US choreographer to bring new ballet to China

Dancers from the National Ballet of China practice for the upcoming performance “Dance and Song of the Earth” on April 7, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Renowned American dancer and choreographer John Neumeier will bring his new work Dance and Song of the Earth to China next month.

The ballet, a combination of Neumeier's "Song of the Earth" and "Spring and Fall", will be staged at the Beijing Tianqiao Performing Arts Center from May 12-14.

Neumeier choreographed the ballet in 2015 to a symphony named "Song of the Earth". The music composed by Austrian musician Gustav Mahler was inspired by ancient Chinese poems by six poets dating back to the 7th century, including Li Bai, Zhang Ji and Wang Wei.

In the upcoming performance in Beijing, the choreographer added many more Chinese elements such as ancient Chinese-style costumes.

Dancers' body movements were also designed to resemble freehand Chinese ink paintings.

A group of leading dancers from the National Ballet of China will perform in the ballet, along with foreign opera singers and dancers.

Neumeier said a choreographer should create a complete world on stage to express his or her own ideas. Though the ballet is based on ancient poems, the dance is brand new.