London's Chinese New Year gala rings in Year of Monkey

( chinadaily.com.cn ) Updated: 2016-02-08 20:40

Popular Chinese TV series in 2015 - the Legend of Miyue – was choreographed into traditional Chinese dance. [Photo by Song Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

Two sensational Chinese TV series in 2015 - Nirvana in Fire, or Langya Bang, and the Legend of Miyue - were choreographed into the traditional Chinese dances.

"I want this gala to be combination of Chinese traditional arts with popular trends in China," said Zhang.

The director, working as president of UK Chinese Dance & Culture Association, said from her years of traditional Chinese dance teaching experience, her British students wanted to know more about China today, not only traditional Chinese culture.

Language is the best tool to understand a culture and Zhang, who has been living in the UK for the past 24 years, upholds the importance of Chinese language learning.

"That's why short language programs in the form of Chinese drama are included in the show for the first time", Zhang said.