You maybe heard of the Gaokao, or China's National College Entrance Examinations in every summer, when about 9 million final year high schoolers across the country give their personal best for the chance to go to their dream college.
But not all disciplines can be tested only in a written form. For students aspiring to become professional dancers, musicians, or actors, there's extra test test called the Yikao, or exam for the arts. This year close to one million took the test. CCTV's reporter went to the exam room of a top arts school, for an exclusive look.
At the Beijing Dance Academy, China's cradle of dancing artists. The big day has arrived. After years' of perspiration, the young dancers have one shot at their artistic dream.
Here's who they have to impress. A board of judges looking for their future students.
20-year-old Sun Baocen is hoping she'll be among them. She learned ballet for 7 years in school. After that she spent two years as a professional dancer at the National Ballet of China. So why further her study?
"I can improve my dancing skills, and I can also study those famous literatures, so that I can better understand the characters in ballet dance," said Sun.
Dancing is not only physical, but also intellectual.
Zou Zhirui, Director of the department of ballet, said the number applicants for the ballet major this year is up by over 50 percent.
"It's a language that the whole world can understand," said Zou.
With a growing Chinese middle class, also comes a greater interest and appreciation for the high arts. Wang Meiting studies at the Central Conservatory of Music. She ranked number one in last year's arts exam for the cello major.
Back at the exam site, 18 year old Wang Yishan says she fell in love with dance when she saw a performance years ago.
"When I dance, all I'm thinking is that I always want to dance on the stage nothing else. I just want to dance forever in front of the audience," said Wang Yishan, China classic dancer.
And of course, any kind of artistic love can hardly thrive without family support.
"When my son was little, I took him to a performance. He fell in love with it. I like Ballroom Dancing too,"
"But when we were young, we didn't have the conditions to do it. Now we have the conditions, we try to satisfy the kid's desires," said Mr Yang, father of dancer.
A shining moment, to let their dreams dance.
