EVERYONE IS WELCOME: A man leads a group dance which includes a number of enthusiasts, on a square in Ankang, Shaanxi Province, on October 3 (CFP)

In November 2013, a man in Beijing's suburban Changping District released three Tibetan mastiffs into a crowd of dancing seniors whom he failed to stop after talking with them.

In Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province, a resident put layers of broken glass on the square to stop dancers gathering there. In Wenzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, in order to fight against the noise of square dancing, a group of residents spontaneously raised 260,000 yuan ($42,276) for a "loudspeaker cannon" to cover the dancing noise. This attracted attention from all sectors of society. After coordination, residents eventually agreed to remove the "remote directional sound amplifying system."

"I think the government should ban square dancing in communities and allocate some specific plots for people to dance," said a resident surnamed Shi from Shanghai. "It is so annoying, especially in summer."

Some dancers argue that there is nowhere else for them to go, however. Hu Shuqin, a square dancer from Shanghai, explained that "normally dancers in one group are all neighbors and we need to find a nearby place to gather up, but there are no parks or enough open areas for us to dance. We have no other choice."

In June, Xi'an of northwest China's Shaanxi Province released draft legislation banning square dances from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. in residents' communities. It says that individuals will be fined 1,000 yuan ($158.73) if they violate the curfew.

Searching for a solution

Scientists from Fudan University have invented an instrument to reduce the noise generated by square dancing, which has been called an "active directional loudspeaker."

Ma Jianmin, a professor at the Department of Mechanics and Engineering Science in Fudan University explained, "This device enables us to control sound waves within a certain area. Within the area, the sound waves are strong, while out of the area, they will become weaker and eventually fade out. With this instrument, square dances will not disturb residents any more".

It will take time for the new hi-tech invention to be put into practice, though. Some dancers couldn't wait, however, and have found a solution in bluetooth earplugs.

"One night I was walking in the community and when I turned at a corner I almost screamed—rows of grannies dancing together, but without any sound," said a netizen from Chongqing Municipality in southwest China. "They were silent and smiling. I swore that I wouldn't walk in the community any more. It creeped me out!"

Another netizen from Beijing praised their innovative solution. "The dancers are smart, and it seems to be the best choice for everyone."

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