Chinese New Year visits Kolding in full force

22. januar 202001. juli 2024

She is slender, but strong. She swings herself powerfully up onto the shoulders of her dance partner, and, once she’s found her balance, pushes all the way up onto the tips of her toes, before raising her other leg vertically into the air.

Throughout this performance during the Chinese Happy Spring Festival Artistic Music Performance at Comwell, Kolding, on Thursday 16th January 2020, the audience found themselves collectively holding their breath – before breaking into rapturous applause.

The event was staged through a collaboration between IBA Confucius Institute, the Chinese Embassy, and Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre Company.

See the video from the Chinese New Year show

Over 1,000 people had received a complimentary ticket to the colourful Chinese New Year show, which was carried out by the troupe from Shenzhen, one of the China’s southernmost cities. The artists, who encompass acrobatics, songs, dance, ballet, music and more, have spent the last couple of years touring their shows around the world. Within Denmark, they had five other towns on their touring schedule in addition to Kolding.

Picture of Acrobatics and ballet at the Chinese New Year show — Acrobatics and ballet, in elegant combination. With impressive ease, the male dancer lofted his partner gracefully around him, at IBA Confucius Institute’s large New Year show at Comwell in Kolding.

The mood was set by the red paper lanterns hung around the large auditorium; and the audience were right behind the performers and artists from start to finish. They were treated to solo musical performances on the Guzheng instrument, and large dance numbers featuring the agile dancers dressed in glitter and silks.

Somewhere in one of the rows sat Allan Tao Bruun, who is married to a Chinese lady. The family, including their two boys, always holds Chinese New Year on 24^th January, and it is always a great occasion.

– The Chinese really get the most out of their New Year. It is a big thing, and great fun to be a part of, explains 47-year old Allan.

Picture of Niels Egelund — President of IBA Niels Egelund, welcoming over a thousand expectant audience members to the Chinese New Year show.

After 70 minutes of powerhouse performance coming from the stage, the performers earned yet another huge round of applause. The ballerina, 31-year old Li Yuanyuan, thought it was fantastic to perform in Kolding. She has danced in public since she was four years old, and these days is a professional dancer.

– I think it’s been great to show Kolding that Chinese New Year feeling, said Li, who is looking forward to travelling home to China to properly celebrate the event.