In 2024, with the support of the Center for China Shanghai International Arts Festival and jointly curated by Shanghai Cultural Exchange Agency and Wu Promotion, the Acrobatic Drama Swan was presented as a key cultural exchange project marking the 75th anniversary of China–Russia diplomatic relations and the China–Russia Years of Culture. The production successfully toured Moscow and St. Petersburg with eight performances, attracting a total audience of 17,932. Its performance at the Mariinsky Theatre received an exceptionally enthusiastic response, setting a record for the “most enthusiastic applause in history.” During the tour, related media coverage and social media exposure reached over 50,000 people, generating broad attention in mainstream Russian society and significantly enhancing the visibility and recognition of Chinese culture among local audiences.

The Acrobatic Drama Swan, produced by the Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre, is an original acrobatic production that takes Chinese acrobatics’ “shoulder ballet” as its core artistic language. Through dramatic storytelling, it presents the struggles and creative journey of contemporary Chinese acrobats in balancing tradition and innovation.

Inspired by the real artistic pursuit of Chinese acrobats striving for excellence, the production integrates traditional Chinese acrobatic techniques with the artistic imagery of the classical ballet Swan Lake. Through its music, stage design, and narrative structure, it achieves a cross-cultural fusion, demonstrating the innovative strength and international communication potential of Chinese acrobatic arts in the contemporary era.

Building on this success, Swan returned to Russia for another tour in April 2026, becoming one of the few Chinese productions to be staged there twice, further highlighting the growing presence of Chinese acrobatic arts within the global performing arts landscape.