'Wing Chun' ready for performance in London

The dance team of "Wing Chun," the Shenzhen-produced dance drama, has arrived in London and is preparing for the show's London premiere at Sadler's Wells Theatre on Aug. 30.

A video about upcoming "Wing Chun" performances at Sadler's Wells Theatre is shown at the outdoor screen of Westfield London. Video by Lin Jianping

In nine days until Sept. 7, the cast of nearly 80 performers from Shenzhen will stage a total of 12 shows, marking a breakthrough in both the frequency of performances and the size of the group.

This is the second time for the team to perform in a foreign country following its performances in Singapore in September last year. 

“I hope the audience in the U.K. will enjoy 'Wing Chun,' a dance drama that combines martial arts and dances," Wang Yuanlin, a dancer from Shenzhen Opera and Dance Theatre, said in an interview yesterday. 

The drama’s narrative is structured around two parallel storylines that are deftly interwoven, and this artistic expression is conducive to cross-cultural communication, according to Wang.

She believes the overseas audience, through the language of dance, can feel the profound spirit of Chinese martial arts and the richness of traditional Chinese culture.

The dance team of "Wing Chun" arrives in London. Photos from official WeChat account "深圳卫视深视新闻"

Feng Haoran, another dancer, hopes the team could promote the excellent traditional Chinese culture on the world stage through the performances.  

Sadler's Wells Theatre is located in the West End of London. With a history of over three centuries, it is a leading dance institution and is regarded as the source of performing arts in U.K. 

A promotional photo of "Wing Chun."

"Wing Chun" made its debut in December 2022 and has been performed in dozens of major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Chengdu and Tianjin.