Having spent 40 years at the Central Ballet, Feng Ying: From Actor to Team Leader | Actor | Team Leader

"Running like a gust of wind or rain, extremely romantic..." Feng Ying opened her arms and ran towards the actor. This is an ordinary afternoon, as actors sit on the stage of the Shanghai Grand Theatre, listening to the explanation of dance details by the group leader Feng Ying and the director Tong Ruirui. From June 30th to July 5th, the "Performing Arts World · 2023 Chinese Ballet Shanghai Summer Performance Season" jointly created by Shanghai Wenguang Performing Arts Group and the Central Ballet was held at the Shanghai Grand Theatre, bringing two plays, "Dream of the Red Chamber" and "Little Mermaid".

During interviews, Feng Ying occasionally observed the movements of the stage through the small screen in the dressing room, saying, "Our actors are not easy. They dance" Dream of the Red Chamber "at night and" Little Mermaid "in the afternoon." They entered the Chinese ballet industry at the age of less than 20. In 40 years, from an actor to a team leader, Feng Ying was the most aware of the hardships of ballet.

I used to be Lin Daiyu too

"The enthusiastic feedback from Shanghai audiences on 'Dream of the Red Chamber' has made all the efforts worthwhile." When she first joined the group, Feng Ying also skipped a version of 'Dream of the Red Chamber'. "As people who grew up in the 1960s and 1970s, our understanding of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is closer to Chinese opera. Today's young dancers have undergone international incarnation training, with a contemporary atmosphere and very pure. The new 'Dream of the Red Chamber' premiered in March this year, starting from Jia Baoyu's reflection on his own life. From entering the world to leaving the world, the most important people in his life appear one by one. This is the storyline that the creative team has repeatedly pondered."

"The Little Mermaid" is the representative work of renowned director Neumer, and it has been 11 years since its premiere in China. "On a global scale, perhaps only the Hamburg Ballet and the Central Ballet are currently performing" The Little Mermaid ", which is very exciting and showcases the philosophical thinking of interpersonal relationships. Feng Ying said," The dance is completely different from Disney's Little Mermaid. The emotions and inner struggles of the dance characters are profound, the choreography is beautiful, and there are various dramatic characters. Many people have been shocked after watching the dance "The Little Mermaid", and there is inner resonance and impulse. The classical ballet "Swan Lake" has many formulaic movements, and the audience only appreciates them, which is a passive relationship. Watching "The Little Mermaid", the audience can integrate themselves, and the character mapping is... "It's just us."

Eleven years ago, Feng Ying wanted to introduce Noir Mayer's "The Camellia Woman". "After Noir Mayer's investigation, he believed that Zhongba was more suitable for" The Little Mermaid ". The drama has Eastern philosophy and aesthetic connotations, with fish fins like water sleeves. The character style is closer to that of Chinese people who are beautiful and agile." Wang Qimin, who came to Shanghai this time, was the earliest "Little Mermaid" that Noir Mayer was interested in. ". "In the past 11 years, actors have gone from understanding roles to skillfully grasping them, from inexperienced to mature, and produced five little mermaids. Wang Qimin has the most comprehensive and delicate performance skills."

Feng Ying remembers the initial rehearsal of "Little Mermaid", with a myriad of thoughts like a rebirth. "The large board that covers the stage in the second half was specially customized, and Neumeier requested that no dirt or seams be allowed. The lighting equipment was re purchased. The performance of the actors, the band, stage design, and marketing have all jumped, opening a new door."

The happiness and troubles of internet celebrity groups

In the era of the internet, actors and theaters have opened up new online battlefields. In the past three years, as one of the most popular dance troupes on the internet, Zhongba has given birth to many celebrity dancers with countless netizens, and social media accounts have often received tens of thousands of likes. Not long ago, during the business assessment of Zhongba, the chief actor Qiu Yunting swung his whip and scrolled through various social media platforms.

