Square dancing: not just for old housewives

Upon mention of square dancing, most people will think of a bunch of plump housewives in their fifties or older. But today, more and more young people are getting involved in it, and it becomes more of an all-ages activity.

Suitable for all ages, easy to learn, no fundament required, no partner required, no venue limitations, easy to popularize; all of these features allow people to exercise and promote health in a relaxed and fun environment. Square dancing is a very natural type of dance, with many different formats and styles. There are no fixed steps, the organizer creating all the moves, so elements from yang-ko and Chinese ethnic dance can be integrated, along with ballroom dancing steps.

Square dancing: China’s new“famous brand name”

In May 2016, the six cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi’an and Shenyang, after creating a set of standardized dance steps set to the same upbeat music, held a 30,000 strong simultaneous dance session, successfully setting a new Guinness record for “largest-scale line dance (multiple locations)”.

With the concept of national fitness in vogue, square dancing as a cultural activity is now pursued by more and more people, with many celebrities participating in square dancing.In 2014 when Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) visited China for the first time, he performed a square dance to the song So Cheerful in Shanghai, and his funny moves and exaggerated expressions won waves of applause from onlookers.

Chinese square dancing has also gone overseas to other counties, as a “new famous brand name” of China, even appearing at landmarks like Brooklyn’s Sunset Park, Moscow’s Red Square, and Paris’s Louvre Museum. In 2015, as a part of the Chinese Bridge-Summer Camp for U.S. High School Students organized by Hanban, U.S. students went to Jiangsu Hongyang Square to learn square dancing. China’s “prince of fitness dance” Wang Guangcheng also created a surge of popularity for Chinese square dancing in the U.S., with familiar songs like Little Apple and The Coolest Ethnic Trend, which in turn led to these songs becoming favorites among locals. Chinese square dancing troupes have also been invited to participate in Independence Day and Canada Day festivities.

Square dancing has already become an important part of many people’s lives. Be it done in parks, fitness centers, plazas, or rural markets, every day the familiar tunes of square dancing can be heard in countless locales. Regardless of why these people get into square dancing to begin with, be it for exercise or just for fun, they embody the unique lifestyle of the Chinese people, and serve as an example of the positive attitude of the Chinese towards life.