About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherRutgers University Press

ISBN-101978838875

ISBN-139781978838871

eBay Product ID (ePID)6067075877

Product Key Features

Number of Pages152 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication NameDancing for Their Lives : the Pursuit of Meaningful Aging in Urban China

SubjectGerontology, Sociology / General, Dance / Regional & Ethnic

Publication Year2025

TypeTextbook

AuthorClaudia Huang

Subject AreaPerforming Arts, Social Science

SeriesGlobal Perspectives on Aging Ser.

FormatTrade Paperback

Dimensions

Item Height0.3 in

Item Weight1.4 Oz

Item Length9 in

Item Width6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceScholarly & Professional

LCCN2024-016369

Reviews Dancing for Their Lives is a vivid and enchantingly resonant ethnography of how older women in Western China create purposeful aging through collective performance and engagement. A fascinating story of social and cultural production in today's China. A real achievement, not just for China studies but for global aging as well!, Dancing for Their Lives is a gracefully written ethnography that is as readable as it is illuminating. Looking well beyond the spectacle of dancing dama with their colorful costumes and props, Huang strikes a skillful balance between examining the phenomenon's conditions of possibility and attending to what is most at stake for her interlocuters, exemplifying anthropological holism at its best., Dancing for their Lives is a gracefully written ethnography that is as readable as it is illuminating. Looking well beyond the spectacle of dancing dama with their colorful costumes and props, Huang strikes a skillful balance between examining the phenomenon's conditions of possibility and attending to what is most at stake for her interlocuters, exemplifying anthropological holism at its best., Dancing for their Lives is a vivid and enchantingly resonant ethnography of how older women in Western China create purposeful aging through collective performance and engagement. A fascinating story of social and cultural production in today's China. A real achievement, not just for China studies but for global aging as well!

Dewey Edition23

Grade FromEleventh Grade

IllustratedYes

Dewey Decimal305.26

Table Of ContentPreface and Acknowledgements Introduction: The Age of Uncertainty 1 Dancing for their Lives 2 Dama Mania 3 Families under (Peer) Pressure 4 Play a Day, Count a Day 5 The Flavor of Living Conclusion References Index

SynopsisDancing for Their Lives delves into the world of retired Chinese "dancing grannies" who seek fulfillment amid broad social transformation. Based on ethnographic research, it challenges conventional narratives of aging by portraying old age as a site of innovation. It examines how retirees navigate changing norms and offers insights on resilience and meaning in later life that resonate globally., Dancing for Their Lives explores the vibrant world of retired Chinese women known as "dancing grannies" who seek fulfillment and companionship amidst societal upheaval. These women, part of China's "lost generation," gather in parks and public squares to reclaim their lives through dance in the wake of Chinese economic and cultural transformations. The book challenges prevailing narratives of aging societies, portraying old age as a site of social innovation rather than decline. Based on ethnographic research conducted in Chengdu, China, Dancing for Their Lives reveals how retirees learn to navigate shifting social norms and values while actively creating new models for growing older. The book's insights resonate beyond Chinese society, offering lessons on resilience and the pursuit of meaning in any aging population. Dancing for Their Lives underscores the human capacity to craft purposeful lives amid uncertainty, transcending geographical boundaries to illuminate the universal quest for fulfillment in later years.

LC Classification NumberHQ1064