"If you love it, you can persist in doing it. If you don't, you can't hold on to it."

Just like Chen Jinxiang, many members of the dance team are not full-time performers but ordinary villagers who make their living by doing a wide range of jobs, including managing small businesses, Chen Laifa says.

He notes that it is their genuine affection for the timeless tradition that makes them who they are today.

Hard work and dedication have been keeping Puning Yingge dance vibrant in China for centuries, and now the troupe's efforts have captivated overseas audiences. As the dancers took their final bow at Burlington Arcade and in Trafalgar Square, enthusiastic applause from the audiences echoed.

"Having the opportunity to perform in London is a testament to not just the charm of Chinese traditional culture, but also the enduring power of cultural exchanges," says Wu Chen, chief of the intangible cultural heritage section of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism.