Chapter 573: Square Dance on Norderney Island
There is a small square near the pier in the urban area of Norderney Island. 95% of the people on the entire Norderney Island live in this area. The most prosperous place on Norderney Island in Heze City - the only commercial district is here.
Xiao Peng was completely shocked by the scene before him: "Dude, aren't you too cruel?"
The young man, however, looked very proud. "The traditional lifestyle of the people of Norderney is so boring. The key is that there's no social interaction. We all live on this island, but there's no socializing outside of the bar. This kind of life is unhealthy, so I came up with this idea!"
Xiao Peng took a deep breath and patted the young man on the shoulder: "Dude, you're awesome! You win!"
The scene before them was one Xiao Peng was all too familiar with! It was a nightmare for many Chinese office workers.
It turns out that this small square is where tourists rest after playing nearby. Now, there is a small speaker placed on the ground in the middle. Although the speaker is small, it makes a really loud noise. Upon closer inspection, it turns out to be a Chinese product!
A Chinese song is playing on the small speaker now. Xiao Peng is very familiar with that song. To be more precise, most Chinese people are deeply impressed by this song: "The vast horizon is my love... Flowers are blooming at the foot of the rolling green hills." A group of old men and women are twisting their bodies to the music.
Xiao Peng stared at the ponytailed figure speechlessly. This was what he called the 'advanced entertainment experience of Chinese elders'? You're bringing square dancing to Norderney Island!
Xiao Peng coughed dryly twice. "Dude, aren't you afraid of disturbing others by doing this? You've been in China for so many years, you know the social problems that square dancing brings. Don't let what happened in Times Square happen again."
In fact, Chinese "square dancing" has long been popular abroad. People can be seen at famous tourist attractions around the world. Once they arrive, they turn on the speakers and start dancing, then film videos to promote their own dance groups. A quick search online for videos of square dancing performed abroad yields a wealth of results.
Of course, there are also times when things go wrong. For example, a square dance troupe went to New York's Times Square to perform square dance and was directly warned by the local police for "disturbing the public."
The dance troupe members thought that the foreign police were just as respectful to the elderly and caring for the young as the domestic police. They did not take the police's warning seriously. As soon as the police left, they started dancing again. As a result, they were discovered by the police who had not walked far away. The group of old men and women were all handcuffed and taken to the police car.
What’s even more frustrating is that they clearly violated local laws but they said it was because of ‘racial discrimination’…
Of course, the Times Square incident couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of those square dance groups, and going to Times Square to dance has even become a trend – accusing us of disturbing the public? Naive! We can dance without music!
Many people can't understand why these square dance groups do what they do, or why so many people are so addicted to dancing. There's fierce competition among these groups: vying for territory, members, filming abroad to expand their influence... How did something as joyful as dancing become so big?
This question is a bit ungentle: of course it’s because of money!
How many square dance aunties are there in China? Tens of millions!
The Chinese lifestyle has led to these aunts almost all being in charge of the family finances! Square dancing is just a starting point for interest, and the subsequent business development is endless: health care, financial management, travel, procurement, etc.
Pay attention to the various "square dance" competitions in China. The organizers behind them are generally banks, health product companies, financial management companies, travel companies... Their purpose is self-evident.
As for selling dance instruction discs, clothing, shoes, cosmetics, etc., they have already made a lot of money.
Do you think these people can’t make much money? Naive!
A dance teacher spotted a business opportunity and founded the "Huaxia Square Dance Federation." Despite its impressive reputation, it was largely unrecognized as a grassroots organization. Using the federation's name, they sold "authentic square dance" instructional videos on CD. They created twelve different versions of the same song, each with varying degrees of difficulty. Each version contained three CDs. Once you'd mastered the basics, you could buy the advanced versions, resulting in a total of thirty-six CDs.
Moreover, this person also conducted a so-called "grading test" in the name of "Huaxia Square Dance Federation". The test is divided into twelve levels, starting from the lowest level and going up one level at a time. The registration fee is 120 yuan per test, and if you pass the test, you will be given a "grade certificate".
This kind of certificate is not recognized by the state or society, but when ordinary people get it, they feel full of self-satisfaction and glory. Using this method, the dance teacher has long been worth over 100 million yuan...
Moreover, these square dance competitions or square dance videos give the elderly who dance square dance a huge sense of accomplishment. In addition, it is also a social activity for the elderly, so square dance is really popular in China.
Of course, it has also caused many social problems, such as disturbing the public, fighting with young people for courts, etc. There are endless news reports. A group of old men beat up a young man playing basketball, and when the young man fought back, it was considered "beating the elderly" and he had to go to the hospital to claim compensation.
There's nothing we can do about this kind of problem. Traditional Chinese virtues emphasize respecting the elderly and cherishing the young, with 'respecting the elderly' being at the forefront. Furthermore, in most families, the elderly are the highest-ranking members of the household, often acting in a domineering manner. Even the police have trouble intervening in such situations, as they're always met with a wave of voices: "Don't you have elderly people at home? Can't you respect them?"
Anyone who says this only means that there is such a "bear old man" in his family and they are used to it... It is right to respect the elderly and love the young, but what we respect is always a person's behavior rather than his age!
I wouldn't dare say this about other places, but in China it's absolutely the case that 'whoever wins the elderly wins the world', which is why there are so many 'square dances' that disturb the public.
Hearing about Xiao Peng's concerns about 'social issues,' 'Ponytail' smiled and said, "I've considered this a long time ago. There's a reason why square dancing is booming in China. 'Square dancing' is a great way for seniors to connect with their peers and cultivate their moral character, so they don't have to sit around doing nothing all day. It helps them become more cheerful. As for the nuisance it causes... hey, man, with all due respect, you have too many people in China, so the living space is too cramped, which is why there are so many conflicts. But look at us here... what do the Chinese say? Beautiful mountains and rivers, but boring, aren't they? So the nuisance you're worried about isn't a problem for us. It could even become a tourist attraction on Norderney Island. Isn't that great? Just look at how they dance."
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