United Kingdom, Switzerland, Netherlands, Finland, and United States

From the Royal Ballet in England to the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland; from lead dancers, prima soloist to principal dancers

They set sail from their homeland, shining brightly in top-notch dance companies around the world

They are ballet luminaries, having won numerous awards in both domestic and international ballet competitions

 

BAI Dingkai, CHEN Zhiyao, LIU Chenxin, LIU Sirui, LIANG Zecheng, PENG Huiwen

SUN Jiayong, SHI Yue, WANG Mingxuan, XIA Jun, YU Hang

For the first time, these overseas Chinese dancers gather on the same stage

With over ten captivating dance segments, they showcase the pinnacle moments of ballet spanning a century

 

Glory: Chinese Ballet Stars Gala was initiated by AO Dingwen and is presented by eleven overseas Chinese dancers, BAI Dingkai, CHEN Zhiyao, LIU Chenxin, LIU Sirui, LIANG Zecheng, PENG Huiwen, SUN Jiayong, SHI Yue, WANG Mingxuan,  XIA Jun and YU Hang

Over the years, they have been unveiling the strength and beauty of Chinese dancers on stages worldwide, seldom having a chance to return and perform in their homeland. This July, they will gather at the Shanghai International Dance Center Theater to present over ten selected dance segments, demonstrating the beauty of both classical and modern ballet in one performance, transcending the allure of ballet technique and aesthetics, and creating a dazzling gala night filled with starlight and brilliance.

 

The Dutch National Ballet, the Royal Ballet, the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet, the Cincinnati Ballet, the Boston Ballet，the Philadelphia Ballet, and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne.

After standing out in major competitions such as the Lausanne International Ballet Competition, the Jackson International Ballet Competition, the Helsinki International Ballet Competition, the Varna International Ballet Competition, the Beijing International Ballet Competition, the Shanghai International Ballet Competition, and the Peach and Plum Cup, they embarked on overseas studies and career paths. Despite their young age, they have already taken on prominent roles such as principal dancers and prima soloists in their respective companies, letting world get to know the unique charm of Chinese ballet dancers.

On July 19th and 20th, after years of development abroad, they have been invited back to their homeland to present a remarkable Chinese Ballet Stars Gala.

 

The gala presents not only meticulously selected classic duets from renowned ballets such as Diana and Actaeon, Le Corsaire, Don Quixote, Giselle, and Swan Lake, but also modern ballet pieces choreographed by master Craig Davidson, Norbert Vesak, Remi Wortmeyer. The convergence of classical and modern ballet creates a grand celebration and feast for the senses.

Without the need to travel to Europe or North America, audiences can enjoy diverse ballet classics performed by ballet stars from the world's top dance companies. Their superb physical technique and imaginative artistic expression culminates in a one-of-a-kind and irreplicable performance that captures the dual allure of strength and beauty in ballet for over a century.

 

*The program schedule for the performance, including both classical and modern ballet pieces, will be coming up next. Stay tuned!

 

First Artist of the Royal Ballet（2018 - Present）

 

Dancer at the San Francisco Ballet（2013 - Present）

Principal Dancer at the Boston Ballet（2023 - Present）

Former Principal Dancer at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada（2015-2023）

First Artist of the Dutch National Ballet（2018 - Present）

Principal Dancer at the Cincinnati Ballet（2011 - Present）

Second Soloist at the Boston Ballet（2023 - Present）

Former Principal Dancer at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada（2012-2023）

Leading Dancer at the Béjart Ballet Lausanne（2013 - 2023）

First Soloist at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet（2021 - Present）

Former Principal Dancer at the Hong Kong Ballet（2015 - 2021）

Principal Dancer at the Finnish National Opera and Ballet（2019 - Present）

Principal Dancer at the Philadelphia Ballet（2017 - Present）

Dancer at the San Francisco Ballet（2023 - Present）

*The final lineup for the performance may be subject to change.

National First-Class Performer

Principal Dancer of the Liaoning Ballet

Director of Liaoning Dancers Association

Pacesetter for Women

At the age of 18, AO Dingwen starred as the female lead, Frigia, in the Yuri Grigorovich version of Spartacus. In 2011, she joined the Liaoning Ballet as a dancer and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2018.

She has won numerous awards, including the Special Jury Prize at the 3rd Tokyo International Ballet Competition, Silver Medal in the Junior Division at the 7th Helsinki International Ballet Competition in Finland, Bronze Medal in the Adult Division at the 13th Moscow International Ballet Competition, and Gold Medal in the Adult Division at the 6th Shanghai International Ballet Competition. She won the Wenhua Grand Prize at the 15th Chinese Culture Festival and the Best Works Award from the Central Propaganda Department for her splendid performance as the female lead in the dance theater Eight Women Fighters. She also received the Wenhua Award at the 4th Liaoning Cultural and Art Government Awards and the Outstanding Performance Award at the 10th Liaoning Arts Festival for her portrayal of the female lead in the dance theater The Butterfly Lovers. She was awarded third place in the 2019 Hunan TV show Dance Storm. In 2024, she received funding from the National Arts Fund for Youth Artistic Creation Talent Project. Her work Labyrinth won first prize at the Liaoning Dance Competition in 2023.

Major Works: Musical Dance Theater "Roles" (2021), Ballet "Gnomon" (2023)

Medium and Small-scale Works: "Prologue of Farewell" (2021), "Home" (2022) ,"Labyrinth" (2023)

Production Projects: "Glory: Chinese Ballet Stars Gala" (2024), Musical Dance Theater "Roles"

Lead Dancer in Dance Dramas: "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker", "Le Corsaire", "Eight Women Fighters", "The Butterfly Lovers", "Mulan", "Spartacus", "Romeo and Juliet", "Er Quan Ying Yue", "Roles", "White Snake", "Notre Dame de Paris", "Gnomon"

Classical Ballet Duets: "Don Quixote", "Sleeping Beauty", "Classical Grand Pas de Deux", "Diana and Actaeon", "Giselle"

Modern Dance Works: "Terra Cotta Warriors", "Bloody Red", "Jiu'er", "League of Legends", "Between Light and Shadow", "Waiting", "Flowing Sand", "Hello Guys", "Cherish Fate", "The Eighth Story", "Together", "Song of Angels"