俏花旦 (川剧舞)

This dance introduces Sichuan Opera elements into dance. Hua Dan, is the "Florist Role," one of the most expressive characters in Sichuan Opera.  She is the pretty, cheerful, and coquettish young woman.

In Qiao Hua Dan, a high-pitched soprano summons the Hua Dan girls, who are keen to show off their colorful garments and their coy demeanor. With nimble eye and hand expressions, they play a game of show-and-chase, inviting us into their playful world. This contemporary choreography uses the vocabulary of Chinese classical dance—waist twisting, head shaking, and silly, squatting clown steps. The silk costumes—with rainbow colors and embroidery—are adapted from traditional styles, with extra-large peonies to symbolize happiness, harmony, and spring. The striking headress is often seen in Sichuan opera: the dancers flaunt their pheasant feathers and swing their braids to become the sassy and adorable females of the past.

The music is played by the traditional Chinese instruments, banhu, suna, erhu, and pipa, as well as Sichuan local percussion instruments, and electronic piano. The soprano singing is in the Sichuan style, and the yodeling chorus, which is unique among all the Chinese operas, creates percussion-like vocal rhythms with lyrics in the regional dialect.