“Culture is like a plant: it grows in the soil that belongs to itself.” This is what touched me most after my interview with Wang Yuanyuan in this episode of PD Café. As one of China’s leading modern dance choreographers, Wang prides herself for being rooted in Chinese traditions while producing innovative, authentic and thoughtful contemporary dance for the world stage. Wang’s choreography usually mixes Chinese ballet with Western modern dance, creating a unique sensation in the world.

Wang founded the Beijing Dance Theatre and this year marks the tenth anniversary of Wang’s dance group. A Leaf in the Storm is a novel written by Chinese author Lin Yutang, which describes the years of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1941. Wang was inspired by the novel and turned it into a ballet.

Wang thinks that an artist should nurture a unique style and be dedicated to artistic creation. Please take a sip of this episode of PD Cafe and appreciate Wang’s special taste for ballet and contemporary dance. 

(Produced by Zhao Dantong, Liang Peiyu, Qiao Wai, Qu Qiuyan and Wang Xiangyu)