Kung fu has been a staple feature in the line-up of CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala in recent years. According to the deputy director in charge of the martial arts element of the show, this year’s event will still follow the formula of being led by a Kung fu star, accompanied by younger artists.

Under a confidentiality agreement, all of the special moves to be included in the performance must be practised inside the theatre, carefully under wraps. 70 performers have been selected from 10,000 students at a Kung fu school in Shandong Province. Some of them are seasoned gala performers, having previously appeared with star Chiu Man-Cheuk. This arrangement will be replicated this year.

The performers were chosen last October and since then they have been busily preparing for the big night. Last December, they flew to Beijing and started rehearsing in CCTV’s main performance hall, working hard to perfect their performance.

The team’s performance has already undergone a series of modifications and developments, all in the hope that the breathtaking show will exceed all expectations on the big night.