The Russian army's official dance and choir troupe, the Alexandrov Ensemble, is staging five shows at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing until Sunday. This is the first time for the ensemble to perform in China after a fatal plane crash canceled its show last year. Rory Coen has more.

Classic melodies, exotic dances, and refreshing instrumental music. For the Alexandrov Ensemble, these all signify a rebirth from the ashes. The performances comprise twenty-four pieces of song and dance, including the Song of the Soviet Army and Moscow Nights. The choir has the tradition to sing in the language of the country it's visiting and, this time is no exception.

The ensemble has invited the Chinese audience to go on a musical journey to Russia, and brought back many nostalgic memories.

AUDIENCE MEMBER "The first time I saw the Alexandrov Ensemble perform was back in 1962. It has been half a century. Seeing it again, I think it's really impressive. Their baritones are world class."

AUDIENCE MEMBER "All the melodies, dances brought back the memories of the time when we were young. It touched my heart. Our generation, we have a kind of special love for our country."

Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan was also in the audience. She said Russia and China are friendly neighbors with profound cultural exchanges, and the two nations' relationship will be strengthened and enhanced. As Russia's largest dance and choir troupe, the Alexandrov Ensemble was founded in 1928. It has paid ten visits to China so far, and has won over a large number of Chinese audiences after touring in more than 20 cities in the country.

In December 2016, tragedy occurred for the ensemble when 64 members of the group were killed in a plane crash in the Black Sea. Countless fans were shocked by the news, and they worried that the troupe's artistic performances would be gone forever. However, the team was quickly rebuilt and chose China as the first stop of its 2018 international tour.

GENNADY SACHENYUK, HEAD AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ALEXANDROV ENSEMBLE "We bring classic music and folk songs, many of which are favorites of the Chinese audience, like the song Katyusha. We've also prepared some Chinese songs for the audience here. I have to mention that 2018 sees the 90th anniversary of our troupe's founding. We'll devote the whole year to celebrating the occasion, and we chose to start it here in Beijing, China."

Through a war and an air crash, the Alexandrov Ensemble has stood the test of time. It has demonstrated its indestructible spirit and remains standing tall. RC,CGTN.