China International Ballet Season underway in Beijing

World
Europe

Good news for lovers of ballet in Beijing! The Third China International Ballet Season is now underway in the Chinese capital. The opening gala at the Tianqiao Theater involved stars from several global ballet companies.

Artists dance on stage. /Photo via Tianqiao Theater

Dance stars from around the world gathered for the grand opening of China's international ballet season. Excerpts from a dozen classic repertoires were brought to the stage, including Swan Lake, Anna Karenina and the Yellow River.

"We want to promote ballet through this international season and encourage more people to enjoy ballet. It's not a popular art, but I think it can help people to improve their artistic attainments. So we have the responsibility to bring this art to more people," said Wang Quanxing, deputy director of the National Ballet of China.

The third China International Ballet Season will last until January 14th next year, and will involve 31 shows of 14 plays.

Artists dance on stage. /Photo via Tianqiao Theater

The plays cover a wide range of styles – there's classical ballet, such as the "Swan Lake" and "Romeo and Juliet." There will also be more contemporary presentations like "The Brothers Karamazov," "The Infants of Paradise" and "The Red Detachment of Women."

China’s top ten ballet companies will join hands for the first time and bring a fantastic show with Chinese characteristics.

Artists dance on stage. /Photo via Tianqiao Theater‍

Apart from the dance performances, the event also features many other activities to help people gain a better understanding of ballet. One of them is a master class, where dance stars will lead the audience to their world and explain the origins of ballet and their daily training.

Launched in 2013, the China international ballet season is held every two years. Dancers from 57 companies in 27 countries have been invited to this event.

3km