A step ahead
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Though 43 is not a golden age for a dancer, Jin Xing remains active on stage, saying it's her mission to promote modern dance in China. [File photos] |
When the controversial transsexual dancer/choreographer Jin Xing founded her own company in Beijing in 2000, she had no idea how long it would survive.
But the Jin Xing Dance Company, the nation's first private dance company, has not only survived but also established a reputation in modern dance both at home and abroad.
This year, the company is celebrating its 10th anniversary with two shows at the capital's National Center for the Performing Arts, on Thursday and Friday.
"I had no big plans when I founded my company. But now I can applaud myself and also thank all my dancers for holding on for 10 years. We've never asked the government for a penny," Jin says in a telephone interview, during a break in rehearsals for the upcoming performances.
"I want to bring the company back to its place of birth to showcase our achievement, since we moved to Shanghai soon after its establishment," she adds.
It is not difficult to imagine the travails of a private modern dance company in a country where State-owned companies dominate and modern dance appeals to just a small audience.
While Shanghai may see less political involvement on the stage, it is more conservative when it comes to experimental works.
In the beginning, city officials wanted Jin to produce Chinese ballet, but she preferred to experiment with modern dance and a creative fusion of East and West. She demanded her artistic freedom, but the government insisted on asserting what it believes is its undeniable right to set the agenda on city stages.
There was constant conflict but Jin refused to compromise until the government was finally convinced by her high-quality performances, which have been praised by audiences at home and abroad.
"They allowed our performance and have even approved of my running the annual Shanghai Dance Festival since 2005," Jin says.
But it was still difficult. Without any financial support, Jin's company relied entirely on box office earnings. She had to sell her house for 7 million yuan ($1.03 million) to cover the budget.
"I have reason to give up every minute, every day. But I choose to stay on.
"Some people are born to lead an easy life but I'm born to take on challenges. Nobody pushes me to do anything. I consider it my mission to promote modern dance in China," she says.
While 43 is not exactly a golden age for a dancer, Jin remains active on stage.
"I think 28 to 38 is the best age for modern dancers. It's a genre that helps one express one's emotions and thoughts. It demands ideas more than physical technique. China's dance schools churn out hundreds of technical virtuosos every year and I myself was one of these dance machines. They know how to dance, but I know why I dance," she says and emphasizes, "Don't come to watch my dance if what you want to see is merely technique.
"I dance to touch your heart, and challenge your soul."
Jin's works are strongly rooted in Chinese art and culture. Under the Skin-Closest and Furthest, the work she brings to Beijing this week, features the ancient Chinese incense ceremony and the guqin, an old Chinese seven-stringed plucked instrument.
A musician sits in the middle of the stage playing the guqin, while Jin uses body language to convey the connection between earth and sky, and express peace and tranquility.
The work was commissioned by, and premiered at, the Fourth International Festival of Contemporary Dance of the Venice Biennale in 2006. Jin says she was inspired to do the dance after watching a musician play the guqin at her home, while her son was practicing Chinese calligraphy.
The other work that she brings to Beijing is called Circle. Chen Kai from Jin's company choreographs this group dance to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the company and the upcoming performance marks its world premiere.
Over the past 10 years, the Jin Xing Dance Company has trained dozens of professional dancers and hundreds of amateur dance lovers. Five dancers have stayed while many others are pursuing careers abroad, with Jin's support.
"It's not practical to join such a small private company. Those who stay probably like my dance as well as my attitude toward dance. I don't think they come for Jin Xing, the person, but for our common passion for modern dance," Jin says.
Jin's company is open to people from all walks of life. A fan of modern dance, Chen Kai often watched Jin's performances and attended her classes when she was in Beijing. In 2002, the then 24-year-old accounting graduate, who had never received any dance training, wrote a passionate letter to her and flew to join her in Shanghai. He learned from Jin for a few years and then earned a Master's degree from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, besides undergoing training for half a year in New York. Eight years later, Chen has blossomed into a promising choreographer in his own right.
"I feel happy to see them growing and don't hesitate to help these young talents move forward," Jin says.
"Chinese modern dance needs to push the boundaries."
In Chinese "Jin Xing" means "golden star" and refers to Venus. But Jin prefers to be known more as a serious artist than as a star or a celebrity. She rehearses every day and continues to create and perform.
After her Beijing tour, she will lead the company to open the Adelaide Festival in Australia, on Feb 26, with Shanghai Beauty, a work commissioned by Berlin House of World Cultures.
Another highlight of the 10th anniversary celebrations is the establishment of the Jin Xing Dance Arts Center in Shanghai, aimed at supporting Jin's plan to nurture young dancers.
"I've paid much to pursue the life I want. But luckily, my dreams have come true. I have found the man in my life and adopted three orphans. As a working mother, I balance my family life and career well. What's next? Maybe to own a theater," says the confident woman, ending the interview on an upbeat note.
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