On August 24, Asian American dance collective The Kinjaz made a huge announcement after this year’s Head in the Clouds festival in Los Angeles. After presenting multi-hyphenated singer Jackson Wang with one of their jackets, the award-winning choreography and cinematography team surprised Wang by inviting him to join their crew — another memorable achievement for his shining resume.

Footage of an overjoyed Wang asking, “Are you serious?” has snagged attention on both sides of the Great Firewall, racking up more than 604,000 likes on Instagram, while a related hashtag on the microblogging platform Weibo had amassed over 340 million views at the time of writing.

Wang’s fans have been celebrating the honor online, and have shared their congratulations on Weibo.

Founded by Mike Song and Anthony Lee in 2010, Kinjaz rose to fame thanks to their signature blend of perfectly-synchronized hip hop moves and Asian cultural themes. Based in California, the group boasts 30-something members and 964,000 fans on Instagram.

Kinjaz and Wang have a long history of successful dance collaborations. In 2018, the dance crew flew to China to participate in the street dance variety show Hot Blood Dance Crew, where they worked closely with the singer.

Following the show, the dance crew choreographed the moves to Wang’s ‘Titanic.’ The single, which was launched in tandem with the 28-year-old’s 2019 debut album Mirrors, also features Indonesian rapper Rich Brian.

In April 2022, Kinjaz and Wang joined forces to deliver a historic performance at Coachella. Arguably one of the most high-profile collaborations of the year, it was the first time a Chinese artist performed on the prestigious Coachella stage.

Wang joining Kinjaz further underscores the artist’s talent and versatility and leaves us wondering whether his new LP, which is dropping in just a few weeks on September 9, will include more stunning collaborative choreography.

Cover image via YouTube