The province of Yunnan is home to more than 20 ethnic groups whose exquisites’ songs echo in snowy mountains and serene lakes. Meet the Yi women who take the traditional “treading buckwheat” steps while working in the fields, weaving poetry into their everyday life; the Lisu people who express their love for nature through dancing; Wa maidens perform the “Hair Dance” under the moonlight, celebrating 3,000 years of civilization; and the Dai men who strike the elephant foot drums to celebrate the harvest festival, amid an exciting lineup. Their dances reflect the millenary tales of ancient cities, where culture and heritage pass from generation to generation.

Yang Yuntao undertook his ACC fellowship in a residency program at Shen Wei Dance Art in October 2011.