CCTV Spring Festival Gala: Unitree H1 robots dance the Yangge

2025-01-28 · Publisher : China Media Group (CCTV) et Unitree · Domain : Robotics

At the CCTV Lunar New Year Gala, China's most-watched broadcast, Unitree H1 humanoids dance the Yangge with dancers from the Xinjiang Arts Institute, staged by Zhang Yimou.

### Background On January 28, 2025, the eve of the Lunar New Year, China's national TV gala (CMG Spring Festival Gala, broadcast by CCTV) featured "秧BOT" ("Yang-BOT"), a "creative fusion dance". Unitree H1 humanoids danced the Yangge, a traditional folk dance, alongside dancers from the Xinjiang Arts Institute. Several accounts mention 16 robots; that number does not appear in the source consulted. ### Specifications | Item | Detail | |---|---| | Show | 2025 Lunar New Year Gala, main Beijing stage | | Act | "秧BOT", creative fusion dance | | Director | Zhang Yimou | | Robots | Unitree H1, humanoid launched in August 2023 | | Partner | Xinjiang Arts Institute | | Preparation | three months of robot training | ### Why it matters The gala is the country's most-watched program. Putting Chinese humanoids on stage turned robotics into a symbol of national pride, days after the shock DeepSeek caused in AI. The act went viral worldwide and made Unitree known far beyond specialist circles. ### Key takeaways This performance marks the moment Chinese humanoids went mainstream. It opened a year of spectacular demonstrations (half marathon, World Games, fights), and Unitree returned to the 2026 gala with other manufacturers.

Tags : Humanoïde, Chine, Événement, Culture, Unitree