Imagine dedicating your life to dance. The Beijing Dance Academy has been the cradle of dancers since 1954. It is China’s highest institution for dance education.
The Beijing Dance Academy started as the Beijing Dance School. The State Council approved its upgrade in 1978. In 2000, the Beijing Municipal People’s Government took over sponsorship. The academy grants BA and MA degrees. It is the only higher learning institution for professional dance education in China. It is also the world’s largest dance school. The Beijing Dance Academy has the most complete professional settings.
Located north of Zizhuyuan Park in Haidian District, the Beijing Dance Academy is vast. It hosts about 600 faculty and staff. There are 2500 full-time students. More than 5000 students attend the School of Continuing Education. Each year, the School of Dance Grade Examination trains over 50,000 teachers. These teachers conduct dance grade exams at home and abroad. Nearly 500,000 students take these exams.
The Beijing Dance Academy has many departments. These include Chinese Classical Dance and Chinese Ethnic and Folk Dance. There is also a Ballroom Dance Department and a Ballet Department. A Musical Department and a Creative School are available. The Creative School includes Choreography, Modern Dance and Art Design. The Humanities School offers Dance Studies, Art Communication and General Education. Other divisions include the Education School and the BDA Youth Dance Company. There is a School of Continuing Education. Also, the School of Dance Grade Examination and an Affiliated Secondary School. Academic areas cover dance performance, dance studies and choreography. Also dance education and art design.
Since 1955, the Beijing Dance Academy has enrolled international students. Students come from the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Canada and Singapore. They pursue postgraduate, undergraduate and secondary education. Professional training is also available.
The Beijing Dance Academy has partnerships worldwide. These include universities in the UK, the US, Italy and South Korea. New Zealand, Singapore, Austria, Hong Kong and Taiwan are also partners. These promote teacher and student exchanges. They also promote joint choreography and performances. Cooperative dual-degree projects are common.
The academy boasts nearly one hundred dance studios. This is the largest number in any dance school worldwide. Advanced stage facilities are available for teachers and students. Venues include the Dance Theater with 912 seats. Also the Black Box Theater with 200 seats. A Concert Hall has 120 seats. There is a Creative Performance Laboratory. It seats 72. The Performing Arts Integration Laboratory seats 100. The Salon Theater holds 200. Other facilities include a Media Art Laboratory and a Digital & Audio Center. The Dance Theater is a high-end stage. It showcases new works and classic rehearsals. Dance contests are often held here.
The library holds the largest collection of dance materials in China. It has over 260,000 books. There are 1,400 periodicals and over 30,000 audio and video materials. More than 30,000 photos and scattered pages are stored here. A resource database features digitized dance records.
China’s only National Dance Museum is located here. It holds over 1,000 pieces. The museum preserves endangered dance cultures from various ethnic groups in China.
The Foreign Students Dormitory Building provides comfortable rooms. These rooms have air conditioning, telephones and TVs. Desks, chairs and private bathrooms are standard. Hot water is available 24 hours. A clinic with physical therapy devices is on campus.
The Beijing Dance Academy remains a beacon. It cultivates talent and promotes dance. It builds cultural bridges across the world.