Wang Yuanyuan

    EVERY night at the fall of dark, more and more people are rushing to Longhua Culture Square in Bao’an District to dance in time to loud, raucous pop music.

    The man is Zhang Wu, a 43-year-old who has devoted years to his craft.

    Zhang, a native of Sichuan Province, is the dancers’ favorite teacher because he’s passionate about dancing and patient with those who try to learn from him. Zhang’s dance class has changed many locals’ lives with some saying “it’s a path to fulfillment.”

    There are at least 300 people coming to the square every night to dance with Zhang and over the past few years, he has taught more than 10,000 people in the city.

    “Nothing is more joyful than dancing. It keeps you fit and clears your mind. I hope everyone can give it a try and share my joie de vivre,” he said during a recent interview.

    Huge dance fan

    Zhang is not a professional dancer as many people have assumed.

    Born in 1968, Zhang came to Shenzhen after graduating from Southwest University in Chongqing in 1990.

    In the first few years, he ended up working at construction sites in Bao’an District.

    “I came to Shenzhen with nothing and was not afraid of anything. Although life here was hard at that time, I’d never thought of giving up and going back home to be a teacher,” he said.

    Five years later, Zhang became a manager at a large Hong Kong-funded furnishing factory.

    No matter what Zhang has done, there is one thing that he’s never given up — dancing.

    “My colleagues always laughed at me. They said everyone was tired after work and just wanted to lie down,” he said.

    However, the colleagues were gradually won over by his passion and started dancing with him. “From construction sites to factories, I honestly don’t remember how many colleagues I’ve taught over the years,” he said.

    A dance teacher

    If Zhang continued to live and dance like this, he might have become one of the many white-collar workers in the city who liked dancing. But that was not his dream.

    In 2003, he made a life-changing decision — quitting his well-paid job, becoming a professional dancer, and teaching residents and migrant workers to dance.

    “One of the most important reasons is that I love dancing so much and want to make a career of it. But more importantly, I feel like Shenzhen people need a healthier and happier way to spend their spare time,” he said.

    In Zhang’s opinion, Shenzhen is a very developed city in terms of economic growth, but its cultural life is far less developed than many older cities around the country.

    “Many people spend their spare time playing mahjong and poker or chatting together. Few people, particularly migrant workers and young people, do any sports or cultural activities. I think I can use my profession to help them enjoy a healthier and more substantial life,” he said.

    Since then, he has been teaching people dancing in the morning and at night at some squares and parks in Longhua Subdistrict.

    Dancing changes lives

    Although life might still be hard for Zhang, he feels more fulfilled than ever since he started pursuing his dream.

    “The more I dance, the more I feel that money and prestige are not as important as happiness. Particularly for Shenzhen people, I think health and well-being are more important. And I feel happy because I spread the joy to many people in the city,” he said.

    Zhang said Shenzhen people are so obsessed with bettering themselves that they forget to rest. “Dancing is a great way of stopping to smell the roses. You will find your steps become light and happy again when you start your journey again. I often said those things to my students. It was like an inspiration to them to rethink about their lives,” he said.

    Zhang’s spirit has influenced many neighboring residents.

    “I used to spend all my time playing mahjong, but now I spend most of the nights dancing. I feel I’ve got much more energy now,” said Zhu Lan, one of Zhang’s students.

    Zhu used to be hopeless at dancing. “But Zhang is very patient with me. And I particularly like the way he teaches, full of humor and passion. We all like him when he is teaching while singing. It is not a dancing class but a happy gathering,” Zhu said.

    “That’s what I want. Spread the joy of dancing and have fun with people every day,” Zhang said.

    Wang Yuanyuan

    EVERY night at the fall of dark, more and more people are rushing to Longhua Culture Square in Bao’an District to dance in time to loud, raucous pop music.

    The man is Zhang Wu, a 43-year-old who has devoted years to his craft.

    Zhang, a native of Sichuan Province, is the dancers’ favorite teacher because he’s passionate about dancing and patient with those who try to learn from him. Zhang’s dance class has changed many locals’ lives with some saying “it’s a path to fulfillment.”

    There are at least 300 people coming to the square every night to dance with Zhang and over the past few years, he has taught more than 10,000 people in the city.

    “Nothing is more joyful than dancing. It keeps you fit and clears your mind. I hope everyone can give it a try and share my joie de vivre,” he said during a recent interview.

    Huge dance fan

    Zhang is not a professional dancer as many people have assumed.

    Born in 1968, Zhang came to Shenzhen after graduating from Southwest University in Chongqing in 1990.

    In the first few years, he ended up working at construction sites in Bao’an District.

    “I came to Shenzhen with nothing and was not afraid of anything. Although life here was hard at that time, I’d never thought of giving up and going back home to be a teacher,” he said.

    Five years later, Zhang became a manager at a large Hong Kong-funded furnishing factory.

    No matter what Zhang has done, there is one thing that he’s never given up — dancing.

    “My colleagues always laughed at me. They said everyone was tired after work and just wanted to lie down,” he said.

    However, the colleagues were gradually won over by his passion and started dancing with him. “From construction sites to factories, I honestly don’t remember how many colleagues I’ve taught over the years,” he said.

    A dance teacher

    If Zhang continued to live and dance like this, he might have become one of the many white-collar workers in the city who liked dancing. But that was not his dream.

    In 2003, he made a life-changing decision — quitting his well-paid job, becoming a professional dancer, and teaching residents and migrant workers to dance.

    “One of the most important reasons is that I love dancing so much and want to make a career of it. But more importantly, I feel like Shenzhen people need a healthier and happier way to spend their spare time,” he said.

    In Zhang’s opinion, Shenzhen is a very developed city in terms of economic growth, but its cultural life is far less developed than many older cities around the country.

    “Many people spend their spare time playing mahjong and poker or chatting together. Few people, particularly migrant workers and young people, do any sports or cultural activities. I think I can use my profession to help them enjoy a healthier and more substantial life,” he said.

    Since then, he has been teaching people dancing in the morning and at night at some squares and parks in Longhua Subdistrict.

    Dancing changes lives

    Although life might still be hard for Zhang, he feels more fulfilled than ever since he started pursuing his dream.

    “The more I dance, the more I feel that money and prestige are not as important as happiness. Particularly for Shenzhen people, I think health and well-being are more important. And I feel happy because I spread the joy to many people in the city,” he said.

    Zhang said Shenzhen people are so obsessed with bettering themselves that they forget to rest. “Dancing is a great way of stopping to smell the roses. You will find your steps become light and happy again when you start your journey again. I often said those things to my students. It was like an inspiration to them to rethink about their lives,” he said.

    Zhang’s spirit has influenced many neighboring residents.

    “I used to spend all my time playing mahjong, but now I spend most of the nights dancing. I feel I’ve got much more energy now,” said Zhu Lan, one of Zhang’s students.

    Zhu used to be hopeless at dancing. “But Zhang is very patient with me. And I particularly like the way he teaches, full of humor and passion. We all like him when he is teaching while singing. It is not a dancing class but a happy gathering,” Zhu said.

    “That’s what I want. Spread the joy of dancing and have fun with people every day,” Zhang said.