Hip-hop teams shake a leg at college students street dance contest

Hip-hop teams from more than 40 universities citywide participated in Shanghai's first college students street dance competition at Shanghai Happy Valley in Songjiang District on October 16.

Hip-hop dance, dating back to the late 1960s, features dancing steps, sports and street performances. The genre of dance was introduced to China in the mid-1980s and became popular among teens and college students in particular.

Hip-hop zest among college students in Shanghai is a force to reckon with. Among the 22 competing teams, quite a few had gained something of a reputation even before the competition.

DT Dance Together from Shanghai Normal University was founded about 20 years ago and its members have achieved good results in various street dance competitions. Will Dance Club from East China University of Political Science and Law has launched a variety of dancing training classes over the past 25 years. Screamer Crew from University of Shanghai for Science and Technology has created its competing dance "Lap" based on real life experience.

The dancing performances, full of youthful vitality and a confidence to taking on challenges, also integrated Red culture, Jiangnan culture and Shanghai-style culture into the art form.

A narrator was appointed to introduce knowledge points and cultural background relating to street dance during the competition.

"I don't think the final result is important. We came to the competition to better ourselves and show our passion for hip-hop," said one competitor.

The competition, sponsored by the Shanghai Mass Art Center, the Songjiang District Culture and Tourism Bureau, the Songjiang District Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Shanghai Dancers Association, will further launch street dance performances by college students at the suburban district's Songjiang University Town, G60 Rafael Sky City and Guangfulin Relics Park.