Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Carmen is commonly reputed as the most popular opera ever written. The story is about a Spanish soldier Don José who falls passionately in love with a beautiful Gypsy woman Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen's love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage. I was moved by the music and so shocked by this tragic love story... I always wanted to express this drama, but how could I create art piece differently than others? So many of them as well... It was very challenge for sure! I knew that I would love to express the rhythm of the music through a flamenco dancer, as well as showing the passion and bravery, also the bull fighting, and the death... Finally, I've finished creating this painting after three-month period time (studied and painted over and o...

"To touch, to move, to inspire. This is the true gift of dance." ― Aubrey Lynch “Ballet is a dance executed by the human soul.” ― Alexander Pushkin “Ballet discipline: only the true believer would suffer the rigors it demanded.” ― Author Unknown  "My hope is to shed light, provoke thought, entertain, and move through dance." ― Dwight Rhoden "Dancers are not great because of their talent...they are great because of their passion" ― Unknown "Striving for connection with the audience is essential because you are in the moment; it is a give and take relationship. Catching someone's eye during a performance makes it more special" ― Aubrey Lynch "The ballet embodies the notes of music. And sometimes you almost feel like you can see the notes dance up there on the stage." ― Robert Caro “You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back, no manuscripts to store away, no paintings to show on walls and maybe hang ...