Tibetan kids bring hip-hop and heritage to Beijing stage

At a 4-on-4 international street dance competition in Beijing on Sunday, four young dancers from Lhasa's WE DID DANCE studio turned heads.

Their routine fused modern hip-hop with traditional Tibetan Relpa and gorshey circle dance elements, creating a unique cultural blend.

"We hope people see something fresh from Xizang and how it connects to street dance nationwide," said Tenzin Kunzang, the team's 10-year-old Relpa drum player.

Founded in 2021 by Dechung, a 90s-born Tibetan, the studio teaches kids to master choreography while preserving Tibetan music and dance traditions, ensuring local culture is integrated with global street dance.

The team's performance in Beijing highlighted not only technical skill but also the rhythm of a culture bridging tradition and modernity, showing the world that Tibetan hip-hop is alive and evolving.