World-class ballet troupes to grace Beijing in November

Ballet dancers from around the world will perform at the 3rd China International Ballet Season in Beijing from November to January 2018. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Dance lovers in Beijing are expecting a visual feast ahead as the 3rd China International Ballet Season will lift the curtain on Nov 10.

In a two-month-long dancing season running though Jan 14, several world-class ballet troupes from Russia, France, the United States and Germany will join hands with top 10 Chinese ballet companies in more than 30 performances, blending classic, modern and folk styles. They include Russia's Bolshoi Ballet and Mariinsky Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet and the National Ballet of China.

A grand gala is set to open the biennial festival on Nov 10 with a wide range of repertories expected to grace the stage, such as Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Romeo and Juliet, Anna Karenina and The Spirit of Crane.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday, Feng Ying, director of the National Ballet of China, said the China International Ballet Season is aimed at "introducing the finest foreign ballet works to Chinese audience members", and at the same time, building a platform for international artists learning about China's dance scene.