Chapter 7 Variety Show Rehearsals She recalled her time in the training room at the sports school many years ago…
Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
Spring is gradually spreading, and the city is covered in new greenery.
During these two weeks, Zhu Qingting's life remained peaceful and fulfilling, filled with basic training and rehearsals. There were only occasional additional communications with the "Street Dance of China" production team and dance instruction from Chai Yundu every few days.
On that day, as arranged by the program team, Zhu Qingting drove alone to the dance space designated by the program team for rehearsals in the Hongkou District Art District.
She will officially meet with the two young street dancers who were selected for her and begin a week of collaborative choreography and intensive rehearsals.
At this point, "Street Dance of China" has gone through more than three months of fierce competition, including preliminary rounds and the top 100 elimination rounds. Now, only the 16 strongest contestants remain on the stage.
Zhu Qingting participated as a guest in the final three crucial rounds: the round of 16 to 8, the round of 8 to 4, and the exciting final four-way battle.
Each round is a brutal elimination tournament, posing a tremendous test for both the contestants and the guest performers.
At the end of the previous episode, the 16 contestants who successfully advanced paired up, forming 8 pairs.
Subsequently, during the draw, they decided on the guest performers for this round of the competition.
Fox Xiaoli and Apollo Sun Ao, who drew the name "Zhu Qingting", looked somewhat bewildered in front of the camera, even with a touch of awkwardness.
They weren't the most popular contestants on the show, nor did they have a large fan base. Ali was eighteen years old, and Sun Ao was nineteen.
They weren't formally trained in street dance. One taught himself Breaking by watching videos on his phone in his rural courtyard, while the other learned hip-hop by trial and error on the streets of Chongqing. Driven by their love for street dance, they gradually made their way to this prominent stage through their self-taught methods.
Among the many professional dancers who have been dancing since elementary school, are experienced, and have superb skills, they are like two little deer who have wandered into a wild animal area.
Many viewers believe that his ability to make it into the top 16 was simply due to incredible luck, as he was carried by the experienced players he was paired with earlier.
However, no one wanted to team up with them this time, because everyone thought they were destined to be eliminated.
When they drew the name "Zhu Qingting", they only politely expressed their happiness to the camera, but their hearts were not greatly stirred, and they did not realize what a top-level "trump card" they had drawn.
The two boys were thinking about how to seize this last chance to perform on stage.
On the agreed rehearsal day, Ali and Sun Ao arrived early and were casually warming up, their movements displaying the relaxed style characteristic of street dancers.
The door was gently pushed open, and a figure walked in against the light.
Zhu Qingting wore a loose and comfortable smoky gray cotton workout outfit, the soft material perfectly outlining her slender yet muscular figure.
Her long hair was casually tied into a loose bun at the back of her head, with a few unruly strands falling down her neck, making her slender neck and collarbone lines even more beautiful.
Her face, untouched by makeup, was radiant and translucent, and her bright eyes were now gazing at them with a gentle and inquiring smile.
"Hello, I am Zhu Qingting from Haicheng Song and Dance Troupe." Her voice was also very pleasant, like a mountain stream, soothing and clean, with a comforting power. "I am a little older than you, you can just call me Sister Qingting."
The two usually cool and aloof boys were now surprisingly at a loss for what to do.
They were used to being surrounded by either powerful, testosterone-fueled male dancers or cool, stylish girls with dreadlocks or unusual hair colors, wearing loose-fitting trendy clothes. They had never been so close to an older woman with such a gentle and graceful demeanor.
She possesses a unique aura that can only be cultivated through years of rigorous training and profound artistic cultivation; she is both approachable and exudes an undeniable professionalism and elegance.
Looking at the two young men in front of her who had instantly transformed from cool guys into shy boys, Zhu Qingting's apprehension about the cross-industry collaboration vanished in an instant.
She seemed to see the young dancers who had just been recruited into the troupe, green and sincere, with a longing for the stage and a respect for their seniors in their eyes.
Her smile softened, and she stepped forward, breaking the slightly awkward silence. "Would you like to introduce yourselves?"
Ali and Sun Ao quickly introduced themselves, their voices trembling with nervousness.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the three of them decided to sit on the smooth wooden floor and begin discussing the crucial dance choreography that would determine their fate.
"Sister Qingting," Sun Ao spoke first, his tone a little embarrassed, "We mainly danced Breaking and Hip-hop before, our style is more power and technique-oriented, with a lot of ground moves." He scratched his head, "We really don't understand your dance style, we're just afraid... afraid we won't be able to coordinate well with you and will hold you back."
Ahri nodded repeatedly, her eyes filled with the same worry.
