Chinese cha cha: dance dance revolution.

• Author: Mangu-Ward, Katherine
• Position: Citings - Brief article

THANKS TO Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald's, The Guardian reports, Chinese waistlines "have expanded almost as fast as the Chinese economy." The solution? Mandatory dance lessons.

The Chinese Ministry of Education has added a dance curriculum to its physical education classes, to "suit the physical and psychological characteristics of students at different ages." Cha cha is not on the schedule yet, but waltz is.

Alas, this seemingly flawless plan has its detractors. "The dance plan makes no sense," Ma Yanling, a teacher in Beijing whose class of 37 includes only five overweight students, told The Guardian. "Running and calisthenics are a more effective way to...