The ongoing dance festival at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing includes Israel's Batsheva Dance Company'sDecaDance, Zhang Jigang's dance drama Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva (above), Jin Xing's Shanghai Tangoand New York-based Shen Wei's modern dance pieceFolding. [Photo provided to China Daily]

He also calls Zhang Jigang's early work Dedicated to My Parents a masterpiece and a contemporary classic, but that was before Zhang got into the establishment. "Zhang used simple movements from folk dances and ended up conveying complicated ideas more often associated with intellectuals of the country." Zhang's dance drama Thousand-Hand Bodhisattva was staged over Nov 18-20.

Jiang also praises choreographer Wang Ge for his narrative technique. "We used to believe that dance excels in conveying emotions, but Wang demonstrates that dance can tell stories in very effective ways. If you can find the right method, dance can be more effective than regular plays." Unfortunately, Wang creates only short pieces, he adds.

Speaking about the blurring of traditional divisions between regular theater and dance, Jiang says some theater actors may have been trained in dance and have very strong expressive abilities. It is, therefore, natural for them to incorporate elements of dance into their new creations.