Current location:sport >>
Young People Infuse Vibrancy into Chinese Square Dancing
sport6561People have gathered around
IntroductionContact Us HomeNewsHighlightACWF NewsSocietyWom ...
- Home
- News
- People
- In-depth
- ACWF
Young People Infuse Vibrancy into Chinese Square Dancing
November 15, 2023People perform during a popularizing event of square dance in Huanggang, central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 8, 2023. [Photo by Du Zixuan/Xinhua] |
WUHAN, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — Adorned in her elegant dance costume, Wang Xiaolan, the founder of a square dance troupe in central China's Hubei Province, relishes regular practices and gatherings with her fellow dancers.
"Dancing brings me a sense of achievement," the 59-year-old retiree told Xinhua. "It has enriched our lives after retirement."
Over the past five years, Wang's dance group grew from 28 to 38 members, with many younger participants joining in. Currently, the troupe is led by a 22-year-old teacher.
This reflects the broader trend in China, where square dancing gained popularity over a decade ago, transcending age groups and evolving into a more aesthetically-oriented form of physical exercise.
Shu Ying, in her 30s, is a choreographer in Wang's troupe. "I was touched by the passion of the aunties, and I began to understand more about square dancing," she said.
Noting that the standard of square dance is rising and there is a greater diversity of forms, Shu said this dance form is not solely for senior people but for anyone who loves singing and dancing. "It can serve as spiritual sustenance for people, and bring them joy, regardless of their age group."
People perform a square dance for fun after dinner in a community of Jianghan District of Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, April 2, 2020. [Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu] |
The population of Chinese people on the mainland aged 60 or above had reached 264.02 million, including 190.64 million people aged 65 or above, or 13.5 percent of the total population, according to data from the seventh national census released in 2021.
According to Gan Lu, a choreographer with China Oriental Performance Arts Group Co., Ltd, when square dancing started, its initial aim was to cater to the social and physical exercise needs of middle-aged women, particularly those between 46 and 65 years old, including retirees.
While this is still the case, square dancing is gradually incorporating elements of professional dance, local opera and folk music, Gan explained.
For instance, in Jingzhou City which was visited by famous poet Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), a square dance group of 50 students performed a dance inspired by one of his famous poems. According to Zhou Jing, head of the group, the average age of the dancers was only 20.
"We would like to popularize the dance form in schools and colleges to get more young people involved," she said.
People perform during a popularizing event of square dance in Huanggang, central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 8, 2023. [Photo by Du Zixuan/Xinhua] |
In October 2020, a square dance competition was held at the Wuhan University of Bioengineering, attracting as many as 1,000 people. According to netizens, the event "rekindled their appreciation for square dancing."
In a survey conducted by the Hubei Masses Art Center, about two-thirds of the respondents expressed a positive attitude towards square dance, with the strongest support coming from those born in the 1960s and 1990s.
Support from local governments has played a crucial role in popularizing square dance. Governments, from the provincial level to the grassroots, have allocated special funds for training, promotion and performances of square dance. In Hubei alone, with a population exceeding 58 million, there are now over 12,000 square dance troupes, and more than 89 percent of villages have at least one square dance group.
(Source: Xinhua)
32.3KPlease understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: [email protected]. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn.
Comments
Magazines
Projects
- 2023 Women Science and Technology Innovation Pioneer...
Photos
- People Enjoy Blooming Tulips in Jinan, East...
- Flowers Bloom Across China in Spring
Special Coverage
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“International Insight news portal”。http://mexico.graduatethesis.org/html-53f199908.html
Related articles
Georgia Republicans choose Amy Kremer, organizer of pro
sportCOLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Republicans on Saturday elected to the Republican National Committee a ...
【sport】
Read moreSpace devices help taikonauts maintain their health in zero gravity
sportThis screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on March 2, 2024 shows Shenzhou-17 ta ...
【sport】
Read moreEurozone inflation further cools in March
sportBRUSSELS, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The Eurozone saw its annual rate of inflation drop more than expected ...
【sport】
Read more
Popular articles
- Shooting injures 2 at Missouri high school graduation ceremony
- (Chengdu Universiade) China's pandas endure as symbol of cross
- China's mega water diversion project benefits over 176 mln people
- Railway services resume in east China after 7.3
- Socialite Jasmine Hartin enjoys beach snuggle with electrician hunk
- CPPCC member advocates for legislation on AI law
Latest articles
What's next for Iran after death of its president in crash?
China urges U.S., Japan, Philippines to stop undermining regional peace, stability
Four people charged in the case of 2 women missing from Oklahoma
2024 Kearney FDI confidence index upgrades China's ranking from 7th to 3rd
What a blast to work at NASA. Space agency is sky
National Fitness Day: Equestrian
LINKS
- Breakthrough laryngeal allotransplantation offers hope to patients in China
- Legislators eye growth boost
- U.S. using Taiwan as 'pawn', says spokesperson
- China continues Sky Net anti
- Environmental legal cases down last year
- UK gov't considers ban on foreign states owning British news media
- Palestinians seek unity with appointment of new PM
- U.S. chip firms urge Biden administration to approve sales to China as ban backfires
- World reporters gain insights at two sessions
- China prepares to boost multiple sectors to help develop innovative talent