Outside temperatures may have been heating up, but so were expectations inside as audiences made their way into the dimly lit auditorium at the China National Theater for Children (CNTC) in Beijing on July 16. The hall was filled with anticipation and not a single seat remained empty. Soon, the sweltering heat outside was only a distant memory as spectators were captivated by the mesmerizing undersea world unfolding on the stage.

The CNTC stage came alive with The Chinese Mermaid, a tale from Chinese folklore, which differs from Disney's The Little Mermaid and the original Danish folktale by Hans Christan Andersen. These teen stars, aged 12-17, all hailed from the American states of Montana and California.

The performance was part of the China-U.S. Youth Theater Exchange Program, hosted by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation. It combined theater and Chinese learning to provide unique opportunities for students from the U.S. to learn Chinese and strengthen cultural exchanges between the two countries.

An American mermaid in China

Perhaps only few believed that a group of U.S. teens would be able to perform The Chinese Mermaid in Chinese, but they most certainly succeeded.

This particular mermaid tale was first performed on stage by the CNTC in the 1970s. It tells the story of a kindhearted girl called Cai Ping, who was captured by a dragon prince, dragged to the bottom of the sea and forced to become a mermaid, and a boy called Jin Zhuzi, who, upon meeting her on the beach when he was collecting shells, promised to help her escape and become human again. The tale's latest rendition also incorporated ballet.

"I couldn't be more proud of the dedication and determination of all our girls," Chen Suhan, the program director, told Beijing Review. She explained how the concept of combining language learning with the art of theater was first discussed in summer 2020, before further developing it and eventually settling on the mermaid story.

"Over the course of nearly eight rounds of auditions and three intensive training workshops, we handpicked 15 talented young girls, who went on to participate in the Chinese lines and dance trainings every week under the guidance of the local language and dancing instructors in the U.S.," Chen added. They all flew out to Beijing this summer to showcase their achievements on stage.

Amare Swierc, who played Cai Ping, didn't speak a word of Chinese when starting the audition process and was not offered the language class until a year later. "We started learning Chinese language through this script for several months, which was a challenge, but it definitely helped arouse my interest in Chinese culture," she said.

"She has been extremely diligent," Chen said, adding that Swierc basically spent all her free time listening to the lines Chen had recorded for her. Initially, Swierc was just trying to mimic the words, but she slowly became able to differentiate verbs and nouns and really grasp the plot.

"The most difficult part is to recite the lines while acting and dancing," Swierc said. "But I was able to complete the mission impossible."

Meilin Jokela, who portrayed Jin Zhuzi, had been learning Chinese for two years when she was given the part. She believes this immersive style language learning has helped her understand the language through the lens of the Chinese culture. "Definitely, there were some words in the script that I didn't know before, so it helped my learning because I've learned a lot of new sayings and idioms," she told Beijing Review following the performance.

"My favorite line in the script is 'to be a good person, you must be steadfast, and to do good deeds. You must do them to the end.' This line carries a powerful message and I admire the strength in being a good person and doing good deeds," Jokela said. She sees this as a reflection of traditional Chinese virtues.

Exchange, resumed!

The Chinese+Theater exchange program is one of the first non-governmental cultural activities between China and the U.S. to resume in Beijing in recent years. Around 500 students from primary and middle schools, as well as universities, across Beijing watched the July 16 performance and participated in the interactive conversation post-performance. At the gathering, students from both sides eagerly shared their thoughts on the performance, language learning and the enriching aspects of cultural exchange.

"Their performances were very powerful," a student from the High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University said during the gathering, adding he was amazed by the show's artistic elements. "The actors spoke Chinese very well. I can't imagine how they were able to memorize all the lines. The play lasted for over an hour, so that must have been hard!"

The Chinese students, from the littlest ones to university attendees, also showcased their flawless English skills. "Do I still need to translate for you?" Chen, who served as the bilingual host, playfully asked the audience.

"I was deeply moved today, seeing the smiling faces from both the Chinese and American students and their aspirations to get to know one another," Chen said. "No textbook or media report can give you the kind of understanding and familiarity your personal experience does."

Speaking about people-to-people connections, Walter Barrera, a dancer and choreographer with Montana's Rocky Mountain Ballet Theater, who choreographed the performance, echoed Chen. "I have to say my favorite experience was getting to work with directors and staff members who don't speak the same language as me, and still be able to communicate, bring this performance with dancers to this stage and also see the reaction of the audience, which makes me more excited to learn [Chinese] as well."

"Next time, I want to have a conversation with you in Chinese and get to know the personalities of the staff and everybody else involved," he told Beijing Review.

(Print Edition Title: A Multilingual Mermaid)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

Comments to liwenhan@cicgamericas.com