The dance drama Fen Mo is touring Europe as part of the Happy Chinese New Year program organized by the Ministry of Culture. (Photo provided to China Daily)
Pang says traditional Chinese dance was set up as a subject to research and teach at the school more than 60 years ago.
The evolution of traditional Chinese dance has been a major subject there.
Fen Mo was born as an attempt to show its direction.
Dong Jiaming performs one of the five chapters, titled Dan. In the chapter, he finishes a pas de deux with a female dancer, portraying a rain scene with paper umbrellas.
"Chinese elements are displayed in the dance in an abstract way. We use our movements, especially our breathing, to showcase traditional Chinese painting, which is poetic and rhythmical," says Dong.
The 21-year-old will graduate from the Beijing Dance Academy this summer.
He was born and grew up in Jiaozuo, Henan province, and was enrolled in the affiliated school of the Beijing Dance Academy at 11 years old.
The European tour of the dance drama is part of the official Happy Chinese New Year program.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture in 2010, the program covers about 400 cities in 130 countries.
Spring Festival, which is celebrated as China's biggest annual holiday, is being embraced by more countries as an occasion to participate in festivities and as a way to experience Chinese culture in general.