"Zhongba needs to shout out her voice, and I encourage actors to become self media. Ballet is still in the popularization stage in China, and the proportion of people who can truly appreciate ballet art on site is too small among the 1.4 billion audience. Netizens are calling for actors to" add more daily videos "and" not enough to watch. "Feng Ying also saw that" each actor has different personalities and limited energy. For example, the 'little kelp' that everyone likes, ballet has strict training requirements, and both physical and mental energy are challenges for her. Sleeping late the next day without the energy to practice well, it is easy to get injured, so it is necessary to plan and balance time. "

In addition to the internet, Zhongba has also appeared on unexpected platforms, such as the Anaya Drama Festival. Feng Ying doesn't think this move is abrupt. "Anaya attracts many young people, and the special performance of Zhongba starts with George Balanchin's" Serenade ". The night is hazy, with the sea as the background, and the sea breeze blows the hem of the skirt. The unity of heaven and man is very beautiful. Live performance is different from serious theater art. In my heart, it is simple, just to let more people see ballet art. Young people don't have time, they need conscious guidance. Of course, the beach stage will get foggy, and toe shoes will slip on the floor, which poses a great challenge to the actors."

As an actor, Feng Ying skipped the Rachmaninov Concerto in the open air of Overseas Chinese Town in Shenzhen. "The feeling of free flight is so wonderful. The senior artists of China National Basketball Association went to remote mountainous areas to perform, and now we also do public welfare performances in mountainous areas. This is also the case internationally. China National Basketball Association went to Israel, danced on the park stage, and the wind blew, feeling different."

9 years old is the watershed

June is a month of abundant harvest in China. Qiu Yunting won the "Best Actress" award at the 31st Russian Bernova Dance Awards; At the 12th Jackson International Ballet Competition in the United States, Zhongba won six awards, including "one gold, two silver, and one bronze.".

"Actors grit their teeth and fight hard, even with a little bit of coquettishness, it's impossible to win an award." In Feng Ying's view, the comprehensive evaluation of art in ballet competitions is even higher than the emphasis on technique in the past. "Turning ten circles and rising into the air, no matter how fast or high, it must move people's hearts. Young people need to practice technique. Without technique, there is no art. But no matter how high their legs are lifted and they jump dry, the audience will not remember them. The same Arabesian action, different performances convey different images and personalities to the audience."

In recent years, dance dramas have become popular, and more and more children are learning dance. Feng Ying, however, did not let her daughter inherit the mantle. She admitted, "The requirements of the ballet industry are too strict, and my daughter may not have such qualifications. She received dance training when she was young, but I still urge that ballet art is beneficial to physical and mental health. There are many benefits to practicing it when you have time."

How to become a professional dancer? Feng Ying reminds parents who want their children to become successful to do an assessment before choosing a major for their children. "Learning dance in their spare time until the age of 9 is a watershed. Don't blindly believe that every child is suitable for a dance major. In addition to physical conditions, it also depends on whether they truly enjoy dancing from the bottom of their hearts. Only by calming down and persevering in learning can they achieve success."

I know the desires of actors

Zhongba has a dance troupe and its own dance school. Feng Ying has just returned from the United States, finished her tour in Shanghai, and is now embarking on a trip to Germany to create, teach, operate, build infrastructure, compete, promote... Her schedule is full. "Emotionally speaking, the biggest part of my life is spent on ballet, either dealing with team matters or thinking about team matters. At the beginning of my studies and work, my parents gave me great support, and after getting married, my whole family supported me and took care of everything at home."

As the head of the troupe, who was born as an actor, Feng Ying is familiar with dance. She has shown great enthusiasm for management. "It's the same as when dancing. You are ignorant when you graduate, go out of school, and join the troupe. As long as you are willing to learn and hone management experience in a targeted way, you will often learn from practice."

"Always remember who I am, what I do, how to do it well, and what my goals are. When learning management, I was particularly benefited by Maslow's theory of needs and the 5W principle. Gradually, I summarized my experience and learned to focus on the big and let go of the small." Feng Ying understood the stage, "I am particularly aware of the desire to be an actor. I once hoped to dance ten different types of dance dramas - the passionate and rebellious Spanish girl in" Don Quixote ", the melancholic and sentimental Lin Daiyu in" Dream of the Red Chamber ", the tragic character in" Giselle ", and the rebellious Qiong Hua in" Red Detachment of Women ". Therefore, whether it is original or imported, I am looking for dramas. The project that captures the audience the most and trains actors the most

When it comes to the development goals of Zhongba, Feng Ying once again mentioned that there are 1.4 billion viewers in China, and there are many who have not watched "Swan Lake". The popularization of art has a long way to go. "We need to perform well, create classic works, and do well in modern and contemporary works. Only with enough excellent originality can we prove that we live in the present and record today, which is our mission and responsibility."