The Crested Ibises, an original dance drama that premiered in Shanghai in 2014, celebrated its 400th performance with a show at the Sapporo Cultural Arts Theater Hitaru in Japan on April 8.

Inspired by the preservation story of birds once in danger of extinction showcased at the Japan Pavilion during the 2010 Shanghai Expo, the Shanghai Dance Theater produced the dance drama to explore the fate of these previously endangered creatures, which symbolized happiness and blessings in ancient China.

The dance drama unfolds through three acts, including ancient, modern, and contemporary narratives that showcase the trajectory of the crested ibis from prosperity to endangerment and then to rebirth.

This is not only a dance drama, but also an epic about the relationship between humanity and nature.

To produce the play, the Shanghai Dance Theater first formed a creative team. It embarked on multiple visits to Shaanxi province and the Crested Ibis Nature Reserve on Japan's Sado Island to closely observe the living environment of the crested ibises and study their movements.

And in October 2014, The Crested Ibises finally made its international debut in Tokyo. It has since taken the stage at prestigious venues such as the Lincoln Center in New York City and the Boch Center in Boston, earning international acclaim.

Over the past decade, it has toured Japan four times, culminating in 135 performances by the end of this tour cycle, which started from Feb 16 and featured an itinerary of around 30 cities.

The Chinese Consulate General in Niigata has established a photo exhibition celebrating 40 years of Sino-Japanese collaboration in crested ibis conservation.

The narrative of the crested ibis' survival has been transformed into a tale that intertwines with the fabric of nature and humankind through the relentless endeavors of both nations.

Sources: Shanghai Observer and thepaper.cn