Dance drama steps back in time

Another audience member Chris Garriott says he had an "amazing" experience. "I loved the music, the dancing, the colors, everything. The spectacle was great," Garriott says. "I think the performers did an excellent job bringing a scroll painting to life through dance, music and singing. Seeing it onstage was truly incredible and so well done."

The dance made him want to explore the story behind it, he adds.

The show tells the story of a modern cultural relic researcher who, on the eve of exhibiting A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains, explores the inner world of Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) painter Wang Ximeng. Traveling back 900 years, the researcher witnesses the artist's commitment as he collaborates with artisans to create the iconic scroll.

The 468.5-inch (11.9-meter) scroll employs Chinese gongbi (meticulous depiction) techniques and vibrant mineral pigments to depict the beauty of China's vast landscapes. Now housed in the Palace Museum in Beijing, it is among the most renowned paintings in Chinese history.

Through seven chapters, such as "Unfolding the Scroll" and "Into the Painting", the dance reimagines Wang's creative processes, blending performances with natural landscapes to honor Chinese artistry and craftsmanship.

To Nancy Wolin, another audience member, the show told a good story. "Seeing the replica of the painting brought it to life in such a powerful way," she says.

One scene she particularly enjoyed was the depiction of people weaving silk, which made her realize that every step in creating a masterpiece is essential, Wolin adds.