| |
 |
Artistic rendition of splendid ethnic costumes
|
Wu Yan
SPLENDID Costumes of the East, a spectacular five-act dance drama, featuring sophisticated lighting and other stage technologies, is performed every evening in the indoor theatre of China Folk Culture Villages.
The show, based on different ethnic dance styles and a repertoire of national costumes from all the ethnic groups in China, offers a breathtaking window on China's dazzling tapestry of dressing styles.
All the outfits worn for the show are designed by one woman: Ling Hong, the head costume designer. In between shows she was interviewed by Shenzhen Daily. She began by describing the show.
"The five acts are: the Wind from the North, the Flowers from the South, the Snow in the West, the Moon of the East and the finale, the Splendid China. Actually the show tries to cover all the beautiful things in the whole country," Ling said.
To stage the show, the theatre was renovated so that the performers can do their job on different levels on the stage.
A graduate of the Shanghai Drama College where she majored in stage costume design, Ling is regarded as one of the best in her profession. And her expertise is not confined solely to China. Two years ago, the Disney company entrusted her with designing clothes based on its animated hit Mulan for its theme park parades in both Orlando and Los Angeles. Since then, she has become a long-term contractor for the Disney parks.
Turning the talk from herself to Splendid Costumes of the East, Ling, who has been working in China Folk Culture Villages as a professional stage costume designer for many years, said her design mission is combining fashion and ethnic culture to cater to the taste of the audience. She even put a futuristic touch to the costumes of the finale. "You know I made some of the
costumes with discs," she said.
Ling gets excited when she talks about the fourth act, the Moon from the East, which features the traditional costumes and customs of Suzhou in eastern China. "I exaggerated and enlarged such typical Chinese cultural elements as fans, umbrellas and writing brushes and turned them into costumes and ornaments that are worn by the performers. It's fantastic and has produced a marvelous effect," said Ling. Many viewers agree that the fourth act really stands out.
Based in the park, Ling is also much sought after by many TV producers across the country. CCTV, China's most prominent TV network, has featured hundreds of Ling's designs in some of its most important shows.
Ling, however, is not one to rest on her laurels. She looks forward to a long career of innovation and pleasing audiences.
|
|
|
|
