Bai Shuxiang | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1939 |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Education | Beijing Dance School |
| Occupation | Ballerina |
| Years active | 1958-1980s |
| Organization | National Ballet of China (originally Central Ballet Ensemble) |
| Known for | Early pioneer of Chinese ballet |
| Notable work | |
Bai Shuxiang (Chinese: 白淑湘; pinyin: Bái Shūxiāng; born 1939) is a Chinese dancer and former prima ballerina, known for her role in the early development of professional ballet in China. After training at the Beijing Dance School as a teenager, Bai was appointed principal dancer of the newly formed Central Ballet Ensemble in 1958, becoming the first Chinese dancer to perform the role of Swan Queen in Swan Lake.
In 1964, Bai danced the lead role in Red Detachment of Women, premiering a new "revolutionary model" of contemporary Chinese ballet, and proceeded to dance in a number of other Chinese productions. During the Cultural Revolution, her career came to an abrupt halt when she was publicly denounced by a former dance partner and sentenced to several years of hard labour. Despite this, Bai returned to the stage in the late 1970s; she found new success dancing her old roles, and eventually became associate director of the Central Ballet.