CONTENT COURTESY CHINA ORIENTAL PERFORMING ARTS GROUP
Tales of 12 Chinese Zodiac is a music and dance spectacular, performed by the China Oriental Performing Arts Group and hosted by China Arts and Entertainment Group.
A cast of 50 direct from China will stage this dance music production, which features classical and modern dance set to live percussion, plus colourful pageantry and costumes mixed with a touch of calligraphy, Peking Opera, and martial arts. The story explores ancient Chinese zodiac.
Meng Qingyao is one of the lead dancers. She is a rising dance star who graduated from Beijing Dance Academy. Meng recently won thousands of fans when she performed on one of the most popular dance TV shows in China, Dance Smash.
Shen Chen is director and choreographer of the production. He was executive director of the 29th Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony.
China Oriental Performing Arts Group comprises China’s finest music and dance performers, representing the highest standard of music and dance art in China. Having performed across China, they have also toured five continents covering more than 70 countries and regions.
The zodiac culture originates from ancient times, when Chinese ancestors categorised years by animal signs. The Chinese zodiac bestows its individual characteristics to those born in its corresponding year.
“The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac represent the most important and symbolic part of traditional Chinese culture,” director and choreographer Shen Chen says.
“I would like to show the circle of life, the circle of the four seasons, and the circle of nature through dance and music.”
Divided into four acts, the story follows the characteristics of 12 important historical periods of China, exhibiting every zodiac animal’s character traits from The Ox pasturing in the Wild to The Dragon returning to the Origin.
