The Shanghai Ballet premiered its latest production, The Heartbeat of Muqam, with two performances at the Shanghai International Dance Center on Saturday and Sunday. Inspired by the folk music and dance of the Uygur ethnic group from northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the work represents a creative exploration of intangible cultural heritage through dance.

Muqam, recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, is a traditional performing art that combines the singing, music and dance of the Uygur ethnic group. "Muqam carries the imprint of cultural exchange and integration along the Silk Road, embodying the shared memories and deep emotions of the Chinese nation," says Ji Pingping, director of the Shanghai Ballet.

Founded in 1979, the Shanghai Ballet has long been committed to presenting Chinese culture through the international language of ballet. "We have discovered many connections between ballet and Xinjiang songs and dances," Ji notes.

The Heartbeat of Muqam not only marks an innovative breakthrough for the Shanghai Ballet but it also represents the use of dance in telling Chinese stories, she adds.

Creating the ballet spanned three years and involved six research trips to Xinjiang. During their visits, the dancers observed that "Muqam lives in the melodies, rhythms and movements of the local people. It is a natural part of their lives and an intuitive expression of emotion," shares principal dancer Qi Bingxue, who plays the protagonist in the production.

The ballet tells the story of a young musician of the Uygur ethnic group who returns to her hometown to retrace childhood memories and cultural roots, and rediscovers the contemporary vitality of Muqam.

In the dance-theater piece, the heroine livestreams a Xinjiang wedding via mobile devices, sharing the charm of Muqam with a global audience. "It reflects the real-life setting of today's Xinjiang, where Muqam resonates with the people rather than being confined to ancient books," Qi explains.

Ding Wei, former director of the China Song & Dance Ensemble, praises the production for its "outstanding integration of classical ballet and China's intangible cultural heritage".

"The stage design is beautiful, and the dancers deliver top-tier performances," he says, describing the work as "representing the highest level of dance art in Shanghai, and also in China".

He notes that Xinjiang folk dance is improvisational, quite distinct from ballet's structured vocabulary. "I saw a remarkable fusion of the two styles in this production, and the director has done an excellent job," he says.

Director Wang Ge emphasizes the fusion's organic nature: "You can't simply stitch together ballet footwork and folk dance's upper-body movements. It's important to maintain a fine line that keeps it authentically ballet rather than turning into a folk dance show."

Playwright Luo Huaizhen notes that this unprecedented blend significantly enriches the vocabulary of classical ballet and will make a meaningful contribution to the dance world.

A Xinjiang native surnamed Lu, who attended the opening night, recalled her childhood experiences with her friends of Uygur ethnic group: "We would sing and dance whenever people gathered. The potbellied character reminded me of uncles back home, and I recognized those dance moves, too!" she says in excitement.

She also commends the presentation of Xinjiang's cultural heritage through ballet. "There are many ways to introduce Muqam to the public. While folk dance is accessible to many, ballet conveys it more vividly to international audiences. We need more efforts like this to share Xinjiang with the world."