Expanding horizons

Dancer-choreographer Li Xiang is known for his techniques and expressive moves of traditional Chinese dance. He has devoted years to polishing his skills to display the beauty of traditional dance.

His recent performances on the reality show Call Me By Fire, which premiered on Aug 12 on Mango TV, a livestreaming platform, won him a larger fan base. Li, of course, seems more excited about taking on the role of "a singer" on the show.

"I wanted to join the show because it was challenging for me. I could try many new ideas, which I didn't have a chance to even think about earlier," says the 29-year-old, adding that Call Me By Fire is his first reality show, with cameras recording 24 hours a day to capture the participants training, performing and going about their daily lives.

"I admire artists who dare to break their own styles and keep their passion for creativity. As a dancer-choreographer, I want the audience to get a fresh sense of dancing and dancers."

Gathering over 30 male celebrities from different fields, like acting, singing and dancing, Call Me By Fire immediately became a hot topic on Chinese social media, with its distinctive lineup, including veteran Hong Kong actorsinger Jordan Chan, martial arts star Zhao Wenzhuo, rock singer-songwriter Chen Hui, who is the frontman of Chinese rock band The Face, and rapper Zhou Yan, better known by his stage name Gai.

They have built firm fan bases over decades and some had withdrawn from the limelight.

Last year, Mango TV launched a reality show, named Sisters Who Make Waves, which gathered 30 women celebrities all above the age of 30. The show was considered successful as the entertainment industry in China traditionally has favored women in their early 20s or even younger.

Call Me By Fire also has male celebrities competing in different groups. They live together and work as teams to brainstorm ideas and produce new work.

"Bringing these men together is a highlight of reality shows this year. Some of them are over 50 years old but still work hard to come up with new ideas. They also bring back memories since I grew up watching their movies and listening to their songs," comments a fan on social media platform Sina Weibo.