China Acrobats Association's "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang" — "Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" Holds a Series of Public-Benefit Performances Across Kashgar Prefecture and Ili Prefecture in Xinjiang

From 8 to 15 June, the China Acrobats Association’s ‘Fine Acrobatics at the Grassroots’ cultural programme brought a series of public performances to Kashgar Prefecture and Ili Prefecture in Xinjiang.

Group photo at the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" public-benefit performance in Yengisar County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang

Zhang Yanbin, member of the Leading Party Members Group and Secretary of the Secretariat of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Bian Faji, Vice-Chairman of the CFLAC and Chairman of the China Acrobats Association, attended and watched the performance

On June 9, outside the Adili Dawaz Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre, a steel wire was strung about ten metres up, and young dawaz performers walked through the air along it, turning and leaping as easily as if on level ground — some giving a passage of aerial ballet, some forming human pyramids in mid-air, some even walking blindfolded — drawing round after round of cheers. This was the scene just before the curtain rose on "Dazzling Skills on the Silk Road, Art Uniting Hearts — the China Acrobats Association's 'Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots' public-benefit performance in Yengisar County, Kashgar Prefecture," and it opened this round of public-benefit performances.

Tang Yanhai, Secretary of the CAA Party Leadership Group and resident Vice-Chairman, delivers a speech

Aierken Sailai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of the Xinjiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, delivers an address

Liu Sihong, Deputy Director of the CPPCC Working Committee of Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, delivers an address

"Dazzling Skills on the Silk Road, Art Uniting Hearts — the China Acrobats Association's 'Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots' series" was hosted by the China Acrobats Association, the Xinjiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Federation of Literary and Art Circles of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and organized by the Acrobatic Art Centre of the CFLAC, the Xinjiang Acrobats Association, the Acrobats Association of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the Publicity Department of the CPC Kashgar Prefectural Committee, the Kashgar Federation of Literary and Art Circles and other units. Attending were Zhang Yanbin, member of the Leading Party Members Group and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CFLAC; Bian Faji, Vice-Chairman of the CFLAC and Chairman of the CAA; Tang Yanhai, Secretary of the CAA Party Leadership Group and resident Vice-Chairman; CAA Vice-Chairmen Wu Zhengdan, Adili Wuxiuer and Yu Yigang; Liu Hui, member of the CAA Party Leadership Group and Deputy Secretary-General; Ren Yanbin, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee; Aierken Sailai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of the Xinjiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles; Liu Sihong, Deputy Director of the CPPCC Working Committee of Kashgar Prefecture; along with heads of other relevant units and invited guests.

The performances brought together arts volunteers of many ethnic groups — Han, Uygur, Mongolian and others — from Beijing, Inner Mongolia, Guangdong, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Xinjiang and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, with a selected line-up of acts that had won major awards at home and abroad. Blending the culture and art of many ethnic groups, it brought the finest acrobatics to the doorstep of the people of Xinjiang while deepening exchange among the country's ethnic groups, using the arts to forge a stronger sense of community for the Chinese nation and to bring people of all ethnic groups together as closely as the seeds of a pomegranate.

Stills from the programme in Yengisar County

That evening Uygur girls came in their finest dress, families arrived with the old and the young alike, and even babies still on the pacifier watched wide-eyed from their mothers' arms. Yengisar County is the world-renowned "Home of Dawaz in China," and acrobatics is especially loved here. The arts volunteers presented the acrobatic acts "High Wire," "Oriental Swan — Ballet on the Shoulder," "Six-Person Bowl Kicking," "Pretty Huadan — Diabolo," "Male Acrobatics," "Shaking Bars — Flight of the Eagle" and "Tightrope"; the comedy acts "The Photography Enthusiast" and "The Coffee House"; and the magic acts "Beijing-Style Sleight of Hand" and "Paper Airplane." The atmosphere was warm, with applause, laughter and cheers rising one after another. Members of the audience said they were thrilled to see, right on their doorstep, programmes they had previously only been able to watch on television.

The performance in Yengisar County

The magic teaching session at Wukusake Town Central Primary School, Shufu County

Students of Wukusake Town Central Primary School, Shufu County, practise magic techniques

The magicians with students of Wukusake Town Central Primary School, Shufu County

Before this public-benefit performance, on June 8 the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team also visited Shufu County in Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, performing at the China Xinjiang Ethnic Musical Instrument Village. The programme was rich and varied: alongside fine acrobatic, magic and comedy acts such as "Rhythm of Spring — Women's Formation" and "Crystal Ball," there were music and dance numbers including "The Twelve Muqam," "My Motherland Is China," "Love," "Cheers for the Motherland," "Lovely Girl," "Charming Shufu" and "Happiness Fills the New Shufu." During the show, Xinjiang audience members, themselves fine singers and dancers, came up on stage one after another and could not help but dance. That afternoon, in a fourth-grade classroom at Wukusake Town Central Primary School in Shufu County, magicians Qiao Baerte, Liu Zhe and Guzaliayi Abudukelimu "turned into" magic teachers, giving a magic class that traced the development of magic from classical Chinese conjuring to the present day, demonstrating techniques, teaching the children hand by hand such tricks as the Mingri Ring and the Long-and-Short Rope, and presenting them with magic props.

