The Beijing Dance Academy (BDA, Chinese: 北京舞蹈学院) is a municipal public professional dance college at Haidian, Beijing. The academy is the highest institution for dance education and assessment in the People's Republic of China, conducting the nationwide teacher qualification level examinations in Chinese dance.
The Beijing Dance Academy was established as the Beijing Dance School (Chinese: 北京舞蹈学校) in 1954, and turned into the Beijing Dance Academy with the approval of State Council and the sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture in 1978. In 2000, its sponsorship was transferred to the Beijing Municipal People's Government. The Academy provides BA and MA degrees and has become the only institution of higher learning for professional dance education in China.
The Academy, known as "the Cradle of Dancers" (Chinese: 舞蹈家的摇篮) and adjacent to Zizhuyuan Park, Haidian District, has over 500 faculty and staff, and over 2,000 full-time students. The Chinese government provides significant funding to the Academy and directly oversees its operations.
Notable alumni
An Yuexi (born 1989), actress
Ayanga (born 1989) actor, singer, and songwriter of Mongol ethnicity
Chi Cao (born 1978), Chinese-born British ballet dancer
Li Cunxin (born 1961), Chinese-Australian retired ballet dancer, stockbroker and artistic director
Elena Gutiérrez (born 1944), Costa Rican-Chilean ballet dancer and choreographer
Chengwu Guo, ballet dancer
Gina Jin (born 1990), actress
Huang Xuan (born 1985), actor
Jiang Mengjie (born 1989), actress
Li Yitong (born 1990), actress and singer
Liu Shishi (born 1987), actress
Liu Yan (born 1982), classical dancer, choreographer, theatre director and professor
Victoria Song (born 1987), singer, dancer, actress, model, host, author and member of f(x)
Wan Peng (born 1996), actress
Wang Likun (born 1985), actress and dancer
Wei Wang, ballet dancer and principal dancer at the San Francisco Ballet
Wang Yan, (born 1974) actress
Wang Yijin (born 1996), idol, actress and member of BonBon Girls 303
Wang Yuwen (born 1997), actress
Wen Hui (born 1960) dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker
Lulu Xuan (born 1991), actress
Zhang Huiwen (born 1993), actress
Zhang Yifan, idol, actress and member of BonBon Girls 303
Zhang Ziyi (born 1979), actress
Zhao Xiaotang, idol, actress and former member of The9
Zheng Yunlong (born 1990), actor