Los Angele—A world-famous Bellydance Evolution theatrical dance show was unveiled on July 24 in Seattle, which featured belly dance instructors, artists and dancers from around the world. Liu Chang, a young belly dancer from China, was invited as the only Asian dancer to perform and play a major role in the show.
Liu Chang integrated the belly dance into modern theatrical dance in her skillful and superb performance, which won the recognition of Jillina Carlano, a world-renowned choreographer, and fellow dancers, and was honored with the belly dance art achievement award.
In a recent interview, Liu said she felt proud that she was able to participate in this year’s BDE theatrical dance show as the only Chinese artist, and to perform on the same stage alongside best dancers in the world. This indicated the Chinese belly dance art has reached the highest level of American mainstream belly dance art. It is her hope that interactions with belly dancers from around the globe through such a world-class art event would have positive impact on art exchanges between China and the United States.
According to Liu, BDE theatrical dance shows, created by American belly dance master instructor Jillina Carlano, combines traditional Egyptian bellydance and Western dance to reimagine magnificent, thrilling, inspiring and exciting tales. BDE shows have been reputed as Swan Lake in the field of the belly dance, and highly honored in the United States and around the world. Participants in the shows are all elites in the industry.
Liu’s dancing career started with classical dances. She later had an accidental opportunity to encounter the belly dance on a TV show. And she was amazed by the beauty of the belly dance and deemed it a perfect embodiment of feminine charms. Liu subsequently came to Beijing to study the belly dance and determined to pursue it as her new career.
In 2009, Liu was invited to attend Ahlan Wa Sahlan belly dance art festival in Egypt and perform in the opening ceremony. There she met Jillina Carlano for the first time, and later became friends with each other. Liu has long been yearning for an opportunity to learn the belly dance from Jillina Carlano. Therefore, she felt lucky she could participate in a top BDE show in Seattle.
It is learned that Liu graduate from Southwest Minzu University in China in 2007 majoring in dancing performance, and later studied ballet in Beijing Dance Academy. In 2015 she founded Beijing Liu Chang Oriental Dance Academy, serving as its president, which has enrolled more than 2000 students. Liu is currently a master instructor and an authoritative judge for oriental dance. Throughout her career, she has won three championships in international oriental dance contests, and several championships in nationwide contests in China. And she was credited as “Championship Harvester” and “Dance Queen”.
Liu keeps making pioneering effort to advance oriental dance instructions, and has created over 50 original dances, which combine classical Chinese dance, Chinese ethnic dance, American popular Jazz dance, Hong Kong and Taiwan style music, and modern chance. Her masterpieces include Ode on Pipa, Hibicus Rain, Cai Wei, Senorita, Lalala. Liu has made great contributions in inheriting, promoting and carrying forward the Chinese oriental dancing arts.
