Moving Forward, Looking Back: Modern Dance in China Blends Old with New

While traditional dances still abound in China at academies and social clubs, there is more to dance in the Middle Kingdom these days than fans and acrobatics. The first official modern dance company was founded in South China's Guangdong province in 1992. Since then, a small number of other government-approved as well as independent companies have come about, while members from the original company have spread throughout China and to such countries as Germany, Japan and the United States.