The final dance drama competition for the 12th Lotus Awards, China's top awards for professional dance, will be held in Shanghai in September, according to the China Dancers Association (CDA).

A total of five works will be awarded in the final competition, said a CDA statement, adding that the entries are required to reflect real life as well as the aesthetic pursuit of Chinese people, while particularly focusing on the originality of the art of dance.

The Lotus Awards were initiated in 1998 and remain the only national awards for dancing in China.