Xinjiang artists carry on ancient Meshrep dancing

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China has published a white paper on the protection of cultural heritage in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, saying the government has made a continuous effort to strengthen the legal system in order to preserve traditional culture.

In Makit county, artists are committed to carrying on a centuries-old dancing culture called Meshrep. Performances of Dolan Meshrep can be seen in the villages known as the "home of Dolan" every week.

Kadir Nurek, 62, is a second generation Dolan culture inheritor. He started teaching Meshrep in the 1970s and has more than 50 apprentices.

"Dolan culture was passed down by our ancestors, generation by generation. We have the responsibility of handing it down ourselves so that we won't lose it," Kadir said.

Kadir Nurek (3rd L) teaches Mayra Ablikm (C, Front) about the art of Meshrep dancing. /CGTN Photo

Dolan documents the lives of hunters, and Meshrep means a gathering with poetry, music, and dance.

People no longer hunt and most young people learn Meshrep at art schools.

"We often invite some senior performers to give us some lectures. Or we go to visit them to understand how Dolan culture really feels so that we can make our stage performances look more natural," said Mayra Ablikm, 24, a dancer of Makit Dolan Art Troupe.

Crowds enjoy dancing at the Makit Dolan Culture Square. /CGTN Photo

Meshrep was put into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2010, a move that brought nationwide attention to the preservation of this traditional Uygur art.

Artists feel a heavy burden to carry it forward. Many believe the key is to integrate elements from modern life into the dancing.

As night falls and crowds gather at the Makit Dolan Culture Square, people from all walks of life gather and dance to the traditional rhythms.

The Meshrep folk dance has turned into a kind of plaza dance and group dancing has become a common scene every night in downtown Makit. It is a leisure activity and showes that traditional Dolan culture has merged into people's lives.