Aerial dance, crystal art debut highlight Grand Gateway 66 anniversary celebration

Grand Gateway 66, the landmark commercial complex in Shanghai's Xujiahui district, wrapped up its annual anniversary celebration on Sunday, with a site-specific vertical dance performance and the China debut of a large immersive art installation taking center stage.

Bandaloop, the global pioneer of vertical dance, presented River in the Sky, a specially commissioned performance staged inside the mall's grand atrium. The show marked the troupe's first performance in an enclosed commercial space in China.

Known for staging shows on the facades of world landmarks, the group sent six dancers suspended by ropes 40 meters above the ground beneath the atrium’s glass dome, transforming the architecture itself into an integral part of the performance. Blending dance, climbing, lighting and live music, the show offered unexpected encounters with art in an everyday setting.

"We open up, we look up, and our imaginations expand. Imagination, enchantment, magic are the medicine of art," said Melecio Estrella, artistic director of Bandaloop, adding that art can break the monotony of daily routines.

On the outdoor plaza, Crystal Dune, an installation by multidisciplinary artist Sara Shakeel made its China debut. Created exclusively for the mall, the site-specific work draws inspiration from China's natural landscapes, bringing together crystal-cloaked dunes, reflective waters and a Shanghai plane tree adorned with crystals to create a shimmering, dreamlike environment.

"I want to serve that act where people can stop by, put crystals on ordinary things so that people can stop by, see beauty in ordinary things, and appreciate the simple pleasures in everyday life. And we should be grateful for what we have," Shakeel said.

The two art projects form the core of this year's anniversary celebration, which marked the 66th anniversary of Hang Lung Properties. The event also rolled out limited-time offers at more than 280 stores and interactive experiences across the mall.

According to Nicholas Poon, general manager of Grand Gateway 66, the mall aims to blend art and commerce to create experiences that extend beyond shopping and bring fresh energy to urban life.