Chapter 109 Learning on the Spot, Is She a Genius...?

Chapter 109

Wu Yanzhou didn't speak, but just looked Meng Yingying up and down.

She was actually very curious about just how talented Meng Yingying was, the one who could be accepted as a disciple by Yang Jie.

Wu Yanzhou thought for a moment, "I'll go to the practice room in a bit."

Meng Yingying nodded, and after arriving at the practice room, she discovered that the Capital Song and Dance Troupe had already arranged for teachers to come in in advance.

She turned to look at Wu Yanzhou, who said, "The Capital Song and Dance Troupe has very strict entry requirements, and you came in outside of the normal application period, so your assessment will be more complicated than usual."

"Comrade Meng, if you cannot accept it now, you can give up in advance."

Because the Capital Song and Dance Troupe was very strict from the beginning, and this strictness was not directed at Meng Yingying.

It is aimed at all those who want to audition for the Capital Song and Dance Troupe from local cultural troupes.

Meng Yingying said calmly, "If I wanted to give up, I wouldn't have come to the Capital Cultural Troupe from the Harbin Cultural Troupe."

That's incredibly calm.

Faced with such a grand occasion, there was neither nervousness nor flattery.

This made Wu Yanzhou glance at her. She said to the teachers present, "Teacher Li, you will be in charge of setting the test questions."

Teacher Li nodded, walked up to Meng Yingying, and handed her a cardboard box. "These are seven pieces for our assessment competition. Draw a lot and dance to whichever one you draw."

After these words were spoken, Meng Yingying remained silent.

Yang Jie frowned first, "The Capital Song and Dance Troupe has never done anything like this before in its assessments."

"Everyone submits their song list in advance so that students can choose one they are good at."

This lottery system significantly increased the difficulty of this assessment.

Teacher Li didn't know Yang Jie, who joined the Capital Song and Dance Troupe later, so she casually retorted, "We are the Capital Song and Dance Troupe, not a local cultural troupe, so naturally the assessment standards are different."

Meng Yingying was willing to take the exam, but she was unwilling to accept the way her teacher was treated.

She took a deep breath, stood in front of Yang Jie, and said in a cold voice, "Director Wu, if everyone in the Capital Song and Dance Troupe is so arrogant, then I might as well not participate in this assessment."

"After all, I'm here to be evaluated, not to be bullied."

As soon as she finished speaking, Yang Jie and Director He both looked over.

Yang Jie was happy, happy that the child was willing to stand up for the teacher at this time.

Director He was worried that while it was a good thing for Meng Yingying to stand up for Yang Jie, she was concerned that this would offend the people of the Capital Song and Dance Troupe.

In the end, it was actually detrimental to her.

Wu Yanzhou immediately said, "Teacher Li, please don't talk like that."

“She is Comrade Yang Jie, your senior, and more than ten years ago she was the head coach of the National Ballet of China. It is really disrespectful of your seniority for you to reprimand her here.”

Teacher Li was taken aback. She couldn't bring herself to apologize to Yang Jie, so she softened her tone and said, "Senior, you haven't been to the Capital Song and Dance Troupe for many years, so you're not familiar with the situation here."

"That's certainly how the assessment works nowadays."

“I didn’t exaggerate or say I deliberately made things difficult for Comrade Meng, but I admit that my attitude was a bit too aggressive before, and I apologize for that.”

Yang Jie did not say whether she accepted or not.

She said to Wu Yanzhou, "Let's begin."

Wu Yanzhou hummed in agreement, but it wasn't appropriate for Teacher Li to continue. She carried a cardboard box and personally handed it to Meng Yingying, saying, "You draw one."

"Skip whichever song you draw."

Meng Yingying nodded and reached her hand into the entrance of the box. As soon as her fingers touched the bottom, she could feel that there were several slips of paper inside.

She then stirred it and drew a card.

It was a palm-sized piece of red paper, folded into a square. She unfolded it and looked at it: "Red Detachment of Women".

