"It was the first time I played the hero in a new original production. I was very involved in the creation, as the director needed to seek inspiration from the actors.

"The dance moves were tailor-made on my physical condition, so it suits me very well, and I really enjoyed the creative process," he says. The show, which premiered in 2006, has become one of the most enduring in the repertoires of Shanghai Ballet, and was performed at the Hong Kong Arts Festival last year.

During the 10th-anniversary celebration of its production of Swan Lake, the Shanghai Ballet introduced three pairs of dancers for the lead roles of Prince Siegfried and Odette. Wu and his partner Qi Bingxue, being the mature pair, are followed by Tu Hanbin with Feng Zichun, and Xu Jingkun with Guo Wenjin.

Wu finds Asian dancers making great progress in the global ballet scene and attributes this to advanced training methods and frequent international communication. He also notices a shift in the criteria for international ballet competitions that emphasize the dancers' ability to convey their passion to the audience and present their true emotions and individuality through dance.

Contact the writer at zhangkun@chinadaily.com.cn