Chinanews.com Beijing August 29 (Liu Xingchen) On weekdays, the Yushe Performing Arts Space in Guomao will broadcast niche art films to attract literary and artistic youths.
It rained lightly in Beijing last night. Although the body temperature was very cold, a group of people with love still gathered here because of dance and dance images.
At the end of the 19th century, dance and video met.
However, after more than 100 years of development, the word "dance video" is still unfamiliar to many people.
Image source: Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"It does not mean that 'dance' and 'image' will simply be added together, it is an independent entity. The uniqueness of dance images is that they can truly show the dancing of people or things." During the conversation, Song Nailong, a dance major This sentence is emphasized twice.
Video is more in line with his expression.
At the 2022 Beijing International Dance Video Art Festival Awards Ceremony that night, Song Nailong won the bronze award of the jury for his work "Qi, Picking Up, Can't Pick Up Seven".
From the dancer, to the choreographer, to the creator of today's dance video, Song Nailong felt a lot along the way.
"Qi, pick up seven, can't pick up seven"
"Is the image 'creation' or 'record'? This question is the original intention of the work." Speaking of this work, Song Nailong said that it is looking for a way to tell.
Pictured is a screenshot of the work.
Image source: Photo courtesy of the interviewee
The work tells a story about "three stooges can't stand Zhuge Liang".
The three little friends were in high spirits, but they failed to make a big move.
They got into the cage they made for themselves and couldn't get out of it, but they were still complacent.
"If the whole process is a creation, what do we create? If it is just a record, have we saved the elapsed time? We choose to create with a camera, and the camera chooses to record our stupidity and insignificance." Song Nailong wrote in the introduction to the work. a paragraph.
Winning the award also reminded Song Nailong of the hardships in the process of being recognized.
"Qi, Picking Up, Can't Pick Up Seven" was created 2 years ago, and it didn't make waves at first.
"For the creator, I hope that the work can have a good ending. (Winning the award) is a very happy ending for me."
Pictured is a screenshot of the work.
Image source: Photo courtesy of the interviewee
Study abroad in Italy
Because dance is classified in the category of art performance, for Song Nailong, who is not good at performance, he was not "top-notch" in his student days.
It was not until later that he started participating in school competitions that his own abilities were recognized.
"The teachers came over and said, you still have ideas. That's when I realized that I might not be a corner A, but a unique person."
So at the age of fifteen or sixteen, Song Nailong learned to retain his own thoughts, even if it was different from others.
After graduating from the Classical Dance Department of Beijing Dance Academy, Song Nailong went to the Choreography Department of the National Academy of Dance in Rome, Italy to continue his studies.
After graduation, he joined the Italian Zero Gravity Dance Company.
Image source: Photo courtesy of the interviewee
"The quality of thinking cannot be found in the environment you are familiar with. Only when you arrive in a new environment will you realize your potential." Song Nailong said about the choice of going abroad.
In November 2016, dance lovers from all over the country gathered at the Shanghai Grand Theater to share the modern magical dance "Dante's Divine Comedy" (trilogy) choreographed by the Italian Zero Gravity Dance Troupe.
Among the six dancers, Song Nailong was the only Asian, and his wonderful performance drew applause from the audience.
As time went by, Song Nailong was no longer satisfied with being someone else's actor.
Having set up a studio, he spends most of his time writing and rehearsing, taking actors from Italy on tour.
"Dance is a fleeting art. After going through countless rounds of recruiting actors, rehearsals, and performances, I began to think about a way out. During the postgraduate course, teachers and classmates kept telling me that my video work was well done. At that time I just like to fiddle with some small experimental works." Song Nailong said.
Image source: Photo courtesy of the interviewee
Connect with dance images
Song Nailong, who regarded art as his ideal since he was a child, began to fall in love with this art category that expresses his emotions with his body after he was exposed to dance.
"My father is engaged in picture photography, and I have a strong feeling for images since I was a child." Song Nailong introduced his indissoluble bond with "images" in his words.
One is the art major that he has learned since childhood, and the other is a means of expression. When the two are combined, "dance video" has become Song Nailong's creative medium.
Soon, he made his voice heard in the world.
The dance video work "Imaginary Prison" won him a gold medal in dance video at the 2018 Rome International Dance Competition in Italy.
Inspired by the classic Italian print of the same name in the 18th century, this work depicts the author's concern and thinking about the inner world of human beings in modern society through the processing of images.
Image source: Photo courtesy of the interviewee
dance video creator
This time, Song Nailong also participated in the 48-hour improvisation competition of the Beijing International Dance Video Art Festival.
On weekdays, he was criticized by his friends for too long a work cycle, so he tried a work rhythm that he was not familiar with.
"Although the process is very difficult, I am still pleasantly surprised by the work "Central Station". When I first participated in the competition, I thought about shortening the creative cycle. But after these few days of precipitation, I don't want to strengthen the work time in the future." Song Nailong said real feelings.
People who are engaged in art have the urge to create and express.
Talking about the future, Song Nailong expressed his hope that dancing should be regarded as a hobby, not a job.
As for "dance video", he bluntly said that he was lucky to find his own creative vocabulary, and he will continue to do it in the future, hoping to go further in video.
At the end of the conversation, when asked what kind of identity he prefers to use to introduce himself, Song Nailong thought for a moment and said, "Creator of dance images."
The breath penetrates the screen, the body transcends time and space.
Characterize the rhythm of dance in every frame of life.
This sentence expresses the essence of dance video, and also resonates with countless people who love dance.
As Song Nailong said, his sense of identity with himself comes from dancing.
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