Outdoor Dancing and Music Selection in rural China v Cities

[pprendeville]

across from the in-laws there's a shop and for the last few nights they've been putting out speakers around 19:30 blaring out Chinese techno style music. fair enough with me. i've grown used to blocking out sounds after a a few days. i find the musical taste a bit strange given the age group though. for example, they were playing the venga boys yesterday. for anyone not in the know they were a group from the 90s that were around for a year or 2 with a few 1/2 naked women and 2 fellas. they had a few number 1's one summer (not 小便s) and soon after disappeared. tonight they are playing a mix of Eminem with some Chinese rappers who i wouldnt be up to speed with. the majority of the group seem to be women in their 50s and they are all threatening to dance but i think none of them has the balls to start the whole thing off. in Shijiazhuang it seems to be a bit more organised with plenty of loud music but the dancing is lovely to watch. great coordination and one of the things i love about china, i.e. outdoor performances as a way of keeping fit/socialising. whats it like elsewhere?

[abcdefg]

Outdoor dancing is big in Kunming. Often has an ethnic theme, but sometimes the music is startlingly "post modern." One thing that strikes me here is how it cuts across age and gender lines. The groups of dancers are mixed: young and old, male and female.

[pprendeville]

great mix of people and ages there.

[abcdefg]

Two weeks ago I stopped to listen and watch (maybe some day I will participate) and the music seemed to be a traditional ballad, which I was guessing to be Daizu. Then it shifted, without stopping, into some slightly different music in which the last word of each chorus was "tequila." Made me reflect how readily China seems to assimilate foreign influences.

[pprendeville]

yes, it's gas the way the music switches. "wanna be my la la lover tonight" is a huge song here at the moment and they play it across the way also usually on repeat for about 15 minutes. i think it was translated from Chinese into English? 岳父gave our eldest daughter a childrens toy in 2010 and it sings that "la la lover" song on repeat very loud which seems a bit inappropriate for a 1 year old.