Turning point

For rural children, having access to good educational resources is extremely important. But when asked whether the utilitarian methods he employs in his classes run counter to his original intentions, he flatly refutes the claim. "Any city a child studies in will use the same utilitarian methods, so why should it be any different for rural children?"

The ballet exam became a metaphorical rainbow, forming a bridge between a crop of reeds at one end and a high-rise building at the other. Of course, the number of children who will be able to reach the other end and scale the building will be very few. Compared with the ordinary college entrance examination, competition for arts examinations is fierce and cutthroat. Guan believes that ballet is a form of "setback" education. "Art will probably not love you back, when you are devoted to this cause," he says.

During the exam, the invigilator uses a tape measure ruler to measure the size of these girls' bodies. Even though Jiaojiao had a year of painful dieting, the invigilator still gently whispered in her ear, "Lose some more weight."