Chinese Square-Dancing: A Description of Group Cultural Life

In recent years, square-dancing has produced a widespread social influence in China and has led to the emergence of a new type of ‘cultural life’. This article focuses on the emergence and significance of Chinese square-dancing as group cultural life. Square-dancing is a kind of public fitness activity with both fitness and spirit-enriching functions. It is an important carrier of social communication. Individuals enter the square space through ‘guanxi (relationship and connections with others)-seeking’ and spontaneous interest. Through role stratification and interactions among small groups, ‘dance teachers’ – ‘backbone members’ – ‘ordinary members’ interactive circle community life is formed inside the square-dancing group. This group activity, on one hand, awakens the memory of the individual’s collective life and realizes the inheritance of the collective culture; on the other hand, it realizes the reconstruction of collective ritual through the form of group performance.