A press conference for "Beijing International Dance Festival" was held in Beijing on Friday, April 11, 2008. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Liu Bing]

Beijing now has its own annual dance festival, with the first one coming up this spring. The first Beijing International Dance Festival will be held from May 9 to 25 in Tian Qiao Theater, where eight classic programs will hit the stage.

The dance festival is trying to promote contemporary dance in Beijing, the culture centre of China. Apart from techniques that are unilaterally emphasized by traditional dance, contemporary dance also pays attention to the meaning of dance. Contemporary dance emerged in the early twentieth century in the U.S. and Germany, with the aim of breaking restrictions that traditional dance imposed on performance and to liberate the thoughts of dancers. Now modernization of dance is an important trend for dance development all over the world.

The First Beijing International Dance Festival will be co-presented by National Ballet of China (NBC) and Beijing LDTX Modern Dance Company (LDTX), with their latest programs "Rehearsal and Performance, At Odds" and "Sino-French Triple Bill".

City Contemporary Dance Company from Hong Kong and Guangdong Modern Dance Company will also perform their renowned works during this festival.

Echoing the international orientation of the dance festival, Battery Dance Company from the U.S. and Dance Theatre Staatsheater Braunschweig from German, will bring four programs to Beijing.

As a matter of fact, several years ago a dance event similar to the dance festival was held in Beijing, but did not continue. Instead, the counterpart of the dance festival resumed in Guangdong province, where dance lovers are looking forward to its 5th edition this summer.

Willy Tsao, the Company Director of LDTX, said that it was Tian Qiao Theater, which has come back under the management of NBC, and the booming art environment that has also become different from the situation several years ago, that gave the dance festival a chance to revive in Beijing.

"Before, we didn't have the Tian Qiao Theatre which was very expensive. We could not rent it to do this thing. Also I think the general public then may not be ready for an intensive performance like this. But I think at least this time we will try. See what's the response. That is why we set the ticket price at a very low level, one hundred dollar per piece. And there is also free seating arrangement. This is also a new thing for Tian Qiao Theatre."

Zhao Ruheng, the Director of NBC, said they felt it was part of their mission to promote contemporary dance, for the ballet has become inseparable from contemporary dance.

"Although the ballet is generally thought as classical, or only as the dance on tiptoes, it has become more and more closely connected with contemporary dance. For example, if we participate in a ballet competition, contemporary chorography is a necessary part to be assessed."

Zheng Ruheng and Willy Tsao say they are taking this year's Beijing dance festival as a starting point. They expect more such dance festivals as well as other dance events in Beijing in the future to carry out their dance dreams and promote the popularity of dance in China.