The counterweight to a programme that would otherwise run entirely on energy.
WHAT IT IS
Where acrobatics and martial arts sell force, classical dance sells restraint. Slow sustained lines, period costume, and a deliberate refusal to hurry. For a luxury property or a premium brand moment it is usually the act that signals taste rather than spectacle.
The repertoire below has all become widely known in China over the past few years. We stage these works — we did not create them — and an audience with any exposure to Chinese television will recognise them on sight.
THE REPERTOIRE
- Tang Palace Banquet 唐宫夜宴 — dancers in Tang-dynasty costume recreating a court banquet. It became a national phenomenon after appearing on Henan Television, and remains among the most shared cultural performances in China
- A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains 只此青绿 — poetic dance drawn from a Song dynasty landscape painting. Slow, green-robed, and completely still at the points that matter
- The State of Rites 礼仪之邦 — Hanfu dress and classical etiquette staged as dance. Formal, symmetrical, and good in an architectural setting
- Green Snake and White Snake 青白蛇 — from the Legend of the White Snake, one of China’s four great folk tales. Narrative, with a genuine story to follow
- Fish Lantern Dance 鱼灯舞 — illuminated fish carried in formation. Effective after dark, and unusual enough that few international audiences have seen it
WHERE IT WORKS
A seated gala, a formal dinner, a museum or heritage venue, a luxury brand presentation. It rewards a room where people are looking rather than circulating.
It is also the strongest act in this catalogue for a property that wants to avoid anything that could read as touristic. Nothing here is a cliché.
WHAT IT NEEDS
- A proper performance surface and stage depth — these are ensemble pieces
- Controlled lighting. The costumes are the act, and they need to be lit
- A projection surface where the piece calls for it
- Ensemble sizes from six to fourteen depending on the work
INTERNATIONAL BOOKINGS
Our performers travel. They hold valid passports, work in basic English alongside our bilingual production staff, and are experienced with international schedules and call sheets.
For overseas bookings we normally need four to six weeks for visas and documentation, though we have worked to shorter notice. Costume, props and instruments travel with the company.
We also cast for film, television and commercial shoots. On request we can supply portfolios, full-body reference photography, measurements, unedited performance video, and day and overtime rates.
Want Chinese Classical Dance at your event?
Tell us the setting and the moment you want it to land, and we will cast it.
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