Street dancers set a hot pace

"I finished the piece, which was inspired by the wedding party, just a few days before the competition, as I wanted to show the contemporary lives of young people in Xinjiang," Bahtiyar Yusanjan said. He added that it is natural to combine street dance with cultural elements from the region, such as folk music and musical instruments.

"Traditional music and dancing are in our blood because we grew up with them. They are essential parts of our daily lives, but we are open to contemporary culture, so street dance really helps diversify our artistic creation," he added.

The 6th China Xinjiang International Folk Dance Festival featured 28 dance productions with some 60 performances, including ballet, folk dance, dance galas and dramas.

The theme of the festival, which was first held in 2008, was "Dancing Dreams and Harmonious Silk Road", signifying the beauty of Xinjiang, which has witnessed numerous cultural exchanges between East and West due to its location along the Silk Road.

Street dance, or hip-hop dance, which originated in the United States in the late 1970s, featured at the festival for the first time, showcasing a variety of moves, including breaking, locking and popping.

Feng Shuangbai, president of the Chinese Dancers Association, said: "A vibrant and fast-developing street dancing scene is developing in China. Xinjiang is no exception, and is even leading the way thanks to its diverse culture, which was why street dance was included in the festival for the first time.

"Like any contemporary art form, street dancing uses art as a platform for our voices to be heard. With their creative choreography and rich artistic resources such as folk dance and music, street dancers in Xinjiang are pushing the art form to new levels and are constantly evolving."