Chapter 8 Dance Debut "Unmasking! Unmasking! Unmasking!"...
Time flew by amidst the intense rehearsals, and before we knew it, it was time for the live broadcast of the round of 16 to 8.
The studio was brightly lit and bustling with people, filled with a lively atmosphere of tension and excitement.
The stands were packed, and colorful support signs twinkled like stars.
In the contestants' waiting area, eight pairs of partners are putting on makeup, warming up, and making their final preparations.
During the lottery, when Ahri and Sun Ao saw that their group had drawn the number "1", their smiles instantly froze, replaced by an undisguised disappointment and frustration, their shoulders visibly slumping.
In competitive sports, the first to perform is often the most stressful and disadvantageous position.
Judges tend to be relatively conservative in their scoring, unconsciously leaving room for scoring later performances; and after watching the last seven performances, the audience may also have a blurred impression of the first group, making it difficult for them to gain an advantage in subsequent audience voting.
"Oh no... such bad luck," Ahri muttered to herself. "Being the first one up is just too unlucky."
Sun Ao also hung his head, his fighting spirit and excitement from just a moment ago now mostly gone.
Zhu Qingting observed their reactions, reached out, and gently patted their shoulders, her voice soft yet carrying a firm strength. "Don't be discouraged. The order is just the order; what truly determines victory or defeat is the work we've prepared."
Looking into their eyes, she continued, “We must believe in our efforts this week, and in the dance we created together. So what if it’s our first performance? It’s the perfect opportunity to unleash our full potential, blow up the stage, set a high standard for the contestants to come, and give all the audience a stunning opening! After we finish, we can let go of the pressure and simply enjoy the performances of others. Remember, no matter the outcome, standing on this stage and fully enjoying the dance itself is the most precious experience.”
Her words were like a warm current flowing into the hearts of the two boys. Ali and Sun Ao's fighting spirit was rekindled, and they nodded vigorously.
The live broadcast began, and the lights focused. When the host announced the names of the first group of performers, Zhu Qingting took a deep breath, exchanged a glance with Ali and Sun Ao, the three of them put their hands together, whispered "Go for it!", and then walked resolutely to the center of the stage.
As the music began and the lights changed, their performance of "Refinement" instantly captivated everyone's attention.
The explosive street dance moves of Ali and Sun Ao intertwine with Zhu Qingting's fluid and aesthetically pleasing modern dance, creating a dazzling display of strength and beauty on stage.
Their dance is not just a display of skills, but also a moving story about adolescence, inner struggles, wise guidance, and spiritual integration.
The three worked together seamlessly and poured their emotions into the performance, turning what seemed like an unfavorable start into a spectacular prelude filled with climaxes.
As the performance ended and the final pose was frozen in time, thunderous applause erupted from the audience. The judges all wore expressions of obvious amazement and admiration.
During the review session, the comments were almost unanimously positive.
A judge with a background in dance praised Zhu Qingting, saying, "Zhu Qingting, your addition is truly the finishing touch. Not only is your own performance impeccable, but more importantly, you have successfully guided and inspired the potential of the two young dancers, allowing me to see a completely different side of them. This stage has been elevated to a new level because of your presence."
One judge, who came from a boy band, commented with a hint of regret, "I think the performance could have been better in the interaction between Fox, Apollo, and Teacher Zhu, especially in the parts expressing trust and empathy. Perhaps the body language could have been a little bolder and more intimate? Right now, it feels a bit... well, politely restrained? Of course, this might be due to your choreography."
Zhu Qingting smiled and nodded in acceptance of the advice, but she knew in her heart that this "restraint" largely stemmed from the shyness and respect the two boys showed when facing her.
After the first group's performance, the next six groups of contestants took the stage one after another, delivering one spectacular performance after another, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Ali and Sun Ao were so nervous backstage that they kept stamping their feet. After the next six groups finished performing, their score was surprisingly ranked third!
This is an extremely advantageous position! As long as there are no extreme circumstances in the audience voting, their advancement to the quarterfinals is almost a certainty!
The two boys were so excited they almost jumped up, their eyes filled with gratitude and admiration as they looked at Zhu Qingting.
They knew that without Zhu Qingting's guidance, they would likely have been eliminated in this round.
Finally, it was the last group's turn, the most mysterious one, the one that had everyone in suspense.
The performance information was displayed on the big screen, but the name of the guest performer was still shown as "?".
At the end of the last episode, the names drawn by the contestants were marked with question marks, sparking countless speculations.
The studio lights went completely dark, and the audience fell silent. A few seconds later, a white spotlight shone on, and three tall, slender figures appeared on the stage.
They were all dressed in traditional black outfits, with exquisite gold half-face masks covering the upper half of their faces.