She read the piece aloud, which relieved both Yang Jie and Director He.

However, before she finished reading, she continued reading, "The Red Detachment of Women escapes from prison, solo version?"

The last few words were in small print. Meng Yingying hadn't noticed this detail at first, but after looking at it carefully, she saw, "It's the solo version of 'Escape from the Cage'."

Upon hearing this, Director He, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly felt his breath rise again. "I remember that this version is only available from the Capital Song and Dance Troupe. Our local cultural troupes and provincial song and dance troupes don't have this version that has escaped the cage."

"The students have never learned this kind of dance."

While the students in the cultural troupe had naturally danced to the Red Detachment of Women, they simply lacked the foundation to perform a solo version of the Red Detachment of Women escaping from prison.

Isn't this blatantly making things difficult for people?

Wu Yanzhou paused for a moment, then said, "He Chuchang, this is the repertoire for the Capital Song and Dance Troupe's assessment. There are seven pieces in total, and they are the most basic."

“If we can’t even do this, then even if we let Meng Yingying in, it will be difficult to win people’s hearts.”

"Let alone integrating into it."

This assessment was meant to sever any improper thoughts, just like Li Shaoqing and Shen Meilan, who were exploiting loopholes in the policy.

This enabled them to obtain the opportunity to study in the Soviet Union, receive graduation certificates from the Moba Affiliated School, and with their Beijing residency and the support of their employers, they were able to successfully gain entry into the country.

However, neither Shen Meilan nor Li Shaoqing met the standard in the assessment.

They came in through connections but lacked the necessary skills, and their true abilities were exposed in the very first assessment. This is why Shen Meilan and Li Shaoqing were isolated after they entered the program.

The Capital Song and Dance Troupe is a more brutal place than local cultural troupes.

They all knew that the first assessment was a trap, meant to send those who shouldn't have any ulterior motives back to where they came from.

"Yingying".

Yang Jie was a little worried, so she asked Wu Yanzhou directly, "I want to know the names of the other six pieces."

"We can't test the kids on pieces they haven't learned before."

Wu Yanzhou shook his head. "Yang Jie, rules are rules because they were established from the beginning. If you can't accept them, to be honest, even if Meng Yingying is a genius, I still can't convince everyone."

Yang Jie wanted to say something more, but Meng Yingying interrupted her, "Teacher, I accept."

"I jumped out of the Red Detachment of Women's escape from prison."

The entire room fell silent instantly.

Are you sure??

Wu Yanzhou asked again.

Meng Yingying nodded, "I'm sure."

This caused an uproar among those around them. "Is she joking?"

"Are you still trying to fool us? Even our own members of the Capital Song and Dance Troupe might not be able to dance the solo version of 'The Red Detachment of Women Escaping from the Cage' completely."

"This new comrade is supposedly from the countryside. She's never even met anyone here before. How is she supposed to dance?"

How do you jump?

This question almost voiced everyone's thoughts.

"I have a request."

Meng Yingying changed into her dance costume; it was slender and graceful, and she was truly a natural-born dancer.

Even Wu Yanzhou, who was used to seeing geniuses, couldn't help but be amazed for a moment. Regardless of whether Meng Yingying danced well or not, just based on her incredible proportions, her figure was really perfect for dancing.

"I want to watch the solo dance version of The Red Detachment of Women escaping from prison."

The huge practice room instantly fell silent.

"Did I hear that right?"

"Are you planning to watch it once and then try to apply what you've learned on the spot?"

The one who asked this question was Wu Yanzhou.

Meng Yingying nodded, "Yes."

"I've studied The Red Detachment of Women, but I haven't learned the solo dance segment about escaping from prison, so I have to learn it on the spot."

"Otherwise, how am I supposed to take the assessment?"

Although she had never learned the scene of the Red Detachment of Women escaping from prison in this life, she had learned it in her previous life, and not only had she learned it, she was also very good at it.

What she needs to do now is find a legitimate reason.

To solidify his reputation as a genius.

