Themed on "Dreams of Dance, Harmony of Silk Road," the 6th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival kicked off on Thursday in Urumqi, northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, and will last through Aug. 5. 

The 6th China Xinjiang International Dance Festival kicks off on July 20, 2023, in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/Xinhua]

Hu Heping, minister of culture and tourism, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative, the 6th Xinjiang International Dance Festival aims to promote the Global Civilization Initiative and carry on the Silk Road spirit featuring "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit," said Hu, adding that the festival provides an effective platform for promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning among different civilizations. 

This festival also provides an opportunity to demonstrate Xinjiang's charm, Hu said.

This 17-day art gala has gathered over 1,000 artists from 11 countries including Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, South Africa, and the Republic of Korea to present 60 performances varying from ballet, folk dance, to musical drama to the audiences.  

Kuat Idriskaliyev, a member of the State Dance Ensemble of the Republic of Kazakhstan, speaks at the Xinjiang People's Theater in Urumqi, northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on July 20, 2023. (Photo by Qin Qi/China.org.cn)

Kuat Idriskaliyev, a member of the State Dance Ensemble of the Republic of Kazakhstan, said it was his second time to participate in the international dance festival, adding that the event offers a good opportunity for his dance troupe to display the unique culture of Kazakhstan to the rest of the world.

Compared to his last visit to Xinjiang in 2016, Idriskaliyev said he was very excited to see the rapid development achieved by the region over the past few years. However, the warmth and hospitality of the Chinese people remain unchanged, making his every visit to Xinjiang feel like home, he said.

To enrich the audiences' viewing experience, their song and dance performance is composed of diverse cultural elements, covering Czech dance, Russian dance, Bulgarian dance, and so on, Idriskaliyev added. 

Nadezhda Makeeva, a dancer from an art troupe of Russia, said she hopes this festival can be a platform for her group to showcase traditional Russian culture to the rest of the world.

Despite the differences among various kinds of dances, the dancers' passion for the stage is the same, Makeeva said.

In addition, many side-events highlighting the cultural elements of the countries along the Belt and Road will be held during the dance festival.

Themed with "Brilliant Silk Road, Harmonious Coexistence," a two-day fashion show centering on modified traditional clothing was held in Urumqi on Saturday, allowing audiences to have a further understanding of the cultures and customs of different ethnic groups along the Belt and Road.

Dancers perform a street dance during the 6th Xinjiang International Dance Festival in Urumqi, northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on July 21, 2023. (Photo by Xinhua)

Notably, this year's dance festival has added street dance performances for the first time. The event has gathered nearly 300 dancers from different ethnic groups, including Uygur, Tajik, and Hui, to further integrate pop culture elements such as popping and break dancing with the traditional culture. 

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