Li (second left) gives guidance to a dancer during a rehearsal. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Established dancer Chen Ailian began studying traditional Chinese dance in Beijing in 1952. She met Li for the first time at Beijing Dance School in 1954 when Li invited her to dance in his choreographic work, Shepherdess.

"It was the first time that I learned Tibetan dance moves and Li was inspiring to me," recalls Chen, 79, who was born in Shanghai and grew up in an orphanage.

In 1959, under the instruction and direction of Russian experts, Yu Mei Ren (The Beautiful Mermaid) premiered in Beijing－it was the first Chinese dance drama to combine Western ballet with traditional Chinese dance moves. Li was one of the choreographers and Chen played the leading role.

"Few Chinese choreographers combined ballet and traditional Chinese dance as well as Li did then. He understood the language of the two dance forms," Chen says.