Half kung fu, half opera, and all drama: China’s 'heroes' leap into spotlight

A Yingge dancer holding a firecracker runs out of an ancestral temple during a performance in Shantou, in southern China's Guangdong province on Jan 23. Photo: AFP

With painted faces and vivid costumes, 40 young dancers leap through the streets of Shantou in southern China to the sound of gongs and drums as hundreds of spectators watch.

A mix of martial arts and Chinese opera, this traditional dance of "heroes" with ancient roots still lights up parts of Guangdong province ahead of the Lunar New Year.