The tenth VK Asian Dragon Fest broke viewing records

VK Asian Dragon Fest was held for the tenth time and gathered 105 teams, 2,000 viewers and 9 million views online. Moscow hosted the tenth anniversary VK Asian Dragon Fest (VK ADF), an annual festival of Asian culture where young dancers and vocalists from all over Russia compete in a dance and vocal cover. In two days, 105 teams from more than 20 cities took the stage — from Belgorod to Perm, from Kazan to Moscow. More than 3,000 viewers gathered in the hall, and the online broadcast was watched more than 9.1 million times.

The festival was held in two days: on May 16, participants and teams from all over the country competed on stage; on May 17, the finals of the strongest teams that had previously won or won prizes at the festival took place. Newcomers from different cities took to the stage along with experienced teams — the hall welcomed everyone equally warmly. This is what makes VK ADF special: there is no distance between the stage and the audience, there is only a lively, real response and drive.

VK ADF has long outgrown the competition format. Over the years, some teams have become real stars within the community — their appearance on stage is greeted no quieter than the exit of the stars. Others have grown into independent musical projects: some of the regular participants of the festival are already preparing to release their own album. For many, the ADF VC has become not just a competition, but a career starting point.

For the participants, speaking here is a moment of real recognition. Hard work, months of rehearsals, carefully arranged performances — all this finally meets a live audience. The opportunity to feel like an idol, a great artist, and to see that you are being heard.

The performances were evaluated by a star-studded jury: popular blogger and influencer Sabina Khairova; presenter, blogger and actor Roman Kagramanov; finalist of the New Dances project Alex Kim; Anthony, one of the most popular bloggers on the Russian-speaking Internet; teacher and choreographer of PROTANTS, multiple winner of the VK festival ADF Vovus; Tusya; Yulai Chehen (Jehen) Moon; creator and leader of the k-pop project "K-pop cover battle" Olga Mekhovaya; Yechan Shin; choreographer Milka; member of the group "Elevate"; singer and songwriter Alyona Niyazbayeva; vocal teacher Anastasia Kravtsova.

"The guys and teams are great fellows. Many went on stage without rehearsing and performed very cool numbers. I was sitting and getting high from the process, enjoying every number and every participant," the presenter, actor and blogger Roman Kagramanov shared his impressions.

For five years, the ADF VC remains the main proof that Asian culture in Russia is not a subculture on the periphery, but a vibrant, growing movement that unites people across the country. And judging by the way the participants are greeted in the hall, this is just the beginning.