On May 12th, a large-scale original dance drama “Wind Rises from Dachen Island”, created by Zhejiang Performing Arts Group (Zhejiang Song and Dance Theater), was staged in the auditorium of TU’s Jiaojiang Campus in the form of “Elegant Art into Campus”. University leaders present at the event were Li Junmin, Lou Danqun, Xiang Fengri, Li Jianjun, and Cai Haijiang, as well as heads from TU’s relevant functional departments and secondary schools, Publicity Department of Taizhou Municipal Party Committee, and Publicity Department of Jiaojiang District Party Committee. Executives from dance producers were also invited to enjoy the audio-visual feast together with nearly 1000 teachers and students and over 100 people from all walks of life.
“Wind Rises from DaChen Island” is based on the story of the first group of volunteer youth reclamation team members who landed on the island in 1956 and the island builders of the 1980s. In their stories of “reclamation and demining”, “fishery development” and “electric power construction”, the audiences get to know how the two generations have built Dachen Island with Reclamation Spirit and made the island full of vitality again with their youth, sweat, dedication, and sacrifice.
By adopting the popular element of “time travel”, the play sets up two generations of “father-and-son” and two space-time lines. With the father generation narrated with flashbacks, it has interweaved their experiences and created the images of the two generations. Song Yike, a junior student majoring in unmanned aerial vehicle system engineering, said, “When the performers are taking the oath under Fengwei Mountain, we can see the bright flags under the beam of light prominently printed with characters ‘Build Great Dachen Island for the Great Motherland’. It seems that I have heard the reclamation spirit motto of ‘arduous efforts, hard work, selfless dedication, and pioneering innovation’.”
The unique stage design fills the play with vitality and Chinese implicit aesthetics, with both grand expressions of reclamation spirit and delicate portrayal of family daily life and emotions. During the one-hour performance, the performers danced on the stage with light and shadow, while the audience was deeply moved by the story between that generation and the “wind”.
The event, organized by TU’s Publicity Department and Youth League Committee, is one of the series of “Elegant Art into Campus” activities promoted by the university this year. In the form of novel and unique dance drama, it has integrated the excellent local culture — Reclamation Spirit of Dachen Island with patriotic education, which brings a unique spirit feast for both teachers and students.
Snapshot at the auditorium
