Dancers perform Legend on the Silk Road in Dunhuang, Gansu province, during the 8th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo. [Photo/silkroadexpo.gogansu.com]

Since the 1st Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo in 2016, performances have been a major highlight of the event. The expo has become a vital platform for introducing global audiences to Dunhuang dance, an art form born from millennia-old murals.

At the 8th expo in 2025, an upgraded version of the classic dance drama Legend on the Silk Road premiered. The creative team faithfully restored iconic scenes from the 1979 original, referencing Mogao Caves murals for gestures, steps, and costumes, while using modern technologies like high-definition projection for an immersive effect

 Kang Qi, the lead dancer, said that every detail was strictly based on cave murals. Hu Yuting, who played the same role in 2016, expressed her hope to bring Dunhuang dance to international stages as a medium for cultural exchange.

Beyond performances, the expo has fostered academic research and international collaboration. During the 8th expo, 13 art troupes from five countries, including the United States, Thailand, Hungary, and South Korea, performed in galas and flash mobs at scenic spots.

Meanwhile, forums at the 6th and 8th expos brought together experts to discuss theoretical systems and global promotion.

Ou Jianping, honorary director of the Dance Research Institute at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, said that Dunhuang dance has great potential for worldwide dissemination, calling for more Belt and Road-themed works and for more young talent to perform internationally.

Through performances and scholarly exchanges, the Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo is building a bridge with dance, connecting history and the future, China and the world.