WINDHOEK, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ester Leonard received a standing ovation on Thursday at the University of Namibia (UNAM) Cultural Festival after her Uigur-Chinese traditional dance.
Dressed in a traditional Chinese attire with a bright pink veil, the fourth-year Bachelor of Arts in Music student impressed the crowd with her coordinated moves, as she danced to Chinese music, supported by a dance partner.
According to Leonard, she selected Chinese traditional art for her dance project for her studies -- as she passionately wanted to showcase to fellow Namibians a piece that embraces diverse components of Chinese art, namely dance, fashion and music.
"In fact, the theme of my final-year dance project was about my life, and thus I opted to explore the Chinese dance," she said. "The dance project was also inspired by my trip to China for an exchange program through the University of Namibia."
"I am honored to have mastered this dance and showcase the Chinese culture to so many people today," she said.
Leonard was assisted by Wang Yixuan, a Chinese language lecturer at the Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia.
"Apart from being a language teacher, I also have dance skills, so I was able to help her practice," Wang said. "She is a fast learner, and was able to master the dance steps and rhythm within a short span of time."
Not only has she acquired new dance skills, but exposure to Chinese dance and music has accorded her the opportunity to gain in-depth understanding of the Chinese culture, Leonard said.
"Mastering the dance required of me to extensively study the Chinese culture and history. I also enhanced my interaction with the Chinese people during the exchange program, which helped me develop good insight of the dance that I performed today," she said.
Zhang Yiming, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, said that cultural festivals are an avenue for cultures to interact and for people to connect.
"This way we promote diversity and supportive relations," he told the official opening of the UNAM Cultural Festival in Windhoek.
