Standing on the Day 2 stage of the Guangzhou Project Sekai Only event, presenting this Nightcord at 25:00 Fox-Cat Duo stage performance offered an entirely different experience. Previously, our style leaned more toward cheerful or sweet, but this time we deliberately delved into the theme of melancholy. To evoke that midnight feel, I specifically darkened the backdrop screen in post-production, which, paired with two spotlights, truly created an aura of sharing stories on a late-night stage. My partner Shiguang and I stayed fully immersed in that slightly melancholic state throughout, striving to articulate the nuances of every single movement clearly.
Speaking of costumes, this performance stage outfit was packed with rich details. Based mainly in white with pink-purple and light teal gradients, the off-shoulder cut combined with wide flared sleeves really tested the crispness of our choreography during the dance. The outfit featured metallic gear and clock face decorations, an asymmetrical high-low skirt hem, and Roman numerals printed along the edges. To ensure the best stage effect, we rigorously locked down every turn and hand wave during rehearsals, while adjusting how we held our microphones so the wide sleeves wouldn't block the sound pickup. I carefully styled the pink hair, and the butterfly hair ornament was chosen specifically to match the dreamy, somewhat fragile ambiance.
The moment we stepped onto the stage, the light sticks waved by the audience merged into an ocean of light. Even though the background was dimmed, having those two spotlights cast upon us truly felt like stars shining brightly in the dark night. When choreographing our duo interactions, we incorporated more back-and-forth pulling and back-to-back poses; this body language conveyed the intricate emotional connection between the two characters much more effectively. My partner Shiguang kept her composure the entire time, remaining deeply immersed in the world we created without breaking character. Meanwhile, I constantly reminded myself to stay grounded and sustain that sense of melancholy throughout.
Yet what moved me the most was the grand sing-along during the Nightcord at 25:00 song Passion. When the music dropped and the crowd's voices rose together, that infectious live energy was something no studio rehearsal could ever replicate. At that instant, all the exhaustion from staying up late to rehearse vanished into thin air. By the final confetti drop, we were lucky enough to catch the perfect timing as the streamers fluttered down. Watching paper drifting through the air, transitioning from immersed melancholy to relieved laughter happened in a split second on stage, and a joyful smile finally broke across my face.
Regarding stage lighting, we did face a minor challenge—the light falling on Xiaye was a bit dim. I did my best to find good angles on stage, moving along the rim of the lighting to clearly convey our movements to the audience below. Although this midnight style backdrop was on the darker side, I felt it resonated perfectly with our melancholic theme. The power of the stage is immediate: it not only allows us to unleash everything during the performance, but also transmits this exhilarating rush to everyone present. After wrapping up every high-intensity show like this, I always feel that as long as I can still stand on stage, I can endure and power through all the days and nights ahead.