In April of this year, acrobat Wu Zhengdan, renowned worldwide for herballet on shoulders,once again garnered recognition for her extraordinary performance in the acrobatic ballet drama "The Butterfly Lovers". She then was awarded the prestigious "Lead Role" of "Magnolia Stage Awards", being the first awarded acrobat in the 31-year history of the ceremony.

At this juncture, a reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News visited Wu Zhengdan's rehearsal room at the Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre.

As the originators of the ballet on shoulders, Wu Zhengdan and Wei Baohua have dedicated over 30 years to their craft by integrating acrobatics into their performances and enriching character development and emotional expression with theatrical concepts.

Before her career in acrobatics, Wu was an artistic gymnast. At age 6, she entered a children-oriented sports school for artistic gymnastics training. While at 12, she transitioned to a skills team, beginning her training in mixed doubles. Three years later, she and her partner Wei Baohua clinched the championship at the Acrobatic Gymnastics World Champions. At 17, Wu retired from the Sports Committee of Liaoning Province and joined the Soldier Acrobatic Troupe of Guangzhou Military Region, writing a new chapter in her life. At the time, Wu had been building her team, determined to bring her idea for "The Butterfly Lovers" to life.

Wu and Wei increased the difficulty level of their performance in order to enhance their competitive strength in international competitions. As luck would have it, their choreographer had a background in ballet. Noticing the similarities between their skills and partner dancing, Wu decided to try ballet. In an effort to overcome the physical limitations of age, Wu required herself a return to basics, rigorously practicing fundamental skills and flexibility, and enhancing her physical fitness, all in an attempt to regain the physical condition of her youth.

Balancing delicately on her partner's shoulder with just the tip of her toe, Wu can effortlessly execute beautiful ballet poses like "Attitude". Wu's excellent performance makes one forget her age. She admits to a competitive streak and a refusal to defeat since childhood. "I strive for excellence in everything I do. We may not reach perfection, but we can pursue uniqueness," Wu said.

The ballet on shoulders represents a bold exploration into the future of Chinese modern acrobatic arts - a journey of crossing a river by feeling the stones. Wu and Wei train for dozens of hours each day, battling recurring waist injuries and worn-out toes, enduring heart-wrenching pain.

Wu has continuously overcome physical, mental, and strength-related challenges, viewing them as trials. She insists that her perseverance stems from her passion. The true recognition of ballet on shoulders started with the audience who bring continuously enthusiastic feedback at home and abroad, giving her a sense of accomplishment on the stage that cannot be obtained elsewhere. "Despite injuries and increasing age, I still hope to extend my artistic career," she said.

Wu views Yang Liping as her model. "People generally think that acrobatics is a profession that can only be taken in youth. But we hope to show young performers through our actions that the stage knows no bounds if there is love and standards and demands for yourself," Wu Zhengdan said.

吴正丹：杂技讲故事，舞台不受限｜走进名家工作室④

今年四月，以“肩上芭蕾”享誉世界的杂技艺术家吴正丹，凭借大型当代杂技舞剧《化·蝶》的精彩表演，又迎来了一个特别奖项——“白玉兰戏剧表演艺术奖”的主角奖。这是杂技艺术在“白玉兰奖”中实现“零的突破”，吴正丹成为该活动举办31届以来首位获得“主角奖”殊荣的杂技演员。此际，羊城晚报记者走进了吴正丹在广州市杂技艺术剧院的排练间。

作为“肩上芭蕾”的开创者，吴正丹和魏葆华已从艺30余年。他们坚持致力于杂技技艺的提升，将杂技融于表演之中，以戏剧理念丰富着角色的塑造、情感的表达。

在从事杂技这一行之前，吴正丹是一名艺术体操运动员。6岁进少儿体校进行艺术体操训练，12岁改行进入技巧队，开始男女混合双人训练，三年后她和搭档魏葆华一举夺下世界青年技巧对抗赛冠军。

17岁的吴正丹从辽宁体委退役，来到广州战士杂技团，开始了人生新起点。当时，为了在国际赛事中增强核心竞争力，吴正丹和魏葆华主动要求为自己的节目增加难度。机缘巧合，他们的编导从事过芭蕾舞专业，因为两人的技术类型与双人舞相近，于是吴正丹试着穿上了芭蕾舞鞋。

自2019年来到广州市杂技团，吴正丹便着手搭建团队，要将脑海中关于杂技剧《化·蝶》的设想付诸现实。为了打破年龄带来的身体条件的限制，吴正丹要求自己从头开始苦练基本功，压软度、练体能，尽可能地使身体接近年轻时候的状态。

仅凭一只足尖稳立在他人的肩头，还能“轻巧”地做出“阿提丢”等优美的芭蕾姿势，舞台上的吴正丹完全让人忘记了她的年纪。她说自己从小要强，不服输。“从一事就要做到极致。我们可能达不到完美，但可以追求独一无二。”吴正丹说。

肩上芭蕾是中国现代杂技艺术道路上的一种全新探索，他们摸着石头过河。每天训练十几个小时，腰伤复发，脚趾磨烂，疼痛钻心。

吴正丹自己也一直在克服身体、精神、体力上的困难与伤病，并将之视为历练。她说，坚持是因为热爱。“肩上芭蕾”真正得到认可，还是从观众开始的，到如今也是海内外观众持续的热烈反馈让她在舞台上收获着任何地方都提供不了的成就感。“虽然有伤有病，年龄也在不断增加，但我依然希望艺术生涯能够不断延长。”

吴正丹的榜样是杨丽萍。“大家都觉得杂技是吃青春饭。但我们希望用行动告诉年轻演员，只要你喜欢，只要你对自己有标准和要求，这个舞台其实不受限。”

出品人 | 杜传贵 林海利
策划 | 孙爱群 陈桥生
监制 | 邓琼 蒋铮 吴小攀
统筹 | 朱绍杰 何奔 付怡
执行 | 周欣怡 文艺 彭灏明 黄宙辉 孙磊
文 | 羊城晚报全媒体记者 朱绍杰 周欣怡
视频 | 彭灏明 戚容源 彭泽祥 唐德荣 暨晴 陈贤宇
译 | 陈萱
海报设计 | 唐欣怡
责编 | 王楠
校对 | 桂晴