In order to collect materials about traditional Chinese dance, she studied the use of colored ribbons, long sleeves and swordplay in Chinese opera with Su Sheng-shih and Ha Yuan-chang. Tsai developed sword dances, shield dances, and feather dances based on the inspiration she received from Chinese opera.
為了吸收中國傳統舞蹈的相關材料，她特別向平劇界的蘇盛軾、哈元章學習彩帶、水袖、槍劍身段，像是劍舞、盾舞、翎舞等民族舞蹈，也都是蔡瑞月自平劇中吸取靈感獨立發展出來的。