Global tour of dance drama a roaring success

As the thrilling martial arts duel between five masters concluded on stage, prolonged cheers and applause erupted in London's Sadler's Wells Theater, a common scene during the overseas tour of the Chinese dance drama Wing Chun.

Since its domestic premiere in late 2022 and its first overseas tour in September 2023, this work, embodying the core of China's traditional culture through a fusion of dance and kung fu, has staged over 280 sold-out performances worldwide.

Its European tour from late August to early October 2024 saw Wing Chun set multiple records. Having graced world-class venues, the drama staged 12 consecutive performances in London and four in Paris — setting records for the longest duration and most performances of a domestic Chinese dance drama in overseas commercial tours.

Even with over 30 mature plays being performed concurrently in London, Wing Chun still stood out. Tickets for evening shows were almost sold out.

"The audience was mostly local Londoners, with many tourists from the United States, France and other countries," said Zhang Ligang, head of Beijing Joyway Culture and Media, which organized the London tour, noting that the market performance exceeded expectations.

Recognition in the European market was reflected not only in box office results but the high praise received in the professional fields and international media.

The Britain's Guardian newspaper hailed it as "a cinematic celebration of kung fu masters on a magnificent stage", while The Times praised it for "merging the elegance of dance with the power of martial arts".

A reviewer from Curtain Call wrote: "This production exceeds expectations — words can scarcely describe its impact." France's Le Figaro marveled at how "kung fu masters seem to spar within the dance, gliding, pivoting and soaring with breathtaking grace".

Additionally, the dance drama was listed as "the most worth-watching dance performance in London 2024" by Britain's Radio Times magazine.

Jean-Noel Detais, a head of the Palais des Congres de Paris, said: "Wing Chun is promoted and operated entirely under market-oriented mechanisms, which fully demonstrates the professional standards of the production team."

At its first overseas performance in Singapore in 2023, a local audience member praised it, saying: "I have never seen such a perfect combination of kung fu and dance; empathy is possible without language," and: "It has the elegance of ballet, the agility of acrobatics, and the power of kung fu".

Many who attended in Europe wore xiangyunsha costumes identical to those of the dancers. Some came with three generations of their families, and some even traveled to Paris to watch the show a second time after seeing it in London.

In the view of Han Zhen, co-director of Wing Chun, the core of the work's success lies in the power of emotional resonance. "The growth and perseverance of ordinary characters in the drama are universal emotions transcending national borders, and this spiritual core will not be diminished by language barriers."

After the premiere in Paris, Tarek Assam, artistic director of the Internationale TanzWoche Eisenhuettenstadt in Germany, revealed that he was advancing plans to introduce the drama to Germany.

Peter Fenech, chairman of the Mediterranean Conference Center and National Theater of Malta, expressed his willingness to introduce it to his country after watching the performance in Paris.

The upcoming residency in Toronto, running until Jan 4, 2026, will mark the 300th stop of its global tour. "From Singapore to London, Paris to Moscow, and now Toronto, each stop has been a successful dialogue between Chinese culture and global audiences," the production team said.

Jean Nouvel, world-renowned architect, Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, and designer of the Shenzhen Opera House, attended the grand finale in Paris in October 2024. He said that Wing Chun tells a story set in the past, but reflects the contemporary connotation and Shenzhen's innovative spirit.

Shenzhen is not only a window for opening-up but plays a pioneering and exemplary role with its own creativity, achieving parallel development of economic strength and literary and artistic strength, he added.

The overseas journey of this dance drama has not only revitalized China's traditional culture but made Shenzhen's city image shine brighter on the world stage.