Beijing Dance Academy graduates who now reside in Singapore, Xiao Jing and Li Yingying perform a traditional dance inspired by the city of Dunhuang, once a major hub of communication and commerce along the Southern Silk Road in the ancient times. This performance took place on 22 Feb, 7.15pm at Esplanade Concourse as part of Esplanade's annual Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts.

Dunhuang is located in the middle of Asia and it is surrounded by the Mongolian highlands, the Taklamakan Desert of Xinjiang and the Tibetan Plateau. This county-level city is strategically located at the crossroads of the ancient Southern Silk Road and was considered the centre of communication between ancient China and the rest of the world, as well as a major hub of commerce.

In the past centuries, various religions, arts, languages and cultures from Europe, Central Asia and India have converged in this city. Their complete fusion with Chinese heritage has made Dunhuang culture a gem of the world.

Dunhuang dance draws inspirations from frescos, instruments and music scores found in the rock caves. It encompasses the charm of the Tang Dynasty and the sacredness of religion. The performance of the dance today is a resounding ring of the bell of history, chiming the reverberations of the past in modern times.