Xinshi: How a Chinese water town reinvents itself through art

With the rhythmic splashes of oars echoing along a millennium-old canal with glistening ripples, the second season of the Xinshi Town Dance Art Festival recently unfolded in Deqing County, east China's Zhejiang Province. Taking place from October 22 to 26, the event fully integrates art with the culture and natural beauty of the ancient water town of Xinshi, making it an ideal destination for cultural tourism.

Under the theme of "Ease," a choreographed dance was presented during the festival, which perfectly combined the features of ballet, folk dance and contemporary dance. The show also used the skillful design of lights and shadows to showcase the beauty of the traditional water town.

An academic conference centered around dance-ecology, a theory founded by dancer Zi Huayun emphasizing the mix of dance and ecological environments, will provide a platform for experts and scholars to discuss the theory and practice of this emerging discipline.

Through a variety of events, the festival aims to make the water town a culture-based scenic spot adding the flavors of art to the construction of cultural identity.