Gender-neutral representation has become an important yet underexamined issue in contemporary Chinese classical dance. While previous scholarship has discussed Chinese dance in relation to heritage transmission, cultural identity, choreography, and gendered embodiment, limited attention has been given to how gender-neutral representation functions as a source of artistic innovation. This qualitative case study examined how gender-neutral representation fosters innovation in Chinese classical dance. The study focused on selected contemporary Chinese classical dance performances that reworked gender-coded movement, characterisation, costuming, and narrative structure. Data were collected through performance analysis, semi-structured interviews with choreographers, dancers, and designers, audience responses, and supporting documents such as programme notes and performance materials. Thematic analysis was used to identify how gender-neutral representation shaped choreographic and aesthetic development. The findings showed that gender-neutral representation fostered innovation through several interconnected pathways. First, it challenged traditional gender stereotypes and enabled dancers to access a wider range of movement qualities, including strength, softness, authority, vulnerability, and fluidity. Second, it supported the fusion of classical and contemporary elements by allowing choreographers to redesign movement phrases without relying on binary character codes. Third, it expanded narrative flexibility by shifting attention from gendered roles to agency, emotion, leadership, and symbolic meaning. Finally, it strengthened cultural sustainability and global appeal by aligning Chinese classical dance with contemporary values of inclusivity, hybridity, and artistic renewal. The study concludes that gender-neutral representation is not merely a representational choice, but a multidimensional choreographic mechanism that renews the expressive, narrative, and cultural possibilities of Chinese classical dance.
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