Every year, from August 5th to 24th, some of the country's best dancers and choreographers take to the stage at Beijing's NCPA. The dance fiesta returns this year, as the 'Chinese Dance for Twelve Days' soon raises its curtain.  Meanwhile the Chinese version of the popular stage play "War Horse" is also returning to the capital. Take a look.

"Chinese Dance for Twelve Days" has become the "party" for Chinese dancers and dance groups to make all-round public appearances over the past four years.

'Chinese Dance for 12 Days' at NCPA

12 performances of 6 original works, choreographed by young artists and highly anticipated by dance professionals, will hit the stage in Beijing.

From traditional dance and modern dance to ballet, the lineup promises a "dance fiesta" for just about everyone.

Apart from performances, the third edition of the "Young Dancer Performances Plan" is back again, in an effort to promote exchange among young dancers.

"The event is a great platform for the young dancers and choreographers to show their skills and their aesthetics. And they also get to communicate with their fellow peers and other industry professionals. And from what I've seen, there's a lot of potential in the industry," said Feng Shuangbai, director of Chinese Dance Association.

Popular stage play heralds its 200th show in BJ

Meanwhile, having wrapped up a tremendously successful one-year tour in China last year, the Chinese version of the stage play "War Horse" is returning to the capital.

Joey, the War Horse, is no stranger to the National Theatre of China. Since its premiere last September, the Chinese version of the stage production has become a cultural phenomenon, having been staged 190 times in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Harbin, and watched by more than 200,000 people.

"The show is so touching. I've seen the film adaptation, but it's totally different to see the play in a theater. I can hardly find words to describe the stunning scenes."

"I've seen part of the show at the Wuzhen Theater Festival, and it was really impressive. And this time around, I've brought my kids for this marvelous show," said actress Hai Qing.

The Chinese language version of War Horse is the result of a two-year collaboration between London's National Theatre and the National Theatre of China. Based on the eponymous children's book by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse tells the story of the friendship between an English farm boy Albert and his courageous horse Joey during World War I.

Joey, the horse, is considered one of the most enduring example of theatrical magic ever created. Manipulated by three puppeteers, the life-sized steel horse takes on a life of its own. More than a thousand actors auditioned for the part of the puppeteers, but only 15 eventually made it to the final round. Since then they have undergone vigorous training under the auspices of British directors, including living on a horse range for weeks to study the animal in proximity.

"There will definately be improvement for the second run here, not just the overall structure, but also the on-stage communication and the rapport among actors. It's like a photo that we again and again magnify its resolution, and to perfect it in every possible way we can imagine," said Liu Dan, Chinese director of "War Horse" Chinese Version.

The Chinese version of War Horse will greet audiences at the National Theatre of China til August 14th.