Official stresses standard square dancing no mandatory

Public dancing is a consequence of China's rapidly aging society, observers say. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

China's General Administration of Sport (GAS) has clarified that a document outlining government standard square dance moves was only a guideline, not mandatory.

Square dancing in public areas is a popular community activity among Chinese people, mostly elderly female retirees.

On Monday, the GAS announced that it will promote a set of 12 uniformed square dances nationwide, raising public criticism that the government is reaching to far.

Such doubts are a misunderstanding, Liu Guoyang, head of GAS's department for mass sports, said in a press release post on their website Wednesday.

Unlike the personal choreography devised different groups of dancers, the government-endorsed steps are "based on scientific design and public health" and the list was published to offer more choices to the public's exercise menu, he said.

The era where all people are forced to follow only one orthodox in sports is long gone and people now require more individualism.

"Asking all square dancing groups to follow only one standard is definitely impossible, and we never meant to do that," he said.

The GAS will offer a video of the official version for free download and provide training for those who want to learn the scientific aspect of the dances. They will also launch more dance versions with different workout focuses.

However, dancers still have the freedom to vote by feet.

"The government did not say that it will ban all versions other than the standard one, did it? I can't see any point in the controversy about the new version," said user "yigefanke" at the Sina news website.

"I think it is fine for the government to recommend a standard version, but there should be no enforcement measures," said another "laoheishanren."

Others called on the government to pay more attention to the problem of conflict between senior citizens' entertainment and the tranquility of others.

Previous media reports outlining friction between the groups include a case where a man in Beijing fired a shotgun in the air and unleashed three Tibetan mastiffs to scare away a group of women whose dancing annoyed him.

"There is a horrifying organization in the world called 'dancing Chinese grannies(Dama)'," one user joked on Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo.

"No need to regulate the dance steps, as they are just the public's self-recreation. But what needs to be taken seriously is how to provide elderly people with proper facilities to workout without disturbing others," wrote another Weibo user "Zhuyongxin."

GAS and several government departments are discussing a plan to support non-government associations to help keep the dancers better organized.