Chinese part of celebrated global dance project

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Two years later, Wang received an invitation from Rojo to join in She Said, involving three different female choreographers from three continents.

Rojo said in an earlier interview that she selected Wang for her unique dance background and beautiful pieces.

"I was curious to know how female choreographers from different cultures can unite in this platform," Wang says, adding that she spent weeks in London working on her choreography.

In her work, Wang has combined the tragic story of the ancient Greek play Medea with classical Chinese dance moves to interpret the characters' feelings, with music by British composer Jocelyn Pook, who has used Western and traditional Chinese instruments.

"There is love, hate and revenge," Wang says of the play, where she also shows the Greek play's key character Medea's gentle side and her anger against her husband's betrayal.

With the silky backdrop symbolizing the softness of female roles in the piece, Wang also asked Laurretta Summerscales, the principal dancer of the English National Ballet, who played the role of Medea, to wear only one shoe and dance to show the two aspects of Medea's personality.

Wang, who is from Tianjin, started learning traditional Chinese folk dance at the age of 6. She is best known for a dance sequence in famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou's 2004 movie, House of Flying Daggers.

In M-Dao, the choreographer has presented the techniques of Chinese folk dance, including breathing and hand gestures.

"Wang Yabin transposes the story of Medea to a world of exquisitely billowing silks and calligraphic light effects," the Guardian newspaper says in a review of the show.

"She Said offers a platform for female choreographers to have their voices heard," Wang says.

Wang has expanded her studio for workshops for amateurs, hoping to not just offer dance training programs but also to cultivate more fans of the art form.

"The stage is magical and tempting. I want to share this unspeakable feeling with more people."