Featuring dragon boat culture, a large-scale contemporary dance drama named Loong is about to conduct its global premier at the Guangzhou Opera House from December 8 to 9. The dance drama is the latest creation by the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theater after its award-winning piece “Awakening Lion”.
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
The dance drama is the first original play to focus on the dragon boat culture with the cultural integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as the historical backdrop. It mainly shares a story that with the approaching of the international dragon boat competition, Li Jianjian, a female coach is appointed to form a dragon boat team to call for excellent youths nationwide, especially from the GBA to compete for China, and finally, they succeed in winning the glory for the country.
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Enjoying a history of more than 2,000 years, the dragon boat competition has evolved from a Chinese traditional folkway to an international sports and cultural feast. In recent years, dragon boat sport has become popular among numerous countries around the world. So far, there are over 50 million dragon boat enthusiasts in the world, and more than a hundred countries have ever held dragon boat activities with over a thousand competitions being launched.
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Dragon boat racing became prevalent in Guangdong since the Ming and Qing dynasties. Guangzhou’s dragon boat race can be divided into two categories: one is held for recreational performance, and another is for competition. Foshan’s Shunde is renowned as the hometown of dragon boat. Now this practice has gradually evolved into a representative custom of the Lingnan region.
Dragon boat racing became one of the medal sports at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou after being recognised as an international sport. A dragon boat race was held as an Olympics demonstration sport on August 6 at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics before the opening of the final canoe race.
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Stage photo of dance drama Loong (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)
Time: 7:30 pm, Wednesday and Thursday, December 8 and 9, 2021
Venue: Opera Hall, Guangzhou Opera House
Ticket prices:RMB 80, 180, 280, 480, 680, 880
Duration: 125 minutes (an intermission of 15 minutes)
Nearest metro station: Take Metro Line 3 or 5 and get off at the Zhujiang New Town Station, and then use the GT Land Plaza Exit
Scan the QR code to buy tickets.
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