Flipping and spinning on a studio floor, 17-year-old Royal is a star in China¡¯s breaking scene and aiming for gold at the World Championships in Japan this week.

Royal, real name Guo Pu, shot to fame when she won both the youth and adult Asian Championships in June.

She is part of a growing Chinese force in breaking, which combines acrobatic floor moves, footwork and rhythmic expression to hip-hop or funk and was included as an Olympic sport for the first time at the Paris Games.