Shanghai Ballet's latest original creation "The Heartbeat of Muqam" has made its world premiere on Saturday evening at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater.

From the perspective of a young musician named Guli returning to her hometown, the ballet tells a root-seeking journey – from pursuing childhood memories to rediscovering the contemporary vitality of the Muqam.

The Xinjiang Uyghur Muqam art is a large-scale classical music suite that integrates song, dance, and instrumental music, prevalent in Uyghur-populated areas across northwest China's Xinjiang region.

Since ancient times, the Muqam has developed through a fusion of courtly and folk traditions, continuously drawing nourishment from folk songs, customs, and stories, making it appealing to both refined and popular tastes.

By the early 20th century, due to wars and social changes, the transmission of the Muqam became extremely difficult. China organized artists to carry out a series of notation and lyric documentation efforts, preserving the Muqam permanently in musical score form.

In 2005, the Muqam was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"Searching For Muqam" features playwright Luo Huaizhen as screenwriter and Wang Ge as chief director. Over the past three years, the creative team of Shanghai Ballet has traveled to Xinjiang six times for fieldwork, grasping the true essence of the Muqam art through the singing and playing of veteran artists and the joyous songs of local villagers.

"The most challenging part is blending the movements of Xinjiang's ethnic dance with ballet to express Guli's delicate emotional changes," said Qi Bingxue, Shanghai Ballet's principal dancer who plays Guli.

"I really love the music of this production — it helps me fully immerse myself in the character's emotions," she added.

Xu Jingkun, who plays Guli’s childhood friend Aili, also spoke about the difficulty of merging the two dance forms.

"Although both dance styles emphasize a poised, upright, and spirited quality, classical ballet tends to be more restrained, while Xinjiang dance requires a greater sense of warmth and passion," he said. "I watched many videos of Xinjiang weddings online and practiced in front of a mirror to make my movements more expressive."

The ballet brings many natural and everyday scenes of Xinjiang to the stage, including a bustling market in an ancient city, a cozy courtyard life, and grand wedding ceremonies.

The costumes incorporate ethnic motifs and patterns alongside classic ballet silhouettes, while props feature modern elements such as livestreaming equipment and drones, interpreting the idea that "Muqam is not a dusty memory, but a living heartbeat."

Performance info

Dates: May 9-10, 2pm/7:30pm

Tickets: 80-580 yuan

Venue: Shanghai International Dance Center Theater 上海国际舞蹈中心

Address: 1650 Hongqiao Rd 虹桥路1650号