China's first-ever dancing arts research and development center for children opened Sunday in Tianjia'an district of Huainan, a city in east China's Anhui Province.

The inauguration ceremony is one of the most important parts of the first state children dancing arts festival being held here.

Officials from the China Dancer Association said the R&D center will serve as the base for the creation of children's dances.

Tianjia'an district has become the headquarters of children's dance in China; 16 children arts festival have been hosted here since 1989.

Local statistics show that since 1993, nearly 200 children arts programs created here have won awards at various performances.
 
(Xinhua News Agency October 4, 2004)