Ballerina Ginevra Belotti dances in Chinese Qipao in east China's Shanghai, April 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang)
SHANGHAI, May 18 (Xinhua) -- At just 16 years of age, ballerina Ginevra Belotti seamlessly merges Eastern and Western dance forms, creating an exceptional style. Donning a traditional Chinese Qipao, or cheongsam, she exudes poise and grace throughout her elegant performances.
"My dream is standing on stages around the world, showing the beauty of the fusion of Eastern and Western dance to the audience, allowing them to experience a different kind of aesthetic," Belotti said.
Born to Italian parents in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Belotti has lived in China her entire life. Her dancing career began when she was three years old, when her mother brought her to her first dance class. She instantly fell in love with the art, and it has been her passion ever since.
To improve her dancing skills, she studied ballet at an international dance school in Shanghai. She currently performs at a dance studio.
The young ballerina has studied multiple styles of ballet, and said that she has focused more on Russian ballet, which is different from its Italian counterpart, because ballet in China contains many Russian elements.
"It suits me very well because it's very slow and the movements are very big. There's a lot more extensions than jumps, which is what I prefer doing," she said.
She also learned traditional Chinese dance for two years. In her opinion, Chinese dance is very different from ballet as dancers move their bodies more freely.
"I have done a Chinese dance that was a mix with ballet, and we used umbrellas to represent the daily life in Chinese traditional dancing," she recalled.
Chinese culture has always held a deep attraction for the Italian girl. She particularly likes the dragon dance, a traditional dance that is often performed during the Chinese Spring Festival. "I feel like it's very hard for the dancers because they have to jump around and work as a group."
She also said that she likes the Chinese Qipao, a classic dress for women. "It's very elegant, and I think it really emphasizes the Chinese women's elegance," said Belotti, who sometimes wears a Qipao when dancing.
Belotti has spent a lot of time traveling in China. She enjoys going to various cities and experiencing local cultures. She quickly realized that most regions have their own dialects, and that it can be hard to communicate with Chinese people in different places only using Mandarin. But "everyone is super friendly and they're super nice."
Belotti believes that dance is a universal language that can be understood around the whole world. "Dance is the most essential expression of humanity. It is a dialogue between physical bodies, as well as a dialogue between souls."
"The fusion of dance will be a bridge for people in different cultures to understand and appreciate each other. Exchanges make civilizations wonderful," she said. ■
