A Yingge dance team from Guangdong, China will perform in Germany and France from January 30 to February 2, joining local Chinese New Year celebrations in Hanau, Frankfurt, Lyon, and Paris. Ahead of their tour, the team had a short warm-up show at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on January 27.
Girls from the Ximen Yingge Team of Shantou perform at the Terminal 2 of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on January 27, 2025, Guangzhou. (Photo: Pan Jiajun)
Last year during the Chinese New Year, a 6-minute Yingge dance performance by a team from Guangdong in London's streets attracted thousands of onlookers. This year, the Ximen Yingge team from the province's Shantou will perform in Germany and France.
"The performance in Germany and France will feature 'male-female paired battles' to show that whatever men can do, women can do too," said Chen Tanpeng, coach of the Ximen Yingge team, in an earlier interview with the media.
As a folk dance known for its martial arts-inspired movements, Yingge dance is traditionally male-dominated. The name means "Odes to Heroes," with many characters inspired by the Chinese novel Water Margin, a story about grassroots heroes fighting corruption. Yet in recent decades, women are portraying iconic heroines, such as Hua Mulan, the inspiration for Disney's Mulan, and Mu Guiying, a famous female general.
The Ximen Yingge team, from Shantou's Ximen neighborhood in Chaoyang District, is a lively community group with nearly 200 male and over 70 female dancers. For their European tour, 25 dancers will represent their neighborhood after two months of intensive rehearsals.
Members of the Ximen Yingge Team of Shantou take a group photo at the Terminal 2 of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport on January 27, 2025, Guangzhou. (Photo: Pan Jiajun)
"We've made thorough preparations, from choreography to costume design, and also some small gifts for friends in Europe to experience the vibe of Chinese New Year," Wu Yanhua, deputy coach of the Ximen Yingge team, told GDToday.
Zheng Zixin, a girl whose sweet smile during a Yingge performance went viral on Chinese social media, is excited for her first overseas performance. This will be her first Chinese New Year away from her family. "Though I can't celebrate with my family, I'm looking forward to the shows and sharing our culture abroad," the girl smiled.
Zheng Zixin, a girl from the Ximen Yingge Team of Shantou, smiles in an interview with GDToday on January 27, 2025, Guangzhou. (Photo: Pan Jiajun)
More details about the tour:
Time: January 29, 2:00 pm
City: Hanau, Germany
Venue: Marktplatz Hanau
Time: January 31, 2:00 pm
City: Frankfurt (Main), Germany
Venue: Hauptwache
Time: February 1, 10:30 am
City: Lyon, France
Venue: Cordelier
Time: February 2, 3:00 pm
City: Paris, France
Venue: RDV au 99, avenue des Champs-Élysées (estimated starting location)
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
Photo | Pan Jiajun
Videographer | Pan Jiajun
Video Editor | Ou Xiaoming
Editor | Hu Nan, James, Shen He
