Chen Xiaochun

654789759@qq.com

IF you come to the Civic Center on the weekend, you’ll probably bump into all sorts of groups, young and old, boys and girls, dancing and singing around, especially in the area around the arch. Some groups have a teacher to guide them while others, like one group of students, are just practicing on their own.

Patrice Guilemond comes from France. He teaches salsa, a popular form of dance that originated in the Caribbean, to people for free on Saturday afternoons every other week. Though working as a software engineer, Guilemond also loves sharing the fun of dancing with friends.

“It’s very rewarding for me to see people enjoying it and telling me that they have a great time. Bringing joy to people makes me happy,” said Guilemond.

The square outside Shenzhen Book City is also bustling with people. Folk artisans from all around the country come and perform here. They can be seen painting, making handmade crafts for children, singing, playing instruments, you name it.

Chung Kam Sik from Hong Kong loves playing percussion instruments. After he retired, Chung picked up his hobby again and began to search for all types of percussion instruments.

One day, he heard about a busker test that would enable him to perform at the square outside Book City. Chung took the test and passed it. Since then he has started performing here, which for him has been a wonderful opportunity as he has gotten the chance to meet all sorts of new people.

To perform in the Civic Center or Book City squares, buskers need to apply for license from the relevant departments. After they apply, if they are approved, they will receive a certificate that allows them to perform. From there, they are assigned to a designated area via a lottery system where they can perform during set times.