China’s National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) has established a ballet company in collaboration with the Beijing Dance Academy, expanding its resident ensembles and creating a new route from dance training into professional performance.

Unveiled in Beijing on 16 October, NCPA Ballet is the institution’s fifth professional performing arts ensemble. The NCPA describes it as the capital’s first municipally administered ballet company.

The company will develop original contemporary productions alongside work rooted in the classical repertoire. Its principal base will be the NCPA’s Taihu Stage Art Centre, supported by rehearsal, production and performance resources across the institution’s three venues.

Recruitment will draw on graduates of the Beijing Dance Academy’s secondary and undergraduate ballet programmes, as well as dancers and other ballet professionals from abroad. The partnership brings together the academy’s teaching expertise and the NCPA’s experience in producing and presenting performances.

An initial guest-artist roster announced at the launch includes Shen Wei, Vladimir Malakhov, Tan Yuanyuan and Xie Xin. Students from the academy also performed at the event.

The ensemble plans to complete its formation and present its first performance by the end of 2026. Further plans include original creations, established repertoire and exploration of new approaches to ballet.