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Endangered ibis inspiration for new dance show
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The crested ibis — with its red face and pink, orange wings — has long been appreciated throughout East Asia for its beautiful appearance and as a symbol of good luck and happiness.
The bird itself though has not been so lucky. Starting in the early 20th century, urbanization across the region has pushed the species to the brink of extinction.
The striking bird and its harrowing story are the subject of a dance drama entitled “Crested Ibises,” which is coming to the Shanghai Grand Theater this October. The touring show, presented by Shanghai Dance Theater, was performed in 19 cities across Japan over the summer.
The show’s creator, Chen Feihua, was inspired by video images of the crested ibis shown at the Japan Pavilion during the World Expo Shanghai 2010.
“They were so elegant and beautiful, just like dancers moving on stage,” says Chen, who is also the president of Shanghai Dance Theater.
After learning about the human efforts to pull the species back from extinction, Chen became even more determined to bring the bird and its story to the stage.
In ancient times, the crested ibis was widely seen and admired in both China and Japan. The species began to dwindle in the 20th century as growing cities in both countries lead to habitat loss. The bird was believed to have been wiped out completely in the wild until 1981, when seven crested ibises were spotted in Yangxian County of central China’s Shaanxi Province.
Scientists from China and Japan eventually joined hands to save the crested ibis. With the help of artificial insemination and conservation areas, there are now an estimated 2,000 crested ibises living in China, plus another 200 in Japan.
“We are not the only residents on this Earth. We should leave living space for other creatures while protecting ours as well,” says Chen.
Work on Chen’s show was finally completed last year with the help of playwright Luo Huaizhen and director Tong Ruirui. At the beginning of the show, man coexists peacefully with the ibis in a lush natural environment. Later, the bird is shown slowing succumbing to the forces of urbanization.
According to Chen, the bird’s near extinction is represented by a glass cover descending upon the drama’s main avian protagonist, turning her into a specimen.
“I’m glad this message is being delivered,” says Chen. “I think our success largely lies in the realization that environmental protection is a shared problem facing people all over the world. This has helped pave the way for cross-cultural communication.”
Pulling off dance moves based on the crested ibis was no easy feat, according to Zhu Jiejing, the show’s lead dancer during its recent tour of Japan. Many of the show’s moves involve unfamiliar gestures and poses, such as exaggerated forearm movements meant to represent the bird’s natural movements.
“This is the first time the crested ibis has been depicted in dance, so we had no available models to learn from. We had to make things distinctive,” says Zhu. “The crested ibis is not dazzling like the peacock and does not have the wide wingspan of the swan. Fragility and sensitivity are the soul of the crested ibis.”
Date: October 4-6, 7:15pm
Tickets: 80-680 yuan
Tel: 6386-8686
Venue: Shanghai Grand Theater
Address: 300 People’s Ave
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