A global wheelchair dancing competition has taken place in Beijing, with the winners having secured a spot at the Asia Paralympic Games which will be held in Incheon, Republic of Korea this October. It will be the first time wheelchair dance is officially a competition item at the games.

China sent 18 contestants to the competition, but unfortunately, none were able to qualify for a top spot.

Among the 116 contestants from eight countries, the oldest was an 85-year-old Japanese woman. Her passionate movements won much applause.

Shi Ke, 55, from China also competed against contestants of all ages. She learned about wheelchair dancing during the 2008 Paralympic Games and soon fell in love with it.

"Wheelchair dance has not only improved our health but also brought me a lot of friends. Our dance partners are all healthy people. They volunteer to teach and dance with us," she said.

Wheelchair dance requires good upper body strength, which poses quite a challenge for aging contestants such as Shi. She has calluses all over her hands, but she is happy when dancing on her wheels.

"The wheels are like my wings that help me realize my dreams and fly me to a bigger stage," she said.

China sent 18 contestants to the competition, but none were able to qualify for a top spot. The winners, which included dancers from Russia and Republic of Korea will join the Asia Paralympic Games in Incheon in October.

The oldest is a 85 year-old Japanese woman. Her passionate movements have won much applause.

Contestants from eight countries are showcasing how unstoppable their love for dancing is.

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