The COVID-19 pandemic forced the National Ballet of China to cancel its live shows in theaters last year and the company decided to hold the workshop online. Four ballet pieces and two video performances were livestreamed for the workshop, reflecting the impact of the outbreak.

"This year, with theaters reopening to full capacity, we look forward to welcoming the audience with new works," says Feng.

Wang Sizheng, the director of the upcoming performances at Tianqiao Theater, says: "When I look at the seven new pieces, I am very touched, because I, too, grew from being a dancer to a choreographer, and now a director, through my experiences of participating in the ballet workshop."

Wang, who is also a teacher at the ballet school of the National Ballet of China, shot a documentary focusing on his students and his own life during the pandemic. The video material turned out to be a work, titled A Lesson, which was streamed online during last year's workshop.

"The workshop is a platform for young dancers and choreographers to test their ideas. It's totally OK to make mistakes on this platform, because the platform is open to various ideas," says Wang.

Wang was born in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, and joined the National Ballet of China in 2007 after graduating from the high school affiliated to the Beijing Dance Academy the same year. He played roles in the classics, including The Red Detachment of Women, Raise the Red Lantern and Swan Lake.