Academy dances its way across Beijing stages

The Beijing Dance Academy kicked off its 2024 Showcase Season on Oct 24 with a grand performance of To the Summit: Dance for the People, Honor the Era, which celebrates its 70th anniversary.

The event at the school's dance theater was supported by the China Dancers Association, the Beijing Municipal Education Commission, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and other local organizations, in collaboration with many prominent theaters and other performance venues.

Running from October to January, this year's season will feature some 100 performances of 50 productions, including 30 new pieces. Performances will take place at theaters in Beijing and beyond, in a range of formats, from large-scale productions and student work showcases, to graduation presentations and livestreamed events.

The school will also host associated activities, such as artist workshops, flash mob performances, and behind-the-scenes studio visits to deepen audience engagement.

Performances are based around eight thematic segments, including the Original Masterpieces and Youth Dance series, and an International Masterworks Showcase, which will spotlight new work from recent years, alongside student and graduate performances that will demonstrate the academy's educational achievements.

International collaborations, among them Ah! Guling, a musical that celebrates Sino-US friendship directed by Broadway's Joey McKneely, and ballet superstar Vladimir Malakhov performing his famous interpretation of The Four Seasons in the Dancing with the Stars ballet gala, add additional prestige to the season. Audiences can also look forward to acclaimed work like a full-length version of Yellow River, and contemporary pieces with star dancers, including Wang Yabin's Journey to the West and Liu Yan's Realm.

This season underscores the academy's dedication to presenting world-class dance, and to honoring traditional and contemporary forms through a fusion of genres, such as Chinese classical dance, ballet, and musical theater.