Group photo at the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team's public-benefit performance in Shufu County, Kashgar Prefecture

Stills from the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team's performance in Shufu County, Kashgar Prefecture

The audience at the performance in Shufu County

From June 12 to 15, the troupe went on to Huocheng County in Ili Prefecture, Xinjiang, for further "Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" public-benefit performances, spreading the appeal of acrobatics across both southern and northern Xinjiang.

Group photo at "Fragrant Huocheng, Art Uniting Hearts" — the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" public-benefit performance in Huocheng County, Ili Prefecture

On June 15, "Fragrant Huocheng, Art Uniting Hearts" — the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" public-benefit performance — was held at Xiangshui Park in Huocheng County, bringing fine works of art back to the people of Xinjiang and contributing the strength of acrobatics to forging a stronger sense of community for the Chinese nation.

The event was hosted by the China Acrobats Association, the Xinjiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the People's Government of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, and organized by the Acrobatic Art Centre of the CFLAC, the Xinjiang Acrobats Association, the Culture and Tourism Bureau of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture and the People's Government of Huocheng County. Attending were Bian Faji, Vice-Chairman of the CFLAC and Chairman of the CAA; Tang Yanhai, Secretary of the CAA Party Leadership Group and resident Vice-Chairman; Yu Yigang, Vice-Chairman of the CAA; Liu Hui, member of the CAA Party Leadership Group and Deputy Secretary-General; Zhao Qinghong, Deputy Secretary of the Ili Prefecture Party Committee; Ma Long, Secretary of the Huocheng County Party Committee, Ili Prefecture; Gulinuer Akepaerhan, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Ili Prefecture Party Committee; and heads of other relevant units.

Stills from the programme in Huocheng County

The programme was varied and rich. There were thrilling acrobatic acts such as "Pretty Huadan — Diabolo" and "Male Acrobatics" by the China National Acrobatic Troupe and "Oriental Swan — Ballet on the Shoulder" by the Guangzhou Acrobatic Troupe; baffling magic such as "Beijing-Style Sleight of Hand" by the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe and "Interactive Magic" by the Nantong Youth Acrobatic Troupe; and humorous comedy such as "The Coffee House" by the Xinjiang Acrobatic Troupe. There were also melodious songs: singers Guo Rong, Zhu Hua, Jin Meier and Xiao Zeng, together with local singer Han Wen and actor Sun Shuaidong, performed well-loved works including "The Red Flag Flutters," "Ode to the Motherland," "Dedication," "Listen," "Heart Toward the Distance," "Turning Happiness," "My Old Squad Leader," "Green Flower in the Army," "Purple Romance" and "The Whirling Wind." Miao Fu and Ma Kaiqiang performed the crosstalk "Always Laughing," which had the audience in stitches. There were also song-and-dance numbers of strong local ethnic character, "Excerpts from the Twelve Muqam: Zhula" and "Huocheng Welcomes You." The performance was hosted by actress Yan Danchen and Corps TV presenter Jia Kun.

The performance in Huocheng County

The CAA also carried out a number of other public-benefit arts activities in Huocheng County. On June 13 the "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team performed in the Tukai Desert in Huocheng County; on the 14th the team performed in Chengxi Community, Qingshuihe Town, Huocheng County, bringing the warmth of the arts to people at the grassroots; on the 15th the team gave magic classes at Jiangyin Primary School and Jiangyin Junior High School in Huocheng County, where magicians Liu Mingya and Zhu Mingzhu taught one joyful magic lesson after another, planting the seed of magic in the students' hearts.

Group photo at the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team's public-benefit performance in the Tukai Desert, Huocheng County

Stills from the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team's public-benefit performance in the Tukai Desert, Huocheng County

The audience singing and dancing at the performance in the Tukai Desert, Huocheng County

The magic teaching session at Jiangyin Primary School, Huocheng County

The magic teaching session at Jiangyin Junior High School, Huocheng County

Stills from the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team's public-benefit performance in Chengxi Community, Qingshuihe Town, Huocheng County

The public-benefit performance in Chengxi Community, Qingshuihe Town, Huocheng County

Group photo at the CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" team's public-benefit performance in Chengxi Community, Qingshuihe Town, Huocheng County

With that, the ten-day CAA "Culture Nourishing Xinjiang: Fine Acrobatics to the Grassroots" series, held across Kashgar Prefecture and Ili Prefecture, came to a successful close. The CAA will go on actively exploring new approaches to cultural work in Xinjiang and opening up new avenues for cultural exchange and cooperation, so that China's fine traditional culture may "nourish" the hearts of people of all ethnic groups.

Source: China Acrobatics

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China Literary and Art Volunteers New Media

Chief reviewer: Li Yan

Editor-in-chief: Sang Jianbo

Editor: Tang Zhongjie