NeZha Chinese folk hero inspiration for new Chinese dance

NeZha Chinese folk hero inspiration for new Chinese dance

17 Video Views·Feb 20, 2026

Ma Cong, associate artistic director at the Richmond Ballet, is choreographing a new Chinese dance for the company’s Nutcracker. Cong, who was trained at the Beijing Dance Academy, talks about using the subject of a Chinese tale, NeZha, as his inspiration. The young warrior battles the dragon in this blend of Chinese folk dance and classical ballet. Video by Alexa Welch Edlund/Times-Dispatch