Hua Xiaoyi
China News Service, Beijing, February 24 (Reporter Zhang Xi) From the day they entered the main stage rehearsal, passing by the Spring Festival Gala countdown sign, dancer Hua Xiaoyi always paid special attention to the numbers on it.
Time passes day by day, until New Year's Eve, the number returns to zero.
After dancing "Koi" on the Spring Festival Gala stage, Hua Xiaoyi and ten dancers hugged tightly backstage and cried excitedly.
At this time, they didn’t know that the show had become popular online.
Behind the 317 seconds of the scene, which is as graceful as a dragon and graceful as a swimming dragon, is the three-month "hard journey" of eleven people.
Although more than ten days have passed since the performance, Hua Xiaoyi will still watch the video of "Koi" over and over again, "It has such a good effect and so many audiences like it. Although it is a bit bitter, the result is sweet. It’s all worth it.”
Stills from the Year of the Dragon Spring Festival Gala dance program "Koi"
penance
In the past, the Spring Festival Gala would choose top-notch works from major dance troupes, but this year, the director team decided to create an original dance program, and it must use newcomers - because only the "empty cup" state has enough plasticity.
Ten freshmen girls from Beijing Dance Academy never dreamed that they would be invited to the Spring Festival Gala just one month after enrolling.
Also unexpected is Hua Xiaoyi, who is a member of the Youth Dance Troupe of Beijing Dance Academy.
After the college teacher informed her, Hua Xiaoyi couldn't believe it for a long time. It wasn't until the second notification from the Spring Festival Gala director that she almost cried with excitement.
This is Hua Xiaoyi’s first time on the Spring Festival Gala. Although she already has many masterpieces, such as "Luo Fu Xing", "Dian Lips", "Sleep", etc., the Spring Festival Gala is the stage she has been looking forward to the most. She hopes to be able to When I encounter a good work, I will bring you blessings on New Year’s Eve.
In November in Beijing, the weather starts to get colder.
Every day, Hua Xiaoyi and a group of school girls aged 17 or 18 spend 8 hours on Wi-A, starting at 12 hours.
The dance base in Taihu was so cold that everyone had to wear two pairs of pants, plus cotton-padded jackets, vests, and scarves. They moved like fat koi fish.
When they were free, the girls teased each other. Although the dance was so beautiful, we all looked like bacon hanging one by one.
Different from other dances, the rehearsal of "Koi" is a long process from scratch. Everyone needs to select the last few dozen moves from thousands of moves. Which angle looks good and how high it flies needs to be repeated. Group testing.
Therefore, going to the toilet has become a problem. You cannot get off the Wia alone and let others wait. You can only drink water together once every three hours and then go to the toilet together.
After the Spring Festival Gala performance, Hua Xiao pressed his left shoulder that was crackling. This was a sequelae of a fall during rehearsal, but fortunately it did not affect the Spring Festival Gala performance.
In Andersen's fairy tale, every step the mermaid takes after landing is like walking on the tip of a knife.
Similarly, Hua Xiaoyi did the same on the way to transforming into a koi carp.
Not only on her left shoulder, the Wia rope just happened to be tied to the bone spur on her left heel, and the lack of blood circulation caused a huge pins and needles feeling; but also on her hands, because she moved a lot, Hua Xiaoyi's hands were bruised with blood blisters. , the middle finger of his left hand was once injured and unable to use force.
After untying the wires and returning home every day, Hua Xiaoyi felt as if she was still floating in mid-air. Only the pain in her lumbar spine reminded her of how difficult it was to practice day after day.
Stills from the Year of the Dragon Spring Festival Gala dance program "Koi"
inherited
He is both the lead dancer and the senior.
Hua Xiaoyi had to take care of not only his own movements, but also the ten junior school girls who had just entered the freshman year.
Everyone understands that being able to attend the Spring Festival Gala is a very proud life experience, but behind this pride, there are also harsh choices.
Each program is very particular about how long it takes to dance, and how large the movements are per second.
Since the dance moves of "Koi" required a little exploration, and it was the first time such a young actor was used to complete such a difficult work, when rehearsals just started, the director directly said to the school girls: "Oh, you guys You are so young, I can’t even bear to scold you or be too cruel to you.”
But rehearsals are definitely not going to be harmonious.
When the movements are not up to standard, the director will criticize them by name. Several school girls often blame themselves to tears, and Hua Xiaoyi sees it all.
"I feel sad too." The only thing Hua Xiaoyi can do is to do better in her movements, so that her sisters will feel more determined and believe that every move is achievable and not beyond their reach.
After getting along little by little, the school girls not only regard Hua Xiaoyi as a role model, but also as a close senior sister.
Before the Spring Festival Gala, a little girl quietly said to Hua Xiaoyi: "Sister, I'm so scared." Hua Xiaoyi hurriedly comforted, "We have been practicing for so long, it's time to show off. You have to believe that we are the carp. Don’t be afraid, Ben Li, this is the moment we have been waiting for.”
Hua Xiao felt that this was the best expression of the word inheritance.
After the Spring Festival Gala performance, everyone hugged each other and cried.
Hua Xiaoyi said that she felt excited and reluctant to give up.
Then I became curious about whether my performance was successful, and started asking around, "Did we perform well, was it beautiful?" We went home and watched the video.
Only then did I realize that this was what I looked like in the camera.
Stills from the Year of the Dragon Spring Festival Gala dance program "Koi"
Transformation
Recalling the starting points, Hua Xiao felt that these short three months were a process of "transforming" into a koi, which is worth recalling for a lifetime.
In those moments when she was not hanging on wires, she would always study koi, how to swim and sway its tail. What are the differences between hundreds of koi species? Which one is the most beautiful?
After studying, Hua Xiaoyi repeatedly practiced in front of the mirror, imagining that she was the koi carp in the water, able to leap over the dragon gate nimbly, and conveying the high-end sense of Chinese culture and aesthetics.
One day, she suddenly understood the connection.
This is not a simple koi, nor is it simply swimming and dancing, but a dancer who combines his own growth process and expectations for the future. After all, "human life is short and limited, but in the limited time In life. How you live your life is important."
Hua Xiaoyi said that only love can withstand the passage of time.
(Photo provided by interviewee)
Hua Xiaoyi also thought about her dancing career. She once cried and asked herself, it is so hard and lonely, are you sure you want to continue?
How far can you go?
After wiping away my tears, I reconciled with myself——
“It’s no big deal, just hold on a little longer”;
"There are thousands of kinds of suffering in all walks of life, but only love can withstand the long years";
“Don’t forget your original intention and don’t stay in your comfort zone”…
Several days after the Spring Festival Gala, compared to the beautiful pictures of "Koi" captured by netizens frame by frame, Hua Xiaoyi's circle of friends was still stuck in 2023. She buried the praise and applause she received in her heart, and only allowed herself to enjoy the short-term joy.
"I told myself that I should look at it with a normal mind, not be anxious or impatient, and don't forget to use my works and the stage to speak. Just try to look forward and move forward!"
Just like looking at the countdown card that returned to zero after the Spring Festival Gala performance, she decided to start from scratch and start again.
(over)