AcrossChina:FrenchfolkensembleaddsvarietytotraditionalChinesefestivities_GuangmingOnlineFrenchperformersshowatraditionaldanceonstageinQingxuCounty,northChina'sShanxiProvince,Feb.24,2024.(Xinhua/ChenZhihao)TAIYUAN,Feb.27(Xinhua)--Earlyonthemorningofthisyear'sChineseLanternFestival,whichfellonSaturday,afolkensemblefromFrancestoodoutamongthegroupsofperformerswaitingforthetwo-daycelebrationtobeginontheilluminatedstreetsofQingxuCounty,northChina'sShanxiProvince."AfterreceivinganinvitationfromQingxuCounty,wecan'twaittoexperiencethefestiveatmosphere,"saidCathyBravo,amemberofBirousans,theFrenchfolkperformancegroup.Inanefforttopromoteculturalexchange,QingxuinvitedfolkgroupslikeBirousansfromFrance,ItalyandKazakhstantocelebratethisyear'sLanternFestivalinthecounty,alongsidelocalperformersandgroupsfromalloverChina.Birousans,establishedin1921andbasedinthecentralPyreneesMountains,isagroupknownforitsdistinctivesongs,dancesandcostumes."Theattirewe'rewearingtodayrepresentsourtraditionalfestivalclothing.It'stypicallywornduringsignificantmoments.AsfarasIknow,theLanternFestivalisalsoanimportantdayfortheChinesepeople.WearehonoredtocelebratethisfestiveoccasionherewithourChinesefriends,"saidAudreyFourtan,anothermemberofBirousans.Theensemble'sdancestyleislivelywithastrongsenseofrhythm.ThemusiciansplaytraditionalmusicfromthecentralPyreneesMountainsoninstrumentssuchasdrums,oboesandaccordionstoaccompanythedancers,whowearlong,pointedwoodenshoesandfolkcostumes."OurperformancetodayshowcaseswhatFrancewaslikeinthelate19thcenturyandearly20thcentury.BeingabletoparticipateintheLanternFestivalperformanceherefillsuswithexcitement,andwealsofeelthewarmthandenthusiasmoftheChinesepeople,"saidLaurentMayer,thegroup'sleader.Thisyearmarksthe60thanniversaryoftheestablishmentofdiplomatictiesbetweenChinaandFrance.ThetwocountriesareworkingtogethertohostcelebrationsthroughouttheyearandlaunchtheChina-FranceYearofCultureandTourism,promotingpeople-to-peopleculturalexchangesbetweenthetwosides.ManymembersofBirousanshavecometoChinaforthefirsttime.TheyhavespenttheirvisitenjoyingfolkperformancesfromalloverthecountryandsavoringvariousnorthernChinesecuisines,givingthemadeeperunderstandingofChina."Twentyyearsago,IvisitedChina.Andreturningherenow,IfeelthatChinahasundergoneremarkablechanges,whichfascinatesme.Iftherearefutureopportunities,IeagerlylookforwardtospendingmoretimeinChinaandexperiencingmoreofitsrichculture,"Bravosaid.■Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.