The International Street Dance Troupe traveled to the United States on invitation to perform at Chinese Arts Week, part of Lincoln Center's Summer for the City, in July. The troupe was jointly set up by the China International Youth Exchange Center and the CHUC National Street Dance Union.
It was the first full-length showcase devoted to Chinese street dance at New York's Lincoln Center. All the troupe's dancers were champion-level performers from across China. Among them was Lian Weijie, a versatile dancer from Xinxing County in Yunfu, Guangdong Province.
Lian has now joined IP GUANGDONG. In the more than ten years since he took up street dance at 16, he has stepped onto the international stage, turned a hobby into what he calls a second life, and found his own voice where Eastern and Western cultures meet.
He has stuck with street dance out of a simple love for it. As he immersed himself in its culture, he also learned English and picked up emceeing, DJing and rapping, making friends from many countries and walks of life.
Lian said he likes a life full of variety, and street dance, where there is always something new to learn, is just the creative outlet he needs.
Performing in the United States this year meant a great deal to Lian. New York is the birthplace of street dance, and he felt that the chance to appear at a venue as prestigious as Lincoln Center was a rare privilege.
He said art must keep evolving and innovating, because standing still means falling behind. As part of IP GUANGDONG, Lian will keep creating new work and competing on the international circuit, bringing dance from Guangdong to audiences around the world.
Text | Lin Lu, Zheng Yiling (intern), Zhang Mingyu (intern)
Design | Cheng Hong
Video editor | Qin Shaolong
