To that end, in the 1950s, the Taiwanese government invited American dance instructors to introduce dances to teachers across Taiwan, who brought them to their primary schools and universities.

Unlike Taiwan, China's claims never waned. But almost everything else has changed on either side of the 100-mile strait.

Liu No-yu coaches a student during a dance class at her studio in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. ZHOU HUIYING/CHINA DAILY Despite it being over 3,000 kilometers from her hometown in Taiwan ...