The music had a four-beat rhythm but was otherwise unfamiliar, a Uyghur song for a number of voices accompanied by strings, a wind instrument and drums. But the dancers, straight-backed with their arms by their sides, were performing steps that were instantly recognisable as those of Irish dancing.
They come to this arts centre in a suburb of Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, a few times a week to learn and practice the Irish dancing they perform all over China. Aged between eight and 16, none of the dancers has ever been to Ireland but they are more familiar with Irish music and dance than most natives.
“During winter and summer vacations, they are here four times a week, usually Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. During normal school days, there are two classes every week, on Saturday and Sunday,” said Yusupjan Kiyum (40), who runs RG Tap Dance Company, the only Irish dancing school in Xinjiang.
A former child star who was known throughout China as a singer and dancer, Yusupjan’s training was in the traditional Uyghur dance of Xinjiang. But when he was 20, he saw Riverdance on television with Michael Flatley, whom he describes as his idol.
“Then I was suddenly attracted to this Irish dance, which is hard to describe in words. Up to now, I have had no teachers at all, and my Irish dancing is entirely self-taught. A lead dancer from Riverdance made a teaching video and I learned a lot from that. After that, I figured it out by myself and this is what I am today,” he said.
“I can feel this connection. I often joke that I am an Irishman in Xinjiang. ”
Yusupjan is a member of the mostly Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, as are most of the young dancers, although he said there are Han Chinese, Kazakhs and others among his students too. The classes are mostly in the Uyghur language but although they occasionally dance to Xinjiang music, most of the dancing is to Irish jigs and reels.
“The rhythm of Irish dance is very close to the rhythm of our native music. So it is very interesting and easy for us to dance or choreograph some steps by ourselves. The rhythm of our native music is actually the same as the rhythm of Irish dance music,” he said.
“The biggest characteristic of people in these two places is that they like to dance, and they like kind of happy, a little crazy look. I have seen Irish festivals, and everyone is so happy, dancing together, whether they can dance or not. They are all very happy, and the joyful atmosphere is the same.”
Riverdance has been hugely popular in China since 2003 when it became the first show from the West to be performed in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The show has been returning to China ever since and performed in seven Chinese cities earlier this year as part of its 25th anniversary tour.
Yusupjan has never been to Ireland but he met Flatley when he won a competition in Beijing 20 years ago and more recently met some Riverdance performers when they appeared in Shenzhen. His dancers have taken part in competitions elsewhere in China, often winning them, but he complains that the judges lack rigour.
“The people who organise Irish dance competitions nowadays actually don’t understand the rules of Irish dancing. They will mix in many other dances, such as Flamenco. If the judges think it looks good, they like it. And the judges will not distinguish according to age groups or skill levels. Everyone will compete together, whether you are professional or amateur, old or young. As long as everyone goes on stage to perform and participate in the competition, the organisers think it’s okay,” he said.
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“Beijing has held competitions, Shanghai has held competitions, and Wenzhou has held competitions. Xinjiang has never held an Irish dance competition. But I really want to organise one, to hold an Irish dance competition in Xinjiang,” he said.
During school holidays, Yusupjan takes his dancers on tour and they will perform in Shanghai later this month. He and his wife design the costumes, music and lighting but a constant headache is the lack of a suitable floor at unfamiliar venues.
“People don’t consider the special characteristics of Irish dance. Other dances can be performed anywhere, but Irish dance must have a wooden floor, or when you perform, the floor has to make a sound,” he said.
The school is funded entirely from tuition fees paid by the young dancers but when they perform elsewhere in Xinjiang, venues are usually sold out. Yusupjan has at least two further ambitions: to perform in Ireland and to devise a dance drama similar to Riverdance.
“This is my biggest wish, with some modern music added in, and a combination of Irish traditional music and our traditional music,” he said.
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