Dancers perform "Luminous", a chapter of the contemporary ballet "Prism" presented by Beijing Contemporary Dance Theater on August 28, 2009. [File Photo]

China's first contemporary ballet troupe will celebrate its first founding anniversary by staging three works next week.

"The Color of Love", a modern ballet by the Beijing Contemporary Dance Theater, will kick off the event on Dec. 16, said Wang Yuanyuan, artistic director of the troupe.

Wang said the work follows the changing emotions of women from 20 to 40 through images of such as gate, bed and roof. It will be the first time for the work to be staged in China.

Wang was commissioned by the Royal Danish Ballet, one of the oldest ballet companies in Europe, to create the work in 2006.

"But the version in China is slightly different, because it is complemented by a collection of dance pieces in the last 10 years," Wang said.

"They are integrated because they all depict the color of love which alters as one grows," she added.

The other two works are "Haze", which explores the relationship between environmental pollution and spiritual confusion, and "Prism", a triple bill choreographed by Canadian Nadine Thouin, Danish Louise Midjord and Swedish Pontus Lidberg, according to a brochure of the troupe. The two pieces premiered in Beijing in May and August respectively and will be shown again on Dec. 18 and 19.

Wang, 36, graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy, a top Chinese arts institute, and pursued her master's degree at the California College of the Arts. She had worked with director Zhang Yimou in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games and choreographed for Feng Xiaogang's film "The Banquet" in 2006.

The troupe had staged about 20 performances in China over the past year.

"Visiting theaters for modern dance is still not part of people's life in China," Wang said, "But I'm convinced people will gradually enjoy it."

Wang's troupe also has an eye on the international stage. It will tour the United States and Europe in 2011.

Founded by Wang in April, 2008, the company put on its maiden show eight months later. Before its founding, all the Chinese professional ballet troupes focused on classic ballet.

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