Dance

The Dance Drama Red Sorghum is based on the novel of the same title by Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan, the dance drama Red Sorghum tells the story of ‘life forces’ through the varied use of body language to externalise the nuanced emotions, that is, the tenacious pursuit of love and freedom in life by the folks living on the highland where the sorghum grows. The author has once described how the dance drama ‘fully demonstrates the go-getting spirit of the original story, which stirs the heart of the audience, and stirs up the spirit of the original work. The ability to do that already makes it a success.’

The story takes place in Gaomi, Shandong province during the Republican period in China, that is, the first two decades of the 20th century. Jiuer is forced by her parents to marry an old leper who owns a winery. When she is on the way to get married, sitting in a sedan chair, she is stopped by a bandit. One of the sedan-carriers comes forward to fight with the bandit, finally driving him away. Jiuer and the young man fall in love because of this, and later she has his child. When the old leper dies, he has no heir to take over the winery, and Jiuer becomes the new owner. Later, the Japanese army invade China. Jiuer’s friend is brutally killed by them. Determined to avenge her friend, she asks her workers in the winery to help bury mines and make bombs, and the fight begins…