International appeal

Hailing traditional charm

For Liu, the prospect of forming an international boy band attracted him to join in the show.

He started to learn basic dance skills at the age of 4. In 2012, he entered the Anhui Professional College of Art, where he learned traditional folk and classical dance.

Three years ago, he combined Chinese-style dance performances with pop music and other modern elements, and then posted video clips of his performances online. They have gained him more than 18 million followers on the short-video sharing platform, Douyin.

Although it's not common to see a Chinese-style dance performer join a pop idol group, his determination to display the charms of traditional dance on a bigger stage motivates him.

"Many people don't know much about our traditional dances and clothes," says Liu. "I hope that my appearance in the show will promote the traditional culture among audiences."

Liu appreciates the opportunity to cooperate with trainees from different countries on the show. "Many show an interest in my dancing style, while I am also curious about theirs," he adds.

The show features a round in which groups of trainees are required to adapt the show's theme song into different styles.

After brainstorming, Liu's group decided to create a version of the theme song that incorporated a mixture of electronic music, the sounds of a bamboo flute, a guzheng (Chinese zither), drums and humai (Mongolian throat singing).

Chinese-style choreography was also used to interpret the song during their performance.

It is indicative of the sort of music Liu wants to create, if he is able to win a place in the final boy band.

"I will try to integrate China's cultural elements into our work," he says.

"Most importantly, the pieces will also be accepted and understood by audiences from different countries."