Zhang Yu JeniZhang13@163.com IN the Shenzhen original dance drama “Wing Chun,” the leading role of Yip Man, known as the grandmaster of the Chinese martial art Wing Chun, is played by a young dancer named Chang Hongji. Performing on the stage with a steady and imposing demeanor, the lively and outgoing 24-year-old is the cynosure of all eyes, with every mighty punch and movement as smooth as floating clouds and flowing water. As a high-quality artistic piece fusing dance and martial arts, “Wing Chun” has started a craze in the Chinese performing arts market. Over 100 performances have been staged nationwide in merely over a year. It also caused a sensation in Singapore at its overseas debut, telling the stories of Shenzhen and China to the world. Chang’s masterly performance has tugged at the audiences’ heartstrings, just as Yip Man’s personal story has inspired many to take the bull by the horns, strive for excellence, and develop the values of discipline, respect, and personal growth. Chang, the youngest principal dancer at the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater, was recently honored as a “Good Samaritan of Guangdong” for the fourth quarter of 2023. Passion and persistence Chang has become attached to dance since childhood. At age 6, Chang passed by a Latin dance classroom and was so drawn by its cheerful vibes. Thanks to his family’s support, Chang began to revel in the dancing world, from Latin dance and ballet to Chinese dance. At 17, he was admitted to the Department of Dance Theater of the Central Academy of Drama and embarked on his journey of becoming a dancer. Chang has said in more than one interview that he is not tall and slender like most dancers, and is inconspicuous on stage. But Chang has already learned to reconcile with his stature. Whether it’s daily training or performing on stage, he requires himself to put in more effort than others. “Dancing like this will be more tiring, but only by becoming stronger can others see me,” he said. In 2018, Chang appeared on stage at the Beijing Dance Academy’s dance drama “Eternal Friend” as a group performer, becoming one of the main actors in the drama. In 2019, he signed up for a TV show “Dance Smash,” a competition for young dancers, where he gave his all to show his dance skills and became one of the show’s eight most popular contestants. On stage, Chang is a perfectionist. After performances, he often browses audience comments on social media, so that he can make changes and adjustments based on the feedback in order to provide the audience with a better experience in the next performance. “Seeing bad reviews is good.It reminds me that I still need to improve,” Chang said. Meeting ‘Wing Chun’ In 2021, Chang graduated from the Central Academy of Drama and joined the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater. When asked the reason for coming to Shenzhen, he said: “When I came for the exam, I was attracted to this city. The Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater is a very new art troupe. Everything is full of passion, and it suits me very well.” According to Chang, “Wing Chun” was the first dance drama that he played after coming to Shenzhen, but he was not selected to play the lead at the beginning. “When the directors introduced ‘Wing Chun,’ they didn’t specify the characters, but instead told us all to learn martial arts first,” Chang said. In order to play Yip Man well, Chang put in tremendous effort. During rehearsals, which took over a year, he not only had to practice with the whole group, but also with Wing Chun masters. He practiced for more than 10 hours every day and getting bruises was all in a day’s work. Chang was well aware of the task’s difficulty after being selected to star in “Wing Chun.” For him, the challenge was not the martial arts movements, but how to convey the character’s personality and inner strength on stage, and how to make the audiences believe that he was “Yip Man.” In December 2022, Chang and the cast of the dance drama debuted in Shenzhen, then stepped onto the stage of the National Center for the Performing Arts, and started a tour nationwide. The drama also debuted overseas in Singapore, stunning global audiences. Gradually, Chang had his own understanding of Yip Man: “At first, I thought I should look good on stage, but later I realized he was more of a person who had an invisible power that can inspire people to pursue dreams and become the light for others.” Chang is now the youngest principal dancer of Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theater. As a rising dancer, Chang hopes to spread the charm of excellent traditional Chinese culture through well-made literary and artistic works, and inspire people to strive for excellence and greatness. | 