Pingtan set to impress Asia

A scene from Pingtan Impression, dancer-choreographer Yang Liping's latest work, which debuted in Fuzhou, Fujian province Tuesday night [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Pingtan Impression, a new dance drama by renowned Chinese dancer-choreographer Yang Liping, debuted in Fuzhou, Southeast China's Fujian province Tuesday night.

The show shined a spotlight on Pingtan, an island city located off the coast of Fujian and also the closest place on the mainland to Taiwan.

Weaving together different strands from the city's traditional folk culture, such as snippets of local dialect, legends, puppet and marionette shows, dragon-lion dances, and recreations of the local ritual of paying homage to Matsu, goddesses of the sea, the 100-min-long show depicts the island city's beauty and originality.

"Everything in Pingtan is so fresh. Its beautiful natural scenery and the local culture has been well preserved," said Yang, 59, during a trip to the city last June.

The show will now begin an Asian tour at 150 venues.

Starting from 2020, it is likely to become a regular show in Pingtan, with a new theater to be built for it.

Yang is famed for appearing in the performance art show Dynamic Yunnan, which has toured all across China, selling out many large venues.