The weeklong exhibition, with installations, photos, graphics, music and performances, showcases the development and achievement of Chinese ethnic folk dance at the Beijing Dance Academy since it was established in 1954. [Photo provided to China Daily]

While students and faculty members trying to maintain the tradition of Chinese ethnic folk dance, it's also an important job for them to bring new lives to the old art forms.

"One of the best ways to keep the traditional art forms alive and progressing is to combine those old art forms with the latest technology. We used installations and multimedia approaches to create a new kind of art based on the Chinese ethnic folk dances we've already known," says Ruan Yuelai, deputy director of the college of public art of China Academy of Art. Ruan adds that the students of both universities participated in the exhibition, which expanded their visions for their own art learning process.