The 22nd Guangdong Dance Festival is set to light up Guangzhou from September 19 to 23 with a five-day celebration of contemporary dance under the theme "Dancing in the Bay Area, Creating the Future." This year's edition will showcase 10 productions featuring 72 works, bringing together established masters, emerging choreographers, and international collaborations.
Coinciding with the upcoming 15th National Games of China, the festival highlights the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area's cultural dynamism through four major sections: Main Stage, Youth Showcase, Emerging Choreographers Program, and Masterclasses. Together, they form a vibrant cultural dialogue between dance and the city.
Highlights of the dance festival:
Opening Performance: Guangdong Modern Dance Company will present Folding Time, revisiting eight landmark works spanning more than three decades. Performed at the iconic Canton Tower Theater, the piece reflects on the evolution of Chinese modern dance while reimagining its traditions for today.
Closing Performance: Hong Kong's City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC), the city's first full-time professional contemporary troupe, will stage As If Snowing. Combining live performance with AI-generated imagery, the work explores memory, desire, and the unspoken through shifting rhythms of movement and technology.
Emerging Choreographers Program: Now in its second edition, the program attracted submissions from Los Angeles, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and beyond. Five selected works by six young creators will premiere in Guangzhou, accompanied by post-performance artist talks.
Youth Showcase: More than 350 original works were submitted this year, with 65 chosen from over 20 cities, including Hong Kong and Macao. Performances will take place in theaters and public spaces such as the Bai'etan GBA Art Center, Canton Tower, and Yongqingfang, blurring the boundaries between performance and place, creating meaningful encounters between art, public space, and urban life.
International Collaboration: Macao's Stella & Artists joins forces again with Berlin-based choreographer Nir de Volff to present Club Loneliness, a new work exploring vitality, beauty, and melancholy.
Masterclasses & Workshops: Renowned artists including Nir de Volff, CCDC artist Qiao Yang, and creators from the Emerging Choreographers Program will lead sessions. Hong Kong's Unlock Dancing Plaza will also conduct an improvisation workshop blending dance, music, and voice, encouraging cross-disciplinary exploration.
A dialogue between art and the city
By transforming Guangzhou's theaters, cultural landmarks, and urban spaces into dance stages, the Guangdong Dance Festival 2025 reaffirms the Greater Bay Area's role as a hub of artistic innovation. With its mix of tradition and experimentation, the festival not only celebrates contemporary dance but also shares the region's creative energy with the world.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Photo: Guangdong Modern Dance Company
Editor: Hu Nan, James Campion, Shen He
