The U.K. debut of Shenzhen dance drama "Wing Chun" at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London on Friday evening local time. Zhou Hongsheng

Theatergoers pose for a selfie in front of a "Wing Chun" poster at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London on Aug. 31 local time. Zhang Yu

Audience members greet the "Wing Chun" cast and crew with enthusiastic applause. Zhou Hongsheng

The Sadler's Wells Theatre, a renowned venue for dance performances in London, played host to the U.K. premiere of Shenzhen dance drama "Wing Chun," which captivated British audiences with its distinctiveness, artistic allure, and rich cultural depth. 

A harmonious blend of Chinese martial arts and contemporary dance, the production received thunderous applause Friday evening local time and is expected to draw in a steady stream of theatergoers in the British capital until Sept. 7.

According to data from the theater’s box office, tickets for "Wing Chun" were almost sold out for Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, the first weekend following the dance drama's London debut.

Many attendees were also seen taking photos in front of a billboard for the dance drama on the theater's second floor.

From Shenzhen, with cultural confidence

Beyond being a visual spectacle, "Wing Chun" serves as a narrative vehicle for Chinese stories and cultural communication. 

The dance drama provides audiences a glimpse into the rich and profound realm of Chinese martial arts culture while simultaneously reflecting the cultural confidence and creativity of the young city of Shenzhen.

In an artistic framework of dual settings and storylines, the creators of "Wing Chun" have ingeniously incorporated two elements of Chinese intangible cultural heritage — the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun and gambiered Guangdong gauze (Xiangyunsha).

One story takes place on a film set where a crew from Shenzhen Film Studio is filming the story of Yip Man, a grandmaster of Wing Chun. The other story depicts how Yip goes to Hong Kong to pursue a career promoting Wing Chun. Notably, Yip Man was the teacher of Bruce Lee, who played a significant role in popularizing kung fu in the West.

Gambiered Guangdong gauze is a renowned textile that originates from the long-established Lingnan culture in southern China. 

Known for its rich texture and distinctive sheen, the fabric is traditionally produced through an intricate process involving natural plant dyes and multiple stages of sunning and finishing. In recognition of its cultural and historical significance, it was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Since September last year, "Wing Chun" has traveled abroad as part of the "Shenzhen Stories" Initiative for Global City Civilizations Exchange in an effort to reach international audiences.

During a speech given at an event held before the drama's U.K. debut, China's Ambassador to the U.K. Zheng Zeguang said that Shenzhen has been at the forefront of China's reform and opening up and technological innovation. Now, the city is also transforming into a cultural leader.

"Spectacular premiere of the Wing Chun dance drama in London. What a powerful combination of traditional Chinese martial arts and dancing!" wrote Zheng in a post on social media platform X after watching the performance Friday evening.

Zheng also extended a warm invitation to all to "enjoy the sensational performance and learn about Chinese values of peace, inclusiveness, and harmony."

Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles, chairman of the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), told Shenzhen Daily, "It's a combination of dance and martial arts and deep in the heart of an ancient civilization. And it's lovely for us to see the beauty of the dancing, but also the skill, the refinement, and the taste." 

Peter Burnett, chief executive of the CBBC, said, "The body movement was so simple, but so effective. I loved it. Thank you so much Shenzhen," adding that he would consider watching the dance drama a second time.

Farooq Chaudhry, a renowned dance producer who has played a significant role in shaping the British dance scene, applauded the dance drama and said it is a work that Chinese people should be very proud of.

An article titled "Ancient art, modern stage: Chinese masterpiece comes to London," published Saturday local time in British newspaper The Times, said, "combining the elegance of dance with the power of martial arts, Wing Chun promises to win over audiences with a profound cultural experience."

Garnering rave reviews

The U.K. premiere of "Wing Chun" has received an enthusiastic response from both audiences and critics alike. Audience members have expressed newfound appreciation for Chinese traditional culture and modern innovation.

The show captivated the audience with elaborate sets and costumes that beautifully reflected traditional Chinese culture. Each exciting moment of the show was met with enthusiastic applause, highlighting the crowd’s appreciation for the performance.

After the final curtain call, the cast and crew were met with a rousing standing ovation and cheers.

"As well as seeing the reconnection to the Chinese roots — to the tradition — there's a lot of innovation. It is being presented in a new way to us. That is also very exciting and allows us to see more directly the origins of the movement in the body — the qi flowing in the body," said Christopher Bannerman, professor of dance and head of the School of Dance at Middlesex University.

Discussing the importance of the work, Bannerman also said, "It is both drawing on ancient tradition, but doing that in an innovative way — in a modern way — for an audience today."

Max Browning, a Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University in Beijing, was mesmerized by the strength and grace of the martial arts and the fluidity and sophistication of the dance. "The way they told the story is very engaging. It drew the audience in. It's quite a new way of telling the story that I enjoy seeing. The dancing was incredible and obviously the music helps invigorate that as well," he said.

Julian Shea, an experienced journalist who has worked for BBC and Sky News, also expressed his admiration for the performance, saying in an X post, "Wow, Wing Chun at Sadler's Wells is absolutely stunning, a brilliant mix of modern dance and Chinese martial arts. Totally unique."

"It is beautifully choreographed. I will recommend it to everyone. 100%," said a viewer named Bart, who went to the theater to watch the dance drama with his 11-year-old daughter Naomi on Saturday afternoon.

"Wing Chun" has 12 scheduled performances at the Sadler's Wells Theatre through Sept. 7 local time. From there, it will move to the Palais des Congrès de Paris in France from Oct. 4 to 6.