National Ballet celebrates 65th birthday with gala

National Ballet of China celebrated its 65th birthday with a gala running on Dec 29 and 30 in Beijing.

Featuring more than 300 dancers from the ballet troupe and the ballet school affiliated to the troupe, as well as its symphony orchestra, the gala reviewed the troupe's history with more than 20 excerpts from its classic ballet productions, including Swan Lake, Dream of the Red Mansion and The Red Detachment of Women.

Last year, the troupe staged more than 260 shows in the country, and this year, it will bring a new version of Crane Whisperer, marking the production's 10th anniversary of its premiere. The production was inspired by a household story in the country, which is about a woman who looks after cranes. She sacrifices herself to save some cranes in a rainstorm.