The prominent Chinese dancer and choreographer Liu Lingli, with her flair for the extraordinary, shows aspects of traditional Chinese concepts in her latest drama, “The Greatest Spirit” which will be shown in Beijing on March 6th and 7th she takes her inspiration from the ancient legends and culture surrounding baijiu.
When Liu Lingli started planning the new dance drama over twelve months ago, she decided to build her idea on ancient Chinese legends and culture, the same as she has done in some of her other works.
Only now she wanted to do something she was unfamiliar with and the Chinese white spirit, baijiu was her inspiration. With its long and mysterious history. Baijiu is included in most aspects of Chinese social life, especially on occasions such as family gatherings, marriages, and business deals. (See: Drinking Baijiu – Chinese Customs & Traditions)
After twelve months of research and thousands of hours preparation. “The Greatest Spirit” was premiered in Chengdu, in the province of Sichuan. From there it toured the U.S. A. In the city’s of Minneapolis, Chicago and Los Angeles.
On the 6th and 7th of March the show will be opening in Beijing, with two shows being staged at the National Centre for the performing arts and will be enacted by dancers from the Sichuan province song and dance theatre.
It is divided into eleven acts, which narrate the cultural history of Chinese spirits, and goes into exploring the folk lore surrounding them. The drama is a mixture of poetry, dance and martial arts. Liu Lingli has also included some constituents from Sichuan opera, which is a traditional form of provincial Chinese opera.