Chinese student does a somersault at a UK university graduation ceremony. Watch

Netizens lauded her performance. A user commented, “She saw the opportunity to shine and she took it. A promising future is ahead of her!” Another user wrote, “Crouching Tiger Hidden Phoenix.” The graduation ceremony was held in January. After Yining posted the clip on social media on March 3, it went viral.

The young woman received professional dance training when she was a teenager and studied classical Chinese dance at Beijing Dance Academy. Yining was quoted as saying by the SCMP that she performed the flip out of excitement. However, she was surprised by the rousing response. She added that the side flip is easy for her because she has had 12 years of experience practising classical Chinese dance, in which flips are basic movements.

Similar stunts during graduation ceremonies grab eyeballs online. Last year, an 18-year-old youngster from Heritage Woods Secondary School in Canada’s Port Moody engaged in a brief ‘duel’ with his principal. The ‘Star Wars’ fan’s impromptu challenge against the principal surprised everyone and the principal acted as if he got stabbed at the end.