Spring Equinox dance festival is coming to Beijing

The Spring Equinox dance festival, hosted by Beijing Dance/LDTX, offers a stage for Chinese young dancers and choreographers to display their talent.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Young talents from the mainland and Hong Kong gather with new works in Beijing for the latest edition of Spring Equinox. Chen Nan reports.

Dance festival Spring Equinox, which aims to showcase young Chinese choreographers, will be held in Beijing from March 18 to April 2.

At the annual event this year, 11 original contemporary dance works by more than 10 young Chinese will be staged every weekend. The program that is hosted by Beijing Dance/LDTX began in 2006 after the dance troupe, among the country's first such independent groups, was founded by Willy Tsao. The troupe also tours globally.

The event gathers dancers and choreographers from the country, and organizes workshops on modern dance.

"Young choreographers surprise me with their works every year. We don't set rules on their choreography. They can make the work five minutes long or take it to 30 minutes, but all they need to do is fully display their emotions and imagination," says Tsao, who is also the troupe's artistic director.

He formed his first dance ensemble in Hong Kong in 1979 and later moved to southern China's Guangdong province and Beijing.

"One of the most exciting parts about contemporary dance is the choreography. The individuality of the choreographer makes each work different," Tsao says.