The Beijing Dance Festival is underway at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center with over 300 artists from around the world and 200 dance students taking part.

The two-week event is composed of two parts: an educational week followed by a performance week. There are three performance modules: "Focus" presenting full evening productions; "Springboard" showcasing works that are more edgy and daring; and a "Youth Dance Marathon." 

Forty-three performances, selected from over 1,000 audition videos, will be featured in the dance marathon which offers an open platform designed especially for young choreographers to showcase their original works.

"I participated in the educational week last year. And this year, for the first time, I brought my own work to this stage. I really appreciate this platform for allowing me to show my work to more people. On the other hand, I can also meet many other choreographers to communicate with and learn from," said dancer and choreographer Zhang Mei.

"As one of the biggest celebrations of dance in China, the Beijing Dance Festival showcases some of the most intoxicating contemporary performances by troupes from all around the world. It is not only a place for young dancers and choreographers to showcase their talents, but also a tremendous platform for international exchanges."

Participants of the festival come from across China, as well as 15 other countries. The annual event began in 2008 as a one-week event, with the focus alternating on international and Chinese artists each year. Since 2012, the festival has included both international and Chinese artists and expanded to its current two-week duration.

"There’s more awareness of modern dance. As you can see, there are young people coming with great affection. We just want to provide them with this platform. I think this is the most important," said Beijing Dance Festival Artistic Director Willy Tsao.

This year also features a forum by the China Dance Station, which is an alliance of independent modern groups. The alliance has extended to 40 cities across China. 

Other Chinese cities, including Guangzhou and Chengdu, also hold various activities in association with the Beijing festival, which runs until Sunday.

(Cover: Stage photo of the drama "Dancing in Beijing." /Photo courtesy of BeijingDance/LDTX)