Two students represent all the participants to hold the flag of the summer dance camp. [Photo by Xu Jing /Chinaculture.org]

According to Guan Xin, director of the European and Asian Region in the Bureau for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture, except for contemporary dance technique and choreography classes, all the teachers and students will experience art collection and field study to have an in﹣depth and personal experience in Chinese folk culture and to draw inspiration from it.

“In October 2014, at the invitation of Ministry of Culture, 18 artistic directors and choreographers from Central and Eastern European countries visited China. We once talked about the idea of founding a summer dance camp during a lunch, and now it has become a reality. I do hope that all the participants will enjoy the program and have an unforgettable experience,” Guan said.

Shi Bo, a teacher of the dance camp as well as a deputy professor of the Chinese Classical Dance Department of Beijing Dance Academy, told a journalist of Chinaculture.org that compared with the Central and Eastern European countries, Chinese dance still has a long way to go. The summer camp is a great chance for Chinese dancers to realize the disparity, and learn from the CEEC dancers.

“Meanwhile, though there is not enough time for the CEEC students to have a good command of Chinese Culture, they can find the beauty of China and our culture at least. As they are so young, it’s quite possible for them to fall in love with the country for the rest of their life, and draw inspiration from such an experience in the future,” Shi added.