HÀ NỘI — Renowned Chinese choreographer Yang Liping will bring her acclaimed classical dance work The Peacock to Việt Nam for the first time, with its national premiere at Hồ Gươm Theatre on March 6, followed by performances on March 7 and 8.

Presented by VietArt Media JSC, the performance brings together nearly 70 Chinese dancers and technicians, creating a grand and visually refined stage production.

In the dance drama, the peacock is depicted as both bird and human, symbolising all living beings. Exploring the essence of life, the work unfolds a poetic four-season narrative of nature and love through distinct chapters: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

The story centres on two enduring themes, life and love, using theatrical language to convey universal human emotions while expressing the artist’s reflections on humanity, nature and personal growth.

Through the language of ballet, The Peacock leads audiences into a world of goodwill while offering a thoughtful meditation on life and beauty in a fleeting realm. The work also expresses harmony between life and art, and between humanity and the universe.

The Peacock Hanoi 2026 is choreographed and directed by Yang Liping in collaboration with Oscar-winning art designer Ye Jinqian.

 

In this version, Yang appears as a special dancer in the climactic act, the Winter chapter, performing amid snow to convey a deep reflection on time and existence.

Yang, known as the Peacock Princess of China, said she was deeply emotional to be in Hà Nội and that performing The Peacock for Vietnamese audiences was a fortunate opportunity in her artistic journey.

She expressed hope that audiences would understand the message about the impermanence of life and appreciate the beauty of Chinese folk dance in particular and Eastern dance more broadly.

“The Peacock is a dance drama that evokes a sense of wonder. It tells a story about nature, life, growth, humanity and love. It flows through my body, gushing forth and expressing itself naturally,” said Yang, who has danced instinctively since childhood and did not attend a formal academic school.

Yang, who is proud of her Bai ethnicity, was born in 1958 in Yunnan, China’s most ethnically diverse province, which shares its southern borders with present-day Laos, Myanmar and Việt Nam.

Her affectionate nickname stems from her most celebrated work, Spirit of the Peacock, inspired by the traditional peacock folk dances of her youth.

 

She said she learned dance from nature itself, drawing inspiration from folk traditions, the sounds of mountains and forests, flowing water, rustling leaves and the rhythms of living creatures. For her, the stage was not confined to the theatre but also existed in forests, meadows and everyday living spaces.

She recalled that as a child she often hid behind trees to observe real peacocks by a stream, memorising their every movement, which later became a vital source material for her classical dance.

First performed in 2012, The Peacock quickly emerged as a notable artistic phenomenon, captivating critics and audiences alike. A decade later, the work was revived in 2022 with a completely new, more refined and polished stage design, incorporating elements of Eastern aesthetics alongside modern performance technology.

Yang and her dance have won hearts through more than 1,000 performances in over 30 countries and regions, including the Philippines, Singapore, Russia, the US, Canada, Japan and Australia.

Ngô Hoàng Phúc, chairman and CEO of VietArt, said it took nearly two years to bring the ballet to Việt Nam. The entire stage system, props, costumes and technical equipment will be transported to Hà Nội in their original form to ensure the integrity and artistic standards of the work in line with international performance requirements.

"Operating in the arts field, VietArt always aspires to bring the world's highest artistic values to Vietnamese audiences," Phúc told Việt Nam News.

"The Peacock is a ballet of special artistic and cultural value. This classic work is closely associated with the name of Yang, an icon of contemporary dance with significant influence in Asia. We believe that Hà Nội is the perfect destination to present this work as an art event of depth and meaning."

"VietArt hopes that The Peacock will not only be an artistic performance but a profound cultural and artistic experience, allowing the public to directly access a classic work of contemporary Asian dance under the most complete and rigorous performance conditions.

"Furthermore, we hope that the ballet will help enrich the performing arts scene in Việt Nam, foster a love of high-quality art among the public and affirm Việt Nam, particularly Hà Nội, as a destination with the capacity and identity to welcome world-class artistic works. This is also a long-term step for VietArt in its journey to connect cultures, promote international artistic exchange and elevate the domestic performing arts market." — VNS