Fengling Productions is proud to share that our Artistic Director, Farooq Chaudhry OBE, has joined the UK Prime Minister–led delegation to China, travelling alongside senior British business and cultural leaders. "Travelling with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and a delegation of Britain’s top business and cultural leaders, I see a pivotal moment. Our aim for a more ‘sophisticated relationship’ with China is, in truth, about taking the handbrake off, allowing for an open and

Feng Ling Productions is delighted to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Goldsmiths, University of London, establishing an in-principle partnership to explore creative collaboration and academic exchange around A Bridge Across Heaven. This partnership marks a meaningful dialogue between academic research and artistic creation. Goldsmiths is internationally renowned for its excellence in the arts and humanities, while Feng Ling Productions is dedi

Article: 独家探班｜余秀华用不完美的身体展开一场全新的“写作” Article by: Liu Qing From Wen Wei Po October 29, 2024 Yu Xiuhua doesn’t let societal taboos weigh on her mind. During rehearsals for the dance theater production “Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight”, she sits down, drenched in sweat, and says matter-of-factly, “Sometimes I wonder if, after I die, I might have a healthy and free body in my next life.” Dancer Li Kehua, sitting close to her, immediately covers her mouth. Yu brushes her hand aside

Article From: T-Magazine China December 6, 2024 “From grinded eyes she retrieves a fragmented self.” “From disability, She retrieves a dancer on light feet.” --She Dances in April Yu Xiuhua never expected that a year and a half after watching the “Peacock”, she would be dancing where the crows had spun and jumped. In February 2023, Yu attended a performance of Yang Liping’s dance drama “Peacock” at the Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre with her agent, Hu Tao. The character of the

"What is beauty? What is love? What does it mean to hibernate in the shadows" Article By: Wu Tong From Shanghai Observer 7th November, 2024 Can Yu Xiuhua, who walks with an unsteady gait, really dance? Stepping into Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre, where rehearsals for her poetry-dance production "Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight" are underway, Yu Xiuhua moves slowly forward, stooping to pick up scattered roses from the floor, one by one. Raising her hands above her head

"Dancing with Yu Xiuhua" Article By Hu Tao From Wei Wen Po November 18, 2024 Though I've known Yu Xiuhua for years, I've never truly written about her. Perhaps I was waiting for the right moment. Over the past year, I witnessed the creation of the dance-poetry theater "Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight" from inception to completion, and now feels like the time. In the widely known story of her life, this chapter might not seem particularly legendary, yet the serendipitous conn

“On the Stage Productions Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight and Guardian of Dreams。” Article By Yao Kun From Wen Wei Po 11.12.2024 Pictured: Stills from the performances of Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight (left) and Guardian of Dreams (right). Photography for Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight. Shot by Li Yijian. Images provided by the performance team The stage has never been short of resounding dialogue, meticulously trained choreography, or evocative dance sequences. These

Article By Jiang Xinyi From Sixth Tone JIANGSU, East China — Yu Xiuhua is no stranger to controversy. The farmer-turned-poet has spent years redefining perceptions of disability in China with her raunchy, often expletive-laden verse about living — and loving — with cerebral palsy. Now, the 48-year-old is ruffling feathers once again — by taking to the stage as a dancer. On Nov. 15, Yu debuted her new show “Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight” in Shanghai, a production that fuses h

On October 11, 2024, Director Farooq Chaudhry shared the production and creation story behind the Poetic Dance Theatre "Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight" at the Shanghai Library. The event was held both online and in person, with constant applause from the audience. Farooq's captivating telling held everyone's attention, and "Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight", his meticulously crafted work, is set to shine brightly in Shanghai in just one month.

On the evening of September 25, 2024, Mystery 196: Ba Wang Bian – Ancestral Dialogues was brilliantly performed at the Old Oil Mill Factory Amphitheater in Elefsina, Greece, marking the production's return to the stage after six years. The latest version of Ba Wang Bian seamlessly integrated with the ancient outdoor venue, evoking a profound sense of history. Dancer Maya Jilan Dong wielded the Ba Wang whip with passion, delivering a powerful and emotional performance that cap

From a disabled rural farmer to China’s most celebrated contemporary poet, Yu Xiuhua’s journey highlights how authenticity can inspire hope and provoke controversy. She is now bringing her bold self-expression to the dance stage. By Ni Wei

The dance theatre production Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight will have its world premiere at Young Theatre in Shanghai, China, from November 15-17, 2024. Book your tickets Here

Credit: The Arts and Humanities Research Council Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council as part of: The Producers Toolbox: The Way/Dào of the Producer

Read article here Chinese poet Yu Xiuhua shared her poems at a special event themed "Writing in the Clouds, Living in the Earth" at the British Library in London on April 19. The event featured some of Yu's representative works, and previewed excerpts from the upcoming dance-theatre production "Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight" adopted from her poetry. On the same day, she was interviewed by China Global Television Network （CGTN）. Yu Xiuhua said “Poetry belongs to the humanit

As part of the residency for the development of Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight, The British Library will be hosting a poetry reading with Yu Xiuhua on Friday April 19th 2024. Book your tickets HERE

Farooq was invited participate in Our China Stories Ceremony, to discuss his ongoing collaboration with China, with projects such as Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight and Yang Liping's Peacock Contemporary Dance Company. Read article here

The North East’s leading dance charity, Dance City, has announced Farooq Chaudhry OBE of Fengling Productions as the organisation’s Associate Producer. The relationship between Dance City and Fengling Productions comes following the successful music and technical residency development of ‘Nine Songs’ in January this year. To find out more visit Dance City's Website

Following the presentation of Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight at Shanghai Performing Arts Forum in September 2023, Farooq has been invited to participate in the 5th UK-China Disability Forum, to deliver a keynote speech and do a presentation on the process of developing She Dances in April. This event continues the framework content of the UK-China Disability Art Forum established in 2019, and also adds wrap-around activities including project pitch and networking. The forums

We are extremely proud and excited to announce that Ten Thousand Tons of Moonlight has been selected to be showcased as part of the Pitch New Works session at the 2024 ISPA conference taking place in New York City on January 10th 2024. For more information on the Pitch New Works showcase, click

Farooq was invited as a guest speaker at the third World Human Forum held in Delos in June 2023. The World Human Forum is a think and do tank, a knowledge and action hub designed to help build a brighter future for all. A global citizens’ initiative which highlights and interconnects the innovative forces of our planet towards the creation of a genuine ecological civilisation. to find out more, visit https://worldhumanforum.earth/