"Dragon Boat Racing," a concert dance that blends traditional Cantonese music and history with modern ballet artistry, made its US debut on Thursday at New York's Lincoln Center.

The show, set against the backdrop of the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s, tells a story of how Cantonese musicians created "Dragon Boat Racing."

"It is hard. Dance is a silent art and you have to use your body language to get the feeling across to the audience. And it took us an entire year to flesh out the characters and the plot," said Li Xing, one of the leading roles of the show.

The performance is also a tribute to the Cantonese musicians who had produced many household compositions, said Xiong Jian, head of China's Guangdong Song & Dance Ensemble, the producer of the dance.

The premiere ended Thursday night amid rounds of applause and standing ovation.

"It was gorgeous. The music is so emotional and I love their costume," Brandon Fults told Xinhua. "The concert dance is so different and unique, and I will go to see it again on Sunday."

Uriel Menson, also a spectator and dancer, said: "I think it is beautiful. The choreography is wonderful. The two leads are really wonderful dancers. I enjoyed the performance very much."