Dance | Lady White Snake

Shanghai Grand Theatre's dance Lady White Snake is a groundbreaking reimagining of China's timeless folk legend, The Tale of the White Snake. Moving beyond traditional narrative, this production transforms a thousand-year-old story into a profound exploration of the human psyche, where dance becomes a language of deep psychological revelation. Under the artistic direction of international ballet star Tan YuanYuan, Lady White Snake blends Eastern and Western dance languages, breathing new life into this timeless Chinese tale through a global lens, while showcasing the oriental aesthetic in the Jiangnan style.

In this version, Lady White Snake, Xu Xian, and Fa Hai are reinterpreted as the modern wife, husband and psychotherapist, respectively. Meanwhile, Xiao Qing (Green Snake) emerges as a liminal character, dancing between worlds and embodying the untamed id in a relentless pursuit of selfhood. The characters seamlessly blend the ancient and the modern, complementing and echoing each other, while creating a striking contrast between reality and illusion.