Yang Liping, who was 61 at the time, performs “Peacock of Winter” in January 2019 in Southwest China’s Yunnan province. Yang announced the dissolution of the Dynamic Yunnan troupe, as many shows have been canceled due to the Covid epidemic. Photo: VCG

Dancers perform in a Dynamic Yunnan show in 2004 in Jinan, East China’s Shandong province. Yang, the director, choreographer and star of the troupe, drew sellout crowds all over China. Photo: VCG

Yang performs in 2006 in a Dynamic Yunnan show in Shenyang, Northeast China’s Liaoning province. She spent years exploring remote tribal villages in the far south of China before creating the troupe. Photo: VCG

Yang performs “Echoes of Shangrila” in Dongguan, South China’s Guangdong province, in 2009. “Echoes of Shangrila” is a work of traditional folk music, song, and dance drawn from Yunnan’s diverse set of ethnic minorities. Photo: VCG

Dynamic Yunnan dancers perform the act of pilgrimage on stage in 2011 in Kunming, Yunnan province. Photo: IC Photo

Yang performs “Peacock” in Xi’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi province, in 2013. Photo: VCG

Dynamic Yunnan members perform a piece on stage in Tianjin in 2014. Photo: VCG

Dynamic Yunnan performers adorned in peacock feather costumes kneel on stage in Tianjin in 2014. Photo: VCG

Dynamic Yunnan’s dancers are from some of the many ethnic minority groups that populate Yunnan. More than 600 handmade costumes, 68 drums and 120 masks appear in the show. Photo: VCG

Yang (center) and her troupe Pingtan Impression acknowledge the audience after a performance in Tianjin in 2021. Photo: VCG

63-year-old Yang has performed in over 1,000 shows and toured over 30 countries and regions. She rose to fame for choreographing and performing “Peacock” in 1986 and has been dubbed China’s “Peacock Princess.” Photo: VCG