Beijing Cracks Down on Noisy Dancing Grandmas

By Justine Lopez

Every day hordes of Beijingers, mostly retired women, flood the city’s parks and squares to do one thing: dance. Actually, that’s a lie. They do two things: dance and listen to really, really loud music. And it’s this music that has caused such a major public outcry against Beijing’s “dancing grandmas.”

Beijing is now making more of an effort to crack down on people who gather in public spaces to dance to blaring music. According to the capital’s new public fitness regulations, outdoor exercising should not disturb Beijing's residents or businesses.

Starting on March 1, anyone who breaks the law by dancing in public to loud music could be warned or face some pretty hefty fines, Global Times reports. And for anyone who goes too big, they could even face detention, according to the Beijing municipal government.

State media estimates that as of 2015 roughly 100-million people in China participated in square dancing. In Beijing (and elsewhere) it is an extremely popular activity among elderly women and retirees who are looking to not only exercise but to socialize.

But as innocent as it sounds, their notorious use of extremelty loud music has sparked countless complaints and assaults in Beijing and around China.

Beijing is not the first Chinese city to crack down on China’s dancing grannies. Last year, Guangxi banned dancing and the use of loudspeakers and instruments from 10pm to 6am. In Xian loudspeakers are not allowed in public areas between 9pm and 7am. The fine for breaking the law is RMB200 per person or RMB500 per company. Nanchong prohibits group dancing in the city’s green spaces.

It remains unclear how Beijing’s new law will impact the seemingly ubiquitous dancers or what the fine will be. We suppose we’ll find out in March.

[Image via CNN Money] 
      

You May Also Like...

For more Beijing news, click "Read more" below.