Asian Aerobics

Asian cultures intrigue me. There are many of them, and one place to get a close gaze at things Asian is San Francisco. Strolling along Washington Square in that city, I encountered Chinese senior citizens doing morning aerobics of some kind. It was not Tai Chi, but an elaborate form of dance complete with chanting. Both the movements and the chants were highly complex. I transcribed what they were saying. Badly, of course, as I don't speak Chinese, but perhaps along with the picture you can get some sense of what was going on. It was quite lovely to watch.

Pah wah ching (make chopping motion with arm)
Mah sha chong (chop chop)
Chang nay hew (stretch high)
Tsao ting shung (clap)

I wondered how all those people managed to move together with perfect timing, and at the same time remember the chants and motions. It was way more complex than cheerleading or drill team, and these folks looked well past retirement age. I suspect that it takes a communally-oriented culture to master this kind of tight choreography. Heightened awareness of others and what they are doing seems key. Shades of the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies here. Do these folks learn to do this in nursery school where the teacher says, "Pay attention kids, you'll need this when you're seventy!"