城市广场舞休闲研究:以广州为例

Research on“Carnivalesque Dancing”: A Case Study of Guangzhou

针对中国城市公共空间中出现的以广场舞为代表的集体性休闲现象,文章以广州为案例地对其出现的机理与空间行为进行了探究。通过深度访谈、非参与式观察以及问卷调查等方法进行资料收集并运用文本分析工具(ROST content mining)对调查结果进行了深入分析。研究表明,公共空间的稀缺性、休闲场所的商业化、城市生活的疏离化、个体在城市中的无意义感等现状与社会民众的健身需求、自我实现需求、交往需求和填补空虚的需求等存在着一定程度的断裂,而城市公共空间的非商业性和开放性,广场舞休闲所具有的低门槛、集体主义情怀以及狂欢色彩等特征则较好地弥合了以上断裂。在广州市特定的社会文化背景下,大量社会民众选择了在城市公共空间中从事广场舞休闲并进行自我表述与寻求身份认同。

Carnivalesque dancing is very common in the public spaces of Chinas cities, many elderly people are fascinated by it and practice it as part of everyday life. Carnivalesque dancing, and the behavior and culture of leisure in public spaces in China, differ from leisure practices in Western countries, most of activities in China s public spaces, especially groups leisure activities could not be seen in any other countries of the world, they are so local and particular. Unfortunately, most of leisure an public space theories were built on the basis of western countries context, therefore, Western leisure theories are unable to comprehensively explain the practice of public carnivalesque dancing in China.This study aimed to research carnivalesque dancing in Guangzhou from the perspective of everyday leisure. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, non-participant observation and questionnaires.Text analysis tools（ROST content mining） were used to analyze the findings. Drawing on public space and leisure theory, this paper focuses on the causes underlying why carnivalesque dancing has become the most significant public leisure activity in contemporary urban public spaces in China, why dancers prefer to use public space for carnivalesque dancing and why they dance in groups, as well as the meaning and mechanism of this collective leisure activity. Research shows gaps between people s demand for health- building facilities and the lack of public spaces, between the need for communication and fulfillment and the alienation of city life, and between self-actualization needs and the sense of meaninglessness that characterizes city life. These gaps drive people to engage in carnivalesque dancing. In addition, carnivalesque dancing is easy to learn, is lowcost and accords well with Chinese collectivist culture. The practice helps people to fill the emptiness of everyday life and many grassroots residents are devoted to it. In Guangzhou, for example, the social, cultural and political environment became more open and inclusive after Chinas＂reform and opening＂in 1979. More public leisure spaces were built for the Asian Games in 2010 and the governance of these spaces has ensured a good environment for dancing. Carnivalesque dancing is now one of the most significant public leisure activities in Guangzhou. Finally, public spaces in Western countries are seen as platforms for political life or social interactions. In contrast, people in Guangzhou construct a universe of meaning and realize their identity, as well as pursue health and resist modernity, by participating in everyday leisure activities like carnivalesque dancing in public spaces. Public spaces for these individuals are absolutely necessary to their everyday life. In brief, this study explored the social and cultural context of emergency of carnivalesque dancing in Chinas public spaces and explained why carnivalesque dancing was so popular in China. It contributed to the leisure and public space theories which were built on the basis of western context. Further, carnivalesque dancing in public spaces has brought many negative effects like noise pollution and spaces striving. How to deal with these negative effects and how do different stakeholders behave in this process are significance to be explored in the future.