Jinan youngsters revive traditional lantern dance

The Huaiyin silk ball lantern dance, a Shandong provincial intangible cultural heritage in Jinan, Shandong province has been revived as more and more youngsters are starting to practice the traditional art form.

Xizhang Primary School in Jinan's Huaiyin district has opened a training class for silk ball lantern dance since 2013 to help more students learn the unique charm of the art. Now, a performance team has been established in Xizhangjiazhuang village with an average age of 15 years old, which brings a youthful spirit to the art.

The silk ball lantern dance in Xizhangjiazhuang village has a history of nearly 500 years. It is a traditional folk art integrating martial arts and dance that is usually performed during important festivals such as the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival to express people's wishes for good harvests, happiness and good fortune.

Xizhangjiazhuang village has established a workshop to help students discuss and innovate the moves, and techniques of the dance. The performance team in the village also regularly takes part in public performances to help better protect and inherit the traditional art form.