The 37th Shanghai Tourism Festival grand parade kicked off on the Bund on the evening of Sept 12, with 21 themed floats and performance troupes from home and abroad. Among them, a team from Shanghai University of Sport presented an original performance titled Welcome to Shanghai, blending Fengxian's dalianxiang (a traditional stick dance) with modern sports dance.

Dalianxiang: a century-old folk art reimagined

Dalianxiang combines dance, fitness, music, and folk performance into a single form. The art has been practiced in Fengxian's Qingcun town since the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and became a well-known folk performance by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In 2015, Shanghai added it to its municipal intangible cultural heritage list.

Performers typically hold a bamboo stick about 70 centimeters long, with coins or small bells strung through holes at both ends. When the sticks strike each other during the dance, they produce a crisp, rhythmic sound. Dancers swing the sticks up, down, and sideways, tapping their shoulders, backs, and limbs as they sing and dance. The movements combine strength and grace with a lively, upbeat rhythm.

Fengxian rolling lantern heads to Barcelona

Beyond the tourism festival parade, Fengxian's intangible heritage is also making a splash internationally. From Sept 21 to 26, a Fengxian rolling lantern performance team will travel to Barcelona, Spain, to take part in La Merce Festival as part of Shanghai's role as guest city.

Fengxian gundeng, or Fengxian rolling lantern, is a traditional folk art combining dance, acrobatics, and sport, with a history spanning more than 700 years. In 2008, it was added to China's national intangible cultural heritage list. Traditionally crafted from 12 bamboo strips, the lantern comes in large, medium, and small sizes. Performers require coordination and core strength to manipulate the lantern through a repertoire that includes jumping, crawling, spinning, and swinging movements.

Source: Fengxian district administration of culture and tourism