The third rehearsal of the China Central Television Spring Festival?Gala has run through changes made since the second one.

With 1 program cut, 34 programs went through the rehearsal lasting around four and a half hours, meeting the timeframe for a live show.

One of the most famous singers in the lineup, Song Zuying, rehearsed her new song written especially for the gala. She described it as a song of cheer and passion.

"I would like to say that the song demonstrates a cheerful scene. It is full of passion. I myself can feel the excitement while singing the song."

Three more rehearsals will be held before the live TV gala on Chinese lunar New Year Eve, February 17. The final list of programs has yet to be decided.?
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The Gala went into its second round of rehearsals last Wednesday night this time it was the turn of the comedians and sketch artists to be put through their paces. There are eleven sketch scenes and cross-talk acts on its years line-up.

Although some items, like Zhao Benshan's eagerly awaited routines, still remain shrouded in mystery most of the others got their first outing.

Compared to previous years, this year's short sketches appear more accessible, featuring mainly ordinary life elements, with themes like family attachment, love and friendship. Comedian Yan Shunkai extends his father role from last year, in a new mini-play called "A Kind Lie", telling of the moving relationship between father and son.

Pan Changjiang stars in a comic sketch of a modern love story titled "Carry on Love to the Extreme".

Pan Changjiang said, "This short play provides audience with a lot of food for thought."

Past comic sketches usually applied northern China's dialects to amuse, but this time, to cater to audience in both North and South, the gala has enrolled some shows featuring stories from south and with southern accents. For each program, the settings and details are still in honing.

Zhao Benshan and Song Dandan, the most popular comic duo in the gala didn't turn up. So the most anticipated comic sketches are still a tantalizing X.

Wednesday's rehearsal also modified the orders of some programs.

On the list so far are thirty-six programs in total, including song and dance, cross talks, comic sketches, acrobatics and magics, in the following rehearsals, each of which still faces danger to be crossed off.

In dance category, from which came highlights for two consecutive years, there are four on the list now. One is the Chinese version of tap dance, which has been practiced by Tibetan people for thousands of years. The dance is a tradition originated in La Zi, a place in Tibet Autonomous Region.

Another gives the south China's elegancy a trendy modern touch. This year's dance category also features a show played by merely student performers. It seems that this year's gala is catering to as most audience as possible.

(CRI.cn February 12, 2007)