“All of our hard work was worthwhile,” smiles Gao. “The other candidates had only 20 team members each, but with our 28, it was often difficult to schedule training because my teammates are from different grades.”

“Cheerleading is a collective endeavor with high physical demands,” remarks Xu Zhongqiu, coach and deputy director of the Art Department of Guangzhou Sports College, “but state of mind is even more important. The teams are showcasing the progress of cheerleading in China. Since the sport came to China in 2001, great efforts have been made by China Student Aerobics and Rhythmic Gymnastics Associations, and many institutes of higher learning across the country have established cheer squads. There is a wide variety of choices for gymnastics techniques and dance genres such as jazz and hip hop.”

According to Xu Yonghong, who also acts as director of GAGOC’s Culture Department, selective trials were held in 363 colleges and universities in 68 cities across China since March 2009, attracting 20,182 competitors from 1,014 teams, and more than 100 million viewers watched them on TV.

Another major campaign that joined in welcoming the Asian Games was the choral contest of Games songs, which was launched on June 20, 2010. Guangzhou has a solid choral foundation, with plentiful local choirs, the best of which were selected to perform at the evening party to launch a 100-day countdown as well as at the closing ceremony of the Games.

Additionally, dramas will be staged, both domestic and imported. During the Asian Games, about 50 dramas will be presented in addition to performances by local troupes.

Experts believe that the upcoming Asian Games present a rare opportunity to significantly mature the performing arts market. The diverse performances will undoubtedly attract throngs of locals who would not normally patronize theaters.