London wowed by ancient, heroic dance(4)

Spectators take photos with Puning Yingge dancers during the Chinese New Year parade in central London on Feb 11. (Photo by Yu Guo/For China Daily)

Maintaining such a powerful cultural heritage requires efforts from every generation, and during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Nanshan Yingge team formed an inheritance custom in which the craft would be passed on from fathers to sons, and from masters to apprentices, according to the local government of Puning.

Chen Laifa, however, says the traditional practice has, in recent years, restricted the preservation of the dance. "How can we carry forward the heritage, if there are not enough people proficient in the skills," he says.

The folk dance is demanding with fast-paced moves. "As the dance can be physically consuming, you can't keep dancing as you get older. There is an age limit," reveals Chen Jinxiang, who started learning the dance when he was 5 years old.

At 30, he is the oldest among the London squad and considered "old" for a Yingge dancer, with most of the visiting team aged between 25 and 28.

Participation from young dancers is welcomed. Since 2017, Chen Laifa has assisted Nanshan Primary School in setting up and running a voluntary Yingge dance-learning program, and gifted students are included in his team. While the delegation to London performed in the UK on Feb 11, the junior troupe, which has grown into qualified dancers, has also taken over in downtown Puning.

Chen Laifa says Nanshan Yingge troupe has also taken the bold move this year of including more female performers, finally abandoning the ancient, unbending male-only rule.

The most important thing dancers need is the commitment to put effort into learning and performing the dance, and to bring heartfelt passion to the dance, Chen says.

"If you love it, you can persist in doing it. If you don't, you can't hold on to it," he says.

Just like Chen Jinxiang, many members of the dance team are not full-time performers but ordinary villagers who make their living by doing a wide range of jobs, including car detailing and managing small businesses, Chen Laifa says.