Research on the Innovation of Creative Expression and Communication Practice of Folk Dances of Ethnic Minorities in Southwest China Empowered by Digital Media

Taking digital media empowerment as the core perspective, this paper systematically explores the integration mechanism between digital media, folk dances, and traditional textile crafts of ethnic minorities in Southwest China to preserve the multidimensional cultural identity of these regions. The research finds that digital media has realized the expansion of themes, the breakthrough of expression forms and the diversification of creative subjects in creative expression, achieving the digital representation of traditional dances through technologies such as motion capture and 3D modeling. In communication practice, it has constructed a diversified channel network, promoting the popularization of communication subjects, the interaction of communication modes and the precision of communication strategies. Meanwhile, the process of digital empowerment still faces problems such as the imbalance between technology and art, the homogenization of content, the uneven regional development and the shortage of professional talents. Based on this, the paper puts forward optimization paths including adhering to cultural core, strengthening content innovation, improving digital infrastructure, enhancing talent training, and systematically documenting inheritors’ skills through digital means to provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for the living inheritance and contemporary development of ethnic folk dances and traditional textile craftsmanship in Southwest China.