"Like most folk dances, which are usually performed during a harvest or at a festive occasion, it also expresses a kind of wish for auspiciousness. The state of the dancers, and their expression, is one of excitement, joy and composure," Yuan says.

Huang says that she was touched to learn that the folk dances from foreign countries often express similar sentiments to Chinese folk dances, such as the longing for love and peace. "Although our aesthetics may differ somewhat, we have the same dreams, the same emotions."

Huang says the academy adopted two approaches to help the students learn the folk dances. For some forms of dance, students took part in field trips to learn the dance moves and their cultural origins. However, due to the great number of students participating in the project, for other dances, the academy invited the local inheritors to Beijing to instruct the students.