Dancing for Dunhuang

On some of the murals inside the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu province, is the iconic image of flying apsaras, celestial beings draped in diaphanous attire and billowing ribbons.

The elegance exuded by these airborne fairies inspired artists to translate their poses into dance moves, particularly in the 1970s when the Gansu Song and Dance Ensemble captivated the Chinese dance scene with the original dance drama Flower Rains Along the Silk Road.

Dance experts like Gao Jinrong, a pioneering scholar, have been researching the murals and sculptures, and Dunhuang dance has evolved into an important Chinese classical dance genre.

In Dunhuang, educators are cultivating a new generation of dancers. Northwest Normal University's Dunhuang College, with departments such as dance art, fine arts and tourism, is one school dedicated to researching and promoting Dunhuang culture.

Dunhuang College's dance art department was established in 2014, according to the department's director Su Ruixuan.

"Like other professional dance academies, our curriculum includes courses on ballet, Chinese classical dance, modern dance, choreography and folk dance, along with dance history and theoretical courses," she says.

"However, because of our unique location, a highlight and compulsory course is Dunhuang dance training and performances."

From their first semester, the students are required to study theoretical learning of Dunhuang's history and culture, particularly the murals in the Mogao Caves, to provide a solid foundation for practical Dunhuang dance training from the second semester.

In addition to fundamental technique training, the students learn routines that sequence individual dance moves and poses before rehearsing excerpts from classic dance productions and choreographing original pieces.

Zhao Yuru, a sophomore in the department, says that thanks to the proximity, students often go on trips to the grottoes to view the murals, imitate the original poses, and compare them with today's dance moves.

One of her favorites is Cave 112, which depicts a flying apsara featuring a "reverse pipa playing" pose — hands reaching up and plucking the strings of a pipa (four-string Chinese lute) on the back, a signature pose in Dunhuang dance.

"Among the caves with 'reverse pipa playing' images, Cave 112 is the most classic. The pipa player takes the central role with several musicians playing other folk instruments positioned on both sides. I feel a sense of majesty when performing the gesture," Zhao says.

The program has 365 graduates and current students. Around half the graduates joined professional dance troupes while the other half work as dance instructors.

According to Su, teachers in the department work to develop their own curriculum inspired by the characters and stories depicted in the murals.

In this way, they can better guide students to create original works in their junior year.

Along with other teachers, such as Qiao Lei, they have also innovated by combining Dunhuang dance with other genres like modern dance.

Their original productions have won awards at dance contests, and the teachers and students often participate in exchanges and perform at universities and art institutions worldwide.

The department has been working to introduce Dunhuang dance to local primary and secondary schools.

It has customized exercise routines for students, hosted popularization courses at student societies, and created original dance works for the schools.

Born and raised in Jiayuguan, Gansu, Qiao worked at the Gansu Song and Dance Ensemble and performed in the 2008 edition of Flower Rains Along the Silk Road at age 13.

"The main challenge of Dunhuang dance is that students must master the movements and understand the cultural connotations within," Qiao says.

"We, as teachers, are essentially passing down previous generations' work. I hope students will pass down the tradition and promote it to a wider audience so that more people will learn about and study it."

Reflecting on his own learning processes and those of students today, he feels a sense of inheritance across generations.

"When I started learning Dunhuang dance, I studied the movements summarized by Gao Jinrong. They have a relatively gender-neutral style. All the movements are incredibly true to the murals as if they are carved out and brought to life," Qiao says.

In their teaching methods, apart from Gao's system, they also adopt that of Dunhuang dance expert Shi Min, who researched and developed moves for male dancers.

Gao and Shi have visited the department for instructions, along with other renowned dance artists including dancer and choreographer Huang Doudou and head of the National Ballet of China Feng Ying.

Qiao designed his original choreography based on the Four Heavenly Kings (protective deities in Buddhism), which serve as practice material for male students.

"The Four Heavenly Kings are strong and imposing, with a fierce expression. All the moves and gestures, even though our limbs and body might be curved, are full of power and sturdiness," says Zhang Si'an, a sophomore.

When he began learning dancing, as a child, he trained in ballroom dance but later developed a passion for traditional Chinese dance forms.

A native of Gansu, he is familiar with the Dunhuang murals. Dunhuang College, rooted in the home of the grottoes, seemed an ideal institution to learn this unique dance genre.

"I really enjoy Dunhuang culture. Through the courses on Dunhuang history and cave art, I've learned about the grottoes from the earliest to the most elaborate," he says.

"I've only scratched the surface of this heritage but I'd like to continue learning and deepening my understanding. After graduation, I hope to travel around the country and teach people about the beauty of Dunhuang."