Despite this, Bai returned to the stage in the late 1970s; she found new success dancing her old roles, and eventually became associate director of the Central Ballet.
As a young teenager, she won a prize for her performance as part of a local children's theatre troupe, and in 1954 she began training in ballet at the Beijing Dance School.
[1] On October 1, 1964, the Central Ballet premiered Red Detachment of Women, with Bai in the lead role opposite Liu Qingtang.
[1] During the Cultural Revolution, Bai was publicly denounced by her former dance partner Liu[6] and subsequently sentenced to complete eight years of hard labour for "being out of political step.
[9] Returning to the Central Ballet afterwards, Bai again danced the lead roles in Swan Lake, Giselle and Les Sylphides, and was met with popular reception from audiences.