The National Ballet of China will present French choreographer Roland Petit's "Carmen," "L'Arlesienne" and Act 3 of "Raymonda" at Tianqiao Theatre on May 5 to 7.

Chinese ballerina Zhu Yan and Wang Qimin will dance with stars Manuel Legris and Benjamin Pech from Opera de Paris.

The collaboration between Roland Petit and National Ballet of China was a highlight event during the Year of France in China. The 81-year-old master was deeply impressed by the dancers, especially the ballerina Wang Qimin and almost fell in love with the company immediately. He even said that their performances of "Carmen" and "L'Arlesienne" were the best since he created them.

Meanwhile, the dancers reciprocate the choreographer's feelings.

"I feel so honoured to perform the title role in 'Carmen.' He created the dance in 1949 but it still looks so trendy today," said dancer Zhu Yan. "I have learned much from him. He is very strict in rehearsal and demands us to portray the characters instead of simple body movements."

Another dancer surnamed Wang agrees.

"From the first sight, I could not believe he is in his 80s. He is so energetic and his eyes are so impressive," said Wang. "His passion for dance greatly inspired us to perform."

Petit has promised to choreograph new works for the company in July and will bring Wang and her partner Li Jun to tour Japan and Paris later this year.

Fashion designer Pierre Cardin initiates a song and dance show combining French chansons such as "Edith Piaf," "Jacques Brel," "Sous le ciel de Paris" and "La vie en rose" with Chinese ballet and contemporary dance. Cardin designs all the costumes for the show.

The French singer Gerard Chambre and his band will give a live show, while Gaoyan Jinzi from Beijing Modern Dance Company and Xu Gang from National Ballet of China are commissioned to choreograph the show which will be performed at Beijing's Century Theatre on May 12 and 13 and then tour in Paris in July.

"Most of the songs are romantic old songs familiar to us," said Xu, who was China's leading ballet dancer in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He is the ballet master and choreographer with National Ballet of China.

The popular French hip-hop dancer and choreographer Najib Guerfi will work with Ma Qiang and Cao Peizhong from Beijing Modern Dance Company to bring "Babel" to audiences in Beijng on May 25 and 26 and to Shanghai on May 28.

"What if the anger of the gods provoked by the construction of the tower of Babel had not only generated the creation of language but also that of dance?

"The gods had wanted to separate mankind by creating different languages, but what if dance had been the chosen language of mankind, one able to overcome all barriers, enabling them to unite, to express themselves, to understand each other, by speaking a unique language, that of the body," said Guerfi, explaining the ideas behind the choreography.

"Even if each dance has its own codes, its own origins, its own movements, the dancers express common values. Just as in a country where everyone lives with respect of his kin, dance will be our way to reunite with each other.

"Hip-hop will be the link which will allow each individual to retain his own originality while integrating the story of 'the other' thereby recreating a harmonious whole."

(China Daily April 21, 2006)