Dance away from graves, China tells ‘aunties’

China’s most ubiquitous public performers – lively groups of primarily elderly women who show off their moves in outdoor squares – have been ordered to avoid dancing on graves and spreading superstitious beliefs.

The dancers are known to blare old-school music from portable speakers, often taking over entire blocks in vibrant matching outfits, reports AFP.

In a set of guidelines released Monday, the country’s central sports authority outlined “strict regulations” for square dancers, so named for their chosen venues as opposed to their dance style.

Dancers must not congregate in “solemn places like martyrs’ cemeteries” or “use square dancing to illegally make money and spread feudal, superstitious beliefs”, according to the new rules.

Rather, the energetic performers should contribute to the establishment of a “harmonious society”, said China’s General Administration of Sport.

For many of China’s 222 million elderly aged 60 and over, dancing in public has become key to staying fit and staving off the loneliness of ageing.

But these retired women known as “damas” do not always have eager audiences: residents in some neighbourhoods have accused them of disturbing the peace, and they have had to square off with basketball players and other athletes for outdoor space.