The National Ballet of China finished its last performance in Belfort November 27 as part of its performance tour of eight French cities. In more than 50 days, the National Ballet of China stirred a "Red Ballet Storm" with its repertoires, including the time-honored "Red Detachment of Women" and the new performance "Raise the Red Lantern." The accomplishments of the Chinese artists won praise from a number of French audiences.

On October 6, the troupe, composed of 165 members aged 22 on average, made its debut in France, which was of vital importance to the "Chinese Culture Year." The troupe gave nearly 30 performances in eight cities, including Lyon, Avignon, Montpellier, Dijon and Paris, which were all warmly received by French audiences.

The debut performance of "Red Detachment of Women" in Lyons and Dijon deeply impressed viewers due to its high degree of professionalism and inspiration. "Raise the Red Lantern" raised even more attention. After the performance, many enthusiastic spectators went backstage to congratulate the performers and get signatures.

During the staging of "Raise the Red Lantern", when the curtain gradually opened, dozens of red lanterns hanging on stage gave strong visual appeal to the audiences. At the end of every scene, the applause was overwhelming.

Zhao Ruheng, president of the National Ballet Troupe of China, noted that the goal for the troupe was to introduce the classic ballet of the West to Chinese audiences, as well as organically blend the essence of western and eastern cultures to create a ballet with distinct Chinese characteristics. The troupe's representative work, "Red Detachment of Women", has been staged for more than 40 years with persistent improvements. The new ballet-opera, "Raise the Red Lantern", is the first attempt to combine western ballet with traditional Chinese Peking Opera. Although it has no previous successful experiences to learn from, there is much room for innovation.

Zhao noted that the purpose of the trip to France was to introduce the original Chinese ballet to Europe, transfer the information of modern China in the form of dance and provide an international stage for young artists to perform and communicate, and hopefully propel the development of Chinese ballet a step further. Performing at major theaters in Paris can promote the prestige of the Chinese ballet. The tour also attracted the attention of dominant medias in France and some theaters and performance brokers who pinned high hopes on the prospect of the National Ballet of China, anticipating the troupe's next performance with a full list of their plays.