Smiles triumph over adversity

For many people, memories of the Olympic Games in Beijing may have begun to fade - but for Liu Yan, the 2008 event changed her life.

Liu, 32, who was set to lead in the dance performance Silk Road at the opening ceremony of the Games, fell from a 3-meter-high malfunctioning platform during a rehearsal. The accident resulted in nerve and spinal damage, paralyzing her lower body and ruining her career as a classical Chinese dancer.

Six years later, she has returned to the stage, as lead dancer in The Red Thread. The modern dance piece featured as part of the ongoing Festival Croisements 2014 to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between China and France.