Shanghai International Dance Center kicked off a new call for young choreographers aged between 18 and 45 this week.

The center pledged to provide diverse forms of support, such as commissioning new works, production collaboration, or being the sole producer of their new show.

According to Chen Li, deputy general manager of the center, "original creations by young choreographers are indispensable to the healthy ecology of dance. We want to provide rich soil for these young talents to develop, and they will play their part in a colorful artistic environment."

In the past few years the center has cultivated a series of dance projects of strong Chinese characteristics, such as Tian Tian's creation of Yong III, which was inspired by the dance figures from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) and Tang Dynasty (618-907), Rao Yuhui's Junction of Roads, based on a traditional Peking opera repertoire.

Aside from providing financial, technical and other logistic supports, the center will also invite industry experts to contribute their advice and help these young talents polish their creations.

The center is also joining hands with other theaters and art institutions in Shanghai and other parts of China to provide more performance opportunities for these new productions.