As
soon as they returned to the stage after performing a one-and-half hour drama
featuring ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, the Chinese dancers received
thunderous applause and cheers from the audience, and the ovation lasted almost
10 minutes.
The
Sunday night performance at Belgrade's Sava Center by China's National Opera
and Dance Drama Theater attracted some 3,000 audiences, with many saying they
were deeply impressed by the show.
While
some viewers said they most enjoyed the dancers' graceful movements and their
costumes, others praised the stage setting and lighting effects as fantastic.
And still some admitted they were attracted by the moral points in the story of
Confucius.
"For
me this was interesting, as it was a world class performance. The production
was great, but I've never watched Chinese dance before. All in all, a great
spectacle," a spectator named Gorica Mihajlovic said.
A
26-year-old student identified himself as Nemanja Mares said he mostly admired
the skills of the Chinese dancers. "I am interested in dancing and watched
the show with enthusiasm. I think the dance choreographies in this play were
excellent. The dance group is phenomenal and it looks really good on
stage," Mares explained.
Among
the audience, many were first-time viewers of Chinese dance. A woman named
Gordana Vucic was one of them. "This is completely different from the
theater and ballet performances I am used to -- especially movements, music.
The general impression for me is a surprise, as I did not have contact before
with Chinese culture. I liked it very much," Vucic said.
Stefan
Stanisavljevic and Olivera Popovic, students of Chinese language at the
Belgrade University, also watched the show. They said it helped them understand
the Chinese culture better.
"It's
the first time that we have watched such a play. It's perfect. The play draws
us into Confucius' time. We are impressed by the singing and dancing, as well
as the whole story, especially his dream," Stanisavljevic said.
The
performance also generated positive comments from veteran dance art observers.
For
Aja Jung, the organizer of Sunday's performance, said this show was a unique
experience and a way to bring the Chinese culture closer to the Serbian people.
"It
is really something of exceptional quality. The show received great reviews
everywhere it appeared. You cannot find a performance like this on an everyday
basis," she said.
Serbian
audience is very familiar with the story of Confucius as it is a part of basic
high school education, but this play presented it in a new way -- through a
combination of history, dancing, acrobatics, acting -- "a fusion of many,
if not all performing arts," said Jung.
