CANAL Asia: the first international edition of the CANAL program

Published on 13 January 2026

An edition of the CANAL Asia operation was held in Beijing on November 25 and 26, the first international deployment of this emblematic program of the Centre National de la Danse (CN D). CANAL Asia is a project is supported by the French Institute as part of the Programme Industries Culturelles et Créatives (PICC), in conjunction with the French Institute of China.

Canal, a professional platform created in 2020 by the Centre national de la danse, was rolled out in 2025 for the first time in Asia.
An event aimed at the choreographic community, Canal Asia highlighted French and Chinese creations, fostered exchanges between professionals in the sector and strengthened collaborations between France and China and Asia more widely.

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In addition to CN D, theevent also brought together three other leading French structures, (l'Agora, Cité internationale de la Danse, le Centre chorégraphique national de Rennes et de Bretagne and the Centre chorégraphique national de Grenoble), each featuring two artists from the contemporary French choreographic scene.

At the same time, eight Chinese structures presented eight artists from the local choreographic scene. The event was hosted by the Beijing Dance Academy, which also presented two artists.

A total of 80 professionals were present to discover models of projects in creation or shows already created by Jann GALLOIS, Pierre RIGAL, Aina ALEGRE, Ola MACIEJEWSKA, Linda HAYFORD, Mounia NASSANGAR, Bruno BENNE, Olivia GRANDVILLE for the French artists.

Chinese artists XU Yiming, SHEN Yingying, LIU Qingyu, GONG Zhonghui, LI Chao, SONG Xinxin & WANG, Shuhuan, CHEN Shuchang, XIE Xin were presented by BeijingDance / LDTX, Beijing Normal University, Guangdong Modern Dance Company, Mid-Mountain Dancer - Changsha, Move to Move International Dance Festival -Aranya, Shanghai International Dance Center, Young Artists Platform of Dance, Xiexin Dance Theater - Shanghai.

At the end of the event, projects are already emerging, such as diffusions of French artists in Asia, but also the hosting of Chinese choreographers during touring residencies in France.

This project is supported by the French Institute as part of the Programme Industries Culturelles et Créatives (PICC), in conjunction with the French Institute of China.

Cultural and Creative Industries Program (PICC)

The Programme Industries Culturelles et Créatives (PICC) is part of the government's strategy to support and boost the export of French cultural and creative industries, and to strengthen the Institut français' strategy of supporting CCIs.