Everyone thought Meng Yingying had gone mad.

Wu Yanzhou thought so too, and she even took the initiative to persuade him, "Comrade Meng, the 'Escape from the Cage' version is a full forty-two minutes long. It would take a normal person at least three months to learn it."

This dance is very difficult.

"It's almost impossible for you to learn it after watching it only once."

Teacher Li, who was standing next to him, also said, "Yes, Comrade Meng, you should calm down and not have such unrealistic ideas."

Trying to learn something new and apply it immediately is almost impossible.

Although Yang Jie didn't speak, her silence spoke volumes. While she knew her apprentice was talented, the idea of ​​learning a dance she'd never performed before and then immediately performing it for evaluation was simply a matter of time.

Is this a joke?

Director He was about the same. "How about we draw again?"

I'm not dancing this dance anymore.

Even though Wu Yanzhou was somewhat tempted by the suggestion, compared to Meng Yingying's proposal, Director He's suggestion was already quite normal.

"Why don't we go to a meeting and discuss this?"

Wu Yanzhou said, "We've never encountered a situation like yours before. We've discussed it in a meeting and will give you a reply later. Comrade Meng, please don't act impulsively."

"I'm not impulsive," Meng Yingying said calmly. "Could you please find a television? I want to watch a videotape, and then I'll give you an on-the-spot assessment."

"Commander Wu, you set the questions for this assessment. Now you just need to cooperate with my requirements."

"Once you have fulfilled my requirements, I can naturally take the assessment as normal."

This is absolutely outrageous.

While Wu Yanzhou was still hesitating, Yang Jiexin made a firm decision, "Wu Yanzhou, do as Yingying says. Go find her a videotape, and she can learn from it on the spot."

Compared to outsiders, it was clear that she had made her decision in just a few dozen seconds.

Choose to believe Meng Yingying.

Wu Yanzhou felt that it wasn't just Meng Yingying who was crazy, but also Yang Jie.

But now it seems there is no other choice, as the assessment questions and rules were proposed by their Capital Song and Dance Troupe.

Wu Yanzhou took a deep breath and instructed Teacher Li to go to the recording studio, "Go and borrow a television set."

Teacher Li felt that Wu Yanzhou seemed to have gone mad as well.

But now it seems there's no turning back. In a daze, she went to the recording studio to borrow a TV and also wanted to borrow the videotapes.

What was it again?

Oh, a new student has arrived, and we're going to have an on-site learning and assessment.

This world is truly insane.

The news that Teacher Li went to borrow a TV and videotapes was not kept from everyone, and there were other students in the practice room watching curiously.

In just a short while.

The entire Capital Song and Dance Troupe knew that a strange student had come today, who dared to say that he would learn the solo dance segment of the Red Detachment of Women escaping from their cage on the spot, and that he would be assessed on the spot after learning it.

This is insane.

It's not that their ears have gone mad, it's that the world has gone mad.

Even Han Mingbing, the genius of their Capital Song and Dance Troupe, wouldn't dare say that he could learn this dance just by watching the videotape once.

Now a new person has arrived, saying that they want to learn on the spot and put their knowledge to use.

No one believed that the newcomer could do this, and many students even became curious and planned to come and join in the fun.

At that moment, Teacher Li came over carrying an 11-inch Panda TV set, along with a videotape.

After she arrived, she plugged the TV in, and the videotape was quickly set up.

Wu Yanzhou went to see Meng Yingying. "Comrade Meng, have you thought it through? Are you sure you want to use what you've just learned?"

Don't make a fool of yourself in the end, or you'll lose more than you gain.

Meng Yingying nodded, "I'm sure."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yanzhou said to Teacher Li, "Play it."

Teacher Li turned on the TV and tuned it to the segment where the Red Detachment of Women escaped from their prison. As soon as the music started playing...

Then a person appeared on the TV screen; it was Ms. Wu Qinghua, and her dance moves appeared on the TV screen.

