Muted dance parties join a slew of activities as city focuses on residents' physical fitness, Zheng Zheng reports.

An unconventional party scene in Shanghai is bringing together residents to dance to the beat of a "silent" drum — or rather, music heard through headphones. While dancing and silence may be paradoxical concepts, Silent Disco is enriching how Shanghai residents let loose.

On certain afternoons and nights, onlookers may spot groups moving around to unheard melodies on walking paths. This is a Silent Disco scene, a novel, autonomous dance experience. Participants don wireless headphones that transport them into an immersive audio world while muted to the outside surroundings.

Silent Disco originated in Europe when young people decided to plan dance parties in the forest without disturbing the animals with loud music, choosing to use headphones instead of speakers.

"It shatters the conventions of traditional theater by taking performances out of confined venues and into the public sphere," says Li Yan, managing director of the 1862 Fashion Art Center that organizes Silent Disco activities.

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Shanghai was the first stop in China for the touring act introduced by Britain with a performance in the Rockbund neighborhood of Huangpu district in June and July. A new venue was added in August at EKA Art in Pudong.

At each Silent Disco event, attendees are given headphones with specific colored lights that link them to the same audio channel. As a "silent guide" leads the dances, the music plays through the headphones, turning sidewalks into dance floors. Led by the guides, participants collaborate on group choreography, adding an interactive social element seldom seen in traditional theater productions.

Silent Disco also celebrates the cultural appeal of the host city by highlighting iconic architecture and lively neighborhoods along its routes, explains Li. "For our audiences, it cultivates all the desired experiential elements — relaxation, existence, social connection and atmospheric vibes."

Shanghai's dynamic environment makes it an ideal launchpad, according to Li, who described the debut as "a creative collision between a mature entertainment act and a dynamic historical city".Dancers pass dozens of historic buildings in the Bund area on the summer route.

Route locations were carefully curated to immerse participants in the city's diverse aesthetics. "We selected paths that fully showcase Shanghai's urban landscape and integration of past and present," says Li. "Audiences appreciate classic views while experiencing revitalized historic districts that come alive through their presence and movements."

A post-show survey by the organizer revealed that around 60 percent of attendees were in their 20s, with nearly 97 percent under 45.

"Though an introvert, I was thrilled to participate in the event — it provided a truly novel experience for me," says a 27-year-old participant surnamed He.

"At the start, I felt constrained and self-conscious but gradually entered the flow. The music played was what I regularly enjoy, which transported me to my bedroom dance sessions in the real world. I felt the stress of work fully melt away," she says.

"In that instant, I stopped caring about the others and let myself enjoy the moment," He adds.

The Silent Disco fever aligns with Shanghai's growing appetite for public outdoor fitness activities in summer. Activewear brand Lululemon's recent Summer Sweat Games Shanghai event spanned over 200 meters of Anyi Road in Jing'an district. Among the dozens of free workout stations were air bikes, flying disks, football, ping pong, tug of war, and other fitness offerings.

Throughout the fair, coaches led group sessions in running, High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT), yoga, dance and cardio, getting people to embrace the summer heat through exercise.

A participant surnamed Zhao gets nostalgic as she watches participants around her enjoying the games. "This atmosphere reminds me of the sports meets I loved in school."

Zhao says the vibrant spirit of the games seems to transport players back to their younger days — sweating alongside friends and savoring physical activities at the moment.

Over the past three years, the Summer Sweat Games have evolved into the brand's much-anticipated signature event. This year, the impact of the event expanded across over 70 stores in nearly 40 cities, drawing more than 10,000 people to sign up and 1,000 teams to participate in both store-level and citywide challenges.

Meanwhile, the stage at the entertainment landmark Shanghai Big World recently cooperated with the Shanghai Community Sports Association to establish digitalized sports sites right at people's doorsteps.

The community fitness digital theater covers community fitness centers and leverages Augmented Reality technology to broadcast fitness guides, sports culture content, live event coverage, and virtual multi-location activities to residents across all districts, making sports participation more accessible and engaging.

From disco dances that electrify public plazas to daylong fitness fairs that transform city streets into aerobic playgrounds, Shanghai is fully embracing the movement toward making physical activity inextricable in the modern urban fabric.

According to the 2023 Shanghai National Fitness Development Report launched by the Shanghai University of Sport, the city saw its rate of regular sports engagement rise to 50.5 percent of residents.

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Shanghai added over 2.5 million square meters of new sports facilities in 2023, raising the total sporting space to 2.6 sq m per capita, according to the report. Events and activities also saw a significant increase, with 18,754 competitions and tournaments hosted across various levels and disciplines, drawing over 11 million participants throughout the year.

"Shanghai is continuously constructing an advanced public fitness service system for all. The percentage of city residents engaging in regular sports activities is on the rise, overall health is improving, and resident satisfaction is steadily increasing," says Mao Lijuan, president of the university.

Contact the writer at zhengzheng@chinadaily.com.cn