The Revolt of the Dancing Grannies

In China, millions of women regularly gather for morning square dancing – despite the government's attempt to stop them. Get the step-by-step story on this episode of Now I Know. Today millions of Chinese women aged 55 and older regularly gather for morning square dancing – even though the Chinese government tried to stop them. Square dancing in China, at least among middle-aged and older women, became a trend in the mid-1990s. Forced retirement was the norm, and women of that age bracket found themselves unable to work, with children (or, more likely, “child” due to government policies at the time) which were grown up, and, well, not a lot of other things to do. Dance parties became a solution that met many of these women’s needs. They provided a chance to socialize, good exercise, and a fun way to use extra leisure time. Oh, and they were free – all you needed was a pair of appropriate shoes, some music, and somewhere to dance.

©2016 Dan Lewis (P)2016 Audible, Inc.