Patriotic dance drama premieres in Beijing

Ode to Hotblooded Youth, a dance drama by the Hunan Province Song and Dance Theater, was staged in Beijing on Oct 26 and 27, as part of the Grand Performances in Beijing Seasonal Productions.

The creative team behind it include composer Du Ming, director Ma Bo and choreographer Liu Yang, and it tells the story behind the national anthem, The March of the Volunteers, and pays tribute to the country's martyrs.

The song was originally written in 1935 by lyricist Tian Han and composer Nie Er, and greatly encouraged soldiers and civilians during the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945). It was chosen as the national anthem in 1949.

The dance drama was performed by members of the Beijing Dance Academy and the Shanghai Theater Academy. It received an award at the 13th China Dance Lotus Awards, the highest national award for dance and will tour nationwide next year.