Beijing Dance Academy, known as “the Cradle of Dancers”, is a full-time institution of higher learning with commitment to developing excellent professional dancers, choreographers and dance researchers. Founded in 1954, the former Beijing Dance School was the first professional dance school ever established since the founding of People’s Republic of China. The Academy provides BA and MA degrees and has become the only institution of higher learning for professional dance education in China, as well as the largest prestigious dance school with comprehensive concentrations in the world. The Academy now provides such divisions as the Department of Chinese Classical Dance, the Department of Chinese Ethnic and Folk Dance, Ballet Department，Ballroom dance Department,  Musical Theater Department, School of Creative Studies, Humanities School, Education School, School of Continuing Education, School of Dance Grade Examination, and Affiliated Secondary School of BDA, involving academic areas of dance performance, dance studies, choreography, dance education, stage design, art management, etc.