The first China Dance Open has been held in Haining, Zhejiang province. There were many performances that kept spectators spellbound during the event, but one special group in particular proved to be the most eye-catching, despite their young age.
This pair are from Anhui province, and are the double champions of China Dance Sport Open Series Kid Group B and Group C. Despite competing at just 12 years of age, they are veterans here, having pocketed two titles in previous national competitions. For Niu Hao and Chen Sisi, it is a sport that they love from the bottom of their hearts.
Niu Hao from Anhui Team said, "I love Latin dance, because it’s passionate and hot. I don’t think dancing is a hard job for me. I just treat it as a hobby, so I don’t feel it's tough. I just treat dancing like playing.”
They aren't the only young kids here who are crazy about dancing. This pair are Niu Hao’s teammates, also from the Anhui team. Wearing beautiful makeup and dressed up like adult dancers, their every move gives them an aura of future stars. They are one of the most lovely pairs around.
“My name is Li Ziyang, I’m six years old.
My name is Zhou Lexuan, I’m seven years old.”
For these kids and their parents, Latin dance is just like any other extracurricular activity, such as playing the piano and drawing. Some people may worry about whether this will affect their academic studies. But the parents see this as a long-term investment. And according to the children's coach, participating in dance sport could even give them a better chance of getting into university.
Su Sixuan of Anhui Team Coach said, “I tell the kids if they get marks under 90, they can′t stay in our Latin dance class. Niu Hao took four maths exams recently. He got full marks twice, 99 once, and 98 once. Li Sisi has won first place in the National Teenage Writing Competition. So on one side, we can fully develop the children’s interest in Latin dance and on the other side we make sure their academic studies go well.”
