Yingge Dance has been making waves, and now, it has graced the stage at the Great Hall of the People. 

On the evening of September 4^th, eight young performers from the Taoyuan Yingge Dance Troupe in Chaoyang District, Shantou, Guangdong, put on a stunning show at a banquet hosted by President Xi Jinping to welcome leaders from African nations and international organizations, who attended the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation.

The performance, titled "China-Africa Drum Dance," featured a collaboration between Chinese and African youth. Four male and four female Yingge dancers showcased the charm of China's rich cultural heritage and the allure of a national intangible cultural asset with their energetic and bold dance moves.

Zheng Haobin, the leader of the Taoyuan Yingge Dance Troupe, is part of the post-2000s generation. At just under 23 years old, he already leads a team of 130 members, handling daily training, team management, and coordinating with coaches. In an interview on September 7th, he spoke with a Yangcheng Evening News reporter about their performance in Beijing and the troupe's journey from its formation to its ongoing innovations.

To prepare for this significant performance in Beijing, the Taoyuan Yingge Dance Troupe arrived in the capital on August 18th to begin rehearsals. 

However, the complex choreography posed a considerable challenge for them. "Our previous performances only required coordination within our own troupe," Zheng explained. "But this time, in just four minutes, we had to integrate multiple dance styles. There was the Yingge dance, the Shaanbei Waist Drum, the performance by the Little Egret Folk Dance Troupe from Xiamen, and the martial arts and drumming performed by the African youth. It took time for all the teams to harmonize on stage." He added, "Though we come from different regions and even countries, we shared the same music, worked together, and our hearts aligned."

Zheng shared that the Taoyuan Yingge Dance Troupe was the first female Yingge team in Chaoyang District (formerly Miancheng District) after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Back in 1953, as the country encouraged women to participate in the workforce, many women in Shantou joined textile factories for embroidery work. In response to the national call for female recreational activities, a women's Yingge troupe was formed. Once the notice was posted, 60 women quickly joined and began training.

"Many of our former members are still alive today, some of them now nearing 90 years old," Zheng said. "When they heard that we established a heritage base last year, they were eager to visit and reconnect." Currently, the troupe's members range in age from 5 to 32, with 130 members across different age groups, each with tailored training programs.

Zheng is full of hope for the future of the Yingge Dance. Being able to perform at such a prestigious international event made him immensely proud. "Of course, we must keep moving forward. Our journey is far from over," he said. "I believe that the Taoyuan Yingge Dance Troupe and the Yingge Dance of Chaoyang will continue to thrive, reaching even larger global stages and allowing more people to experience its unique charm.”

Source : Lingnan on the Cloud

00 后领队讲述：我们为中非领导人表演英歌舞

英歌出圈，步履不停！这一次，潮阳英歌震撼登上了人民大会堂。

9月4日晚，来自广东汕头市潮阳区桃园英歌队的8名年轻队员，在习近平主席为欢迎出席中非合作论坛北京峰会的国际组织和非洲国家领导人举行的宴会上，作精彩表演。

记者获悉，此次广东英歌队员参演的节目名为“中非鼓舞”，由中国青年和非洲青年共同表演。演出中，4男4女共8名英歌队员以豪迈奔放的舞姿，向各国嘉宾展示了中华优秀传统文化和国家级非物质文化遗产的魅力。

桃园英歌队的领队郑浩彬是个“00后”，还不到23岁的他，已然成为这支拥有130名成员的英歌队的领队，担负起队内日常训练、队员管理、沟通教练等多方的协调工作。9月7日，他接受了羊城晚报记者的专访，详细讲述了此次北京之行，以及桃园英歌队从组建到发展创新一路走来的故事。

为了准备此次进京演出，桃园英歌队在8月18日就到了北京，开始参加节目的编排。

然而，此次节目的编排让桃园英歌队面临着很大的挑战。“我们之前的表演只需要一个队的成员配合，但此次表演需要在短短4分钟内呈现多个不同的舞蹈，有英歌舞，还有陕北腰鼓，有厦门市的小白鹭民间舞团，还有非洲的青年表演武术和非洲鼓。这么多团队同台共演，大家花了比较长的时间磨合。”郑浩彬告诉记者，“但我能感受到，虽然演员们都来自不同的地区，甚至国家，但是大家听着同一首音乐，齐心协力地把这个节目完整呈现，我们的心是相通的。”

据郑浩彬介绍，桃园英歌队是新中国成立后棉城（现潮阳区）的第一支女子英歌队。当时是1953年，国家动员所有妇女参加社会生产劳动，在汕头不少女性走进服饰工厂做一些刺绣的工作。为了响应国家关于开展女性文娱活动的号召，生产队就成立了女子英歌队。当时一张通知贴出来，跳英歌的60多名女队员便很快凑齐，开始训练。

“我们队内有很多老队员都还健在，如今有近90岁了。有一些老队员听说我们去年成立了传承基地以后，她们也都很乐意回来看看。” 郑浩彬表示。如今队内最大的队员是32岁，最小的只有5岁，130名成员分布在各个年龄层，各自的训练也各有针对性。

对英歌舞的未来，郑浩彬充满期许，能在这次国际性的会议上一展英歌舞姿，让他感到非常自豪。“当然，我们还需要继续努力，前进的步伐不能停下。相信我们桃园英歌队、潮阳英歌会越走越远，登上世界更大的舞台，让更多人领略潮阳英歌的魅力。”

文｜记者 周欣怡 朱绍杰 
图｜受访者提供
译｜赵凡
英文审校｜邹晓华