ගිමන් නිවා ගන්න නටන වීථි නැටුම්

Street dance grows into vibrant industry in China

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Once a niche subculture, street dance has grown into a vibrant industry in China, becoming one of the favored leisure activities among the younger generation.

Going street dancing after work has become a lifestyle for many Chinese today. The eye-popping and high-energy dance routines, from jazz to popping and waacking, are empowering the country's young people to express themselves in their own way.

For many, street dancing has become an indispensable part of their lives, enhancing physical fitness while also serving as a means of socializing.

"I take one day off each week and I would go dancing on all the other days. I now have a group of close friends to hang out and dance with, which makes my life a lot more fulfilling. I feel like I'm getting fitter both physically and mentally. At work, I'm motivated to finish up quickly so I can go dance afterwards," said a street dance learner.

"Whenever I feel down or stressed out, I would use dancing as an outlet," said another street dance learner.

"Dancing has given me a sense of security. When you encounter something tough or unpleasant in life, it feels reassuring to know that you still have dance to fall back on," said a street dance learner.

Once viewed as a niche subculture, street dance has now evolved into a full-fledged industry in China.

According to the latest industry research report, there are now over 10,000 street dance studios across the country, with more than 10 million classes being taken annually.

Of the three million people employed in the sector, some of the long-time practitioners shared their observations on emerging trends in the industry.

"I have been engaged in this industry for 16 years now. One of the new trends that I've observed is that people aren't just sticking to one type of dance anymore. Also, it's not just women learning dance - more and more men are joining us as well," said Tao Zi, a street dance teacher.

"More people are committed to dancing now, and it's clear there's a big demand for it. Also, while teachers used to just teach, now there are different opportunities, like getting into social media with dance content. The market has definitely broadened, though it might not have a specific direction, it will definitely become bigger and more diverse," said Ling Zi, another street dance teacher.

As the ongoing Olympic Games continue to captivate the world, breaking, also known as breakdancing, a street dance style that originated in the 1970s as part of hip-hop culture in the United States, is all set to make its Olympic debut in Paris soon.

Recognition by major mainstream sports events is expected to introduce street dance to a broader audience and provide a further boost to the industry.

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