Dancing in public spaces: an exploratory study on China's Grooving Grannies

• Published in: Leisure studies Vol. 39; no. 4; pp. 545 - 557
• Main Authors: Lin, Minhui, Bao, Jigang, Dong, Erwei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 03.07.2020
• Subjects: group leisure; Guangchangwu; public dancing; Public space
• ISSN: 0261-4367; 1466-4496
• DOI: 10.1080/02614367.2019.1633683

In contemporary China, public spaces are often sites for group leisure activities. In the last ten years, the most notable group leisure activity is Guangchangwu (广场舞) which translates as dancing in the public squares. It has become a unique leisure practice mainly for older women's participation in urban China. Guangchangwu (GGW) is a new form of daily leisure activity which has been overlooked by leisure scholars. By means of studying this unique leisure activity, this paper explores the spatial practice of older women engaged in GGW in the city of Guangzhou. Results reveal that older women engage in GGW to cope with the scarcity of public spaces, the commercialization of leisure spaces, the alienation of urban life, and the pervasive sense of meaninglessness amidst urbanization. Moreover, China's grooving grannies acquire many benefits from their participation in GGW, such as health benefits, self-actualization, intergenerational communication, and happiness; not to mention that, as a result of GGW's inclusivity, there is an increase on the sense of community, carnival atmosphere, and acceptance of diverse performers. Therefore, this study contributes to both leisure research and public research from a cross-cultural perspective, and shows that older women use GGW to practice and reconstruct their identities by embedding themselves within public spaces.