C Dream Festival 2018
2018 C Dream Annual Gala
About 200 guests attend the ceremony, including C Dream students and training center representatives from the five cities in the U.S., program advisors, choreographers and instructors, and community friends. C Dream scholarships and awards are granted to 28 students with 8 training centers, including the top prize 2018 C Dream Star.
2018 C Dream Annual Dance Performance
Directed by Jia Yuan and Yajing Zhang, the show presents a diverse lineup of 10 dance works by students from the five cities in the U.S. and 6 special performances by dancers from the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy. Featured dances include ethnic and folk dances of Mongolian, Uygur, Dai and Tibetan styles, classic and contemporary dances. The fascinating performances enchant the entire audience throughout the show.
As a highlight of this year’s C Dream program, Yellow River (Chinese ethnic and folk dance) takes its debut in North America. Divided into the four acts of Ritual, Cultivation, Nurture and Harvest, this drama pays tributes to the Yellow River and its people for their dedication and perseverance, through expressive dance movements and compelling music concerto. Choreographed by Beijing Dance Academy faculty and directed by Professor Du Gao, this dance drama is a successful collaboration between dance communities in the U.S. and China.
2018 C Dream Annual Peking Opera Performance
Over 30 students, in full costumes and makeups, present a diverse lineup of Peking Opera classic excerpts and dazzle the audience with singing, speaking, acting and acrobatic combat. This amazing show is the best reward to the students and instructors who have worked tirelessly during the one-month intensive during, not to mention many of the students actually learn from scratch about this unique theatric form.
2018 Dance Master Class
Professor Gao comments on the students’ performance the night before, and leads the students in dance techniques training. He encourages students to refine their technical skills and form a concrete foundation to develop and enhance each individual’s performance. Professor Gao takes pride in participating in C Dream for the 3rd year and contributing to the development of Chinese performing arts in the U.S..
2018 Peking Opera Master Class
Prof. Sun introduces the origin, development, roles and characters of Peking Opera, and pays a tribute to Mr. Mei Lanfang, the first person who brought Peking Opera overseas. She also highlights and demonstrates the unique aesthetics of Peking opera characters and the versatility and symbolism of stage scenes. Prof. Ye vividly demonstrates the techniques of singing, speaking, acting and acrobatic combat, and gives examples on how performing techniques help build different characters and convey various emotions.
The masters conclude the class with a duet show of a classic excerpt, and encourage students and enthusiasts to further their endeavors in Peking Opera.