Bharatnatyam gaining popularity in China
http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/09/stories/2007080957982200.htm

BEYOND BORDERS: China’s leading Bharatnatyam dancer, Jin Shan Shan, with her daughter Jessie in Beijing, where Jin has opened an Indian dance school.

BEIJING: After Bollywood films, classical Indian dance has caught the imagination of the Chinese, with a young woman actively promoting Bharatnatyam among her compatriots, especially the tiny-tots.

For 33-year-old Jin Shan Shan, a Jawaharlal Nehru University alumnus, it has always been a passion to become an exponent of Bharatnatyam. She has established a school for Bharatnatyam here.

While Bollywood films, Indian cuisine and yoga have become popular in China, learning classical Indian dance is also gaining ground here, Ms. Jin said. Around 50 Chinese children were attending classes every week to learn the intricacies of the classical dance.

Ms. Jin said the situation was ripe for starting the school since Bollywood and its music are becoming popular among the Chinese, especially among the youngsters, who could play a vital role in future in promoting India-China cultural linkages. — PTI