kindergarten teacher to open a nail salon, so that she can have more time to dance and teach Yingge dancing long-term.

"I often find inspiration for new dance moves in my daily life," Wu said. "One time, I saw an elderly person practicing Tai Chi in a park and created new dance moves incorporating the ancient martial art."

Members of Wu's Yingge dance troupe are taking this art to more places. Xiao Jingtong, a sophomore and her senior Zheng Yuanxuan, established a Yingge dance club at their college.

"Now the team has more than 20 members, many of whom come from areas outside the Chaoshan region," Xiao said. "I believe the growing publicity enjoyed by Yingge dancing this year will make more people aware of the charm of this traditional culture."