Park instructors ready for dawn showdown
Print Edition
THEY say it takes two to tango, but police in Hongkou District are hoping that disputes between dance and martial arts instructors over “territories” at the revamped Luxun Park don’t end up in West Side Story-style knife fight.
Though it has been closed for remodeling for the past 12 months, the park has for many decades been home to more than 50 exercise and social groups, all of which lay claim to specific sites at certain times of the day and week.
Since the renovation work, however, many of those plots have disappeared, leaving several groups effectively homeless. As a result, police are concerned that when it reopens at 5am tomorrow, rival “gangs” might end up going toe to toe (or cheek to cheek) in the battle for supremacy.
In preparation for any disputes, police officers, security guards and volunteers will be on duty from before dawn in the hope that no one ends up dancing with tears in their eyes or kung fu fighting, officials said.
“Police officers will be deployed to stop anyone entering the park and claiming spaces before 5am,” said Party chief of the park surnamed Zhang.
The majority of people who take part in the various classes are local senior citizens, as are many of the trainers, like 70-year-old Wang Yishun.
Wang told Shanghai Daily he has been giving classes in the park for 21 years and has more than 150 students, but unfortunately for him, his regular spot has been converted into a flower garden.
Yesterday, Wang met with park boss Zhang and several other instructors in the hopes of avoiding any dirty dancing when the park gates reopen. Each of the tutors, all aged 60-plus, gave an impassioned plea as to why their group should be given preferential treatment.
“My site has been turned into a garden so I am asking for an equal sized plot elsewhere in the park for me and my students,” Wang said.
After the meeting, he told Shanghai Daily that as he couldn’t be sure the park would guarantee him a spot, he had made preparations to ensure his dancers are not left sitting in the corner, or dancing in the street.
“I’ve asked 20 students to rush to a spot near our old site at 5am to make sure no one else gets it,” Wang said.
As most of his clients are elderly, it can only be hoped he has selected his most nimble-footed followers. A quick step, not a slow foxtrot will definitely be needed to land a prime location when the band strikes up at dawn.
Dancing on the edge
Zheng Jiliang, a 64-year-old folk dance instructor, is equally well prepared.
His dancers used to strut their stuff near Bell Square, and they plan to keep it that way, he said.
“I’ve asked 10 of my students to make sure they’re at ‘our spot’ at 5am sharp,” he said.
“I didn’t want to do that, but I had to, or risk losing our place,” he said.
Though it is illegal to charge for lessons in the park, some trainers get round the rules by charging “battery fees,” Zheng said.
“Students are told they have to pay 100 yuan (US$16) each, which the instructors say is to cover the cost of the batteries for the speakers,” he said.
There might be conflict that someone can’t get a place to teach and misses out on making money, Zheng said.
Park boss Zhang, however, said officials can’t allocate spaces to individuals as the facility is for all to share. That’s why she invited the instructors to talk things through, she said.
“The various groups have every right to use the park, but they have no more claim to the land than anyone else, so they have to compromise,” Zhang told Shanghai Daily.
To show their commitment to working together, each of the group leaders was asked to sign an agreement promising to avoid conflict, she said, adding that they had also been asked not to disturb other park users with their music.
Wang said he has agreed with a martial arts group to share a site, while Zheng said he was also working on a timetable with others to avoid any disputes.
“Yesterday’s talks between the leaders were the third in the past week, so we hope everyone will work together,” said Shao Qian, deputy head of the park.
Luxun Park was created in 1896 by a British garden designer. It was later dedicated to the famous Chinese writer Lu Xun, and to this day is home to his tomb and museum.
The new-look park will retain its “British flavor,” officials said.
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