Dangstars of China
AJ Ghani
(2015)
AJ Ghani is interested in emerging social, environmental and political issues and he approaches them through a distinct visual language. In the series Dangstars of China, Ghani photographed a group of Chinese youngsters who have a dance group name Dangster in the city of Kunming. Formed about 10 years ago, this group not only teaches dance courses, but also have the task to perform at nightclubs in order to animate the public, what was an unusual entertainment back in those days. In a controlled society such as the Chinese one, it was unthinkable to have young ladies emancipating themselves through the use of their bodies in public spaces. However, Dangster is a great success, and, after receiving a prominent Asian hip-hop dance contest in Beijing, they moved to a more spacious studio in downtown Kunming where they teach various crowds, some as young as 4 years old.