On the evening of January 4^th, the dance drama "Wing Chun" made its debut at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts. As an invited audience member, a reporter from Yangcheng Evening News experienced the enchantment of the fusion between martial arts and dance.

Since its debut at the Poly Theatre in Shenzhen in March 2023, the dance drama has completed over a hundred touring performances in the Chinese mainland. In September, it took its first step abroad, landing at the Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay in Singapore. Wherever it goes, the shows are sold out, and tickets are in high demand. It is reported that "Wing Chun" will have five consecutive performances in Hong Kong this time, until January 7^th, marking the beginning of its global tour in 2024.

The dance drama tells two intertwined stories through a dual narrative structure. On one hand, it portrays the heroic years of Ip Man, who holds the "Wing Chun Hall" plaque and embarks on a journey to Hong Kong to inherit Chinese martial arts. On the other hand, it depicts the story of a film crew that travels to Shenzhen half a century later to chase their dreams of making a movie titled "Wing Chun." Through these two stories, the dance drama not only narrates the life of the illustrious hero, Ip Man, but also showcases the ordinary seekers of heroism who pursue and shape heroes.

Before 7:30 p.m., the premiere venue was already packed with people, including numerous celebrities. Renowned Hong Kong actors, such as Liza Wang, Cecilia Yip, and Raymond Wong, were also present to witness the debut.

Gao Songjie, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Y.Elite Association and Founder of the Hong Kong Internet Influencer Workers Association, watched "Wing Chun" for the second time. Previously, he had watched the 100th performance of "Wing Chun" in Shenzhen. "I initially thought it was an ordinary production, but I didn't expect it to be so magnificent. So, after returning to Hong Kong, I had been hoping that if there was a chance to stage this production in Hong Kong, I would definitely invite my friends to watch it. And now, it actually arrived. I am delighted to have the opportunity to witness two meaningful performances!" Gao Songjie also expressed his hope that outstanding works from the Chinese mainland can be showcased more frequently in Hong Kong to spread great stories globally.

Mr. Martin from Switzerland is a fan of Chinese martial arts. He and his colleagues happened to learn about the upcoming premiere of the dance drama "Wing Chun" in Hong Kong. "We immediately became interested when learning the premier news." Although he didn't have much prior knowledge of Wing Chun, after watching the dance drama, Schwab immediately felt the charm of Wing Chun and Chinese dance. "The performers' body movements are extremely graceful, and they convey emotions with great precision. I really love this production."

The integration of martial arts and dance is a highlight of the dance drama "Wing Chun". The climactic scenes feature Yip Man facing off against the masters of the Four Great Martial Arts Schools, showcasing the Mantis Boxing, Baguazhang, Bajiquan, and Taijiquan, while Yip Man demonstrates his mastery of the Wing Chun Fist. The fusion of the classic martial arts techniques of the five schools with classical and contemporary dance forms presents the essence of Chinese martial arts seamlessly and fluidly. This 18-minute confrontation segment has also been condensed into a 13-minute performance, which was featured at the New Year's Eve Gala on Bilibili, quickly gaining popularity with over 230 million views on the same night.

It is worth mentioning that the dancers are dressed in the traditional costume "Xiangyunsha"(Gambiered Guangdong gauze), which is a national-level intangible cultural heritage. Under the stage lights, the costume shimmers like polished ceramics emitting a deep black luster, which adds a distinct charm to the dance drama.

Source :Yangcheng Evening News

武术与舞蹈结合，现象级舞剧《咏春》在香港首演

现象级舞剧《咏春》在香港首演了！1月4日晚，舞剧《咏春》在香港演艺学院进行了首场演出。羊城晚报记者有幸成为香港首演首批观众，现场体验“武舞相融”的魅力。

自2023年3月在深圳保利剧院完成首站演出后，该舞剧在内地已完成百余场巡回演出；9月更是首次迈出国门，登陆新加坡滨海艺术中心。所到之处场场爆满、一票难求。据悉，《咏春》本次到港将连演5场，直至1月7日，并由此开启其2024年全球巡演之旅。

舞剧通过“双线”叙事，讲述了两个时空交叠的故事，一边是叶问怀抱“咏春堂”牌匾赴香港打拼，传承中华武术的英雄岁月；另一边是近半个世纪后，电影《咏春》摄制组来到深圳追梦的故事。通过“戏内戏外”的两个故事，舞剧《咏春》不但讲述了站在光环里的英雄叶问，更展现了追寻英雄、塑造英雄的平凡追光者。

不到晚上7点半，首演现场便已人山人海，其中不乏星光，香港著名演员汪明荃、叶童、黄百鸣也赶来“尝鲜”。

香港菁英会副主席、香港网络红人工作者协会创会主席高松杰是第二次看《咏春》了。此前，他在深圳观看了《咏春》的第一百场演出。“原本以为是普通的剧目，没想到这么精彩。所以回到香港后，我就一直想，如果香港有机会上演这个剧目，我一定邀请朋友一起来看。结果真的来了。能看到两场有意义的演出，我很高兴！”高松杰还期待，内地的好作品可以多在香港这个平台演出，将好故事传播到全球。

来自瑞士的马丁·施瓦布先生是中国功夫迷，他与工作伙伴一同来到香港，偶然间了解到《咏春》舞剧即将在香港首演，“我们一看到就觉得很感兴趣。”尽管此前对咏春了解不多，但看过舞剧后，施瓦布立刻就感受到了咏春和中国舞蹈的魅力。“演员的身体律动非常优美，传递的感情也很到位。我很喜欢这部剧。”

武术和舞蹈的结合，是舞剧《咏春》的一大亮点。叶问与四大派掌门“对阵”的场面形成了全剧的高潮片段，螳螂拳、八卦掌、八极拳、太极拳先后登场，叶问则以咏春拳逐一相会。五大门派的经典武术招式与古典舞、现代舞相融合，在行云流水中展示了中华武术精华。这18分钟的对决选段，还被浓缩为13分钟的节目，登上“2022最美的夜”B站跨年晚会，迅速出圈，当晚播放量就超过2.3亿人次。

值得一提的是，舞蹈演员身着的是国家级非物质文化遗产香云纱。舞台灯光下，香云纱犹如陶瓷般光滑，散发着深沉的黑色光泽，为舞剧更添一份轻柔而有质感的魅力。

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