Chapter 221: Chapter 93: The Top Sister of the ’60s Cultural Troupe (32)

Xia Zhaoyun smiled faintly and nodded but didn’t reply, lowering her eyelids and continuing to warm up.

The woman wasn’t discouraged. She continued smiling and said, "After practice ends, I can stay and rehearse with you for a bit, Comrade Xia. I may only have diligence on my side, but I’ve been dancing for a week or so now and have gotten the hang of a few things. I hope I can help you out a little."

Xia Zhaoyun tilted her head and smiled back. "Thank you, Comrade Jie, but I have to go home after work. I have two children at home who need me."

"Besides, I think the intensity of one day’s practice is already enough. If I add more time after work, it could lead to muscle strain. Then I wouldn’t be in my best physical and mental condition for the next day."

"Even if we’re young and recover quickly, we shouldn’t over-exhaust our bodies."

Jie Xiaoqin let out a soft "ah" and quickly said, "I’m sorry, Comrade Xia. I wasn’t being thoughtful. I was just thinking of how to help, but I forgot your talent and skill are far superior to ours. You certainly don’t need to work overtime to practice."

Most of the eavesdroppers pursed their lips and nodded. ’What is Xia Zhaoyun showing off about?’

The performance tour was only half a month away, and everyone was training hard. Those who couldn’t keep up with the others, or whose movements were stiff and disjointed, all stayed behind voluntarily to practice.

’Everyone else is doing it, but she has to be so delicate. Muscle strain? We’ve never even heard of such a thing!’

Seeing that Jie Xiaoqin had completely misinterpreted her, Xia Zhaoyun’s lips curved into a slight smile, but she didn’t bother to explain.

Friendships between women, especially colleagues, were as thin as paper. One day, two people could be close enough to go to the bathhouse and the restroom together. The next, one could be secretly dragging the other’s reputation through the mud.

’In a competitive environment, it’s hard to get along harmoniously unless others see your overwhelming strength and have no choice but to look up to you. I’m not about to waste my breath. That’s just how things are. Even if I offer well-intentioned advice, they’ll just think I’m humblebragging.’

The teacher arrived soon after. She glanced at the group, her gaze landing on Xia Zhaoyun. Her brow furrowed; she really couldn’t understand why Director Zhen insisted on this girl being the lead dancer.

Yes, Xia Zhaoyun was talented. Her stage presence and ability to command the performance were so strong that even the teachers felt inadequate in comparison. She was very likely the key to the factory, as the host, winning the competition.

But the problem was that Xia Zhaoyun didn’t seem to cherish this opportunity. ’What kind of injury or mood could possibly be so serious that she would have the heart to take half a month off?’

’Every single day of practice is precious, and she’s already a week behind!’

The teacher said coolly, "The performance tour is only half a month away. Time is very tight. Having a week to learn the detailed movements is already the most we can manage."

"Next, we need to go over the formations and rehearse for the overall effect. That will take a week. After that, it’s time for program selection and dress rehearsals."

"Only twenty acts will make it into the final tour. Our factory alone has submitted three, and we are one of them. The competition is stiff."

"Therefore, we can’t let our progress be held up for any one person. The comrade who just arrived can practice along with everyone else. If there’s anything you don’t know, learn and practice it during breaks or after work."

Smirks of schadenfreude appeared on the faces of the other dancers. So what if she was appointed by Mr. Xue? The teacher wasn’t going to give her any special treatment.

No matter how talented she was or how solid her fundamentals were, without a humble and diligent attitude, she would still end up on the teacher’s bad side.

Xia Zhaoyun chuckled softly and nodded. She didn’t rush to join the group, instead standing to the side and watching quietly.

The dance moves of this era weren’t particularly varied. They tended to be integrated with a story, using music and the dancers’ bodies to convey a spirit and aesthetic to the audience.

If an act was to triumph over similar ones—or even crush different types of performances to stand out—the choreographer had to put immense effort into its theme, group formations, difficulty, and technique.

You could say that once the dance was well-choreographed, the act was halfway to success. The other half was up to the outstanding dancers to execute and complete.

The semi-annual performance tour was rotated among all the work units in the northern part of the city. Since the founding of Xiahua, this was only the second time Zhaoyang Clothing Factory had earned the chance to be the host.

Both the factory and the troupe placed great importance on this artistic exchange between brother units. The choreographer had spent several months of hard work to create a piece they were satisfied with.

Since it was a semi-annual review, the themes naturally centered on praise, reflecting the diligence, dedication, and quiet contributions of the workers. With such similar themes, the deciding factors came down to the story and the brilliance of the dance.

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