Every weekend over the past few months, Guan Yu and his wife Zhang Ping have been busy helping their 18 ballet students, all girls from Duancun village, rehearse the Dance of the Four Little Swans.

They have been rehearsing the routine on a newly built stage in the village and will perform on Sept 28, their first time to face an audience on stage.

"Previously, we only practiced in the classroom and we were afraid the girls may feel uncomfortable on stage," says Guan, perspiring in the scorching noonday sun. "The girls will dance in a group, and it is important for each of them to become familiar with their position on stage."