Chasing strength: Chang Hongji and the making of Ip Man

On the stage of Shenzhen's original dance drama Wing Chun, Chang Hongji embodies the martial arts master Ip Man. Outgoing in daily life, the 26-year-old dancer commands the stage with a powerful presence, seamlessly blending dance with martial arts. Every step and punch captivates audiences, drawing them into the rhythm of his movements.

The global tour of Wing Chun is approaching its 300th performance, marking a major milestone for production. Chang has also emerged as the youngest principal dancer of the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre.

Stills from dance drama Wing Chun. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

Chang's journey into dance began in childhood at the Children's Palace, where he studied writing and vocal music. At age six, he happened to pass by a Latin dance classroom and was instantly captivated by its lively atmosphere, imagining himself becoming a Latin dance prince.

With strong family support, he devoted himself to dance, moving from Latin dance to ballet and eventually to Chinese dance, finding joy in each stage of his artistic growth.

In 2016, Chang was admitted to the Dance Drama Department of the Central Academy of Drama, officially embarking on the path of a professional dancer. "From a distance, I may not look like an artist, nor do I possess the typical dancer's physique," he admitted. His physical condition was not ideal compared with many of his peers, who were taller and more slender.

To compensate, Chang trained with relentless determination, pushing himself harder than others both in rehearsal and during performances. On stage, he poured all his strength into every movement, acknowledging that "dancing this way is more exhausting, but only by becoming stronger can I stand out".

In 2019, Chang participated in a dance variety show with a tentative mindset. "It felt like a dream. Everyone I met was an idol to me," he recalled. Surrounded by talented dancers, he gave everything he had on stage. Fortunately, several of his performances were captured on camera, making him memorable to audiences.

After rising to fame, Chang initially took on numerous commercial activities in pursuit of financial gain, a decision that gradually affected his mindset. During that period, he abandoned his daily training routine and lowered his standards, which soon led to noticeable changes, most visibly weight gain.

As his body grew heavier, he found himself unable to execute technical movements with the same ease as before, and the overall quality of his performance declined sharply.

Realizing that years of accumulated effort were at risk of being undone, Chang refocused on dance, rejecting unnecessary engagements.

He also developed the habit of reading online comments. "I don't feel unhappy when I see negative feedback, I accept it. Maybe I danced too cheerfully, or my expressions were slightly exaggerated. In any case, I know how to adjust next time," he said.

Looking back, Chang remains grateful for that setback. "My early success came too easily, with constant praise and so many temptations. Being jolted awake by this experience was a timely wake-up call, and I'm grateful it happened before it was too late," he reflected.

Crossing paths with Wing Chun

In 2021, after graduating from the Central Academy of Drama, Chang moved to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to join the Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre. "I was drawn to this city during my exam visit. The theatre is a young, dynamic ensemble, filled with passion, which resonates with me," he said.

The first dance drama Chang encountered in Shenzhen was Wing Chun. Initially, he was not selected for the lead role. "When the directors introduced the project, no roles were assigned. Instead, everyone was told to begin by learning martial arts." The troupe brought in martial arts instructors, and all performers started from scratch.

Stills from dance drama Wing Chun. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

While learning martial arts was not difficult for Chang, mastering strength and breath control required significant practice. "In classical dance, breath flows through the body like water, but in martial arts, the breath is more about sinking qi (vital energy) to the dantian (abdomen), and the force is vigorous," Chang explained.

On stage, actors must rely entirely on their abilities to complete technical jumps and convey a sense of weightlessness in the air. "We have no choice but to practice constantly," he added.

When the main cast was finally announced, Chang admitted he was surprised to be entrusted with such a significant role at a young age, and felt deeply honored by the directors' recognition.

For eight months, except when unwell, Chang trained rigorously, rehearsed with fellow actors, and absorbed knowledge from masters during breaks. Rehearsal often stretched until eleven or twelve o'clock in the evening, but he said time passed quickly when doing what he loves.

Embodying "Ip Man"

Stills from dance drama Wing Chun. [Photo provided to CHINA DAILY]

For Chang, the real challenge lay not in the martial arts moves, but in conveying Ip Man's inner character on stage and convincing the audience that he is the legendary master.

"I studied how Donnie Yen portrayed Ip Man's personality and emotional nuances," Chang said. He pored over the performances of seasoned artists, scrutinizing every glance and gesture, while working closely with the dance drama's directors, Han Zhen and Zhou Liya, to refine even the smallest details of his portrayal.

Gradually, Chang forged his own understanding of the character. "At first, I thought it was all about looking cool. But over time, I realized Ip Man was just an ordinary man — one with an invisible strength that inspired me to chase the light, and ultimately become the light myself," he said.

In December 2022, Wing Chun premiered in Shenzhen to resounding acclaim. Since then, the production has graced the stage of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, toured across China, and ventured abroad to Singapore, Canada and beyond, dazzling audiences worldwide with its artistry.

For Chang, embodying Ip Man has become muscle memory, etched into his very bones. "The moment I step onto the stage, I am Ip Man," he said.

A core highlight of Wing Chun is its fusion of dance with the essence of Lingnan martial arts. "The combination of martial arts and dance was a creative spark for us. The beauty born from this collision of traditional martial arts and innovative dance language is captivating, and it's also a vivid reinterpretation of traditional culture for today's audience," Han said.

To craft this masterpiece, the creative team conducted long-term field research in Shenzhen and its surrounding areas. "We found that martial arts are deeply rooted in Guangdong. Ip Man grew up in Foshan before moving to Hong Kong — a character shaped by the cultural tapestry of the Greater Bay Area.

"We adopted a cinematic narrative approach, using the struggle of Da Chun, a young migrant worker chasing his dreams in the south, and Master Ip's growth in Hong Kong to create emotional connections that resonate both on and off stage," Han noted.

Unlike movies, which allow for retakes and edited martial arts sequences, dance dramas demand flawless movement memory and peak physical stamina. "In a movie, a single move may be shot dozens of times. But in Wing Chun, every martial arts routine must be performed in one continuous, unbroken flow by the dancers," Zhou said.

An even greater hurdle lies in the production's play-within-a-play structure, which gives the audience the immersive feel of watching a film, such as completing with cinematic sets and camera-like perspectives.

"For dancers, this is an extraordinary challenge," Zhou added. "They must use precise bodily control to mimic the effect of film techniques — slow motion, pauses, and even movements that would normally be performed on flat ground, but here are executed on a rotating stage — all to create the illusion of viewing the story through a cinematic lens."