Chinese dancer makes strides with New York ballet

The pandemic had an impact on the entertainment industry in the US, with most theater performances suspended since last year.

The control of COVID-19 in China enabled Chan to return home and continue his career development. He appeared as a contestant on the Chinese television show Dance Smash and made it to the top four. The show also made him known to more people in China.

"I found that Chinese audiences' understanding of ballet is less than that of modern dance. And I learned how to better express my performance through the TV show, so the audience can understand and like it more," he says.

In May, Chan took part in a three-day charity event in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, holding a public ballet class for children in Yongfeng Primary School in Zhouzhi county.

"For many years before I went abroad, I had a dream that someday I would share what I had learned with children in poor areas who never watched ballet or had the chance to learn it," he says.

Robert Lipp, the former president of the board of directors of the NYCB who funded the Xi'an primary school for 15 years, provided Chan with a chance to teach in the school on behalf of the NYCB.

Chan says: "I think this connection is very important for Sino-US relations because it completely removes all negative factors. We purely enjoy the interactions."