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Contemporary Acrobatic Show

The Butterfly Lovers

How I wish I could be entwined with thee for all this life,

Till the imposed death sets us apart!

The most unsurpassable love the world has ever heard

Was but brief moments of snuggling up against thy shoulders

Co-produced by Publicity Department of CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee &

Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau

Orchestrated & Presented by Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre

Storyline, image and philosophy

Assuming the form of acrobatics, the show presents the classic love story and ingeniously integrates an image of love (Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai’s transformation into butterflies) and a Chinese traditional philosophy (Zhuangzi dreaming of becoming a butterfly), carrying on the folklore of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. To put it simply, the poignant love story of Liang and Zhu is presented in a succession of breathtaking acrobatic moves when the settings, emotions and images are unfolded one after another.   

The entire show is pregnant with images, which are elusive, unpredictable and romantic, and it conforms to the traditional aesthetics of Chinese culture. Liang and Zhu abandoned their earthly life and transformed into two fluttering butterflies, which was a wonderful realm that one cannot tell where he is, whether in a dream or in this world. The loving butterfly couple kept each other company. With the passage of time, they were frequently seen in Chinese ink wash paintings of landscapes and modern books in the typographic printing. Now, they appear in children’s textbooks, passing on the classical story to this day. Love will always flourish. It is the genuine love from deep within the heart that has made the butterfly lovers unforgettable! Out of nowhere is kindled the fervent love, which smoulders and blazes. The love that people are dying for also revives them. And for that reason, love stories are passed on generation after generation.

 

 

A Brief Introduction  

The Butterfly Lovers

After Journey to the West (a Wenhua Award winning show) and The Legendary Swordsmen, we present the audience a brand new contemporary acrobatic show The Butterfly Lovers. This great acrobatic show has been worked on by a group of top artists in the country. They include Zhao Ming (chief director) Yu Rongjun (playwright), Ning Genfu (art director), Qin Liyun (stage designer) and Li Rayding (costume designer). They have been working together to relate the traditional Chinese folklore with artistic forms such as acrobatics, dancing and drama and remodel this Chinese classic with modern approaches.

The show The Butterfly Lovers presents the poignant and romantic love story and ingeniously integrates an image of love (Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai’s transformation into butterflies) and a Chinese traditional philosophy (Zhuangzi dreaming of becoming a butterfly). Throughout the show, an image of love, namely a pair of butterflies, is well depicted. A perfect analogy between Liang and Zhu’s love story and butterflies’ life cycle is built. As a symbol of love, the pair of butterflies go all the way through breeding, incubating and struggling before they break through the cocoon and flutter their wings freely. The life process of butterflies is presented at different levels and from different angles. As a result, a tension is formed and audience can better understand the meaning of life. While telling the story, different scenes and images are manifested in various artistic forms such as acrobatics, dancing and drama to form an interaction throughout the show. The show is pregnant with images, which are illusive, unpredictable and romantic. It conforms to the traditional aesthetics of Chinese culture and carries innovation elements of contemporary stage performance.

In terms of structure, horizontally, the show is centered around the love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, introducing a plot of the butterflies breaking through cocoon and extending all the way to the modern urban life. Vertically, the show highlights a profound realm of Zhuangzi’s dreaming of turning into a butterfly, which brings forth more food for thought and renders the story more intricate and mysterious.

By combining acrobatics with some other artistic forms, The Butterfly Lovers is an endeavor to promote the depth and scope of the literary art in a completely different way——flexible and strong limbs of acrobats. It is a pure artistic expression with a great dramatic tension. During the past two years, Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre has developed many original acrobatic skills such as group fan dancing, umbrella juggling, pole climbing, bar juggling, writing brush juggling, funny box squeezing, which are surely an eye-opener to the audience. For the first time ever, the audience will see ballet on the shoulders, which is the vivid depiction of the two lovers’ entwining with each other when the female performer snuggles up against the male performer’s shoulders alluding to the two butterflies keeping each other company.

