The 11th Lotus Awards, China's top awards for dance, were held on Jan 6 in Haikou, Hainan province, with the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theater emerging as the winner of the highest honor in dance drama.   

The Lotus Awards, established in 1997 with the aim of spurring the development of dance in China, have become the most revered awards among dancers in the country. 

A performance by Guangzhou Song and Dance Theater is given at the Hainan Center for the Performing Arts in Haikou on Jan 6. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

The Guangzhou-based troupe won the award for Awakening Lion, a distinctive Lingnan folk dance drama. It is the first large-scale dance drama in China themed around the Guangdong's lion dance.

With the Opium War as its backdrop, the drama ends with the Sanyuanli anti-British uprising. The story focuses on the national awakening of China while telling the story of two lion dancers as they experience love and hate. It emphasizes choices made by families and the country, and reflects the indomitable spirit of Guangdong's youth.

The opera premiered at the Guangzhou Opera House early last September and later on Dec 3 it was performed in Shanghai to qualify for the 11th Lotus Awards. Both shows received acclaim from local audiences.

The performance by the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theater. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]

Performers play the drum during the dance drama Awakening Lion. [Photo/Guangzhou Daily]