The Pulse of the Chinese Warrior Dance: Dance Drama "Odes to Heroes" Sets Beijing Ablaze
BEIJING, Aug. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the dance dramas Awakening Lion and LOONG, the large-scale ethnic dance drama Odes to Heroes, another masterpiece by the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre, was staged at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from July 31 to August 3, 2025.
"Odes to Heroes" | The Epic Dance Drama Debuts in Guangzhou
It was jointly produced by the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangzhou Municipal Committee, the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism, and Guangzhou Cultural Development Group under the guidance of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province. This spectacular performance offered a double feast for both the eyes and souls to the capital's audience. With the intangible cultural heritage "Yingge" at its core, the dance drama has quickly become a cultural sensation in Beijing, resonating deeply with the audience through its profound cultural roots and artistic expression on the modern stage.
A Phenomenal Dance Drama Sparkles in the Capital
As a blockbuster performance of the 2025 "Tianqiao Dance and Performance Season," Odes to Heroes debuted alongside other acclaimed works such as The Eternal Wave and The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, captivating the audience with its passionate patriotism and exquisite stage art. Excerpts from the drama had previously been featured in the "Hundred Flowers Welcoming Spring: Spring Festival Gala for the Chinese Literature and Art Circles" and the CCTV's 2025 "Cultures of China, Festival of Spring" Global Chinese New Year Gala. This premiere in Beijing has presented a newly refined version to show the perfect blending of intangible cultural heritage and contemporary spirit.
Why Has the Fervor for "Odes to Heroes" Never Stopped?
The dance drama Odes to Heroes has ignited lasting fervor nationwide, not only for its top-tier creative team and star-studded cast, but for the emotional and cultural resonance it delivers on stage. Currently, the dance drama has undergone 38 tours in 19 cities across the country. It was further refined in June, evolving with the Yingge dance at its core and the epic history of overseas Chinese as its soul, reimagined through a contemporary lens to tell the epic story of overseas Chinese and their patriotic spirit during the War. As the drama unfolds through striking choreography, symbolic imagery, and a moving narrative of separation, reunion, and self-discovery, it awakens a profound "bloodline awakening" among audiences—a cultural self-confidence and pride in heritage. Blending rich elements of Lingnan culture such as wood carvings, embroidery, iron-branch puppetry, beef balls, oil-paper lanterns, and it's worth mentioning that the theme song of Odes to Heroes is in the Chaoshan dialect rap style. The production bridges tradition and modernity. Each performance becomes a powerful expression of shared memory, identity, and hope—bringing the spirit of Yingge and the voices of generations past and present to life.
Curtain Falls and Echoes Remain
The year 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theatre and the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti-Fascist War. To commemorate this historic year, the theatre presents its Lingnan trilogy—Awakening Lion, LOONG, and Odes to Heroes—as a tribute to six decades of artistic excellence.Odes to Heroes honors this immortal history through powerful stagecraft, where the clash of the Yingge mallet and the emotion in "overseas letters" evoke the patriotic spirit of two generations. Following a successful premiere in Beijing, the production has left a lasting cultural impression and rekindled public appreciation for traditional heritage. The theatre will continue telling Lingnan stories through contemporary dance, promoting Chinese culture on the global stage.