The main winning acrobatic programs in the Contemporary acrobatic show The Butterfly Lovers

1.Ballet On The Shoulders：In 2002, won Golden Lion Award in the 5th National Golden Lion Acrobatic Competition; 2002，earned Golden Clown Award in the 26th Monte Carlo International Acrobatic Competition, Wenhua Award for Best Performance; 2004, got The first Chinese People’s Liberation Army Art Award; 2006, won “Ulanova” Award granted by Russian Culture Foundation; 2008, acquired Best Actresses and Best Director of 7th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards, and so on.

2.Slack Wire：In 2004, won Silver Award in the 4th National Acrobatic Competition at Golden Lion Award; 2006，ranked 1st among all the Gold Award winning acrobatic shows at the 5th Moscow International Youth Circus Festival and Silver Award in the 5th National Youth Acrobatic Competition; 2008, won the Golden Clown Award in the 32nd Monte Carlo International Circus Festival, the world’s acrobatic competition of the highest level; 2017, won Award for Best Show in the 10th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Award Event; 2020, won Prize of President, the highest prize at the 41st World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow.

3.Contortion：2002, won Gold Award in the 4th National Youth Acrobatic Competition; 2004, won Gold Award in the 4th National Acrobatic Competition at Golden Lion Award; 2005, won Silver Clown Award in the 29th Monte Carlo International Acrobatic Competition.

4.Diabolo：2002, won Silver Award in the 4th National Youth Acrobatic Competition; 2004, won Silver Award in the 4th National Acrobatic Competition at Golden Lion Award; 2005, won Silver Clown Award in the 29th Monte Carlo International Acrobatic Competition.

5.Russian Bars：2002, won Gold Award in the 6th National Acrobatic Competition at Golden Lion Award; 2011, got the 1st prize in the 9th National Minority Traditional Sports Games for Guangdong Province.

Main Creative Team Members

Producer: Zhang Yi

Mr. Zhang is CEO and CPC Secretary of Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre Co., Ltd.. He graduated from Department of European Languages of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in 1995. Starting from 1997, Zhang worked with Guangzhou Ballet successively as Translator, Director of Foreign Affairs and Secretary of Head of Troupe, Director of Troupe Office and Assistant to Head of Troupe. After 2009, he was appointed as Deputy General Manager and CPC Secretary of Guangzhou Ballet. Starting from 2004, he was responsible for the work concerning foreign affairs, international communications and the tours at home and abroad. He has visited more than a dozen countries including the United States, Canada, Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia and regions such as Hong Kong and Macau. Between 2013 and 2016, he was in charge of the construction of the Guangzhou Ballet Theater, which later won Los Angeles Outstanding Architecture Award in 2018. In the past twenty years, he has participated in the production of a repertoire including “La Dame Aux Camellias”, “The Nutcracker”, “Giselle”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “Turandot”, “Dancing Girl”, “Fairy”, “Mei Lanfang”, “Dream in the Red Mansions”, “Returning on a Snowy Night”(the 13^th Wenhua Award winner at the 9^th China Arts Festival), “The Butterfly Lovers”, “Yellow River”, and “Bakhta”.

 

