From April 27-29, 2023, Bucknell University Department of Theatre and Dance invited two students from Xuejuan Dance Ensemble (XDE) to perform Chinese dance in their Spring Dance Concert. The students, Jessica Lin and Mabelle Liu, took part in the tech rehearsal, full dress rehearsal and two shows.

Jessica and Mabelle participated in the pre-show warm-up classes alongside Bucknell students. Their dances were given a full tech rehearsal and professional lighting, which is a wonderful treat for our dancers, who have often performed on portable stages or with no stages at all. At the end of the show, they helped with strike and learned to roll up the Marley floor. Taking part in these activities really helped our students learn about the many different parts of putting on a show. These activities enable them to feel more included in the Bucknell dance community.

Jessica and Mabelle were also asked to do a Chinese dance demonstration for Prof. Kelly Knox’s Art Appreciation class. They demonstrated a watersleeve routine that Prof. Hu had created for them. They also demonstrated a Chinese ethnic dance and a classical fan dance. Jessica and Mabelle answered questions from the students in the class. They talked about issues such as choreography, costumes, watersleeves, techniques used in Chinese dance, diversity of ethnic dances in China and the ever versatile fan that is used in Chinese dance. The girls had to think on their feet and answer a variety of questions that in the end helped them understand Chinese dance even more. The experience was challenging and rewarding at the same time.

Xuejuan Dance Ensemble is very grateful for such a wonderful opportunity for its students. Performances like this really help bring Chinese dance to mainstream American communities as well as empowering Chinese dance students to be change agents in their community.

Attached are our dancers’ reflections on their experiences at Bucknell as well as their schedule for the three days.

A video summary of our participation at Bucknell University’s Spring Dance Concert is here

Jessica Lin

This April I was invited to perform in Bucknell University’s Spring Dance Concert. Thehighlight for me was less the actual performance on stage, but more the experiences I gainedoffstage: watching the dance department work and move as a team, and interacting in a curiousand thoughtful environment with audiences unfamiliar with Chinese dance. Over the three dayswe were there, Mabelle and I got to watch a dress rehearsal, demonstrate in an art appreciationclass, and perform twice, once in the opening and closing shows.

As a performer I can easily focus on my own small part. The Spring Dance Concert madeit easy to see that a show is made up of many, many people. During the dress rehearsal Mabelleand I sat in the audience before and after our dances to watch. In between pieces we shared inamazed whispers our favorite parts of each dance. When we recognized the music we would startswaying in our seats. As with the Taoli World Dance Competition (國際桃李盃), it is great to beable to watch other dancers and see people express their hard work and passion through physicalmovement. We also witnessed the effort the backstage crew put in, and the encouragement theperformers offered each other as they went on and off stage. All were college students, just alittle older than me. It was also heartwarming to see professors run backstage, to watch both theirown numbers and also other professors’ works.

A large part of my experience performing at Bucknell included a group warmup that tookplace on stage before the show. Dancers were called on stage and took a short ballet andmodern/contemporary class led by the different professors. I initially wanted to pass, becausefocused dancers look scary sometimes and it is scary to be in a sea of college students. However,after encouragement from Bucknell’s professors, we participated for all three days. The studentsturned out to be very welcoming, and thanks to that I felt like I was part of that community.

Being part of the performance was fun, but my favorite part of the trip was the Chinesedance demonstration arranged by Professor Knox. Mabelle and I took turns demonstratingdifferent Chinese dance styles with different props, followed by a conversation with the studentsin an art appreciation class. Professor Knox wanted to hear what her students saw before they gota full explanation.

For my ethnic Dai dance demonstration, Peacock’s Iridescence (孔雀飞来), the collegestudents noticed some animalistic head movements and things that reminded them of a birdbefore receiving an explanation. In addition, things that stood out to them were the balancingmovements, detailed hand positions, and the signature ethnic Dai (傣族) spin when the dancerlooks upward the entire time instead of spotting. As a dancer I was happy they enjoyed the piecebut even more excited they were able to discern distinct features of the dance without knowingthat was what made the dance Dai. I am very grateful to Bucknell University’s Theater andDance department for the opportunity to be a part of their Spring Dance Showcase. I thoroughlyenjoyed the entire process and learned a lot about Chinese dance outside of performing.

Mabelle Liu

My visit to Bucknell University’s Theatre and Dance Department and participation in their SpringDance Concert was truly the best gift of 2023. I am so grateful that I was able to participate inthis remarkable process. Between taking classes pre-show, to performing onstage, to helping ina college class, every part of this experience felt surreal. While I knew this would be an amazingopportunity prior to going, every moment exceeded my expectations.

The entire performance was extremely well orchestrated. The production quality wasspectacular. Between the lighting placement and colors, the addition of smoke, the patternsmade on the floor, the projected videos played on the screen, the custom-designed costumes,and even the disco ball added to the final piece, I could tell how much effort was put into everyminute detail. The dancers did an amazing job, and the choreography was so captivating andcreative. It was especially impressive to me that all the students were dance minors, eventhough their dance skills were nothing short of greatness. It reminded me that pursuing anacademic field of study does not equate the absence of dance, but rather, that dance andacademics can always coexist in my life, even when I’m older.

Looking back on the two major events I had the honor of attending, the performances and theclass demonstration, I feel a great sense of pride for Chinese culture and how it’s represented indance. Helping in a college class was a little daunting to me at first, but Professor Knox and thestudents were very gracious and welcoming. They also asked great questions that allowed meto reflect on different facets of Chinese dance, including the props, costumes, flow ofmovements, style, history, and even the present day adaptations that make Chinese dance anart form that can be shared with all demographics. I left the classroom feeling incredibly fulfilledand proud of my cultural heritage.

One of the memorable moments I had was when a woman shouted from the audience “yesma’am!”, while I was doing a dress rehearsal onstage. To me, it wasn’t just her compliments tomy dancing that made me happy, but it truly felt as though she was celebrating Chinese dancewith me. Everyone that I came across, including the production crew and the college studentsJessica and I danced alongside, were unfailingly kind, gracious, and respectful towards us. Itwas an incredible honor to be invited and I’m so deeply grateful for the opportunity to share myChinese cultural heritage with the Bucknell community.