TIANSHANNET   ›   News   ›   Xinjiang News

The “king of eyebrow dance” attracts people to watch Nazerkum performance with his flexible eyebrows

Shiliuyun - Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhang Xiaomi) news: When it comes to the feeling about moving eyebrow 250 times in a minute and taking stage from countrysides to scenic spots, Japar Satar, who comes from Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang is best qualified to speak on. He has practiced “eyebrow dance” for 25 years, and is regarded as the “king of eyebrow dance” for his eyebrows can move to positions that audiences ask for. The Nazerkum (a traditional dance performance in Xinjiang) that he and his team perform is popular among tourists in scenic spots.

Photo shows Japar Satar, who wants more people understand the charm of Nazerkum. (Photo offered by himself)

“Eyebrow dance? No problem. You can order other performance like plate dance, couple dance, single dance...,” said Japar on Jan 10, 2023, when he made a phone call about the programme that would be performed 5 days later with his customer. Recently , he has been receiving calls from local units and tourism groups asking for advice and booking performances about Nazerkum. “We have been rehearsing every day recently, and we want to prepare some new shows for tourists in the new year,” said he.

“Nazerkum is a folk dance performance featuring comedy, which presents a humorous and interesting atmosphere to tourists by funny actions and dramatic facial expressions,” said Yakup Kader, director of the department of culture and arts of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of Turpan City.

Photo shows Japar Satar (first from left) performs at a scenic spot. (Photo offered by himself)

44-year-old Japar is a representative trustee of Nazerkum, an intangible cultural heritage of Turpan City. He practiced moving eyebrows at the very beginning to make a more vivid facial expression, but he didn’t expect the “eyebrow dance” would bring him a reputation. In the past, he mostly performed at local weddings, on festivals or in the surrounding countrysides, but with increasing tourists, he has been performing at various scenic spots since he made a performing team of 8 people in 2008.

During peak tourist season, Japar can perform 4 or 5 shows a day. He also makes a programme list, which includes 8 to 10 performances in 40 minutes and can be ordered by customers according to their own wills. During peak tourism season, the average monthly income of team members is more than 5,000 yuan, and the highest is 8,000 yuan.

“The audience used to be local people mostly, many of which were able to dance with us. But Nazerkum is novel to tourists visiting scenic spots, and I have kept studying and improving to attract their attention.” Therefore, Japar decided to integrate Nazerkum with cheerful Meshrep, and lighten up atmosphere by interacting with tourists for the first step. When tourists gather, he will perform a 3-minute “eyebrow dance” to attract more attention. That’s when people get interested in Nazerkum.

Photo shows Japar Satar (second from right) performs Nazerkum. (Photo offered by himself)

“I want tourists be attracted to our lively and interesting performance in a limited time, believe Xinjiang is worthy of the name of 'the land of songs and dances' and experience the charm of intangible cultural heritage.” For Japar, Nazerkum is more than just a performance, it also means presenting good life of energetic local people who are good at singing and dancing.

He can move his eyebrows separately or together with tempo, even make one eyebrow shake separately in sections. His exclusive “eyebrow dance” turns him into a “celebrity” at scenic spots. Whenever a performance ends, except for taking photos with him and shooting videos for him, many tourists ask for instructions from him. Japar said, “There is no recipe for ‘eyebrow dance’, all I have done is practicing with tempo, but don’t practice for too long at one time, 5 to 6 minutes is enough, otherwise your eyebrows would be so numb that you couldn’t stand.”

In addition to Japar, there are now more than 80 trustees and inheritors of different levels perform and exhibit Nazerkum at more than 10 scenic spots and B&Bs in Turpan City. “This drives the zeal of trustees and inheritors and expands the influence of Nazerkum, and let more tourists know the folk culture of Turpan and feel the characteristics of intangible cultural heritage,’ said Yakup.

Photo shows Japar Satar (first from right) performs Nazerkum. (Photo offered by himself)

Japar’s performance gains more and more popularity. In addition to performing in local places, he has been to many other places such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shandong Province, and opened an account on Douyin (Tiktok Chinese version). His flexible eyebrows attract many people, and he sends out a warm invitation -- “Come and find me in Turpan if you want to watch ‘eyebrow dance’.”

(A written permission shall be obtained for reprinting, excerpting, copying and mirroring of the contents published on this website. Unauthorized aforementioned act shall be deemed an infringement, of which the actor shall be held accountable under the law.)