Published on : 25/01/2023
On the ballet stage dominated by Americans, a rendition full of Chinese characteristics, Butterfly Lovers, quietly debuted in Manhattan, New York, captivating the audience with the beautifully romantic story.
The choreographer and dancer of this performance is Chen Zhenwei, a dancer from Huizhou, Guangdong. He is the first principal dancer of Chinese descent in the New York City Ballet's 74-year history. How did a Chinese face rise to the pinnacle of a Western ballet company?
The only boy in dance class
As a native of Guangdong, Chen Zhenwei has been learning to dance with with his older sister since kindergarten and is the only boy in the dance class. His parents sent him to learn dancing simply to fill his spare time, but his passion for dance grew unexpectedly.
At the age of 11, he got the opportunity to learn ballet at the Guangzhou Arts School. Naturally, his family was against the idea, but Chen Zhenwei showed a decision-making prowess beyond his age. He wrote a seven-page letter to persuade his parents to let him study dance in Guangzhou.
With long arms and legs, for he is weak-limbed and even somewhat uncoordinated. But he was willing to work hard. "During those six years at the Guangzhou Arts School, you could say I had no life," said Chen, "I felt that if I missed practice for just one day, I would find my self in regression. Even when I was traveling, I had to carve out time to practice in my room."
Six years later, Chen Zhenwei's excellent performance at the Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland earned him invitations from nine renowned dance companies. Eventually, he accepted a scholarship from the Houston Ballet and went to the United States to study alone.
Five-year journey to the top
In 2012, he formally joined the Houston Ballet, becoming one of the only three dancers of Chinese descent in the company. However, Chen Zhenwei was injured shortly after joining and missed all the important roles, which left him no choice but to become an ensemble performer.
"When I was lost, I wanted too much," Chen recalled. Looking for opportunities everywhere, he thought about going to college and participating in competitions. At that time, a book named The One Thing changed him. "After I finished reading it, I realised that once you do one thing well, all other problems can be solved."
In 2016, he starred as the Nutcracker Prince in the new version of "The Nutcracker", and was promoted to first soloist. In the following year, he was promoted again to principal dancer.
Generally speaking, ballet dancers start their careers as apprentices and need about a decade to rise through the ranks, but Chen Zhenwei did it in within five years.
The first Chinese principal dancer in top-notch ballet company
However, becoming a principal dancer does not mean that he has reached the end.
Once, his parents went to Houston to watch his performance in "The Nutcracker" and noticed that he seemed to be in a "retirement mode". They encouraged him to find ways to keep improving.
In August 2021, Chen Zhenwei joined the New York City Ballet which was founded by George Balanchine, "Father of American Ballet", and one of the top ballet companies in the world. 95% of its dancers come from the School of American Ballet. Only 5% come from outside the school, and Chen is one of them.
Moving from the relatively comfortable Houston to the dynamic New York, Chen Zhenwei not only dropped a rank and was no longer a principal dancer, but also had to face high costs and a busier lifestyle.
Besides, the operating methods and performance styles of these two ballet companies were of huge difference. Chen Zhenwei had to start from scratch again.
In May 2022, he was once again promoted to Principal Dancer, becoming the first Chinese with this title in the New York City Ballet.
What is the key to standing firm in a top-tier ballet company?
"One of the most crucial qualities is the ability to adapt quickly," said Chen Zhenwei, "a Chinese face on a Western stage, especially in a ballet company led by Americans, means you have to work harder, and be more outstanding."
A choreographer once commented on Chen Zhenwei, saying that he was like going to someone else's house, dancing in someone else's culture, and doing it even better.
But Chen has done more than that. He is even influencing other people's culture.
Chen tries to integrate Chinese and Western cultures in his artwork, and the "Butterfly Lovers", mentioned at the beginning of the article, is an example. "I hope American audiences can also enjoy the fantastic Chinese culture," said Chen Zhenwei.
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