Thread that tugs at Chinese hearts

Photo provided to China Daily

Beijing was chosen for this starring role because of the tremendous reception River-dance had received when it made its debut in the Chinese capital 10 years earlier.

Talking of the latest show's title, last year the Toronto Star quoted McColgan as saying: "The heartbeat is the first sound you hear in the womb. It's the universal language of rhythm."

In Heartbeat of Home, Chinese drums and Chinese folk music, including the stirring My Motherland, are used, which has helped the show win the affection of Chinese audiences.

"Chinese audiences have opened their hearts to us, from Riverdance to the Heartbeat of Home," McColgan says. "You never know when you go into new territory. When we started River-dance we had no idea of the China market and never thought we would come here one day."

Since Riverdance debuted in 1994, more than 12,000 performances have been staged in 46 countries and 26 million people have seen it, making it one of the most successful shows in history.

Acrosschina Management has brought Riverdance to China several times, expanding the tour from eight cities to 26 in 2013. The cast has also performed at the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the most-watched TV show in China.

Zhang Ligang, Acrosschina Management's chief executive and co-producer of Heartbeat of Home, says it features the latest in high-definition, 3-D projection technology.

In A Biz Date With the World, a seven-episode documentary produced by CCTV, Zhang tells of his work with the teams behind Riverdance and Heartbeat of Home.

"Right down to every single nail in the floor, we traveled with them from Ireland to China to ensure that absolutely everything in the show was authentic," Zhang says.

"Irish dancing used to be rigid and traditional. With the huge success of River-dance internationally, Irish dancing really took off. With the many Chinese elements in the sequel, we hope audiences worldwide will come to appreciate Chinese culture."

If you go

7:30 pm, Aug 13-16. Poly Grand Theater, 6 Yecheng Road, Jianye district, Nanjing. 025-5883-9008.

7:30 pm, Aug 18-23. Shanghai Culture Square, 36 Yongjia Road, Shanghai. 021-6472-9000.

7:30 pm, Sept 10-13; 2:30 pm, Sept 12 and 13. Great Hall of the People, west of Tian'anmen Square, Xicheng district, Beijing. 4001-100-100.