Unless they are trained ballroom dancers, or sufficiently intoxicated, adults are self-conscious about dancing in public. They create excuses to avoid dancing: "I have two left feet," they'll say, or "I don't like this song."
If they do agree to take a spin on the dance floor, self-doubt often takes over. "Am I making an fool out of myself?" "Do I look clumsy?"
Children, on the other hand, don't have such inhibitions, and when they dance -- and most kids love to move to music -- they do so with an innocence and joy that could make Scrooge smile.
Dong Xiangkang and Lu Qian are 8-year-old dance partners -- a pint-sized Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers dance team who are already veterans of several competitions.
"Latin dance is quite suitable for children," says Wang Zaiming, secretary general of the Shanghai Physical Education Dance Sports Union. "It requires a lot of energy -- which children have in abundance -- and is a natural fit for carefree kids who love to dance."
It takes two to tango and Dong and Lu have been partners for about a year, winning three championships and coming in second place in two citywide Latin dance competitions.
Lu, an adorable girl with perfect posture and a beaming smile, says that dancing makes her happy. "When I learn a new step and earn the teachers' praise, it makes me feel as if I've really accomplished something grand," she says with a twinkle in her eye.
Dong, Lu's leading man, is equally enthusiastic about dancing, and while most boys his age dream of becoming basketball players or soldiers, his dream is to "participate in international dance competitions."
This dancing duo is dressed for the part, with Lu wearing a black formal blouse with one shoulder exposed, and matching tight black tuxedo pants. With theatrical make-up and her hair done in a cute bob, Lu looks a little like a scaled-down version of Liza Minnelli in Cabaret. Her partner looks dashing in a black button-down shirt with exaggerated cuffs. Immaculately brushed hair parted down the middle, a small daring earring in his left ear, a necklace and a pair of glittering jet black leather shoes, Dong is a prepubescent Latin Casanova, ready to sweep his partner off her feel with a rose between his teeth.
When the music begins to play, the pair glide onto the dance floor, all smiles, their hearts beating with excitement. Nimble and quick, they glide across the dance floor like two feathers, twirling and whirling, their crowd-pleasing moves eliciting applause from the small audience -- doting parents included -- attending the rehearsal.
Originating in Latin America, Cuba and Spain, this style of dance -- including the tango, the rumba and variations of salsa -- is relatively new to China, starting with a few dancers in the late 1980s.
But the Latin dance craze has caught on recently, and in clubs and community recreation centers throughout the city, it's not unusual to see people of all ages doing the samba, rumba, cha cha, salsa and paso doble with zest and a good deal of uninhibited glee.
Latin dance is filled with passion, and the Shanghainese have taken to it like bees to honey. But while the child dancers simulate the lusty movements, their adult counterparts take the passion to another level, dipping and twirling in a sensual yet choreographed mating ritual.
Shanghai physical Education Dance Sports Union offers eight kind of dance classes, six of which are devoted to Latin dance.
"Currently, Shanghai has more than 1,000 people taking Latin dance classes," Wang of the sports union says. "When we started offering the class in 1994, there were only about 100 participants. Outside of our classes, there are literally thousands of local residents who enjoy the spirit and passion of Latin dance."
Wang says that learning Latin dance in Shanghai is a relatively inexpensive proposition. The union charges 360 yuan (US$43) for 24 classes, with each session lasting from 1 to 2 hours. "That's comparatively inexpensive. Some individual teachers charge 300 yuan per class. But in other countries, some top dance instructors charge more than the equivalent of 550 yuan for a 45- minute session," Wang notes.
Zhu tao, little dancing Dong's mother, says that she and her husband have invested more than 20,000 yuan for dance classes since her son started Latin dance two years ago. "When you factor in the cost of costumes and shoes -- which he out-grows often -- and the competition registration fees," says Zhu, "the expenses increase significantly."
Dong's partner isn't spared the expenses either. Her one-year Latin dance career has already drained her mother's purse of about 6,000 yuan. But Lu Weiming, Lu's father, says that he is glad to make the investment because "it's something she really enjoys, and that's the most important thing."
While wang maintains that Latin dance is good for children' physical and emotional well-being, not everyone agrees. Zhang Youde, a sociologist at Shanghai University, points out that learning Latin dance may have some negative effects on children.
"Due to the intimate nature of Latin dance, the children could mature more rapidly than their peers," says Zhang. "This is an adult recreation that may cause children to become over-socialized at an early age."
Wang doesn't see it that way. "In our class, most of the kids view dance as just another form of exercise. They train hard to improve their skills, and aren't overly involved with one another socially," he says. "They love dancing, and Latin dance has become an inseparable part of their lives."
Dance sport was a show event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and may become a competition event in Beijing Olympics 2008. By then, the dynamic dancing duo of Dong and Lu might be in a position to win a gold medal for China. "The government supports dance training. And Shanghai has always held a leading position of dance in China," says Wang, noting that the city is expected to hold more international dance sport competitions in the future.
(eastday.com February 20, 2003)
