Initiated in 2002, China Dance Festival is co-sponsored by China Literature and Art Association and Yunnan Government, and jointly organized by Dancers Association of China, Yunnan Provincial Propaganda Department, Kunming Municipal Government, and World Expo Garden of Kunming. Being a grand activity of dancing art exchange, the festival is held in Yunnan Province biennially.

China Dance Festival aims at carrying forward Chinese excellent cultural traditions and promoting the prosperity of Chinese dancing art, the development of Yunnan Province as well as the local economic and social development. Activities of the festival include the appraisal of Water-lily Award, Chinese and foreign dancing performance, dancing creation and teaching, seminar, Yunnan Folk Song Collection Activity of a thousand dance artists, and dancing art crafts fair. To attract more participants, the organizing committee actively seeks units and individuals to jointly organize the festival. It also invites visitors from all walks of life at home and abroad to participate in the festival.

(Official website: www.yn.xinhua.org/2002/wudao/index.htm)