Fairy tale dances back

The ballet company and the choreographer worked together to reproduce the marvelous piece in China with music by the prolific Lera Auerbach, whose compositions, as Neumeier said in his letter, "have the universal human message that can be communicated to all audiences－young and old".

Neumeier heaped praise on local ballet artists in his letter. "It has been a pleasure to work with the Chinese dancers－their limitless efforts, enthusiasm and trust have inspired a new, different and unique version of my popular ballet," he wrote.

The premiere of The Little Mermaid in China was a huge success, with positive feedback from both audiences and dance critics. Ou Jianping, a critic and the former head of the Dance Research Institute, Chinese National Academy of Arts, said that "the collaboration between Neumeier and the National Ballet of China is a significant event for the company. The company has progressed to a higher level with The Little Mermaid".