Established in 1996, the Zhongjing Yingge Team is deeply devoted to the artform of Yingge dance – which is reflected in the troupe’s name: ‘faithful’ (zhong), and ‘focused on improvement’ (jing).
To further enrich the artform of Yingge dance, troupe members continue to develop upon existing traditions, introducing bold innovations in terms of the artform’s execution. In recent years they have blazed new trails, carefully studying and learning from Yingge dance troupes throughout the Chaoshan region and then adding further innovations to create new styles. These efforts have resulted in the slow, moderate, and rapid forms of dance.
In 1996, the Zhongjing Yingge Team was invited to the inaugural Yingge Arts Festival held in Chaoyang City. In 1997, the troupe traveled to Hong Kong as representatives of Shantou to perform at the ‘Dream of a Century’ banquet in celebration of Hong Kong’s retrocession. From 2011 to 2013, the troupe made three consecutive visits to Suiyang, located in Henan province. This affirmed the dedication to the Shuangzhong (which also means ‘Two Loyalists’ in Chinese) cultural exchange between Shantou and Suiyang, and provided both sides a wonderful opportunity to discuss the excavation, transmission, preservation, and development of Shuangzhong culture, pushing Shuangzhong culture to greater heights and expanding its horizons.
Since 2012, the troupe has traveled with the Longjing Chichan Tianhou Mazu Temple to the Tiaohou and Meizhou Island temples in Putian to engage in cultural exchange. This has enabled the troupe to discover more about the culture of Mazu, assist in the propagation and development of Mazu culture, and experience its powerful appeal.
On the first day of the lunar new year in 2023, to spread further holiday cheer, Zhongjing Yingge Team performed at the ‘Bringing Culture to Every Home’ stage event hosted by the district government, bringing audiences a vibrant Lunar New Year experience. As the government has placed greater focus on local culture in recent years, Zhongjing Yingge Team has invested further in improving our costumes and props, creating better dance steps and motions, and expanding the ways that we spread Chaoshan culture, bringing Yingge dance to a wider audience.
