National Ballet of China to Bring 'The Red Detachment of Women' to Chongqing

Reputed as a milestone in China's ballet history, the classical ballet The Red Detachment of Women will be staged in Chongqing from December 9 to 10, 2023, at Shi Guangnan Grand Theater.

Still of previous performances. (Photo/The National Ballet of China)

The Red Detachment of Women was produced by the National Ballet of China and reformed according to Premier Zhou Enlai's instructions of "revolutionization, nationalization, and popularization." 

The ballet creatively combines Western ballet skills with expression methods of Chinese folk dances and perfectly integrates Chinese and Western cultures in ballet. Since its premiere in 1964, The Red Detachment of Women has been performed more than 4,000 times and invited to at least 20 countries, including the United States, Britain, Russia, France, and Italy. The image of Chinese women soldiers wearing military caps and toe-pointed shoes has become a classic symbol of Chinese ballet, and people even consider that the ballet is entirely comparable to Swan Lake.

Still of previous performances. (Photo/The National Ballet of China)

The Red Detachment of Women, consisting of seven acts, tells the story of Qionghua, a maid who escaped the despotic landlord's mansion on Hainan Island, China, in the 1930s. With the help of Hong Changqing, a Red Army Party delegate, and comrades-in-arms, she gradually transformed from a maid with bitter hatred to a determined revolutionary soldier, vividly showing the unyielding revolutionary spirit of Chinese women.

Still of previous performances. (Photo/The National Ballet of China)

The Red Detachment of Women is a miracle in the revolutionary history of Qiongya and even China. In the 59 years since its premiere, the heroine Qionghua has been played by six generations of actresses. The self-improvement and tenacity of Chinese women represented by Qionghua have been passed down among all actresses of the National Ballet of China and carried forward and deeply rooted in the hearts of the audience through the ballet.