Zhan Li is an emerging figure in China's contemporary dance circles who is known for her innovative choreography. She has even integrated some of her dance pieces with other art forms as she continues to push the artistic envelope and test the boundaries of dance.

On Dec. 18, 2022, her troupe -- the Beijing 9 Contemporary Dance Theatre -- presented an immersive dance show at the 9th Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism Architecture in southern China's Shenzhen.  

Behind the scenes, Zhan worked closely with architects and artists for over four months to perfectr the performance. She is a strong believer in blending various art forms together and the idea that the sum can be greater than all the parts. 

Starting with traditional Chinese dance, Zhan stepped into the world of contemporary dance in college and soon became fascinated by it. In 2013, she created her graduation work, "I See You through Covered Eyes," at the University of Utah in the United States.

Zhan initially drew upon the fable "Pan's Labyrinth" for inspiration. She said that as a contemporary dance company, her troupe is always looking for something that connects with Chinese culture. After returning to China, she revisited the work for a show in Shanghai and turned to the ancient Chinese text "Flowers in the Mirror."

This classic novel follows a man’s journey through 30 mythical countries. One of these, called "Deep Eyes Country," features the same imagery and scenery as can be found in "Pan's Labyrinth." Zhan said she was struck by the coincidence, which prompted her to recreate and reinterpret "I See You through Covered Eyes". 

Now Zhan alternates between her twin roles as a choreographer and dancer. She said a lot of people think contemporary dance is hard to understand because it is not narrative-based. As such, she engages in a Q&A with the audience after each show to field their questions and broaden their understanding. Zhan sees this as one of the best ways to help popularize contemporary dance.

She has created many works using her out-of-the-box ideas. "Fume" was the first piece she choreographed since returning to China. It examines the complexity that surrounds the universal emotion of anger. 

She has also devoted herself to bringing international productions to China, hoping to deepen cultural exchanges through contemporary dance.

At her invitation, Israeli choreographer Eyal Dadon and his troupe SOL Dance Company came to the country in 2017. The two sides worked together and created the piece "DU-K," which is inspired by China's Terracotta Warriors.  

Zhan acknowledged that contemporary dance is not a mainstream art form in China. However, her troupe has helped build up a firm fan base in recent years by organizing workshops in many communities and at local schools.