It is not uncommon to see Chinese people, usually old folks, gathering in public squares to dance. In fact, it has become one of China's unique cultural characteristics. But now, square dancers across the country are concerned that a new governmental policy threatens to regulate and standardize how they dance.

The General Administration of Sport (GAS) recently hired an "expert" panel to choreograph 12 official dances, which will be introduced to 31 provinces over the next five months, Xinhua News Agency reported last Tuesday. Authorities said that the 12 State-approved dances are "scientifically choreographed."

Despite their supposed health benefits, many square dancers seem reluctant to embrace the government's kindness. Last weekend, I randomly queried five dancing grannies at Shanghai's Zhongshan Park, none of which were happy with the upcoming unified dances.

"I dance whatever I like," said a granny surnamed Hu. "That's none of the government's business."

Some local officials are also grumbling about the regulation. Shi Jixing, a former director with the Shanghai Municipal Sports Bureau, told local media that unifying the square dance is a thankless task. "Dancing is not a competitive sport, and standardizing it is impractical," he said.

Shi's and Hu's words echo the general attitude that square dancers across China hold towards GAS's new policy. As a personal and spontaneous activity, square dancing is popular among so many Chinese people - 80 million according to a report by the Shenzhen-based Daily Sunshine - largely because of its inclusiveness and lack of rules. Anyone of any age or background is free to jump in, and no one would ever be blamed for dancing "incorrectly."

This is not the first time the government has tried to regulate how people exercise. In the early 1970s, Chinese authorities began forcing primary schools students across the country to perform "eye protection" exercises twice a day. I clearly remember my teacher telling my classmates and me to rub our eyes with unwashed hands for five minutes before being let out for the day. The exercise was later deemed by scientists as ineffective, and even harmful, to many teenagers' eyes.

Some elderly dancers in Shanghai last Thursday complained to the Oriental Morning Post that the official dances are too difficult for them to practice. "We've watched that demonstration video, in which a bunch of 20-somethings are showing us how to dance," said a granny surnamed Wang. "But most of us are aged above 60 or even 70. We cannot dance like those youngsters. The choreography is too complicated for the elderly."

Like any physical activity, it is ridiculous to force people with various health conditions to follow a "national standard" of exercise, and absurd for these so-called experts to declare that their regimen is good for our health when such benefits cannot possibly be calculated.

Admittedly, there are some public inconveniences caused by square dancing, especially to surrounding residents. According to a citywide survey on square dance in Shanghai conducted earlier this year by East China University of Political Science and Law and the Legal Daily, more than half of local residents feel that public dancing causes noise pollution and traffic congestion. But compared with the collective happiness that square dancing brings to its participants and society in general, surely these are small sacrifices.

Regardless of whether or not the new State-approved choreography will actually be enforced, rather than spending time and resources to introduce an impractical and unwelcome dancing standard, perhaps the government should work harder to take existing issues related to square dancing, such as the lack of suitable venues and regulating sound levels, into consideration.