Macao dance troupe returns to Dunhuang to study ancient performance art

A dance troupe from Macao has returned to Dunhuang, Gansu province, for a second year to study the local dance and explore new ways to bring the ancient art form to contemporary audiences.

The Macao Leng Chi Dance Association took part in the 2026 Dancing Dunhuang course, held from Aug 6 to 19. The course brought together dancers and scholars from across China for professional training, artistic practice, and immersive exploration of Dunhuang culture.

Last year, some of the troupe's dancers attended a workshop led by Shi Min, a renowned Dunhuang dance expert. After returning to Macao, they spent a year practicing and developing what they had learned into a new work.

"We went back to Macao and spent a year practicing and digesting what we learned," said Lilian Kuok, head of the association. "So this year, we brought a new piece for Ms Shi to review and help us improve."

The resulting work, Three Lives, One Dream, combines Dunhuang dance movements with contemporary music and choreography. The work draws inspiration from the iconic "Three Rabbits Sharing Ears" motif to reinterpret Dunhuang art through a Macao perspective.

For dancer Rosita Ng, the idea for the work came from a long silk ribbon dance class she took in Dunhuang last year. "It was so beautiful that when I returned to Macao, I knew I had to create a piece with a distinct Macao flavor," she said.

The troupe's creative exploration is closely connected with Shi's approach to the dance form. Shi said classical dances rooted in Han Chinese and imperial court traditions tend to be more restrained and elegant, while Dunhuang dance often features more expansive and expressive movements. As a crossroads of civilizations along the ancient Silk Road, Dunhuang absorbed influences from the East and West, giving its dance a distinctive character shaped by cultural exchange.

For Kuok, performing the dance in its place of origin makes the experience more meaningful. "Performing here makes us feel like we're truly part of Dunhuang," she said.