Dancer Xin Ying is a star afoot

Chinese dancer Xin Ying. [Photo provided to China Daily]

When Xin starts a new piece, she first watches videos to see how Graham danced or how other dancers performed. Then a coach would teach her the technique and choreography, but would also help her draw out her own feeling and understanding of the piece.

"Dance is a living thing, though Graham's works are classical and many fans would remember the choreography. We are encouraged to present our own interpretations and give them new life," she says.

Xin's performances led to her promotion to soloist early this year. She has also opened a course at the Beijing Dance Academy to teach the Graham technique.

"The key of the Graham technique, contraction and release, is somehow linked to Chinese qigong (the ancient Chinese practice of slow movements and breathing exercises). Her spirit of struggling in hardship is also close to Chinese people's experience," says Xin.

Graham met Mei Lanfang (1864-1961) when the Peking Opera icon visited the US in the 1930s and she drew on some movements from Peking Opera such as "woyu" (a basic skill for actresses to lie down elegantly) and walking like a dwarf for her own works, Xin says.

Xin's next dream is to become a principal dancer of the company.

"I also hope to work with Chinese choreographers," she says, noting that the Martha Graham Dance Company works with many talented choreographers from around the world.

Bulareyaung Pagarlava from Taiwan, for example, choreographed one piece of Lamentation Variations, an ongoing project in which the Martha Graham Company commissions choreographers to create on Graham's work Lamentation to commemorate the anniversary of 9/11.

"If you dream, dream big. I believe the Graham Company will dance big works by Chinese choreographers one day," she says.