A viral video of 60 dance contest judges showing off their steps at a mass athletic event in Beijing got the internet's attention, particularly the moves of a middle-aged man in black glasses and a neatly trimmed beard.
He is Xu Wenbiao, a 57-year-old musical theater professor at the Beijing Dance Academy (BDA), where during his tenure he has mentored celebrities such as actors Sha Yi, Liu Yifei and Jin Dong, who is also a two sessions delegate.
Impressed by his charisma, netizens said, "An old Ferrari is still a Ferrari," a common saying for those who age gracefully used on Chinese social media, where Xu is now known as "Uncle Ferrari."
The viral clip, filmed during the 18th Beijing Sports Games on April 26, gained Xu more than 200,000 followers on Douyin overnight. He now has 646,000.
Born in 1968 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Xu began training at 11. Soon after graduating from the BDA, the school became the first in China with a musical theater department. In 1994, the BDA hired Xu as an instructor. He is now the department's deputy dean. s
In step with BDA's outreach policies for its instructors, Xu launched a free livestreaming dance course on Douyin this year, offering lessons three times a week. A single session on May 1 drew over 180,000 viewers. "Art comes from the people, and it is our responsibility to give it back to them," Xu told newspaper Urban Express.
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