He says that the competition is also a platform for showcasing the achievements of dance instructors, and promotes higher levels of teaching and performing, stimulates the creation of new dances, and propels the development of dance in the country.

Jiang Tiehong participated in the Taoli Cup in 1991 when he was a student at the Minzu University of China majoring in dance. He was named one of the top 10 dancers during the competition, which he says helped launch his career by giving him more opportunities to appear onstage.

"I can still remember the first day of the competition in 1991," says Jiang, who is now head of the dance school at the Minzu University of China. "I was sitting with the other dancers on the audience benches at the Beijing Dance Academy, feeling excited and nervous. We were so young and ambitious, all hoping to win and be recognized.

"For any young student majoring in dance in China, the Taoli Cup is a symbol of success, a clear goal to pursue, even for those who received training as children. Now, many students from the dance school at the Minzu University of China also participate in the competition and get awards, which makes me very proud," he says.

Zhu Han won second place in the classic Chinese dance category during the 2006 competition with the solo piece, Shi Lang, which recounted the story of the legendary military figure from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).