Dance and gymnastics at Zhejiang University: empowering student growth

From the university’s early days, gymnastics has been an integral part of campus life. By the 1980s, rhythmic gymnastics gained popularity, and newer activities such as aerobics, sports dance, line dance, and cheerleading followed, evolving into today’s diverse and dynamic modern dance and fitness curriculum.

Dance combines aesthetics with physicality, emphasizing posture, poise, and control. Instructors in dance and fitness classes employ various training techniques to build students’ strength and coordination. Classes often feature dynamic activities such as aerobic exercises and incorporate equipment like resistance bands to enhance core strength, leg power, and body synchronization.  

The structured yet creative approach has helped many students transform from novices to confident dancers. CHEN Yuzi, a 2021 undergraduate from the School of Literature, shared her journey, “at first, memorizing movements and developing coordination were real challenges. But as the course progressed, I realized that confidence and practice make all the difference. With boldness and consistent effort, improvement comes naturally.”

Unlike traditional physical education courses, dance and fitness classes often replace final exams with collaborative performances. These "assessment showcases" emphasize teamwork and creativity, involving choreography, formation design, costume selection, and music editing. "Dance classes challenge students to collaborate and contribute based on their unique strengths," said instructor SHOU Minchao.“Every participant has a role, making the process inclusive and rewarding."  

“After a semester of focused training, students become noticeably more self-assured and poised,” remarked instructor QIAN Hongying. “They also gain a deeper understanding of the sense of responsibility that comes with dance and develop healthier, more positive social skills. Every performance represents a courageous leap forward.”  

Zhejiang University’s physical education program embraces a “student growth-centered” philosophy, with a standardized and diverse dance and fitness curriculum, leveraging dance to promote students’ physical and mental well-being.

Adapted and translated from the article written by：CHENG Xuhang, TONG Tong, ZHANG Shufan

Translator: ZHUGE Jiayuan (’25，Communication)

Photo: the interviewees

Editor: HAN Xiao (’25, Education), TIAN Minjie