Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Introduced into Campus: Yangditou Drum Dance

To enhance the education of outstanding traditional culture and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese heritage, the Dongming County Culture and Tourism Bureau recently initiated an "Intangible Cultural Heritage on Campus" event at the Second Experimental Elementary School in the county.

As early as 2009, Yangditou Drum Dance was listed among the intangible cultural heritages of Shandong. This distinctive dance form is characterized by a bold and simplistic artistic style, rich content, and diverse forms, ideal for both decoration and entertainment. The school's Drum Dance team, composed of students aged 9-12, faces the challenge of handling large and heavy drums and performing dynamic movements. To accommodate the physical attributes of the students, smaller drums are used, making practice more manageable for them, following discussions with the teacher.

During practice, the students assume a bow stance, with the right foot in front and the left foot at the back, carrying the drum at their waist and holding the drumsticks in their hands. The resounding beats of the drum resemble thunder, creating an electrifying atmosphere in the classroom. This training has instilled strength, perseverance, and tolerance in the students, enabling them to relish the unique allure of traditional dance culture.

The activity has not only enriched the students' campus culture life and deepened their understanding and appreciation of local intangible cultural heritage but also strengthened their identification with and pride in their hometown culture. It has injected "fresh blood" into the rapid development of Dongming's intangible cultural heritage, contributing a new impetus to the inheritance of its intangible cultural legacy.

Source: News Office of the People's Government of Dongming County