Art Director: Wu Zhengdan

Mrs. Wu is a Class-I actress. She is General Manager and Art Director of Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre Co., Ltd.. She is Vice Chairperson of China Acrobatics Association and is entitled to the Special Allowance of the State Council. She was elected as a deputy to the 10^th National People’s Congress and a representative of the 17^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. For her exceptional capability and outstanding performance, she was approved as one of the “Four Batches” of Talents in the National Publicity and Culture Systems and honored as one of “National Young and Middle-aged Literary and Artistic Workers with Professional Excellence and Moral Integrity”. She is also actively involved in various social undertakings. She serves as a member of the Standing Committee of the All-China Youth Federation, Vice Chairperson of Guangdong Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Vice Chairperson of Guangzhou Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Chairperson of Guangzhou Foundation for the Development and Prosperity of Culture and Art. In her acting career, she has won a series of major awards including Golden Lion Award in the 5^th National Golden Lion Acrobatic Competition, Golden Clown Award in the 26^th Monte Carlo International Acrobatic Competition, Wenhua Award for Best Performance, The first Chinese People’s Liberation Army Art Award, Best Actresses of 7^th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Awards, “Ulanova” Award granted by Russian Culture Foundation with “Swan of the Orient” and “The Butterfly Lovers”. “Swan Lake”, another acrobatic show, in which she acted, has won her The Best Performance at the 8^th Army Art Show, Top Ten Excellent Repertoires Award of the National Project to the Distillation of the Stage Art, Best Show Award of the “Best Works Award” from the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China and Best International Repertoire at Manchester Theatre Festival. She performed in front of more than 70 heads of state in multiple important events and was awarded a First-Class Medal of Honor, three Second-Class Medals of Honor and three Third-Class Medals of Honor for her excellent performance.

 

Chief Director: Zhao Ming

Mr. Zhao is a Class-I director. He used to be Art Director of Comrades-in-Arms Art Troupe of Political Department of Beijing Military Region before he was elected as Vice Chairman of Chinese Dancers Association. For his exceptional capability and outstanding performance, Zhao is entitled to the Special Allowance of the State Council and approved as one of the “Four Batches” of Talents in the National Propaganda and Culture Systems and honored as one of “National Young and Middle-aged Literary and Artistic Workers with Professional Excellence and Moral Integrity”. In addition to these honorary titles, he also won the title of “Dancer with Outstanding Contribution” at the China Dance Art Awards. He is currently Visiting Professor of Beijing Dance Academy, Dance School of Shanghai Theater Academy and Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. While working in the army, he was awarded eight Second-Class Medals of Honor and three Third-Class Medals of Honor for his excellent performance.

His masterpieces include man’s solo dance “Prisoner Song”, men’s group dance “Walk, Run, Hop” and “Pace in Sync”, duo of man and woman “Wordless Band of Brothers", group dance “All of Them”, Chinese ballet “Sparkling Red Stars”, Chinese folk dance drama “A Dream of Red Mansions”, Chinese classical dance drama “Farewell My Concubine”, China’s first acrobatic drama “Swan Lake”, “Chinese New Year” (Chinese version of the ballet “The Nutcracker”), Chinese folk dance drama “Heroic Little Sisters on the Prairie”, “Romance of Qin Warriors” (a grand epic show depicting the formation and maneuver of Qin warrior legions).

He won the First Prize for Performance in the National Dance Competition, Gold Award for Creation in the 1^st Lotus Cup Dance Competition. In two consecutive Lotus Cup Dance Competitions, he won Gold Award for the Best Dance and the Best Choreographer (as the only winner of the award). His three works won Wenhua Award, the highest government award for stage performing arts in China. He has also won “the Best Works Award” for times.

 

Playwright: Yu Rongjun

Mr. Yu is a Class-I playwright and a holder of PhD of arts. He is now holding the office of Vice President of SMG Live and Art Director of Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre. He is also Art Director of many festivals such as ACT Shanghai International Contemporary Theatre Festival and Shanghai International Comedy Festival. From 2000 to 2021, more than 60 stage works under his supervision (including dramas, musicals, operas, Chinese operas, dance dramas, physical dramas and translation scripts, etc.) have been translated into more than a dozen languages including English, Japanese, German, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish, Italian, Dutch, Romanian, Hebrew, etc. and performed at home and abroad. Some of his main drama works include “Last Winter”, “WWW.COM”, “The Insane Asylum Next to Heaven”, “Behind the Lies”, “Perfume”, “Activated Charcoal”, “Dust to Dust”, “Das Kapital”, “Jane Eyre”, “1977”, “The Piano in a Factory”, “Massage”, “Captain”, “The Crowd”, “House Guest”, many of which have been put on at international theatre festivals and have won him many professional awards at home and abroad including Cao Yu Drama Literature Award.

About Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre

Founded in 1959 (originally known as Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Troupe), Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre Co., Ltd. is a state-owned arts troupe subordinate to Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Film and Tourism. Currently, it has a staff of nearly 200 members including veteran acrobats, creative directors and choreographers and reliable technicians. As a standard-bearer for the culture of Guangzhou, the troupe is devoted to inheriting and developing Chinese traditional acrobatic techniques through assimilating and integrating the essence of modern dance, rhythmic gymnastics, drama and other artistic categories. After constant reform and innovation, it has established a unique Lingnan modern performing art style.

Since 2011, the troupe has been included in the National List of Key Cultural Export Enterprises accredited by the Ministry of Commerce, the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television for eight consecutive years. Over the years, it has orchestrated and presented such acrobatic shows and dramas as “South Breeze & Cantonese Rhythm”, “A Constellation of Stars: an Acrobatic Show”, “The Five Elements”, “Glory of Forbidden City”, “Ghost Stories of a Studio”, “Journey to the West”, and “A Legend of Swordsmen”, which have been applauded and welcomed by the audiences at home and abroad. The troupe has performed in dozens of countries in Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America and Oceania, leaving a good impression on foreign audiences and winning a high international reputation. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism once commended the troupe as “a troupe that has made outstanding contributions to the prosperity and development of acrobatics”.

Up to now, the troupe has won more than 100 awards and prizes in various acrobatic competitions at home and abroad.

In 1979, the troupe participated in the artistic performance in celebration of the 30^th National Day, and its performance “Acrobatic Evening of Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Troupe” won the 1^st Prize from the Ministry of Culture.

The year of 1991 is to be remembered as a milestone in the history of Chinese acrobatics. “Feet with Glasses: a Contortion” and “Bowls Balancing on Head” won Prize of President of the Public and Prize of Mayor of Chartreux at the 5^th World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow in France. It was China’s first appearance in the world’s acrobatics arena.

In 1988, “Juggling Bowls on a Unicycle” won Gold Award in the 1^st National “Bud Cup” Children’s Acrobatics Competition.

In 1994, “Spinning of Carpets” won “Karat D’OR” Award in the 6^th “PREMIERE RAMPE” International Acrobatic Competition in Monaco.

In 1995, “Jumping through Hoops on a Trampoline” and “Piercing Heart: a Magic Trick” won the Gold Award in the 4^th National Acrobatic Competition and Golden Lion Honorary Award at the 5^th Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival respectively.

In 1996, “Jumping through Hoops on a Trampoline” won Gold Award in International Acrobatic Competition at the 9^th “La Piste Aux Espoirs” Festival in Belgium.

In 1997, “Aerial Juggling with the Head” won “Karat D’OR” Award at the 9^th “PREMIERE RAMPE” International Acrobatic Competition in Monaco for a second time, with “Ball Juggling” ranking the 1^st among silver award winners.

In 1998, “Uncle Clown” won Gold Award in the 1^st National Clowns’ Competition at China Acrobatic Golden Chrysanthemum Award. In the same year, both “Bowls Balancing on Two Heads” and “Ball Juggling” won Gold Award in the 4^th National Youth Acrobatic Competition. A third Show “Ladder Skills” won Silver Award.

In 1999, “Piercing Heart: a Magic Trick” ranked 3^rd among all the gold award winners in the Magic Competition at the 71^st International Magician Annual Meeting in the U.S. “Bowls Balancing on Head” won Bronze Award at the 1^st International Acrobatic Festival in Lausanne, Switzerland.

