Debra Li

debra_lidan@163.com

WHILE most women her age in China are content with a leisurely retirement life spiced up with plaza dance routines, dancer Yang Liping can still wow audiences on stage.

Single at 60, the beloved “princess peacock” will return to Shenzhen Poly Theater this month with “Winter of Peacock,” a dance performance tailor-made for her.

Growing up in Xishuangbanna in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province, the Bai ethnic minority dancer has been renowned for her interpretation of peacock dances since the debut of her “Spirit of the Peacock” in 1986. Having never received formal education at a dance academy, Yang has simply loved dancing since childhood, and she’s a natural.

“Dancing is certainly different for me at a different age,” Yang explained after a performance in Huizhou last week.

“In your 20s, you are like a flower in the spring; in your 40s, you have gone through a lot in life and will focus on those really important things; and at my age, you will think about life and death, and respect the natural cycle of things,” Yang said.

“Every life, whether it’s a person, a butterfly or a plant, has to go through the journey from birth to death. No one can defy the rule of time. The body will perish, but the memory of those moments of beauty and passion will live on.”

Yang will perform five solo dances during the 90-minute show. After suffering four fractures in her legs during a rehearsal three months ago, the dancer recovered miraculously, driven by her strong will.

“It’s still impossible for me to kneel or spin quickly,” she said. “So I have to make adjustments to the choreography. The good thing is, it gives me more time to focus on the details and the emotional expression of the dance.”

Unlike many other Chinese dance performances, which often tell a story with a linear structure, Yang’s are distinct for their ethnic appeal, unique aesthetics and metaphorical expression.

In 2012, Yang premiered “The Peacock,” a four-part dance themed around the courtship and life of the beautiful bird through a sequence of the four seasons. “Winter of Peacock” is based on the winter chapter in that show.

With the costumes and the stage set in a serene pure white, the new show is strikingly beautiful. The opening scene’s continuously falling heavy snow, and another scene where numerous stars light up the night sky, are among the most memorable.

“I myself have arrived at the winter of my life, so this is an apt subject for me to explore right now,” Yang said.

In the solo dances, she vividly interprets the pains and struggles of the bird near the end of its life, as well as the relief and joy of nirvana and the rebirth of its soul.

At 60, Yang is still trying to push the envelope and experiment with new ideas, not just as a dancer but more as a choreographer and director.

“I’ve watched many versions of ‘Swan Lake,’ among which there was one performed by an all-male cast and another where all of the dancers had shaved their heads. There are many possibilities in artistic expression,” she said.

Last month, “Rite of Spring,” a modern dance she choreographed based on Stravinsky’s musical narrative of ritual sacrifice, premiered in Shanghai.

“Dancing, a part of life and the rituals back in my childhood village, is the one thing that has brought me the greatest joy in life,” Yang said. “Back in ancient times, people danced for emotional expression, which also served the function of empowering themselves in religious rituals. Dancing is a spiritual experience for me too, through which I get in touch with life and its meaning.”

“Winter of Peacock,” which first premiered in November 2016 in Yunnan, will be perfo3rmed in Shenzhen between Nov. 23 and 26. The show will also tour to other Chinese cities including Nanning, Wuhan, Xiamen, Wenzhou and Qingdao.

Tickets: 180-880 yuan

Time: 8 p.m., Nov. 23-26; 3 p.m., Nov. 24

Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, intersection of Wenxin Road 5 and Houhaibin Road, Nanshan District (南山区后海滨路与文心五路交界处深圳保利剧院)

Metro: Line 2 or 11 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E