Chinese dance drama on ancient princess to debut in New York

File Photo: The dance drama “The Princess Zhaojun”. [Photo: China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater]

A dance drama based on the life story of an ancient princess in China will debut in New York this week at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theater.

File Photo: The dance drama “The Princess Zhaojun”. [Photo: China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater]

Produced by the renowned China Arts and Entertainment Group Ltd. (CAEG), Princess Zhaojun, which features 50 dancers, brings to life a household story in China of Wang Zhaojun, a palace lady-in-waiting living over 2,000 years ago in Han Dynasty who helped secure peace on the turbulent northern border by marrying the leader of Xiongnu, a powerful nomadic tribe. Serving as a queen of the tribe, Zhaojun helped Han to build a good relationship with Xiongnu and promoted cultural exchanges.

The drama had its world premier in 2016 and had since toured through China. In 2017, it was staged in Mexico as a closing show of "Year of Chinese Culture" and won wide acclaim.

File Photo: The dance drama “The Princess Zhaojun”. [Photo: China National Opera & Dance Drama Theater]

It has now become a part of CAEG's Image China cultural exchange initiative, which seeks to introduce traditional and contemporary Chinese performing arts to audiences around the world.

The Princess Zhaojun will run in New York on March 21-24.