A rare dance of madness

SHANGHAI: The Shanghai Ballet Company will premiere Maurice Ravel's La Valse choreographed by American Ballet maestro George Balanchine (1904-83) on August 30-31 at the Shanghai Grand Theater.

Xin Lili, artistic director of Shanghai Ballet Company and former principal ballerina, noted that the piece is a rare work of Balanchine, because it has an intriguing plot.

"As it is well known to Balanchine fans, Balanchine seldom tells a story in dance. He emphasized more on movement than on dramaturgy," Xin says.