Unforgettable dance drama, a classic worth revisiting, ‘The Eternal Wave’ is China’s first spy-themed dance drama that has won numerous domestic awards and toured over 50 provinces and cities, with more than 600 performances, including a sensational appearance on the Spring Festival Gala, earning a national reputation. With a Douban rating of 9.5 and Damai rating of 9.7, since its trial performance in 2018, ‘The Eternal Wave’ has been staged over 600 times. This dance drama, which combines red culture, revolutionary spirit, and dance art, provides audiences with a double shock to the soul and the eyes. In 2024, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, ‘The Eternal Wave’ begins a new round of touring, paying tribute to the revolutionary spirit! From November 29th to December 1st, it will be staged at the Suzhou Shishan Grand Theater, once again paying tribute to the revolutionary martyrs who dedicated their youth and passion! Known as the ‘domestic dance drama ceiling,’ industry comments praise it as a model work that unifies thought, art, and viewing pleasure, representing the achievements of Shanghai’s cultural brand construction, and a sincere work that moves from plateau to peak, a rare masterpiece that can win awards and also has a market.
‘The Eternal Wave’ features vivid character portrayals, novel and unique conceptions, gripping plots, and diverse scene changes. It achieves a good integration of dramatic, dance, and musical aspects, easily resonating with people, strengthening their beliefs and pursuits, and satisfying the nobility and greatness of the soul. — Liu Wenguo, Vice Chairman of the Shanghai Dramatists Association
The clever spatial changes, bold designs, and sensitive captures, the space created by the human body in dance, perfectly combined with lighting and music, represent a new aesthetic spirit in contemporary dance drama creation that requires good summarization. — Feng Shuangbai, Chairman of the China Dancers Association
In recent years, the Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe has shown the resurgence of Shanghai’s dance through a series of works. Among my limited view of Chinese dance dramas, ‘The Eternal Wave’ is the best. — Ying E, a famous dance drama director
Audience comments: I work in public security. In one sentence, my feeling after watching this drama is that it transcends the traditional表现形式 of dance drama. The use of film language has given me a great impact on the soul, promoting the main melody in a way that allows contemporary young people to better accept red education, which is particularly good.
As a post-90s generation, I was unfamiliar with this history, but I was fortunate enough to watch this drama twice. The most intuitive feeling is that it is really very good-looking. The combination of stage design, costumes, and music is excellent. I was almost in sync with the actors, and I basically watched the second half in tears.
In this way, understanding this period of history is very important for post-90s generation and it is also a very good way. — Audience representative. As a post-80s generation, I also watched movies when I was young. But the moment the music of ‘Fisherman’s Song’ sounded, it touched my tear point. It evoked my childhood memories as a Shanghainese, so I was very touched. The actors’ performances are excellent. From the very beginning, the audience can feel the wisdom and firmness of underground revolutionary workers. — Audience representative. True story, bold creation. The dance drama ‘Eternal Wave’ is based on Li Bai, one of the ‘100 heroes and role models who have made outstanding contributions to the founding of New China’. Taking the true story of martyr Li Bai and his wife Qiu Huiying as the material, it tells the story of Li Xia and Lan Fen couple’s undercover life in Shanghai. They walk on the verge of life and death every day and secretly transmit intelligence by radio waves. Based on respecting history, bold creation is carried out. The dance drama reproduces the heroic image of those who heroically sacrificed for the cause of national liberation with highly condensed dance drama narration. Although there is not a single line, but in the form of dance drama, through the expression of body language, it conveys belief and perseverance and infects and moves everyone. Tracing back to the long river, live up to the original intention. Those I love all understand my love. Those I believe in are worthy of my heart. Believe without fear, love without fear. Smallness is actually great. Darkness makes light more evident. If taking the happiness of all people in the world as my great happiness, only then can I live up to the meaning of our farewell! On the streets of Shanghai, on a rainy night. Li Xia and Lan Fen pretend to be husband and wife and start their 12-year undercover career… Every day, walking on the edge of the blade. Every night, secret intelligence is transmitted thousands of miles. Layers of disguises hide fatigue and look forward to the dawn. On the eve of liberation, dawn is approaching and the night is even colder. Around Li Xia, invisible enemies are approaching step by step. Countless comrades disappear in the storm. Newspaper secretary, photojournalist, tailor shopkeeper, apprentice, rickshaw puller, newspaper president, flower seller. Are their identities true or false? Silent gun muzzles, intense pursuits. Lightning tears the wound of the heart. Swallowing tears… The Li Xia couple who have gone through hardships all the way are faced with a life-and-death choice. Li Xia calmly sends the last piece of intelligence and smiles in the face of sacrifice. The day is about to dawn. Li Xia, taking martyrs of underground workers such as Li Bai as prototypes. They hide their identities and measure the journey of light with their lives. They believe that one should be dedicated to his country regardless of personal fortune or misfortune. The long river is silent and flows eastward in torrents. The radio waves never stop and the belief lasts forever. Red romance, immersive aesthetics. In recent years, there are many excellent spy-themed works in domestic and foreign films, television and novels. In the field of dance in stage art, spy-themed works have not been tried yet. The dance drama ‘Eternal Wave’ is an artistic exploration and practice of Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble’s combination of the artistic form of comprehensive dance and the theme content of spy war on the stage. Through the body language of dance art and the abstract temperament of stage space, it gives spy-themed works a brand new artistic presentation.
The urban characteristics of old Shanghai, such as Shikumen, alleyways, streets, newspapers, and cheongsam tailor shops, are meticulously presented on stage. With highly condensed dance narrative, aesthetic imagery, flexible freehand stage settings, and the tense suspense of espionage, the dance drama recreates the heroic figures who made a glorious sacrifice for our party’s national liberation cause.
Related Content：
Suzhou: The Play ‘In Search of Her Traces: Eileen Chang’
Summer Vacation in Shanghai: Must-Visit Spots to Bookmark
Shanghai Yang Liping’s 2022 Dance Drama ‘Peacock’
#Self-Drive Tour# Shanghai, the Magic City: Unveiling its Mysteries Upon Arrival!
Finding New Development Momentum in Adherence and Transformation: The 21st Century Hospitality Summit (2021) Held in Shanghai
839th Episode: Bustling Eastern Water Capital, Twin Dragons Play Pearls on the Huangpu River Beach