LHASA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- As morning exercise commenced, students at Coqen County Middle School in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region eagerly assembled on the playground, forming well-organized circles by classes. Set to the backdrop of rhythmic traditional music, they delved into the dance, their movements sometimes mimicking the buoyancy of springs.
Under the guidance of their teacher, who oversaw the exercise from the playground's edge, students were encouraged to maintain their energy levels by bouncing higher and keeping up with the beat.
This dance, originating from Cishi Township several hundred years ago, offers a visually appealing "spring" element, perfectly suited for the liveliness of children.
"I feel warm after the dance, and I am more focused in class," remarked Drolma, a ninth-grade student at the middle school.
Situated in the southeast of Ngari Prefecture and in close proximity to the Changtang Nature Reserve, Coqen experiences an early arrival of winter due to its high altitude of over 4,700 meters.
To keep its nearly 700 students active and engaged during class breaks, the school collaborated with the county arts troupe. Fourteen talented dancers were assigned to teach the Cishi bounce dance to each of the 14 classes.
"Many students come from pastoral areas and are already familiar with this style of dancing," said Dondrup, head of the arts troupe. Remarkably, within a span of two to three weeks, both teachers and students mastered the basic steps of the dance.
"Some students gathered around the dancers even after the music was over, wanting to learn more," shared Dondrup, expressing plans to introduce more advanced steps in the coming semester.
By introducing students to both the dance's history and cultural significance, and actively participating alongside them, teachers effectively heightened the students' enthusiasm.
"Not only is the class more cohesive, but the relationship between teachers and students is also deepened," observed Drungpa, an official of the school. ■
