The academy is the highest institution for dance education and assessment in the People's Republic of China, conducting the nationwide teacher qualification level examinations in Chinese dance.

In 2000, its sponsorship was transferred to the Beijing Municipal People's Government.

The Academy provides BA and MA degrees and has become the only institution of higher learning for professional dance education in China.

The Academy, known as "the Cradle of Dancers" (Chinese: 舞蹈家的摇篮) and adjacent to Zizhuyuan Park, Haidian District, has about 600 in-service faculty and staff, and 2,500 full-time students apart from over 5,000 students from the School of Continuing Education.

Every year, the School of Dance Grade Education trains over 50,000 teachers of dance grade examination at home and abroad, and nearly 500,00 students take the examinations at different levels.