USC Traditional Chinese Dance 11th Annual Showcase: Interwoven

On Saturday, March 26, 2016, USC Traditional Chinese Dance held their showcase of the year. This year the group took a more traditional approachable with their dances. USC APASA intern Aimee Xu writes more about the show.  This past Saturday, USC Traditional Chinese Dance provided the USC community with a delightful conclusion to the first week back of spring break with their 11th annual showcase, ‘Interwoven.’ The theme of TCD’s 2016 showcase focuses on their encounters with those whom have profoundly changed their lives.

The show opened with color, as the dancers in ‘Springtime’ showcased vibrant green scarves and pink and purple fans. The first half of ‘Interwoven’ featured a variety of dances, many of which incorporated both Eastern and Western elements. In ‘Against All Odds,’ the dramatic choreography by Jessica Koe bridged Chinese and Western cultures through traditional Chinese dance elements and music by Lorde. ‘Jade Dolls,’ also incorporated multiple cultures, as traditional Chinese dance met traditional Korean percussion, as performed by USC Haneulsori.

The second of half of the show featured the dramatic plot of the ancient Chinese tale, “The Cowherd and the Weaving Maiden.” The Cowherd, Thinh Nguyen, and the Weaving Maiden, Jessica Koe, fall in love, but the Ruler of Heaven, Jade Shi, forbids the two from being with one another. In ‘Battle in the Heavens,’ a dramatic fight scene featuring members of Wushu Nation ultimately concludes in the separation of the two lovers, as the Ruler of Heaven forges a river between earth and heaven. In ‘Celestial Ties,’ birds flock together to create a bridge and reunite the lovers as a romantic conclusion to ‘Interwoven.’

Thank you to all the TCD performers and USC Haneulsori and Wushu Nation! The performance was done with such grace and beauty! We look forward to your showcase next year!

Aimee Xu

USA APASA Intern