Treasure ships, stormy seas, a giraffe, warriors, sailors and a Ming Dynasty sea captain will be an integral part of this weekend's Mid-Autumn Festival 2014 at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center.

You'll find all that and more in the festival's "Zheng He in the Desert," an original dance piece starring Shaolin Master Junming Zhao. The dance drama was created in collaboration with the Barbea Willliams Performing Company. The company will join Junming Zhao in performing the dance, as will members of Tucson Sino Martial Arts.

Zhao, a martial arts resident at the Confucius Institute at the University of Arizona, takes on the role of Zheng He, who was an admiral in charge of the massive fleet that led expeditions to Southeast Asia, Arabia and Africa, among other places. His feats expanded Chinese power and made him China's greatest seafarer.

The dance, which incorporates story telling, fantasy, puppets and spectacle, includes pirate attacks, sea storms, and even a stop in the Sonoran desert. It will culminate in a procession in which the audience is invited to participate. The script of the dance piece is based on research by Tucson historian and educator Gloria Smith.

The festival begins at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and ends with the dance, which start at 7:30 each night. Admission for the fest - which includes the dance - is $10 for adults, $5 for students, and there will Chinese and African food for sale.

The center is at 1288 W. River Road. Call 292-6900 for tickets.