Zoltan Lenkefi, the artist and director of the Sunbeam Puppet Theater of Békéscsaba in Hungary, recently arrived in Shenyang, conducted visits and observed performances at various cultural and artistic institutions in Liaoning to acquire valuable insights and experience.

Zoltan Lenkefi expressed his admiration for the artistic achievements of Liaoning. He remarked, “We are aware that Liaoning holds a significant place in China’s artistic accomplishments, with a variety of artistic works and a diverse range of art forms, including music, dance, drama, and puppetry. Several operas and ballets of Liaoning have received the highest awards set by the Chinese government for art. Many works created by the Dance Academy of Shenyang Conservatory of Music have won top prizes in Chinese dance competitions, including classical Chinese dance and Chinese ethnic folk dance. The list of qualifiers for the Prix de Lausanne was announced recently, and six Chinese competitors were selected into the list, with five of them from Liaoning. Liaoning’s ballets, for example, Hua Mulan, have gone global and embarked on a tour in Europe. Liaoning has made fruitful achievements in art, and its experience in artistic development is worth learning from.”

At Shenyang Conservatory of Music, Zoltan Lenkefi enjoyed a dance show by the students of the Dance Academy. He was deeply captivated by the unique charm of classical Chinese dance and Chinese ethnic folk dance, and he developed a strong interest in Yangge dance from Northeast China. While watching, he contemplated their dance moves, believing that this rhythmic and expressive folk dance form could be integrated into puppetry performances. Zoltan Lenkefi holds that Chinese dance carries rich cultural connotations, with its graceful movements and strong artistic appeal. European puppetry also incorporates various dance elements. Inspired by this visit, he will try to integrate some physical movements of Chinese dance into Hungarian puppetry to enrich its art performances.

Zoltan Lenkefi expressed his hope for the opportunity to establish a deep cooperation with Liaoning and introduce Hungarian dance troupes, which aimed to collaborate on artistic creations that could bring more surprising and touched moments to audiences around the world.