But from their familiar physiques and street dance moves, familiar viewers could immediately recognize the two on the left and right as contestants William and CK.
The guest performer standing between them had an exceptionally upright posture, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. Even with a mask on, his outstanding temperament and powerful aura could not be concealed.
The music begins with a few melodious and ethereal notes from the guzheng, followed by the drumbeats, which grow increasingly dense and urgent, carrying an air of fierceness and a tense undercurrent.
They were performing a dance called "Thorns and Banquet".
The movements perfectly blend expressive street dance with powerful martial arts, and even cleverly utilize props, such as two gleaming longswords.
The entire dance is full of dramatic conflict and storytelling, vividly showcasing the tension, suspense, and decisiveness of the "assassination" theme.
Especially the mysterious guest in the middle, whose movements combined the fluid beauty of dance with the powerful force of martial arts. Every leap, turn, and sword parry was precise and explosive. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, peered through the mask, making him seem like a true ancient swordsman with extraordinary skills, who had endured many years of hardship and was on a mission with a slim chance of survival.
From the very beginning of this performance, Zhu Qingting's gaze was firmly drawn to the figure in the middle.
An indescribable sense of familiarity washed over me. That upright posture, the way he exerted force in his movements, that unique feeling in every gesture…
It vaguely overlapped with the figure in her memory, yet it was incredibly clear.
"Impossible..." she thought to herself, shaking her head subconsciously to try and dispel the absurd idea. "He's a super popular celebrity with such a packed schedule, how could he... how could he participate in a relatively niche dance variety show that's only broadcast online? And as a guest dancer?"
However, as a dancer with an extreme sensitivity and ability to interpret body language, she has full confidence in her observation and intuition.
The more I looked, the stronger the sense of familiarity became, and my heart began to beat uncontrollably, pounding so hard it felt like it was about to burst out of my chest.
The performance ended with a suspenseful, unsure-whether assassination attempt had succeeded, three figures in different poses, like frozen sculptures, with only their chests rising and falling slightly from the intense dance.
After a moment of silence, the entire venue erupted in cheers!
Applause, cheers, and screams swept in like a tsunami, almost blowing the roof off the studio!
Without a doubt, they deserved the highest score of the night, whether in terms of technical difficulty, creative arrangement, story tension or stage performance!
Amidst the strong demands of the host and judges, and the deafening, unified shouts of "Unmask! Unmask! Unmask!" from the audience, the three performers on stage exchanged glances, slowly raised their hands, and removed the exquisite masks from their faces.
William and CK's familiar faces appeared, eliciting a burst of enthusiastic cheers. But when the mask of the mystery guest in the middle was gently removed, revealing a sharp-featured, striking face with angular features, the entire studio fell into an absolute silence for a moment, as if time had stopped. Then, an even more frenzied scream and incredulous exclamations erupted!
Chaiyundu!
It really is Chai Yundu!
The judges' panel erupted in excitement, their mouths agape in astonishment. They jokingly remarked on the show's impeccable secrecy, managing to "hide" this top celebrity until now and give everyone such a huge surprise.
Standing backstage, Zhu Qingting was stunned as she watched the man on stage, calmly smiling and greeting the audience and judges under the spotlight.
Surprise, realization, a slight annoyance at being kept in the dark for so long, and many other indescribable feelings welled up in my heart.
So all those "preparations for the new play" he mentioned in his WeChat messages, all those "dance learning" photos of him sweating profusely during training... were all for this moment? Was it so that he could stand on the same stage with her in an unexpected way?
Shortly after the live broadcast ended, the latest episode of "Street Dance of China" was released on online platforms.
The platform used phrases such as "Chai Yundu's Street Dance Debut" and "Chai Yundu's Surprise Appearance on This Street Dance" as core titles and promotional highlights, and invested a lot of resources in promotion on major social media platforms and short video platforms.
Instantly, the topic went viral across the internet, with readership and discussion increasing exponentially, firmly occupying the top spots on the index charts.
Chai Yundu's massive fan base, known as "clouds," along with countless passersby and onlookers drawn by trending topics, flooded into the show like a tidal wave.
Not only did they get to witness the rare dance skills of a top star, but they also became interested in other aspects of the show.
Thus, with her superb dance skills, unique and gentle temperament, ingenious choreography, and brilliant performance in leading the underdog contestants to a comeback, Zhu Qingting once again became an internet sensation, sparking widespread discussion and praise.
People were amazed by her choreography skills that perfectly blended the power of street dance with modern dance techniques, impressed by her highly infectious stage presence, and deeply attracted by her gentle yet firm, professional and responsible, and patient mentoring of younger generations.
She is like a bright pearl that was quietly shining in the field of dance, and once again she has been brought to the broad public stage to be illuminated, seen, appreciated and loved by countless new eyes.
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