芬兰舞者的长沙情缘：芭蕾是我融入城市的“通用语言”

Ida von Steuben, a ballet dancer from Finland, danced gracefully amid violet lighting together with other dancers in Changsha. All the audience were captivated.

柔和的蓝紫色灯光下，来自芬兰的芭蕾舞蹈演员伊达·冯·斯德本(Ida von Steuben)与其他舞者一起翩翩起舞，优美的舞姿令人沉醉。

"I followed the troupe to the stage in Hunan and other places around China. Last week, we performed Swan Lake in Yueyang," Ida said during an interview recently.

“我跟随舞团在湖南及中国各地演出。上周，我们刚刚在岳阳表演了《天鹅湖》。”近日，伊达接受采访时说。

Ida came to Changsha from Finland, joining the Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre in March 2025. "I never feel lonely here. The enthusiasm and friendship of the people in this city make me feel welcome."

2025年3月，她加入湖南青年芭蕾舞团，从芬兰来到长沙工作。“我在这里从未感到孤独，这座城市的热情和友善的人们，让我感觉自己很受欢迎。”

Learning that Ida would join a dance troupe in China, her family and friends were worried. "They worried about the language, and feared that I would have no social life or friends in China. However, my parents supported my decision, encouraging me to boldly pursue my dream." When she arrived in Changsha, she felt nervous and strange. She said she soon found that her worries were unnecessary.

当得知伊达将前往中国舞团工作时，家人和朋友起初都很担心她。“他们怕我语言不通，也怕我在当地没有社交和朋友。虽然有些忧虑，但父母还是很支持我的决定，鼓励我去勇敢追梦。”伊达说，刚到长沙时，自己也曾感到紧张和陌生，但很快发现这些担忧都是多余的。

As she assimilated into Changsha, Ida found that ballet is a "universal language.". "Body language has no national boundaries. It is a universal expression understandable around the world," Ida said. The international atmosphere of the Hunan Youth Ballet Theatre makes Ida feel warm. The dancers are from different countries, communicating with each other in English. "The most important thing for our group dance is teamwork spirit and synchronization. I often play four different roles in a single performance. Though challenging, I feel a strong sense of achievement," she said.

芭蕾成为伊达融入长沙的“通用语言”。“肢体语言没有国界，这是一种全世界都能理解的表达方式。”伊达说，湖南青年芭蕾舞团的国际氛围让她倍感亲切。这个团体汇集了来自多个国家的舞者，大家日常用英语交流。“群舞最讲究整齐与默契，一场演出下来，我常常要扮演四个不同的角色。虽然充满挑战，但特别有成就感。”

What touched Ida the most is the enthusiasm and sincerity of the Changsha audiences. The interactions after every performance are precious moments for her to connect with the audience. "The audiences express their appreciation with applause. Sometimes I make a response in Chinese I've just learned, like 'Xiexie dajia (thank you)' and 'Nimen ye hen bang (you're also great).' They are pleasantly surprised, and applaud even more passionately," said Ida. These sincere interactions filled her with motivation in every performance, and allowed her to truly feel the charm of art transcending nations.

最让伊达感动的是长沙观众的热情与真诚。每场演出结束后的互动环节，都是她与观众交流的珍贵时刻。“观众用掌声表达他们的欣赏。有时我也会用刚学会的中文回应，比如‘谢谢大家’‘你们也很棒’。他们总是又惊又喜，掌声也更加热烈。”伊达说，这些真诚的互动，让她每场演出都充满动力，也真切感受到艺术跨越国界的魅力。

When she came to Changsha, she felt like a traveler in a strange city. She could not easily assimilate into local life due to the cultural gap. One day, a colleague happened to mention that "there's a German bakery in Changsha." Having German ancestry, Ida  was thrilled and immediately asked for the address. "I was almost unable to wait to dash over there," she said.

初到长沙时，她感觉自己就像一座陌生城市里的旅人。由于文化差异，她难以轻易融入当地生活。有一次，同事无意间提到“长沙有一家德国面包店”，让拥有德国血统的伊达瞬间又惊又喜，马上就去问来地址，“恨不得立刻飞奔过去”。

The bakery's owner is from Germany, and most of the staff are hearing-impaired. The shop offers familiar flavors from Ida's hometown. "I felt warm when hearing German, as if the city suddenly becomes a home."

这家面包店店主来自德国，店员大多是听障人士，店里有许多她熟悉的家乡风味。“听到德语很亲切，感觉这座城市突然有了家的温度。”这次短暂相遇，也给她留下许多美好而温暖的回忆。

Now, Ida has fully adapted to the pace of life in Changsha. She has expanded her social circle, making many new friends in cafes, subway stations, and concerts. She has fallen in love with the city's vitality and diversity. Fresh fruits and delicious food give her great culinary satisfaction. In her spare time, she occasionally returns to hobbies such as painting and playing the piano, from which she can draw inspiration for her dance creations.

如今的伊达已完全适应长沙的生活节奏。她的社交圈从无到有逐渐扩大，在咖啡馆、地铁站和音乐会结识了许多新朋友。她也爱上了这座城市的活力与多元，新鲜的水果和美味的食物，让她享受到舌尖上的满足。工作之余，她偶尔重拾绘画和钢琴等爱好，为舞蹈创作汲取灵感。

"In Changsha, I am alone but never lonely," she smiled. Though far from her hometown, she doesn't feel lonely because the people around her are so friendly, and easy to get along with, she said.

“在长沙，我孤单而不孤独。”伊达笑着说，虽然独在异乡，但她并不感到孤独，因为身边人都很友善，和他们相处非常自在。

Ida is brimming with expectations for the future. "As a ballet dancer, I hope that my dance will be acceptable for Chinese audiences, and that I can share with them the joy of dancing with them." Next, she plans to learn Chinese systematically, as well as Chinese ethnic dances and Tai Chi, to deeply experience the charm of Chinese culture.

谈及未来，伊达充满期待：“作为一名芭蕾舞者，我希望用我的舞蹈征服中国观众的心，也希望给他们分享舞蹈的快乐。”接下来，她计划系统学习中文，以及中国民族舞、太极拳等，深入体验中国文化的魅力。

"People are essentially interconnected in emotions, expectations, and dreams, wherever they are." From Finland to Changsha, Ida has found the intersection of art and life in the twirls of her ballet shoes, and she will continue writing her own stories of China with her graceful dance steps.

“无论身处何地，人们的情感、希望和梦想在本质上都是相通的。”从芬兰到长沙，伊达在芭蕾舞鞋的旋转中找到了艺术与生活的交汇点，也将以优雅的舞步继续书写自己的中国故事。