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BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Last Friday, a Chinese choreographer paid tribute to Oscar Wilde with a ballet rendition of "The Nightingale and the Rose."
In seven years Wang Yuanyuan and her crew have emerged from obscurity to fame at home and abroad. At 19, Wang founded Beijing Dance Theater in 2008 and directed the dancers at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics later that year.
"We have had invitations to major theaters and festivals in 30 countries over the past seven years. This is something that I take a lot of pride in," Wang said.
Speaking of the founding of the troupe, however, she seemed almost tired. "We have had to think a lot about whether to continue over the years," she recalled, "others cannot see the sacrifices we made behind the scenes."
A lack of funding has been a major obstacle. Not long after the founding of the company, private entrepreneurs offered to sponsor the troupe as a publicity venture. Wang said no, without a second thought.
"Ballet is an art form, and should not be interfered with by 'new money ' who often have really bad taste," Wang said, stressing that they would never let the integrity of their art suffer for financial gain.
The difficulties have not keep Wang and her troop from moving forward. Wang believes it was their true love for contemporary dance that drove them to create fantastic performances.
"Also, the fact that more and more modern dances are performed in theaters in China suggests that Chinese people are starting to accept and appreciate this art form," Wang added. "It served as an inspiration to us as well."
All of Wang's works combine classic and modern elements, while blending the best of Chinese and Western culture.
Wang's troop has won applause from foreign critics for her adaptations of Chinese classics.
Wang also champions the adaption of Western literature for the Chinese stage. In 2014, her crew performed a ballet adaption of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
"There is no need to get frustrated over whether you should stick to one particular style," said Wang. "You should always be true to your heart, instead of making a stiff choice."
This has not only led to the success of Wang and her troupe on the international stage, but has also introduced Chinese culture to the rest of the world.
"Dance and music is a language, these art forms help us to communicate with the foreign audience. We are introducing Chinese culture in a way that can be understood," she said.
"We perform the absolute art of dancing and represent China on the international stage. We are teaching the world about Chinese art through our performances." she noted. "Perhaps that's what the 'Chinese Dream' means to me!"
