The ballet tells the story of a young musician of the Uygur ethnic group who returns to her hometown to retrace childhood memories and cultural roots, and rediscovers the contemporary vitality of Muqam.
In the dance-theater piece, the heroine livestreams a Xinjiang wedding via mobile devices, sharing the charm of Muqam with a global audience. "It reflects the real-life setting of today's Xinjiang, where Muqam resonates with the people rather than being confined to ancient books," Qi explains.
Ding Wei, former director of the China Song & Dance Ensemble, praises the production for its "outstanding integration of classical ballet and China's intangible cultural heritage".
"The stage design is beautiful, and the dancers deliver top-tier performances," he says, describing the work as "representing the highest level of dance art in Shanghai, and also in China".
He notes that Xinjiang folk dance is improvisational, quite distinct from ballet's structured vocabulary. "I saw a remarkable fusion of the two styles in this production, and the director has done an excellent job," he says.
Director Wang Ge emphasizes the fusion's organic nature: "You can't simply stitch together ballet footwork and folk dance's upper-body movements. It's important to maintain a fine line that keeps it authentically ballet rather than turning into a folk dance show."
Playwright Luo Huaizhen notes that this unprecedented blend significantly enriches the vocabulary of classical ballet and will make a meaningful contribution to the dance world.
A Xinjiang native surnamed Lu, who attended the opening night, recalled her childhood experiences with her friends of Uygur ethnic group: "We would sing and dance whenever people gathered. The potbellied character reminded me of uncles back home, and I recognized those dance moves, too!" she says in excitement.
She also commends the presentation of Xinjiang's cultural heritage through ballet. "There are many ways to introduce Muqam to the public. While folk dance is accessible to many, ballet conveys it more vividly to international audiences. We need more efforts like this to share Xinjiang with the world."
