BEIJING, Feb. 4-- The long-awaited 2005 CCTV Spring Festival Gala will be watched by millions of people on Tuesday, the eve of the Lunar New Year. But, ahead of the big night, the performers themselves are having lots of fun at their daily rehearsals.

As always, the most eagerly anticipated parts of Spring Festival Galas involve singing and dancing, and the artists are fully prepared to win the hearts of the audience. Stars from China's music industry will present their latest songs, composed especially for the gala, and without doubt many of them will become hits.

Dances, especially ethnic style routines, are being staged for the first time. With their colorful ethnic clothes and distinctive moves, the packages are regarded as a perfect combination of folk charm and modern dance elements.

Ren Cong, a dancer, said,"I'm very glad that this year we have more opportunities to show the essence of Chinese dance. There's really a big change in this year's evening gala!"

It's said that one successful sketch can make for an unforgettable evening show. And a number of comedians from the Chinese mainland are trying to do just that. One sketch, called"Magic Olympics", featuring well-known comedians Pan Changjiang and Liu Yajin, expresses Chinese people's hopes for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Pan Changjiang, a comedian, said,"The Beijing Olympics is the pride of every Chinese, and everyone is talking about it. As the most handsome guys in China, we are the best people to express Chinese people's excitement for the Olympic Games."

Martial Arts is one of the things China is best known for around the world, and no Spring Festival gala can be complete without it. This year, one 11-year-old boy hopes to take viewers' breath away with a stunt called Plum Blossom piles.

Yao Jieyuan,a Martial Arts performer, said,"It's the third time I will be performing at the gala, and I'm very proud to show Martial Arts to all the Chinese people!"

So everything is underway for the Chinese people's biggest night of the year. With a little help from some fantastic performances, the Year of the Rooster looks like being a happy and prosperous one.

(Source: CCTV.com)