Hu's visit to Janpanese ballet troope rekindles old ties

http://www.cctv.com/video/cultureexpress/2008/05/cultureexpress_300_20080510_...

http://www.cctv.com/program/cultureexpress/20080510/100915.shtml

Hu´s visit to Jan. ballet troope rekindles old ties
WATCH VIDEOSource: CCTV.com
05-10-2008 10:24
An old friendship was renewed during the final day of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Tokyo. He visited a family-run Japanese ballet troupe that has long served as a friendly bridge between China and Japan
President Hu Jintao received a warm welcome by members of the Matsuyama Ballet,Thursday. The ballet company has had a mission dedicated to Sino-Japanese friendship over six decades.

Hu Jintao was there to visit the Ballet's founders Masao Shimizu and Mikiko Matsuyama, who are old friends of China.

In 1955, Mikiko and her husband choreographed "The White-Haired Girl" based on a well-known Chinese revolutionary story. The ballet troupe premiered the dance in Beijing in 1958. The ballet became an immediate sensation. Since then, the troupe has paid a dozen visits to China. Shimizu himself has visited China more than a hundred times.

Old footage of the troupe's performances in China brought back old memories.

Later, dancers performed a segment, adapted from the famous Chinese symphony, "The Yellow River Cantata". Everyone was moved by dancers' interpretation.

After viewing the performance, Hu Jintao said that over the past half century, the troupe has stuck to the ideal of building the Sino-Japanese friendship. He said the ballet has actively promoted cultural exchanges between the two countries. The troupe played a unique role in boosting understanding between the two peoples. The Chinese president says it is sure to play even greater roles during the next 60 years.

The Shimizu family said that they were deeply moved by President Hu Jintao personal visit to their troupe. They said it was a great encouragement for those who devoted themselves to the cause of Japan-China friendship.

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• Japan

[amandamoox]

this amazing dancers of matsuyama ballet deserved great praise for promoting friendship between japan and china!

[firewolf5k]

Trust me, this happening in Asia is VERY emotional

[myg0tBUTTPLUG]

@bigfatdick5000 that would be cool....red flag with a gold dragon on it...total China. Many people have the name Dragon also in China. Bai Long, Xiao Long etc.

[bigfatdick5000]

When the red star flag is posed next to the japan flag, it seems asymmetrical.

the japanese flag has retained it's traditional culture, same goes for the korean flag.

But the red star flag seems "un-chinese", it seems more soviet, not authentic chinese culture passed down from our ancestors. I envision the Chinese flag should be like a "dragon" coiled or something. that would be nice.

[kioka2009]

我觉得日本人太奇怪了~但总得来说,日本民族是一个能屈能伸的民­族,是一个厉害的民族!

[jimmyjamesWang]

lol, you guys doesn't know history. The truth is that after 1959's sino-soviet split, Japan is pretty much the only unofficial partner and ally to China because they are both anti-soviet. The US's right wing government refuse to recognize the sino-soviet split until the 1970s, while China back than supported Japan's re-arming and military independence from the US.

[4485lolo]

lucky you...it must be a great school

[MusicalGypsyGirl]

OMG!! it's my old ballet school!! i used to take lessons there from 2001 to 2006

[gocymru]

欢迎的队伍很热情啊

[ffff214]

how can these Japanese ladies be so emotional... it is a little bit over to me.. hope they are truly moved by Hu's speech and those tears are not their part of acting..