“It’s okay,” Zhu Qingting smiled, her tone relaxed and confident. “The essence of dance is the same; it’s all about the physical expression of emotions and stories. Since this is a fusion dance, we don’t need to stick to a specific style. The key is to find a theme where all three of us can use our strengths and create a wonderful chemistry.”
She pondered for a moment, her gaze slowly sweeping over the two young boys' youthful yet sincere faces, and an idea instantly sprang into her mind.
“I have a preliminary idea,” she began to sketch out the scene in her mind, “We can try to portray a story about growing up. The two of you can represent teenagers full of power, wildness and impulsiveness, with curiosity and exploration of the world, as well as the confusion and collisions that are inevitable in growing up. And I,” she paused, pointing to herself, “can play the role of a guide, or rather, a symbol of inheritance.”
She elaborated, “The opening could be the two of you using powerful and rhythmic street dance moves to express the unbridled spirit and vitality of youth. It could even be a dance segment with some confrontation and competition, symbolizing the inner contradictions and external challenges during the growth process. Then, I would join in, using more fluid modern dance body language to engage in dialogue and guide your street dance moves. During the process, there could be lifts, leveraging, and interaction, but it's not just about showcasing skills; it's also about conveying the flow of emotions. From the initial estrangement, tentative exploration, and clashes, to the later understanding, trust, and support, ultimately achieving a fusion of strengths, a resonance of spirits, and shared growth.”
As she spoke, she gestured to illustrate some basic movements, formation changes, and possible emotions.
Ah Li and Sun Ao's eyes gradually lit up as they listened, their initial restraint and worry replaced by growing excitement and anticipation.
This concept not only cleverly blends three different dance styles together, but more importantly, it has a core that touches people's hearts.
"This idea is fantastic!" Sun Ao excitedly slapped the floor. "It suddenly feels like there's a story to tell, instead of just dryly performing moves!"
"And it's very visually evocative!" Ahri added excitedly, "It feels like it can bring something completely different to life!"
Once the choreography concept was finalized, the intensive and fulfilling rehearsal phase began.
Zhu Qingting demonstrated exceptional professionalism and remarkable patience. Instead of forcing modern dance moves onto the two boys, she skillfully guided them, combining the power and rhythm of street dance with her grace and control to create many innovative and eye-catching connections.
When rehearsing movements that require physical contact, such as when they need to support her waist to complete a difficult spin, or when she needs to use their push to jump into the air, the two big boys always seem to be extra careful, not knowing where to put their hands, their faces full of shyness and nervousness, and their movements become stiff as a result.
Looking at their nervous yet innocent expressions, Zhu Qingting's thoughts drifted away.
She recalled Chai Yundu, a boy from many years ago in the training room of the sports school, whose ears turned red and whose movements became stiff after physical contact with her, and whom she jokingly called a "wooden stake".
A gentle, nostalgic smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
“It’s okay, relax,” she said gently and encouragingly, just like she had guided that awkward boy years ago. “I am your dance partner. Trust each other and find the balance and harmony in your movements. Contact in dance is for better emotional expression and stage effect. It’s part of the art, so don’t feel embarrassed.”
With her patient encouragement and professional guidance, the two boys gradually let go of their psychological burdens, their movements became more natural and fluid, and the rehearsals became smoother and smoother.
They discovered that Sister Qingting not only possessed superb personal dance skills but also had excellent teaching methods. She could always pinpoint the problems in their movements and correct and guide them in a way they could accept. The tacit understanding between the three grew day by day, and the rehearsal atmosphere was both serious and relaxed.
During one halftime break, the three of them drank water to replenish their fluids and chatted casually.
Ali unscrewed the cap of a mineral water bottle and said curiously, "Sister Qingting, we've been rehearsing here for the competition for months, but this time, the group that drew the secret guest has never shown up. They're so mysterious! Don't they even need to film behind-the-scenes footage of their daily rehearsals?"
Sun Ao chimed in, "Yeah, it's so strange. The guest performer was acting all mysterious. The production team kept it so secret, there wasn't a single word."
Zhu Qingting wiped the fine sweat from her forehead with a towel, and found it somewhat strange.
Although this was her first time participating in a variety show, she had watched several episodes of "Street Dance of China" and knew that rehearsal footage would be shown in the final cut. Who exactly is this mysterious celebrity who needs to maintain such an air of mystery? Could they be some internationally renowned dance master?
What she didn't know was that the production team intentionally kept the news of Chai Yundu, a top star, participating in a dance variety show a secret until the very last moment, in order to create the biggest sensation and ratings spike.
Therefore, a completely independent and confidential rehearsal venue was specially arranged for their group, and the number of people who knew about it was strictly controlled. All participants signed a strict confidentiality agreement.
We're just waiting for the live broadcast to give all the viewers, both at the venue and watching on screen, a huge surprise.
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