Choreographing cultural classics

It was full house at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Los Angeles' Music Center on Saturday night, as an enthusiastic audience applauded a one-off performance of Dance of Oriental.

The show features an ensemble of dancers from the China Oriental Performing Arts Group, a revered national institution known for performing on some of the world's most prestigious stages.

Presented by Oever, a California-based cultural and media company dedicated to preserving and reinterpreting Chinese heritage, the program blended classical and folk dances, infused with a centuries-old storytelling tradition, through movement. The performances celebrated the richness of Chinese culture while fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendship between the United States and China.

A highlight of the evening was a selection from The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting, a dance drama interpretation of the 12th-century painting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains by Wang Ximeng, that glorifies China's natural beauty. Blending dance, music, visual art and poetic imagination, the performance paid homage to Wang's masterpiece.

The dancers wore ethereal blue costumes, with hairstyles and movements that suggested both the fluidity of rivers and the majesty of towering cliffs.

Having toured over 70 cities, including stops in Singapore and Hong Kong, the production has delivered over 600 performances to enthusiastic audiences.

"The Chinese are famous for their level of artistry and creativity, and the meticulous attention to every detail of this performance was truly remarkable," said one dance enthusiast and former DreamWorks employee.

Other notable performances included Jasmine, a lyrical dance with floral parasols evoking the beauty of southern China's water towns; Four Practices of Chinese Medicine, a humorous translation of traditional healing practices into dance; Ink on Water, a tribute to Chinese calligraphy and ink-wash painting; Flying Apsaras, inspired by Dunhuang murals and the Silk Road; Far and Beyond, a nod to digital innovation and scientific exploration; and Green and Gaba (Fish Movements), which celebrated the Dai people's aquatic heritage.

"I enjoyed the adroit and layered interplay of dance, music, costumes and backdrops," said another avid dance aficionado. "It may have originated in China, but the whole night had an international and timeless feel to it."

Many of the spectators praised the dancers for their effortless grace and gravity-defying leaps that result from years of intense dedication.

"I couldn't understand all the cultural nuances, but it made me realize Chinese and American cultures were not so different and the elegance and sophistication of the performance transported me to a world of beauty and delight," said one University of California, Los Angeles, graduate.

"Chinese culture is deeply rooted in history while thriving in contemporary contexts," says Meng Shi, one of Oever's cofounders.

"We believe culture transcends borders and time with the power to connect people, regardless of their origins and cultural backgrounds," adds her partner and cofounder Yanbing Bo.

Shi says that COPAG has already performed in San Diego and will soon take the stage in New York.

"The tour opens a new window for cultural exchange and mutual learning between China and the US, allowing more Americans to appreciate the beauty of traditional Chinese culture," she says.