Gala spotlights rising stars in Chinese contemporary dance

From The Martial Dance that adds a modern touch to traditional Chinese kung fu to Sacrifice that mixes ballet with modern dance, from Inside that digs deeply into complicated human emotions of loneliness and love, to 32 Chapters that seeks an answer in the years after one's 30s... a year-end gala has brought to the center stage rising choreographers and dancers in the Chinese contemporary dance scene.

Performance clips from eight choreographers' works were featured on two nights of shows, from Nov 24 to 25, at the Beijing National Theater, which fully displayed the vitality and creativity of young Chinese dancers: Their artistic exploration and focuses on individuals, social reality and world issues.

It's also aimed at celebrating the fifth anniversary of the National Youth Dancers Development Plan, a Chinese contemporary dance platform initiated by the China Dancers Association in 2014.

In interviews with China Daily website, Wen Xiaochao, the choreographer of 32 Chapters, and Gong Xingxing, the choreographer of Inside, shared behind-the-scenes stories.