Culture Beat: Dance drama tells story of Ningbo port

Promotional material for dance drama Great Port in the East Photo: Courtesy of Ningbo Performance Arts Group

Chinese dance drama Great Port in the East has begun its national tour, which includes stops in Quanzhou in Fujian Province, Guangzhou and Zhuhai in Guangdong Province and Yuyao in Zhejiang Province.   

Inspired by the port in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, the show, which just finished its Chengdu performance on March 1, tells the story of the struggle of two generations of workers at Zhoushan Port. 

The difficulty in creating dance dramas lies in its realistic themes, as it does not only stage familiar scenes and stories, but also uses the language of dance to present emotions and story development. 

According to its director Qian Xin, whether it is a city, a port, or a home, people are still the core of a story. The port builders' spirit of pursuing beauty, kindness, courage, and daring to make breakthroughs has warmed many people.