Chinese choreographer Tong Ruirui: pursuing Goddess of Luo River

（People's Daily Online）  10:33, November 27, 2012

"The outcast prince Cao Zhi comes to Luo River and walks slowly to his lover Goddess of Luo River. Finally, they fly into sky in fantasy." The dancing opera Goddess of Luo River ends.

Thunderous applause breaks out from audience who could hardly hear the unfinished music. This is what happens at the end of the premiere of the "Goddess of Luo River" in National Centre for the Performing Art as well as their each performance since December 2010.

Related: Beijing dance teacher Wang Yuanyuan and her BDT

"I wish that 95 percent of audience can understand this Chinese classic dance," said director and choreographer of the dancing opera Tong Ruirui.

Tong Ruirui, in her early 30s, is a national first-class choreographer. She has won many national awards by many excellent works such as "Fan and Painting", "Nanjing 1937", "The Earth". Her creation "Goddess of Luo River" won the gold award of the 8th China Lotus Award which is the highest honor of dance in China.

The young choreographer shows her thought through her work. She said : "We should dig out our Chinese culture rather than others. Only when we could create from your own culture, can Chinese people be more confident in their nationality. I believe that only those things born from national matrix could win the same dialogue qualification which represents the rise of culture."

Tong Ruirui became one of the hottest guests to help some place creating their culture brand since the publicity of dance"Nanjing 1937". Five years later, she devotes herself into the creation of the "Goddess of Luo River". She learns from Chinese culture to find inspiration.

Related: Young Kunqu Opera performer Zeng Jie in Zhejiang Province

Tong always expresses her disagreement of ingratiation: "There is no need of art if we just want to ingratiate our work with others. Art is to refresh our minds and bring us beauty and honor. Nowadays, the spread of mainstream value and patriotism is our priority."

"I will never forget the scene when more than 3000 students bellow out 'revitalize China' after watching my work 'Nanjing 1937'," said Tong.