The Dunhuang Arts Theater of Gansu Province, formerly the Gansu Provincial Song and Dance Troupe, was founded in 1961. For more than 40 years, the troupe's artists have kept in touch with everyday life, creating a great number of colorful music and dance programs. The theatre not only staged many performances in the countryside, pastures and industrial and mining sites in the vast northwest, but also entertained audiences all over the country.

The theater takes up the mission of inheriting and preserving human culture of the Dunhuang Grottoes and spreading its eternal spirit. In 1979, the dance drama "Flowers of the Silk Road", which was collectively created by the theater's playwright group, revived the well-known Dunhuang frescoes on stage for the first time, causing a great sensation. For the first time ever, in 1979, the Ministry of Culture awarded it first prize. In 1994, the theater won top honors in the 20th-century Chinese National Classical Dance Contest.

Following "Flowers of the Silk Road" the large dance musical "Kong Hou Yin", "Dunhuang Ancient Music" and a large number of dance programs, including "Xiliang Music", "Ling Po Dance", "In the Clouds", "Fine Dance Posture and Nice Music," have been created one after another. In 1995, "Dunhuang Ancient Music" won the new theatrical piece prize of the Fifth Wenhua Award issued by the Ministry of Culture. The theater has successively made guest performances in such countries as the DPR Korea, Japan, Italy, France, Thailand, Russia, Latvia, Portugal, Turkey, Spain and the United States.

Under the guidance of former theater president Xi Zhenguan, troupe dancers -- Xu Qi, Zhang Jufang and Zhang Qiang -- created the grand dance drama "Ancient Music in Dunhuang" on the basis of the Dunhuang frescos and music from 1,000 years ago. The program aroused great attention at the Fourth Chinese Arts Festival and was staged many times in Hong Kong and Macao, where it was very well accepted.

Currently, the theater's leading artists are Xu Qi, Han Zhongcai, Zhu Jiang, Su Ping, Yan Jiangzhong and Zhong Jufang.

Address: No 1710, Donggang Donglu, Lanzhou, Gansu Province

Zip Code: 730020

Tel: 0931-8657832