They are a group of people whose passion lies in dancing: ranging from the elders to youth. Dancing makes their lives rich and colorful and fills their world with spirit and energy. In China today, dancing can be used to express one's own story as well as bring out life's joy.

In the community of Anzhenli in Beijing, a troupe of old dancers rehearses almost every morning at their local dance studio. Their choreographer, Sun Yidan, gets up bright and early to instruct and direct their movements.

The average age of the members of this dance troupe is 53, and none of them are professional dancers. The dance they are rehearsing is Italian so they had ethnic Italian costumes custom made.

Mrs. Sun has lived in Anzhenli since childhood. She graduated from the Central University for Nationalities majoring in dance. In 2005, with the help of the neighborhood committee, she founded the Shasha Dance Workshop and now, many people from the surrounding area come to her to study dance. Doing the choreography for the dance troupe also became one of Mrs. Sun's duties.

The members of the dance troupe all consider dance to be a longstanding hobby and thus throw them into it with great passion.

On the wooden floor of the dance studio, the dancers rehearse over and over, their greatest wish being to dance at the Olympics. As for Sun Yidan: she dreams of gaining an ever greater number of students.

In the cities of China today, dance has already become a type of exercise. People take advantage of any and every usable space, practicing their favorite kind of dance.

Accompanied by music, people stretch their bodies in a carefree manner. Dancing isn't just about getting exercise; it's more about getting a certain enjoyment. Although it may be only for their own personal satisfaction, the movements and posture of many dancers is positively exquisite.

Winters in the north are cold and can seem endless. The dancers who were originally outside have moved into dance halls. There are a great many dance halls in Cangzhou, both big and small. Every hall is filled with people doing the morning's first exercise.

During the 80's, ballroom dancing became fashionable for young people in China. Universities held dances every weekend.

Over twenty years passed. Young people began to get into the more rigorous disco and street dancing. Ballroom dancing became a pastime associated with the middle aged as more and more people moved from the dance halls onto the street or public squares. Social dancing in China isn't just an elegant form of dance; it has become a typical way to work out as well as have fun.

For the competition in Beijing, Dong Junheng and Xiao Yan have agreed to meet here and practice as early as possible. Dong is known for having a bad temper; when worried or anxious he criticizes his apprentice and dance partner, Xiao Yan, mercilessly.

Xiao Yan began studying under Dong two years ago, and they've been dance partners ever since. Previous partners had all been unable to cope with Dong's temper and thus far, Xiao Yan has been with him the longest.

In the traditional farming society of the past, Chinese people mostly lived with their entire families: relationships between neighbors were often close and intimate.

Following the development of urbanization, the traditional way of relating with people underwent great changes, but despite this, the emphasis within traditional Chinese culture on love and friendship goes on just as before. People in big cities long for social interaction and dance offers a window of opportunity for this emotional need. Many old and middle aged people like dancing perhaps because it not only offers a way to stay in shape, but also allows them to integrate into the community.

But to some young people, the love of dance doesn't need such lengthy explanations.

Yang Jing was originally a practitioner of belly dance, but six months ago, Yang fell in love with another kind of dance called salsa. Salsa is a dance popular among Latin Americans that originated on the streets. In the 70's, it started to become popular in the United States. In 2002, Beijing also came down with a case of “salsa fever” as a great number of young people like Yang Jing were attracted to this hip new dance.

When not teaching belly dancing down at the studio, Yang Jing spends all her free time studying salsa. Because of this, Yang Jing has also joined a group of performers who, like Yang herself, are not professional dancers but have ended up together because of their passion for the dance.

Since the founding of Sun Yidan's dance workshop, many people from the same area have begun to study with her. In Beijing, dance academies are ever more numerous than before. Many adults from all walks of life have gone back to dancing. Some of them loved to dance since they were young, Some of them dance to stay fit, even more, however, dance to make friends and relieve stress.

Tang Jidong is a stock futures trade manager. His job is to sit in front of the computer and manipulate stock trades. Before, Mr. Tang spent practically every day staring at a screen. His only form of amusement was listening to the occasional radio program. But since he started studying dance, his life has undergone visible changes.

Mr. Tang's son is eight this year. He's already been studying Latin dance for two months.

Besides Wednesday, the Tang family also takes dance class on Sunday as well. Mr. Tang's son has English class in the early morning, so afterwards they eat a simple lunch and then hurry off to the studio.

Mrs. Tang has a few ballet moves that she's still not too clear on so she asks for help from Mrs. Sun.
The Tang family thinks spending a day off at the dance studio is great fun and well worth it.
Lost amid the rapturous melodies of passionate music, caught up in the flowing movements of engaging dance, Chinese families become ever more intimate, ever more harmonious.

Cangzhou is three hours from Beijing by car. The fact that Dong Junheng has signed up for the International Standard Dance Competition has attracted the attention of local media.

As Dong Junheng will be busy preparing for the competition during the day, he has no choice but to meet with reporters at night.

Dong Junheng's wife went to Beijing several days ago to visit their son, but Dong wasn't lonely at all. Being as busy as he is preparing for the competition, any free time left in a day is taken up by dance study.

In Beijing, Yang Jing made time to come to a belly dancing club. She wanted to do some last minute preparations for tomorrow's big competition. After finding her friends, Yang Jing is given some fresh ideas to ponder by dance instructor Zhao Man.

Following the inhaling expansion of her dance class, Mrs. Sun gets busier and busier but not without her share of delight at getting what she really wanted.

Although the results of the preliminary round still haven't come back, Yang Jing expresses no concern. Her standing in the competition comes second to her love of dancing.

It doesn't matter whether it's Mrs. Sun, Dong Junheng or Yang Jing, these devoted lovers of dance can find happiness and enjoyment in the graceful steps of flowing movement. Dance isn't just to help you relax or relieve pressure; the most important aspect of dance is its ability to help us better understand ourselves and in doing so lead a richer, more satisfying life.