Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) has always encouraged its students to get involved in extracurricular activities, as part of its quest to enhance their overall abilities. It is not just the scores one achieves in the exams or the quality of the research, but one should be a well-rounded individual as well.

International Dance Day is a global celebration of Dance that was created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), which is the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. It takes place every year on April 29, the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet.

To this end, several dance clubs have popped up on campus, allowing students to express themselves through their preferred medium of dance. Regardless of the form of dance, students use the opportunity to relax and find common ground with classmates in different disciplines to enjoy themselves. We asked the leaders of some of the dance clubs about why dance is so important to them and their fellow students.

Lin Yueying – WINK Dance Group

“踊ってみた” is a word that comes from Japan which means trying to dance and is the exact representation for what WINK dance group does and loves. When this word came to China, it was named “宅舞” which literally translates to house dance, but means otaku dance. Otaku culture is strongly attached to ACGN culture (animations, comics, games and novels), which is unique to Greater China. It is closely related to a similar subculture in Japan.

Why we use ‘try to dance,’ it is because it has a low barrier to entry. Everyone can show their love for ACGN by dancing happily. Nowadays, otaku dance has developed and diversified, including almost all kinds of dance styles like popping, locking and even ballet. ACGN is not just about the music used, with songs from almost all genres included now.

Otaku dance can be divided into many levels. The first level sets a ‘low barrier’ for beginners. It is based on covering an existing choreography which is simple and easy to learn. It encourages new participants to be brave and try, sharing the experience with like-minded people. Once you are familiar with it, you can challenge yourself with more complex routines by adding some other basic dancing skills. Finally, you can create your own choreography, becoming a model for other dancers.

Ultimately, it does not matter what sort of choreography has been chosen, as one song can have different choreographic styles depending on the choreographer. At the highest levels, there are some really amazing and skillful dance works, so dancing in the otaku style is relaxing in that you need not feel constricted to a particular style.

At WINK dance group, everyone gets along. We are a group of young and enthusiastic people getting together because of the love of ACGN and dance. Sharing is the thing we enjoy the most. We are willing, and happy to participate in every performance at SUSTech. We have performed at both the Zhicheng College Ball and the Freshmen Welcome Party.

Perhaps our most impressive event was our WINK’s Live show. This incredible night saw a month of preparation for nearly 20 performances in front of top otaku dance troupes from across Guangdong Province and southern China. None of us have forgotten the feeling of the lights on the stage. We don’t know if we made mistakes or danced like amateur dancers, but we felt amazing! We performed in front of nearly 200 people and that, in itself, is an incredible experience.

Doing what you want to do is a wonderful thing. It is even better if you have a group of like-minded friends to do it with you. We enjoy the time we are dancing; always sweating, crying and sometimes even bleeding, but still laughing. Such beautiful moments will never be forgotten. This is our group, and as we mature, we love the journey, for what we are doing what we love and we all envision a brighter future.

Yang Chenyu – Latin Dance Club

Latin Dancing is an essential part of ballroom dancing (International Standard Dances). This passionate style of dance teaches us to live an enthusiastic and energetic life. Sometimes it’s an essential part of life when we finish a day’s work or study. This is also a kind of dance which has a competitive component. Every semester we will take part in some small competitions held for university students. Regardless of whether we win a prize or not, we enjoy the experience of practicing and preparing.

Dance is an expression of art. Dancers perform their thoughts and meaning in dancing. In the meantime, complex emotions of the dancers can cause the audience to experience what beauty is. Therefore, I feel that dance can bring happiness to people. It can also bring audience into the world of dancers while giving people the enjoyment of beauty.

Some of members in our club started Latin dancing when they were ten or twelve years old. Latin Dance is very important to these club members. Some of members start dancing when they arrived at SUSTech. Latin dance has a high physical strength requirement, so for some students, it is particularly difficult to twist in the movement. Some students gradually withdraw while others insist on practicing until they have a good command of the fundamental skills. Since then, no matter how tired we are, we would choose dancing to get rid of every annoyance in one’s daily life. This kind of entertainment can strengthen our physical and mental selves.

I’ve seen some changes to myself through Latin Dancing. When I dance in the mirror, I have a strong sense of confidence to overcome timidity and fear. After one year, Latin dancing has corrected my bad posture and my temperament has somewhat improved. Now I feel that I have changed myself while learning Latin Dancing. I am getting more and more beautiful in Latin Dancing.

Latin Dancing is passionate and inspiring, sexy and unruly, happy and infectious. I have been learning Latin Dancing for a year. Although we don’t have a lot of class hours, with just two class hours per week, I have gained a lot from Latin Dancing. We have learned not only some dance steps, but also learned to show ourselves and appreciate the world with confidence.

The five dances of Latin dance have their own styles. Samba is full of passion, Rumba is graceful, and Paso requires strength. I have found that my shoulders, abdomen, waist and hips are always in motion. When I learn Latin dancing, my waist shakes and my hips twist. I find it is the most effective way to get rid of the fat on my belly. When dancing, my figure is tall and straight, with a smile. Latin dancing is a way to bring confidence and self-improvement to ourselves.