The Chinese Dancers Association recently hosted the 2024 China's Top Dancers Training Program in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. This highly anticipated national dance event aims to scout and nurture top dance talents across China, fostering the vibrant growth of the art form. Smiling Villagers, an original dance work by Jianghan University(JHU), was selected after a rigorous process that included a video audition and on-site selection from 26 regional entries.
A total of 3,260 group dance entries were reportedly registered during audition. They were hailed from 34 provincial-level administrative regions in China, covering provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly governed by the central government, as well as the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, and Taiwan region.
“Smiling Villagers,” choreographed by Song Jiaying and directed by ChangYunge, both from the School of Music, drew its inspiration from rural revitalization. The piece captures the essence of three distinctsmiles of villagers--the relief from poverty, the joy in life’s bitter sweet memories, and the anticipation of a promising future. This dance narrative has been selected for the 2024 Literature and Art Works Special Support Project, funded by the Publicity Department of the CPC Hubei Provincial Committee.
The head of the School of Music stated that the recognition of this work is a testament to the school's excellence in choreographic artistry and underscores its notable success in the dance performance curriculum. With ongoing efforts to enhance professional developmentand reform pedagogy, the School of Music is set to provide students with abundant opportunities for practical engagement and creative exploration, cultivating a cadre of top-tier dancers ready to meet the demands of the professional dance industry.