Hua Mei, the counselor of the Chinese Embassy, attended the closing ceremony of the ‘Silk Road Connects You and Me’ Chinese dance workshop

On November 14, 2023, the closing ceremony of the “Silk Road Connects You and Me” Chinese dance workshop took place in London. Counsellor Hua Mei, the wife of Ambassador Zheng Zeguang, Counsellor Cai Yanyan, Vice Dean Zhang Qiang from the Beijing Dance Academy visiting for exchanges in the UK, renowned British modern dance choreographer Cai Minyi, and film producer Duncan Kenworthy were invited to attend. They presented graduation certificates to 16 workshop participants.

During the event, Associate Professor Li Xin from the Beijing Dance Academy performed a demonstration of Chinese fan dance and explained the profound cultural significance behind it within Chinese culture. Workshop participants from China, the UK, Latvia, and others, along with students from the King’s College London Confucius Institute, showcased distinctive styles of dance performances such as the “Double-Faced Swallow Xuan,” the “Lotus Drum Dance,” the contemporary Chinese style dance “Xuan Niao,” the sword dance “Yue Maiden’s Breeze,” and Dai ethnic dances. These performances, characterized by their distinct styles and graceful movements, delivered a rich Chinese cultural essence, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Before the event, Counsellor Hua Mei met with Vice Dean Zhang Qiang and his delegation, acknowledging the Beijing Dance Academy’s longstanding positive contributions to promoting outstanding Chinese culture. She expressed hope that the academy would continue using dance as a bridge for friendship and cultural exchange, contributing new efforts to enhance mutual understanding between the Chinese and British people and promote cross-cultural exchanges between China and the West.

The “Silk Road Connects You and Me” Chinese dance workshop was organized by Zhou Hangyu, a graduate of the Beijing Dance Academy and a dancer residing in the UK. The inaugural workshop attracted more than 30 enthusiastic participants, providing a platform for foreigners and overseas Chinese in the UK to learn Chinese dance and promote mutual artistic exchanges between the East and West.