Dance Sino-French cultural exchange, Bordeaux National Opera Ballet tour ends in Beijing

From May 18 to 19, the Ballet of the National Opera in Bordeaux, France, will present two works at the National Theatre for the Performing Arts, concluding the Chinese tour.

2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. "This is a very extraordinary year," said Manuel Ondrey, director of the Bordeaux National Opera and general manager of the ballet company. After escaping the barrier of the epidemic, they finally resumed the exchange of performances with China. For a month, the tour set sail from Shenzhen, passed through Xi'an, Shanghai and came to Beijing. At each stop, the dance company will stay for about a week to visit the museum for study, or interact closely with the local ballet company and children.

"This is a very different approach from previous tours, where we had not been in the performance city for a long time and had already left in a hurry without understanding the local culture. This time, we wanted to have a deeper spiritual communication with everyone," Manuel-Ondrey said. On May 17, the National Opera Ballet of Bordeaux held a networking event with dancers from the Central Ballet. "Everyone practiced together, danced together, and it only took 5 minutes to get very harmonious."

"Now, in France and some Western countries, there are still people who have prejudices and misunderstandings about China." Manuel-Ondrey hopes that through his efforts, more people can see a real and comprehensive China. In 2012, the Bordeaux National Opera Ballet performed in China, and after returning 12 years later, many dancers marveled at the rapid changes taking place in this land. Manuel-Ondrey first came to China in 2016 and was invited to give a speech to the students of the conservatory. "I felt a positive energy and strong curiosity and creativity. From that time on, I decided to come to China every year. People here respect history and always have an open mind." Mr. Manuel-Ondrey admires the Chinese philosophy of life, and he often captures the similarities between the two cultures. For example, France and China are both great gastronomic countries, and the cooking techniques are endless. "It is a great spirit to make all kinds of tricks for seemingly ordinary things."

In the appreciation and discussion of seeking common ground while reserving differences, some cooperation intentions are brewing. For example, the National Opera of Bordeaux in France may jointly create an opera with the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Next spring, they also plan to hold a workshop for Chinese and French dancers, inviting everyone to create and accumulate choreography experience. "We still have too much to say about cooperation and exchange. In the future, I think the most important thing is not business or money exchanges, but cultural exchanges, and understanding between people," Manuel-Ondrey said.