A dance troupe that’s traveled from the opposite side of the planet is performing tonight (Saturday) in central Iowa. Jeff Morgan is spokesman for the State Historical Society of Iowa. Morgan says the 30 dancers are from China’s Renmin University and will be performing at the State Historical Building in Des Moines. Admission is five-dollars at the door.

The performance is presented through the Historical Society’s educational theater program, which Morgan says works to enrich the lives of all Iowans through literacy-based and historically accurate theater programs, museum exhibits and cultural performances. Morgan says the Chinese dancers are recognized as some of the best in the world. He says the group won the 2003 and 2005 Beijing Student Dancing Competition and placed first and second at the Beijing City Art Festival recently. The performance is scheduled for 7 to 9 P.M. and is in partnership with Iowa Sister States. For more information, call (515) 281-4132 or surf to “www.iowahistory.org”.