Beijing Dance Theater introduces Chinese contemporary ballet to Greece

Artists from Bejing Dance Theater (BDT) gave a superb performance in an Athens theater on Sunday evening, introducing Chinese contemporary ballet to an audience of Greek and Chinese expatriates who share the love for art.

Chinese dancers of the Beijing Dance Theater (BDT) performs for the Greek audience on the stage of PK theater, in Athens, Greece, Sept. 9, 2018. Founded in 2008, the BDT has been showcasing contemporary Chinese stage art to the world. [Photo/Xinhua]

The art troupe was warmly welcomed as it presented on the stage of PK Theater for first time in Greece pieces of original dance works inspired by poems and novels of renowned Chinese artists.

Founded in 2008 and led by artistic director/choreographer Wang Yuanyuan, BDT is the first troupe of contemporary ballet in China. Its artists have performed across the globe showcasing contemporary Chinese stage art.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary BDT has organized a Chinese Literature and Contemporary Ballet Tour to Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Greece this September.

A lecture on Chinese literature and contemporary ballet at PK Theater included performances of pieces of works such as "Beyond the Smoke", "Walking Alone", "December" and "Farewell Shadow."

Wang Yinan, BDT Associate Director, talked about Beijing Dance Theater's vision and approach of contemporary ballet, the mingling of classical ballet, traditional repertoire and modern dance and answered many questions about the contemporary dance scene in China before giving the floor to the six dancers who performed in Athens.

Through their fluid movements they showed to spectators how the body is perfect when one is not telling a story and how the body is speaking when one is narrating a story.

"We have very traditional repertoire, but we found, the choreographer found that the thing you tell from your body is not just telling a story," Wang Yinan told Xinhua after the performance.

He expressed the troupe's eagerness to return to Greece to present more of their work and collaborate with Greek artists.

"We actually wish we can have a communication or another work with the local artists... We hope we can have another possibility to work with them," he said.

"It is a very good example to show to the Greek people, Greek friends. Today this is just a few pieces of the work, but next time we hope we can invite the whole work to the Greek friends. Our embassy will do our best to introduce Chinese arts, Chinese culture to the local people," Wang Qiang, political counselor of the Chinese embassy in Greece, told Xinhua.

Lefteris Alexandris was one of the Greek art lovers who enjoyed Sunday's performance. He looks forward to the troupe's next visit to Athens.

"Honestly I was quite amazed, because it was the first time for me to see such a dance. It was weird at the beginning. I am not very familiar with this type of dancing, but now I think I am able to get the whole picture," he told Xinhua.

"We are waiting for the Beijing Theater Dance to come here and see the complete performance. It was very very interesting," he said.