Chinese disabled art troupe wins applause of Egyptian audience

Chongqing Disabled Art Troupe from China is winning the applause of Egyptian audience during its ongoing dance show in the Egyptian capital Cairo.

A woman takes selfies with an artist from Chongqing Disabled Art Troupe in Cairo, Egypt, on Feb. 18, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

Through the outstanding performance of traditional Chinese dance, the troupe members, who suffer from hearing disabilities, have won the admiration and respect of Egyptian audience.

Aya Salam, an 18-year-old college student, said she was impressed by the harmony of the artists and their ability to perform in such a professional way.

"Their disability deprived them of hearing the music, but their senses and passion for life made them more creative and persistent," Salam told Xinhua after the show.

"I really loved the show and I will put Chinese traditional arts on my agenda," she added.

Samy Mohammed, a sales manager, also said the audience were extremely moved by the performance of the Chinese artists.

"Many of us did not know much about Chinese traditional arts. The shows bring us closer to China," he explained.

Since the relations between China and Egypt were upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014, the cultural exchange has hit its peak, with artists, cultural and musical delegations paying frequent mutual visits.

Through such cultural activities, both countries hope to boost friendly ties under China's Belt and Road Initiative to promote deeper understanding of each other.

"With the Belt and Road Initiative, the global community could do much more than before to make the world a better place for disabled people," said Liao Dan, general counsel of the art troupe.

"We are very happy to see that people here love our performances. We are impressed by the passion and the great atmosphere here which helped us perform better," he told Xinhua.

"We are honored to be part of the forum and we are happy to see so many gifted artists from all over the world, especially those disabled artists," the middle-aged man said.

According to Liao, the troupe would perform in Cairo for a week as part of the third edition of Awladna International Forum for Arts of the Gifted.

"We will perform at the closing ceremony. We are all excited about it," Liao said.

In addition, he said the performance is also aimed to introduce Chongqing, a southwestern Chinese municipality featuring mountains and rivers, to the world.

"The performers are selected from the special schools in Chongqing. The selection lasts about two months because we want the best performers," Liao added.

Most of performers did not receive formal training in dancing or singing before, he noted.

Experts and trainers mainly focus on rhythm to teach those with hearing disabilities by using the drum beats, the troupe manager explained.

The performers use their bodies to sense the vibrations of the drum and learn the rhythm, he said.