Upon seeing Teacher Wu Qinghua, Meng Yingying breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that she had the upper hand this time.

As long as the teacher is correct, the dance will be flawless; it's exactly the same as the version she danced in later generations.

She watched intently, as if trying to reclaim all her muscle memory.

When Director He saw the television set, and upon seeing the videotape and the images on the screen, she couldn't help but sigh softly, "How are we supposed to fight?"

"How can we fight like this?"

Whether it's a television set, a videotape, or a solo dance clip by Teacher Wu Qinghua, these are things that their local cultural troupe and dance troupe cannot do.

From the very beginning, the resources of the two sides were vastly different.

Just like Shen Meilan back then, in the Northeast Three Provinces League, her talent was similar to others, but in the end she was able to win.

It was simply because she danced a dance that the people below had never seen before.

That's the difference.

Dances that were unfamiliar to the locals became commonplace when performed by the Capital Song and Dance Troupe.

A dance used for an introductory assessment.

How ridiculous!

At this moment, Director He became even more determined to help Meng Yingying gain a foothold in the Capital Song and Dance Troupe.

Only when people from their hometowns have established themselves in the capital can they benefit their hometown people.

Otherwise, like now, generation after generation, the gap between them and the resources of the capital will only widen.

only--

Director He's gaze fell on Meng Yingying's face, and she became somewhat worried. Could Yingying succeed?

Yang Jie was also worried for Meng Yingying. She kept her eyes on Meng Yingying and the screen on the television the whole time.

Clearly, she was also forcing herself to memorize these movements, intending to remind Meng Yingying of any movements she might forget when she went up for the assessment.

People around were whispering, "Is that the new student?"

"Could it be that she's planning to learn and sell on the spot?"

"It's her. Look how engrossed she is in watching."

"If I could watch it once and then skip to the next section and pass the test, I'd eat this TV."

The one who said this was a friend of Han Mingbing's, who had slanted eyes, and her tone was truly sarcastic.

"Mingbing, don't worry. It took you a month and a half to learn this dance. You, a woman from a local cultural troupe, think you can learn it after watching it once? Are you kidding me?"

Han Mingbing didn't speak; she just stared at Meng Yingying for a while before looking at Yang Jie.

Both she and Gu Xiaotang knew that the teacher they most wanted to learn from was actually Yang Jie.

Yang Jie was a genius before. After retiring from the front line, she took over the Central Ballet Troupe.

Later, students from well-off families, who were also somewhat talented, all tried to get their places in Yang Jie's class.

Having a famous teacher will give them a higher starting point in the future.

However, Yang Jie was too picky and didn't take a liking to either her or Gu Xiaotang.

She was later taken in as an apprentice by Wu Yanzhou, while Yang Jie refused to accept Gu Xiaotang as a student, and in addition, she was inherently aloof and devoted herself to studying dance.

In the big melting pot of the National Ballet of China, she naturally felt out of place.

Not long after, Yang Jie was expelled from the National Ballet of China and went to the Capital Song and Dance Troupe, while Gu Xiaotang stayed with the National Ballet of China.

Her master was Lin Rujuan, Yang Jie's junior sister from back then.

I'm thinking too far ahead.

Han Mingbing withdrew her gaze and said to the people around her, "Back then, Teacher Yang said he would only accept geniuses as his apprentices. Today, we can witness a genius."

The others laughed with ambiguous expressions, all seemingly just watching the spectacle.

Only Li Shaoqing, who arrived last after receiving the news, was surprised to see Meng Yingying standing on the stage in the center.

Both of them widened their eyes in surprise, "Meng Yingying!"

Why is Meng Yingying here?

"Oh, I see." Shen Meilan suddenly realized, "Didn't they say that a newcomer came to the Capital Song and Dance Troupe? I think this newcomer is Meng Yingying."

"But doesn't the Capital Song and Dance Troupe not recruit from outsiders, or from local performing arts troupes? How did she get in?"