In 2000, “Gymnastics on a Dangling Pole”, “Golden Imagination: A Ball Feat” and “Flying Trapeze” won three gold medals in the 5th National Golden Lion Acrobatic Competition. “Jars Balancing on Head” won Bronze Award in the same competition. “Chinese Trick with a Cover” won Gold Award in the 2^nd Magic Competition at China Acrobatic Golden Chrysanthemum Award and Silver Award at Shenzhen Happy Valley International Magic Festival.

In Mar. 2001, “Gymnastics on a Dangling Pole” excelled once again in the 14^th “La Piste Aux Espoirs” International Acrobatic Competition in Belgium and won Gold Award as well as the “Best Public Award” and the “Juvenile Appraisal Board Award”.

In the 4^th National Youth Acrobatic Competition held in Aug. 2002, “Diving through Hoops on a Trampoline” and “Contortion” won Gold Award; “Dynamic Lads Juggling Hats”, “Chinese Doll Playing with Diabolo” and “Golden Imagination: a Ball Feat” won a Silver Lion Award each. In October, The 2^nd Magic Competition at China Acrobatic Golden Chrysanthemum Award was held in Nanjing. “Changing Watches: a Magic Trick” ranked 1^st among all the gold award winners.

In 2003, “Golden Imagination: a Ball Feat” won Golden Lion Honorary Award at the 5^th Wuqiao International Acrobatic Festival.

In 2004, “Contortion” was performed in front of President Jiang Zeming in the company of some provincial and municipal leaders, which was commended by Publicity Department of CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee. In October, “Sunshine Girls: Modeling Techniques”, “Going Beyond: Trampoline”, “Pursuit: Acrobatics on Bars” each won Gold Award in the 4^th National Acrobatic Competition at Golden Lion Award. “Youthful Rhythms: Diabolo on Feet” and “Heroic Boys: Slack Wire” won Silver Award each.

In 2005, both “Sunshine Girls: Modeling Techniques” and “Youthful Rhythms: Diabolo on Feet” won Silver Clown Award in the 29^th Monte Carlo International Acrobatic Competition.

In 2006, “Slack Wire” ranked 1^st among all the Gold Award winning acrobatic shows at the 5^th Moscow International Youth Circus Festival and Silver Award in the 5^th National Youth Acrobatic Competition. In the same year, the acrobatic drama “Journey to the West” got the 1^st prize in the First National Excellent Repertoire Gala of Songs, Dances and Acrobatics.  

In 2007, the large-scale acrobatic drama “Journey to the West” won an award of 12th “Wenhua Award” event and “Audience Favorite Award” at the 8th China Arts Festival. In the same year, “Golden Imagination: a Ball Feat” won Silver Clown Award at the Monte Carlo International Acrobatic Competition.

In 2008, acrobatic show “Slack Wire” won the Golden Clown Award in the 32^nd Monte Carlo International Circus Festival, the world’s acrobatic competition of the highest level.

In 2009, the large-scale acrobatic drama “Journey to the West” was recognized as one of the Ten Classic Dramas Produced during 2007-2008 for the Project of China National Classic Stage Arts. In the same year, Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre Co., Ltd. was honored as “An Advanced Collective in National Cultural System” by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Culture.

In 2011, “Rhythmic Hopping: Acrobatics on Bars” got the 1^st prize in the 9^th National Minority Traditional Sports Games for Guangdong Province.

In 2013, the large-scale acrobatic drama “Journey to the West” won an award in the 9^th Lu Xun Literature and Art Award Event of Guangdong Province.

In 2017, “Bamboo Rhyme: Slack Wire” won Award for Best Show in the 10^th China Acrobatics Golden Chrysanthemum Award Event.

In 2018, the large-scale acrobatic drama “The Legendary Swordsmen” won an award in the 10^th Lu Xun Literature and Art Award Event of Guangdong Province.

In 2020, the classic “Slack Wire” won Prize of President, the highest prize at the 41^st World Festival of the Circus of Tomorrow.