Contemporary dance biennial introduces Chinese talents to international curators

The curtain rose on the 2025 SIDCT China Contemporary Dance Biennial, bringing together young Chinese dance talents' creations as well as international curators and theater directors from 14 countries at the Shanghai International Dance Center.

Launched in 2019, the biennial provides a regular stage for young domestic choreographers to showcase their works in front of international curators, advancing the presence of Chinese contemporary dance on the global stage.

Running through Sunday, this year's biennial features performance showcases, panel discussions, workshops and screenings. Xie Xin Dance Theater's latest work "In Satie · The Rite of Spring" served as the opening performance on Wednesday and Thursday.

"The biennial has brought together representatives from world-renowned theaters and dance companies, providing an excellent platform to showcase contemporary Chinese dance," said Xie. "I'm thrilled, even a bit nervous to present my work here."

Other dances joining the showcase include "Divine · The Few · Elegy", "Yong III", "Re-shaping Identity", "Hidden Landscapes", and "Butterfly Island".

"Divine · The Few · Elegy" is a triple-bill consisting of three short works. "Yong III" is the third part of Beijing-based choreographer Tian Tian's "Yong Series" Han-Tang classical dance, exploring the postures of the ancient Chinese dancing miniatures and bringing history back to life.

In "Re-shaping Identity," five dancers of diverse ethnic identities perform in re-imagined folk dance forms. Choreographer Guo Rui intends to transcend the binary opposition between the "collective" and the "individual."

"Butterfly Island" features both indoor and outdoor versions. The outdoor performance will be held at the Dance Center Theater's Fountain Square.

All performances are open to the public. Those interested can follow the Dance Center Theater's official WeChat account "SIDCTheater" to purchase tickets.

"It's the second time I am visiting the China Contemporary Dance Biennial," Bruno Heynderickx, director of Germany's Hessisches Staatsballett told Shanghai Daily.

"I was already amazed at the quality of the performances during my first visit in 2019. Therefore, I have been looking forward to this opportunity to discover new things here.

"Contemporary dance has a very long history in Europe. But in China, we are excited to see how Chinese troupes deal with contemporary dance," he added.