Chinese women from the south are synonymous for their femininity and being kind-hearted.

A dance piece titled A Maid's Dream was staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, telling the audience members a dreamlike tale.

Dance A Maid's Dream is staged at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, telling the audience a dreamlike tale. [CCTV.com]

Taking the marriage culture that has been followed in south China for hundreds of years as its lead, the dance portrays a southern Chinese maid's pursuit to find love. Aesthetic choreography and poetic music are blended with the scenery of a tranquil town surrounded by river.

In four acts, the dance tells of the maid's first love, her boyfriend's leaving home, her yearning for his comeback, and the grand wedding.

Traditional southern Chinese wedding customs and folk zest are unveiled through the plot, and ancient Chinese dance is combined with Zhejiang Province dancing elements.

Director Wang Xiaoying regards it a worldly panorama.

Wang Xiaoying said, "It is not a simply dreamlike performance or folk dance. The show is added with dramatic elements and conveys a woman's longing for a happy life in an artistic way."

Presented by Ningbo Song and Dance Troupe, the dance has toured in major cities in Zhejiang Province and Shanghai, as well as Germany and Poland, and has been widely acclaimed.

(CCTV.com September 20, 2010)