Li Shaoqing didn't know the answer to this question. She looked up at Meng Yingying, who was the focus of the crowd, and murmured, "If this person is Meng Yingying, I think what she said might be true."

It's true that you can learn something new and apply it immediately.

As soon as Li Shaoqing finished speaking, he was met with laughter from those around him. "Li Shaoqing, don't try to flatter her."

"People from small places really are narrow-minded. Do you know the solo dance segment of 'The Red Detachment of Women' escaping from prison'? This is Wu Qinghua's most proud work, and also her most difficult work, without exception."

"You said you believe her, that you can jump completely after watching it only once and participate in the assessment?"

"Li Shaoqing, stop dreaming, okay?"

This is a world with a clear hierarchy, including the once high and mighty Li Shaoqing.

Now they've become the ones being ridiculed. If it were the old Li Shaoqing, he would definitely have retorted, but not now.

During her twenty days at the Capital Song and Dance Troupe, she witnessed the warmth and coldness of human relationships and learned about this place right under the nose of the capital.

A single brick thrown could hit several family members of officials.

She couldn't, and dared not, cause any more trouble for her grandfather.

Li Shaoqing remained silent, and the others assumed she had been rendered speechless by the rebuke. Everyone watched Meng Yingying with the intention of enjoying the spectacle.

Meng Yingying watched the 42-minute videotape from beginning to end. After confirming that she hadn't missed any actions, she closed her eyes and tried to recall them.

When she opened her eyes, she was more decisive. "Commander Wu, could you please clean up the scene and start the music? I'm ready to begin."

Wu Yanzhou was still somewhat dazed. She asked, "You've memorized it all?"

Meng Yingying nodded, not making any definitive statements, "More or less."

It was somewhat ambiguous.

But even these few words shocked Wu Yanzhou greatly. She said, "There are nearly two hundred movements in this."

Even if there are some repetitions, there are still a hundred new moves.

Meng Yingying nodded, "If you want to know the result, just let me go up on stage for the assessment, and you'll find out."

It seems pointless for them to argue about these things now.

She said she remembered it, but the other person felt there were too many movements and she might not be able to remember them all.

"This little girl has quite a temper."

Wu Yanzhou sighed and said, "Alright, alright, since you're so confident, then go on stage."

At this point, she said to the students who were surrounded by her, "The assessment is coming up soon, so you should all leave or keep quiet."

"Don't let me find out about the scrambled assessment later, or you'll be punished."

Everyone immediately nodded and fell silent.

All eyes were on Meng Yingying. She was wearing a black dance costume, with a slim waist, long legs, and fair skin. Even before she stepped onto the stage, she was already captivating.

As the lights came on, Meng Yingying followed the beam of white light and tiptoed to the center of the stage.

Her hair was tied up high at the back of her head, revealing her smooth forehead and delicate features. Her arms were slightly raised, striking a pose.

As the accordion music began, Meng Yingying stretched one leg back, pointed her toes, and put her arms behind her back, as if she were chained up.

Meng Yingying's mind flashed back to the place where she was trapped. In an instant, she put herself in that situation, and her back straightened up again, her indomitable spirit rising to her chin.

With his back leg straight, his whole body was stretched into the shape of a bow.

An expert's skill is immediately apparent; at least her dance posture and movements in this step are comparable to the original solo dance performed by teacher Wu Qinghua in the previous videotape.

It's almost certain.

Wu Yanzhou couldn't help but sit up. "Really? This kid only watched it once, and he's already learned it?"

Teacher Li shook her head, "This is only the first movement. We'll have to wait and see if you've learned it."

"Too."

However, because of this interesting opening, everyone's attention became even more focused.

He stared intently at Meng Yingying on the stage.

They all wanted to know if she could actually perform the dance in one take.

No way!

Because there has never been such a genius in the world.

Even Meng Yingying couldn't do it.

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Author's Note: I'm late again! Today was so painful, I had to write while lying down, so it's been so slow~ Waaaa, I'm so sorry, everyone!

There should be another update later, wait for me!