China's General Administration of Sport (GAS) has made an announcement that a document outlining government standard square dance moves was only a guideline, not mandatory.

A group of senior women are learning the standard square dances a residential community in the eastern city of Weifang, Shandong Province on March 26, 2015. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

Square dancing in public areas is a popular community activity among Chinese people, mostly elderly female retirees.

The clarification comes amid public criticism over an earlier announcement from the GAS, which said the administration is to promote a set of 12 uniformed square dances nationwide.

Monday’s announcement soon triggered widespread outcry, many saying the government is reaching too far on this issue.

In response, Liu Guoyang, head of the GAS's department for mass sports, said that such doubts are a misunderstanding of the previous announcement.

In a press release post on the official website of the administration, Liu said that unlike the personal choreography devised different groups of dancers, the government-endorsed steps are "based on scientific design and public health" and the list was published to offer more choices to the public's exercise menu.

The era where all people are forced to follow only one orthodox in sports is long gone and people now require more individualism.

"Asking all square dancing groups to follow only one standard is definitely impossible, and we never meant to do that," he said.

The GAS will offer a video of the official version for free download and provide training for those who want to learn the scientific aspect of the dances. They will also launch more dance versions with different workout focuses.

However, dancers still have the freedom to vote by feet.

"The government did not say that it will ban all versions other than the standard one, did it? I can't see any point in the controversy about the new version," said user "yigefanke" at the Sina news website.

"I think it is fine for the government to recommend a standard version, but there should be no enforcement measures," said another "laoheishanren."

Others called on the government to pay more attention to the problem of conflict between senior citizens' entertainment and the tranquility of others.

Previous media reports outlining friction between the groups include a case where a man in Beijing fired a shotgun in the air and unleashed three Tibetan mastiffs to scare away a group of women whose dancing annoyed him.

"There is a horrifying organization in the world called 'dancing Chinese grannies(Dama)'," one user joked on Chinese microblogging service Sina Weibo.

"No need to regulate the dance steps, as they are just the public's self-recreation. But what needs to be taken seriously is how to provide elderly people with proper facilities to workout without disturbing others," wrote another Weibo user "Zhuyongxin."

GAS and several government departments are discussing a plan to support non-government associations to help keep the dancers better organized.

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