With Hong Kong's reunification with China in 1997, CCDC has repositioned itself as "a Hong-Kong-based dance company endeavours to rally the best of Chinese talents to create dance for contemporary China".

Since 1985, our Artistic Director Willy Tsao had already started teaching modern dance workshops in various cities on the Mainland, including Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Fuzhou, Kunming and Taiyuan. He subsequently helped set up the first 4-year Modern Dance Diploma Programme at the Guangdong Dance School. From 1992-98, he was invited by the Guangdong Cultural Department to be the Artistic Director of Guangdong Modern Dance Company (GMDC), the first professional modern dance company in the mainland China.

After 1997, CCDC embarked on its China Dance Development Programme. Working on the foundation of our previous efforts on the mainland, we hoped to further collaborate with mainland artists. Armed with CCDC's artistic vision, administrative and marketing experiences, we wish to mobilise the resources and talents in mainland China and in Hong Kong to complement each other. There are three main goals that we would like to achieve:

1. To encourage original and innovative creation while maintaining a standard of excellence;
2. To enhance the appreciation for modern dance through long term educational activities;
3. To promote international dance exchange and help to build a new cultural image for mainland China and Hong Kong.

Ten years on, the China Dance Development Programme has made impressive advancement thanks to our continuous effort:

BeijingDance / LDTX (LDTX), in their inaugural year, launched the “Xian Feng Series” and the “Spring Thunder Series” at Oriental Pioneer Theatre and Haidian Theatre respectively. In addition to providing a platform for young Chinese choreographers, the series featured: new works by choreographers Sang Jijia and Ma Shouze, new talent from various provinces such as the Qing Gu/Dian Dian Dance Cooperative from Guangxi, and the Beijing premiere of Xing Liang's Nijinsky. The series has served as a forum for international exchange. Also, LDTX furthered its educational outreach by launching its year-round dance training centre at the Beijing Dongcheng Cultural Centre and by hosting a lecture-demonstration series in universities in Beijing and Tianjin.

Guangdong Modern Dance Company (GMDC), in addition to the annual “Dance for Fun” Series for amateur dance groups in Guangdong Province, launched a much more aggressive programme, the “Weekend Stage” series, featuring international artists at its experimental theatre. Last year, over 40 performances were staged in these two series. Also, GMDC's Educational Unit ran a full-time certificate course and summer and winter intensive dance courses, in addition to its year-round dance courses. Its tour to the Guangzhou University City last year attracted over 10,000 people.

CCDC, GMDC and LDTX worked closely to facilitate further artistic exchange. In addition to inviting each other to perform in their respective cities, they collaborated on the national tour of Canadian dance artist Nadine Thouin. Upon the recommendation of CCDC, both LDTX and GMDC were invited to perform at The Dance Salad Festival in Houston, USA. Sang Jijia, the first Asian dancer who was chosen by the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative Program, returned to China last year and joined the companies in Beijing and Guangzhou as Resident Artist. The highlight of the Programme is the annual Guangdong Modern Dance Festival. Last year, more than 200 young artists from 13 cities in China attended the Festival. It has become the most important national dance event and has gained international recognition and stature. The festival serves as a nucleus for the modern dance movement in China as it unites young and professional modern dancers for a week of exchange and creation.