NEW YORK, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- An acclaimed Chinese dance drama depicting an ancient war made its U.S. premiere at the Lincoln Center of New York City on Thursday, stunning thousands of spectators with its beauty and passion.

"Under Siege," a dance theater production by renowned Chinese dancer and choreographer Yang Liping, is a fusion of contemporary dance, martial arts, traditional Chinese music, Peking Opera costumes and installation art.

It features a battle between Chu and Han kingdoms' armies in 202 B.C., offering a breathtaking portrayal of a turning point in Chinese history.

Boasting a powerful body language and Chinese cultural essence, it has been widely hailed as an aesthetic feast and visual splendor since its debut in China in 2015.

"I was really impressed. It's the best thing I've seen in a long time," Diana Gill, a publishing house editor, commented after seeing the show.

"It was gorgeous. It's just such a strong performance. I'm so inspired," said a woman who called herself Jacinth and drove two hours from the state of Connecticut for the show.

The dance drama is distinguished for its technique of expression. For example, thousands of scissors hanging from the ceiling, in a scenic design by Chinese American artist Liu Beili, were employed to depict the danger and ambush facing every character, highlighting the conflict between the warring factions.

Hong Kong-born Tim Yip, who won the 2001 Academy Award for Best Art Direction in the feature film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," took the lead in costume and scenic designs for the dance drama.

"It is an experimental drama of contemporary dance," Yang said earlier, who is also director of "Under Siege."

On Thursday, the cast received a standing ovation when Yang showed up on stage during the curtain call, which lasted nearly 10 minutes.

"I think the audience was very impressed and gripped by the action and the emotion that was being expressed during the show," Chuck Oliver, a fan of Chinese culture, told Xinhua. "I hope there's more of this coming from China to the United States, and there are more people who appreciate the value of this."

The dance show will be staged three times at the Lincoln Center through Saturday.

The U.S. debut of the Chinese dance drama came as a highlight of the ongoing 53rd Mostly Mozart Festival, an annual summer event at the Lincoln Center presenting dozens of concerts, dance dramas, operas and films.