The colorful Beijing Dance Academy
Shao Junting, center left, and Wang Zihan play the central characters in Beijing Dance Academy’s new version of “The Butterfly Lovers” at the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. A marketing gimmick refers to the story as “China’s Romeo and Juliet.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Shao Junting, center, and the ensemble. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Shao Junting plays the character of Zhu Yingtai. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Shao Junting and Wang Zihan. In the story, Shao’s character disguises herself as a boy to enter school, where she becomes a classmate of Wang’s character, Liang Shanbo. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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Wang Zihan, Shao Junting and the ensemble. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Wang Lei goes for a spin during the dance “Emperor Qin Counting His Soldiers” at the Ahmanson Theatre. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Wang Shengfeng, from left, Li Nan, Wang Lei and Wu Suai. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Shao Junting, from left, Zhao Qiao and Chen Chen in “Waist Dancing of Chu Women.” (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
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The ensemble in “Lotus Flower in June.” (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times)
Lotus Flower in June (Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times)