Likely all Westerners and many Chinese wonder why Mao Ze Dong is worshipped in China. His tomb is the most prominent one. Etc. But he was an oppressive leader, which was reflected in people’s dress and entertainment. Deng Xiaoping was a lot more lovable. And people could wear nicer clothes and have their hair styled … and DANCE.
Social dancing is where you find it. In our persona as Wilddancers we have danced in large public squares and parks in China (as the only Caucasians present–and with the background of a bunch of dance lessons–we naturally drew a crowd, all of whom wanted to dance with each of us). And this outdoor dancing happens in the U.S. as well … especially in places like San Francisco where the weather is usually good. (A little chilly sometimes, but when you’re doing the fast-tempo version of swing called Lindy Hop you get warmed up pretty fast.) Not only is it free, but from a small group with a boombox nearly 20 years ago it has expanded to a group as large as 200 on some Sundays, complete with instructors. This all takes place Sundays from 11am to 2pm on the sidewalk behind the de Young museum in Golden Gate Park.
Chinese people love social couples dancing. They do it, along with numerous other fitness activities (tai chi, karate, hacky sack (yup!), …), in parks, usually early in the morning. Wilddancer has joined them in Shanghai and Beijing. We deemed ourselves too young to particpate in the “Seniles Disco” in Shanghai (lost in translation), but joined a group who had music that matched what we often danced to. And we had to dance with everyone in the group, essentially none of whom had ever taken lessons in western-style ballroom or latin dances. In Beijing it was on National Day, and our west coast swing made all our new friends watch (and applaud).