Today, 12 February, is the last day of the Chinese New Year but The Year of the Snake has brought with it controversy about a group that some Chinese think of as heroines, but others think of as hooligans.
Meet China’s "Dama" or Dancing Aunties, a phenomenon that has swept across China in recent years. Dama (大妈) ‘Big Mother’, is a term of address traditionally used for an older woman you do not know so well, usually translated as ‘Auntie’ (though it is not used for your real Aunties), now used to describe – not always flatteringly – a group of women born between about 1945 and 1965 who have formed themselves into large, often aggressive, teams of ‘Dancing Aunties’.
Public parks have long been used for dancing in China, but this is something very different, for the Dancing Aunties have turned every available open space into their personal dance floors. These feisty, energetic women have become a major force, with their influence spreading faster than a viral TikTok dance challenge, not always to the approval of the general public, especially younger people.
It began innocently enough, when groups of retired women started gathering in parks to exercise and socialise, but what started as an attempt to stay fit has evolved into a major cultural movement. Armed with large portable speakers blasting everything from traditional Chinese folk music to the latest K-pop hits, the Dancing Aunties have choreographed their way into the hearts of millions – and the disapproval of millions more.
The Aunties take their dancing very seriously. With routines that would make a West End choreographer envious. And they practice for hours, perfecting every move. And don't be fooled by their age; these ladies have the stamina of marathon runners and the precision of Swiss watches.
Competitions have sprung up, pitting groups of Aunties against each other in epic, often aggressive, dance-offs. The stakes are high, with bragging rights and the coveted title of "Queen Dama" on the line. Spectators gather in droves, cheering on their favourite teams and marvelling at the spectacle. Break-away groups are formed if an experienced dancer feels that she would be better leading a group of her own or becomes dissatisfied with the current leader’s interpretation of songs. Bitter rivalries have sprung up, sometimes turning violent. In one incident a Dama group in Qingyuan was ordered to pay the medical costs of another group after they clashed violently over shared space at a local park.
The Dancing Aunties have aroused opposition, with a growing anti-Aunty movement that considers Dama as inconsiderate hooligans and an embarrassment to China. The term ‘Dama’ has changed to include any elderly woman behaving badly and to refer to the dreaded hongweibing (紅衛兵) generation of former Red Guards who were young in the cultural revolution, when young women (I was too young) especially were noted for their fanatical devotion to Mao Zedong. Very many blame the extremes of those times for the Dancing Aunties’ sometime bad behaviour, as shown in this short video.
As well as admiration the Aunties have caused outrage, such as when Beijing Dama loudly performed Cultural Revolution-era songs like ‘Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China’ (which I still know by heart) outside a busy shopping mall each night, wearing military uniforms and carrying toy guns
As the Dancing Auntie movement has spread, the Aunties have been subject to a backlash, as the elderly Dama wake up very early to practice causing people to complaint about the noise they make with their loudspeakers at full blast in the early hours, and late into the night.
But this has not stopped them. Some Dama groups have attempted to keep the public happy by adapting. Last year, a group of Dancing Aunties in Chongqing earned enormous praise online for using earphones to listen to their music. But not all are so considerate, and many groups dismiss complaints and refuse to listen.
In a famous case, a man in Beijing tried to reason with an especially noisy group of Aunties and, after talks failed, the man set his three Tibetan mastiffs on them before firing shots into the air with his hunting rifle. In Wuhan, an angry resident lined the floor of the square with broken glass to stop dancers and, also in Wuhan, after a breakdown in dancing diplomacy, disgruntled residents threw coins, rocks and ultimately faeces at a group of Aunties after repeated attempts to make them stop failed. All to no avail, however, as in an act of defiance the Aunties turned out in even greater numbers and played their music even louder.
Local and National government has taken notice too. In many cities, officials have designated special areas for Dama dancing, complete with sound systems and lighting. Some have even organized city-wide dance festivals, celebrating the contributions of these remarkable women. They have also tried to control the Aunties’ activities, but often with limited success. The Aunties are not afraid of them, and the authorities – more concerned about public opinion than their British counterparts - are reluctant to act against a movement with up to 150 million activists and sympathisers. National government set up an ‘expert panel’ and The Party set about standardising routines, with state-approved dancing squares and an army of trained instructors and promising to build more purpose-built cultural and sporting venues with dedicated space for the dancers.
But many Aunties were not impressed, demanding be free to dance where, when and however they choose. The government backed off. No matter how powerful you are it’s not prudent to take on a 150 million strong army of angry grannies, some of whom revel in the opposition they face, saying that it keeps their dancing spirit alive!
Their fighting spirit is certainly strong. In one case a large group of Dancing Aunties took over a basketball court and refused to move when the basketball players arrived and asked them to leave. The Dama squared up to the basketball players, who fled. Hell has no fury like a group of Chinese Dancing Aunties scorned
The Dama movement isn't confined to China but is spreading across the globe. From San Francisco to Sydney, you can find groups of Chinese aunties dancing in parks, car parks, and even shopping centres. They've become cultural ambassadors, sharing their love of dance and community with the world. Sadly however, they don’t always behave themselves and many complain that they have embarrassed China.
In New York City's Chinatown, a group of Dama has taken to performing in Times Square to the delight and often bemusement of tourists and locals alike. Their infectious energy and enthusiasm have turned them into local celebrities, with fans lining up for selfies and autographs.
The impact of the Dama movement goes beyond just dance. For some, these aunties have become symbols of resilience and community spirit. In a world where social isolation is a growing concern, the Dama have shown that it's never too late to make new friends and stay active. They've also shattered stereotypes about aging, proving that life after 50 can be just as vibrant and exciting as ever.
And, with China’s ageing population growing rapidly, the population of over-65s is estimated to be 330 million by 2050, these activities have reportedly benefited the health conditions of many elderly women, both physically and mentally. Not only that, but a large industry has also grown up to cater for the Dancing Aunties. An App, Tangdou 糖豆 (sugar beans), for example’ targets middle-aged and elderly female dancers, and has more than 200 million users. It offers services including free dance tutorials and a communication platform to connect dancers with their local community. Through its wealth of resources and attention to detail, such as ‘slow’ video playback, it has been a big hit with the Aunties. Tangdou has its own WeChat (the Chinese WhatsApp) mini program for those who don’t usually download mobile apps, which is quickly becoming a very lucrative market, with the Beijing-based company expanding its offline business to cater to the Aunties’ social needs.
In this way, the congregation of Dancing Aunties has also become an industry worth an estimated 1 trillion RMB, over one hundred billion pounds.
Watch this short video of over fifty thousand Dancing Aunties dancing their way into the Guiness book of records.
What do you think? Are the Dancing Aunties heroines or hooligans, and would you like to see a similar movement here in UK?