A feast for ballet lovers! 

Legendary ballet dancer Vladimir Malakhov has returned to Beijing. This time, the dancer joins hands with eight world-renowned ballet stars, presenting two special shows "Malakhov and Friends" at the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA).

On April 29th and 30th, Malakhov, along with eight of the world's top dancers, including Dinu Tamazlacaru, Julian MacKay, and Lisa Pavlov, staged two performances for audiences in the capital.

The shows featured 15 pieces, including classic ballet selections such as La Esmeralda, Don Quixote, and The Nutcracker, as well as modern ballet works with different styles.

Malakhov performed two solo pieces - "The Dying Swan" and "Lost", and he wowed the audience with delicate steps, graceful jumps, and touching performance.

Although he has performed "The Dying Swan" many times, he said he can still find something new in this dance.

"I find a lot of new details, new colors from this piece, so I always dance differently. I cannot just repeat, because it depends on the feelings and emotions, depends on the day, how you wake up, what you eat and what the weather outside is. The swan also is different in every performance," said Malakhov.

"Lost" is a neoclassical ballet based on the minimalistic movement. Created by Soth Ondrej, one of today's most important Japanese choreographers, the dance conveys strong emotions.

He said: "This dance is about the feelings and emotions when you are in a situation that you don't know what to do. I was in this situation when I retired in 2014. I suddenly found myself in a big hole, because you know I dedicate all my life to the stage to ballet. Suddenly, I was empty. Then I realized I need to go out from this hole, climb out. When I started to do this, it's becoming better and better."

Born in Ukraine when it was part of the Soviet Union, Malakhov, is recognized as the “Dancer of the Century” by western critics. With extraordinary body proportions, solid ballet techniques, and dynamic performances, he is one of the iconic figures of the contemporary dance scene.

This is not the first time Malakhov has performed in Beijing. In 2013, he dazzled audiences at NCPA as the artistic director of Staatsballett Berlin.

Following the two shows in Beijing, Malakhov and his friends will continue their China tour in Shanghai.