Willowy Chinese women dancing in the spring breeze are a beautiful view in March. When rapeseed flowers bloomed, a dance competition came in full swing. On March 27, the “Dancing with Willowy Grace, Enriching the Vibrancy of Jingzhou” Public Square Dance Competition of the First Chu Culture Festival & Opening Ceremony of the Second “Rapeseed Flower Poetry” Tour was held in Jiangling County. Top-notch square dance teams were selected after classes of competitions to compete with other and showcase their best talent.
Zou Dewen, Deputy Secretary of the Working Committee for Departments under the CPC Hubei Committee, Chen Shijun, a former second-level inspector of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Hubei Province, Liu Huiping, a member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Jingzhou Municipal Committee, Luo Gang, Director of the Public Service Office of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Hubei Province, Zhou Hanzhong, Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of Jingzhou Municipal People’s Congress, Yan Hong, Deputy Mayor of Jingzhou, Wan Jiangping, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Jingzhou Municipal Committee, Jiang Wanzhe, a member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Yangtze University Committee, Fu Liangchao, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Director of the Jingzhou Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, and Li Xiangang, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Jiangling County Committee and Magistrate of Jiangling County, attended the opening ceremony to launch the event.
Yan Hong spoke that the combination of the square dance competition and the “Rapeseed Flower Poetry” Tour is a measure representative of the Year of Rural-wide Cultural Activities with the theme of "Happy Song on Earth" as well as an active effort to explore the integrated development of “agricultural culture and tourism” for the invigoration of rural tourism. We will leverage this event to launch the “Spice Up Your Life with Cultural Activities” campaign in public culture, keep improving the efficiency of public cultural services, boost the development of popular culture, and promote the integration of culture and tourism to empower rural revitalization. All this will contribute to building the demonstration zone for the legacy preservation of the Chu Culture with cultural and spiritual support.
The public square dance competition was launched in October 2022. At the invitation of cultural and tourism governing bodies of Jingzhou, experts created a specified song Dancing with Willowy Grace for the competition. With a blend of modern chic with elements characterized by the dance of the State of Chu such as phoenix patterns, curvy body lines, and the movement of moving sleeves upwards while bending over at the waist in choreography that showcases the essence of the Chu culture, eight teams presented their performances in distinctive costumes and with willowy grace.
In the public square for cultural events of Changjiang Village, Majiazhai Township, one of the most beautiful villages in China, participants danced cheerfully with dexterity to melodious songs, including Dancing with Willowy Grace, Song of Youth, My Motherland and I, Selling Flowers on the Street, Beautiful Homeland of Swan, Inspiring China - Luoluodong, Baishou Dance of Tujia, My Home Sits at the Bank of the Hong Lake, and Thousands of Miles across Jiangling. They showed their best talent.
Apart from well-honed dancing skills, there were a versatile range of costumes. Participants danced to household-known music with graceful tenderness, passionate exuberance, or willowy agility. Their wonderful performances won applause and cheers from the audience and created a mirthful ambience.
Finally, based on objective rules and from the aspects of overall effects, expressiveness and alignment, formations, background music and costumes, the judging panel selected two first prize winners, three second prize winners, and three third prize winners, and several outstanding organizations.
Jiangling County is home to copious eco-tourism resources, unique folk customs, and the tradition of nostalgia for hometown. In addition to the public square dance performances, there were a series of county-wide tourism activities held along with an array of exhibitions of Jiangling’s specialties to boost local economic activities, such as the exhibition of Jiangling’s distinctive agricultural and industrial products, the food street, and the exhibition of pre-made food.
In addition to that, guests also visited the Jingzhou New Energy and Material Base, the former site of the brick and tile factory and fields upon fields of rapeseed flowers. Everyone is welcome to see rapeseed flowers, taste local delicacies, watch public square dance performances, and explore local customs in Jiangling.