A stage photo of Collision. [Photo by Gao Shang/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Collision: Chemistry sparkled in the air when tradition meets contemporary

For 32-year-old Chi Dongdong, dancer-choreographer and a teacher with Beijing Dance Academy, Collision is an experimental attempt to fuse traditional and contemporary dance.

The 40-minute performance was a harmonious blending of folk dances of China's Korean ethnic group with contemporary dance from the West, pairing folk instruments such as drums and gong with Western instruments such as cello.

Chi said he hopes the combination could trigger reflections on conflicts in modern life where many young people are struggling to find their true selves inside.

"The only traditional costume I used in my choreography is the Korean costume that people could see at the beginning. It's replaced by dancers wearing western-style clothes very soon," Chi said, adding that it's a symbol of liberation in dressing.