A street dance show and a competition initiated by the China Oriental Street Dance Group were held in Beijing on Dec 21.

The show invited dancers from home and abroad to present a dance gala. Around 500 young dancers from across the country participated in a youth group dance competition.

In the show and the competition, dancers showcased the distinct characters of various dance styles, including breaking, popping, locking, hip-hop, waacking and jazz. Many dancers adopted elements of Chinese traditional dance styles and Chinese kung fu into their choreography, and some narrated stories from Chinese mythology and history, such as the classic novel Journey to the West and story of Hua Mulan.

Breaking dancer Lin Xiong, aka Gongsun Wuming, and hip-hop dancer Chen Jie, aka Ah K, collaborated on a dance show which told the story of Journey to the West.

"We want to express a Chinese style that the world can appreciate through our street dance," Lin said. Chen, who played the role of Sun Wukong in the dance show, added, "Chinese dancers are telling the world in their own way that China now has its own style of street dance."

Liu Sichong, the executive director of the China Oriental Street Dance Group, said that the original intention of hosting this event was to explore content and culture value from the fruitful and diverse expressions of street dance. By integrating more elements into the foundation of street dance culture, the group aimed to achieve the performance, theatrical, and commercial aspects of street dance for the public.

China Oriental Street Dance Group is affiliated with the China Oriental Performing Arts Group and was established in April 2022, aiming to express Chinese culture to the globe with street dance development and events, and to enhance the related industry.