Guan was delighted at seeing the change.
The 42-year-old nationally renowned dancer started to learn ballet at the age of 14, which is inconceivable today when most kids start training at 4 or 5 years old.
"One misconception about learning ballet today is that you have to start as early as possible," Guan says. "But there is no boundary to art in terms of age, money and region. A big problem in urban China right now is that classical art is becoming an increasingly expensive, technical study," Guan says.
A typical ballet class in Beijing with 10 to 20 kids, usually costs one student 100 yuan to 200 yuan ($16-$32) per hour.
As a teacher with a good reputation in ballet circles who frequently performed in international arenas, Guan has previously been hired by wealthy parents to teach their children before a recital, with flights and accommodation paid for in addition to his tuition fees.
Guan's students, such as Li Ziyi, know little about his prestigious reputation. In the girls' eyes, Guan is a "nice, patient teacher and an even more fabulous dancer than what we see on TV".
"What inspired me to come here every weekend is the students' eagerness to learn," Guan says.
To help arts education in the area, Guan will also train two local dance teachers so that they will be able to teach not only the 18 girls in his class, but anyone else who is interested－hopefully within six months.
"We want to make what we are doing right now a lifelong project that will bring art to everyone's life," Guan says.
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