Shanghai Ballet the Butterfly Lovers: The new Romeo and Juliet with a Chinese butterfly twist.
I must admit that I am not one to voluntarily attend artistic events such as The Shanghai Ballet: The Butterfly Lovers. However, I couldn't help but feeling like I was in the middle of a monarch butterfly sanctuary throughout the whole show. I did not have the slightest clue on what the show would entail besides ballerinas however, I was received with the story of two damned lovers, astonishing choreography, heavy Chinese culture, and an unforgettable experience that one must take the time to experience.
The power of movement was truly shown throughout the show. The visual movement that went in sync with the intriguingly beautiful orchestrated music using Chinese instruments was able to not only tell a story but also feel the love and energy running through your bones. I truly felt like I connected with the characters through their facial expressions that could be seen from afar. Personally, I felt like throughout the whole show I concentrated on the synchronized dances because it was truly astonishing to think how much time and effort it takes to but on a show like The Butterfly Lovers, that includes so many details that tie the whole story together.
''''''''''' Not only was the intense choreography enough to lure me into the show but how could you look away from the beautiful, bright, glittery outfits in The Butterfly Lovers? My favorite outfit during the show is without hesitation when the dancers were dressed as beautiful colorful monarch butterflies. The reasoning on why this particular outfit is my favorite out of the entire show is much deeper than the storyline. This past year my grandmother passed away during the summer and since then butterflies have been appearing to me in moments when I feel like I need them the most. Since we are in the middle of winter, I have not seen a butterfly in about three to four months until during show when all the dancers stepped out on stage as butterflies. Although The Butterfly Lovers, may not be the type of storyline to bring someone to tears, it did in my case. That specific act of rebirth represented through the dancing butterflies resembled what I believe happenend to my grandmother when she left this earth. Shanghai Ballet: The Butterfly Lovers, is more than the typical Romeo and Juliet forbidden love story but instead filled with a deeper message that when two spirits emerge, their souls are to never separate.
This photograph was captured during the end of the performance which shows the beautiful, bright, glittery monarch butterfly dresses that the dancers wore during Shanghai Ballet: The Butterfly Lovers.