In step with our time

Titled White Snake-Revelations, the dance production, choreographed and directed by Wang, will be staged between March 24 and 28 at the Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in Beijing. After the premiere, the dance production will kick off a nationwide tour.

The Legend of White Snake is a well-known tale, and has been adapted many times across various art forms, such as TV dramas, movies, Peking Opera productions and dance drama. "It posed challenges for us when we decided to make our own version, but giving the old story a new twist also surprises," says Wang.

The traditional version of the tale tells the love story of a young woman, Bai Suzhen, who is a white snake spirit, and a kindhearted young man named Xu Xian.

Their love and marriage are challenged by a Buddhist monk, Fahai, who believes that humans and demons belong to different worlds.

He then traps the white snake under the Leifeng Pagoda on the bank of the West Lake in Hangzhou.

In Wang's adaptation, however, the white snake travels to the future to meet Xu, who has no recollection of their relationship. Fahai tries to stop the white snake from refreshing Xu's memory. The white snake not only has to fight with Fahai but also to communicate with Xu and other people of the future, who are controlled by AI programs.

"The idea of the dance production is wild. We imagine our lives in the future and explore the benefits and risks of AI technology," says Wang. "The story is the same one but audiences will get a fresh perspective."

Set designer Tan Shaoyuan and lighting expert Han Jiang created a stage with subtle changes brought about by light and shadow. Mirrors on the stage use reflection to portray futuristic scenes.