Check out the crews for some inspired street moves

Five years ago, the online talent show Street Dance of China wowed viewers.

The show is widely regarded as the catalyst for what is now a flourishing street-dance culture in the country.

Since then, the show's chief director Lu Wei has been actively engaging with the street-dance community and annually produced highly acclaimed follow-ups. These programs reveal the boundless possibilities that arise from the fusion of different styles and capture the passion of street dancers from home and abroad.

The show's influence continues to gain momentum, as evidenced by the broadcast of an adapted version of its program format in Vietnam last April.

Through collaborations with renowned street-dance crews, workshops and behind-the-scenes features, Lu has established a solid connection with the street-dance community and has kept a finger on the pulse of its ever-evolving landscape.

He found that following the show's broadcast, street dance experienced a rapid surge in popularity, resulting in the springing up of numerous dance crews and studios across China.

However, the unforeseen arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic delivered a severe blow to the street-dance industry, leaving many local dance crews struggling to keep going.

"In order to thrive, well-established dance crews must bring in new blood while younger crews need to establish their reputation. I hope to provide them both with a platform to satisfy their needs," says Lu.

As a result, he directed The Great Dance Crew 2, which aims to re-create the ecosystem of street-dance crews on an online reality show. Through intensive team competitions, the show provides these crews with an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from one another and achieve an exponential growth in skills. It serves as a platform for showcasing the collective spirit and cultural philosophies of diverse street-dance crews.

The show also features a lineup of celebrities including Korean pop star Jessica Jung, Japanese dancer Uno Santa, pop idol Cheng Xiao, and entertainer Rainie Yang from Taiwan. They are invited to collaborate with the participating dance crews, exploring the diverse expressions that arise from the infusion of different dance styles.

Lu believes that these celebrities, who are all passionate about dance, bring the dance crews a wealth of stage performance experience. They can offer advice to the dancers, pointing out areas for improvement and providing fresh ideas for their choreography.

"The relationship between the celebrities and the dance crews is one of mutual companionship, where they grow and learn together," he says.

An aspect of the show worth noting is how the young Chinese dancers skillfully interweave Chinese cultural elements and historical stories into their street-dance performances.

For instance, Santa and Chinese dancer Ma Xiaolong drew inspiration from the Chinese tea ceremony. Through their artistic dance movements, they eloquently portray the various steps of tea-making, from washing the cups to pouring water and brewing, creating a mesmerizing visual display that celebrated the essence of this age-old tradition.

Meanwhile, another celebrity, pop idol Li Sidanni, blended the Yuju Opera performance Mu Guiying Takes Command with the electrifying Krumping street-dance style, which features aggressiveness and sharp, powerful movements.

Lu believes that the team spirit and mutual support among the crew members showcased in the show will resonate with young people.

"The journey of a young dance crew's development parallels that of entrepreneurship, as both demand the joint efforts of a group of like-minded companions to achieve shared aspirations."

The last episode has now been released on Youku for those wanting to check out the street beats.