11-year-old boy sets Guinness World Record for performing most consecutive street dance air flares in one go

An 11-year-old boy named Wangguan Wutong from southeast China’s Fujian Province set a Guinness World Record (male) for street dance when he did 94 air flares in a row on Sept. 29, 2021, all in one go, Guinness World Records announced on Nov. 17, 2021.

Wangguan Wutong receives a Guinness World Records certificate. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

When performing the air flares, the performer would use his hand to support his body while his legs spin around in the air. In 2018, when Wutong was 8 years old, he captured a Guinness World Record for break dance after completing 62 air flares in one minute.

Doing an air flare requires a performer to have strong arms and waist strength, flexibility, as well as strong overall physical strength to control and coordinate one’s body. It takes several months, and even several years, for an average dancer to master the skill.

According to Wutong’s father, the secret to his son’s success was his talent and diligence. “A street dancer must have strong muscular strength and endurance. My son is a sports enthusiast and he has high physical capabilities, having been an award winner in multiple sports competitions,” the boy’s father disclosed.

Wangguan Wutong performs air flares during a challenge. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Wutong started to learn street dance when he was 4 years old. Over the course of seven years, he has fallen on the ground numerous times and also got injured while practicing. However, the boy never made any complaints about the toilsome process nor thought about giving up.

Lin Jingqing, founder of a local street dance club where Wutong is currently learning street dance, revealed that the boy received a lot of support from other people around him. Learning that Wutong’s family couldn’t afford the expenses associated with learning street dance, the club provided accommodation for the boy’s family.

Wangguan Wutong practicing air flares. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

At the end of 2020, the International Olympic Committee included break dance, rock climbing, skateboarding and surfing into the 2024 Olympics schedule in Paris. Wutong expressed his hope that he could one day perform air flares at competitions during the Olympics. “I hope one day my son can stand on the international stage and be the honor of the country,” said the boy’s father.