As the spirit moves her

Choreographer Wang Yuanyuan is still pushing the boundaries as she celebrates the 10th anniversary of her contemporary dance company

December marks the 10th anniversary of Beijing Dance Theater, the leading contemporary ballet company in China. Launched in 2008 by dancer-choreographer Wang Yuanyuan with set designer Tan Shaoyuan and lighting designer Han Jiang, Beijing Dance Theater has staged 17 full-length original choreographic works and has toured more than 30 countries so far.

"When we first staged our work in China, few audiences knew what contemporary ballet was," says Wang in Beijing.

The company made its debut at Tianqiao Theater with her choreographic work, Space Diary. Now, 10 years on, Wang will lead her 14 dancers in a celebratory anniversary show at Tianqiao Theater on Dec 8.

Some of Wang's choreographic pieces, including Haze, The Nightingale and The Rose, and The Golden Lotus, will be performed onstage, and documentaries about the company and interviews with Wang and her dancers will be screened.

What makes Wang even more excited about the 10th anniversary of her company is that her theater got a new home three months ago: a 270-square-meter, two-story compound, which is located near the North Fifth Ring Road, about a one-hour drive from the downtown area of the capital.

In China, contemporary dance is still a minority interest and, as such, in the early years, getting funding was a struggle for Wang. She had to move her theater twice because of the high rents.

"From now on, we have our own theater where we can dance," says Wang with a big smile while looking at the 218 audience seats, which have been newly installed.