Chinese dance show “Pingtan Impression,” directed by renowned Chinese dancer and choreographer Yang Liping, will hit the Shenzhen stage next month.

The 120-minute show is Yang’s first work on a maritime theme. With its unique dance language, simple but refreshing, it combines inspiration drawn from local history, humanism, seascapes, folk stories, myths, and legends from Pingtan County in Fujian Province. The county’s long cultural history and enchanting natural scenery provide a vivid backdrop for the performers.

Living in an island surrounded by the sea in ancient times, the people of Pingtan believed in many legends and the sea that shaped their livelihoods and future. The show tells a legendary love story of how a couple on the Island of Kylin (another name of Pingtan) leads the islanders to jointly fight against a natural disaster and foreign invasion in pursuit of a better life, all with the help of Mazu, the goddess of the sea.

The play is a vivid retelling of the origins of Austronesian language and culture, Pingtan rattan exercises, the dragon and lion dance, Mazu beliefs and customs. To bring the show to life, technicians of the play have utilized the latest lighting, sounding and multimedia technologies to immerse the audience members in the show’s atmosphere.

Yang is famed for appearing in the performance art show “Dynamic Yunnan,” which has toured all across China, selling out many large venues.

Time: 7:30 p.m., April 16-17

Tickets: 280-1,080 yuan

Booking: “猫眼” (“Maoyan”) WeChat miniprogram

Venue: Nanshan Culture and Sports Center, Nanshan District (南山区南山文体中心)

Metro: Line 1 to Taoyuan Station (桃园站), Exit B(SD News)