“Heads up!”, “Keep a smiling face!”, “Tighten your belly please!”… In the dance room of the activity center of Shilong East Community in Wudalianchi UNESCO Global Geopark, following the instruction of Zhang Chunhui, the members of the Cheongsam Association were standing in towering figure and practicing vigorously. According to the leader Yan Lijie, they were about to participate the 2019 New Year Gala organized by the Municipal Cheongsam Association of Heihe City, therefore, they have been busy in rehearsal these days.
The members of the Cheongsam Association are all community residents, with an average age of 55. They love dressing, sports and life. Whenever the cheongsam is dressed, the elegance will show itself. "We did retired, but we are still on duty of our life! This is what our life is, putting on the cheongsam, and music is on! " Li Jinghong said, aged 58.
In the activity room of the Happy Drum, Qiu Yueying and the members of African Drum Team were practicing along with the music on the computer. Wang Xiufen is smart and intelligent. She learnt the technics of the African drum from the internet, wrote on paper and pasted it on the wall. The rest of the team members then practiced accordingly.
The East Community Activity Center covers an area of 350 square meters, with a small area of two floors but with various functions, such as the rehearsal hall, folk music practice room, library, table tennis room, chess room and other venues. Due to the activity venues are limited in cold winter, almost all residents’ activities are carried out indoor. In order to create a spacious and warm activity venue for the community residents, especially for the senior age, the staff of the East Community repainted the activity room, installed a demonstration mirror on the wall in the rehearsal hall, and collected a series of the books suitable for the senior age and children in the library before the winter began.
“Pay attention to the rhythm and formation, your expression shall be in place!” The dance team of Healthy Dancing in Xinzhen Community is rehearsing. The team leader Zhou Zhenjiang and the rest of the team members are rehearsing to prepare for the 2019 New Year Gala. Catching the sight of the reporter, the team members asked the reporter to take a photograph of their dance figure, and everyone expressed extremely happiness on their faces.
Leng Huimin, the director of Xinzhen Community, said that the Xinzhen Community Activity Center was officially opened in June 2015. The community staff give full play to the function of the community and provide services for the residents. There are around 100 residents playing cards, singing and dancing on daily basis. The activity room covers an area of 900 square meters and is equipped with reading room, benevolence supermarket, care room for the senior, gym and other functions to create a happy and warm activity venue for the Xinzhen residents in winter.
Although the activity room of the West Community is small by only covering 200 square meters, a lot of residents gather together every day. Sang Ming, the Director of the Community, told reporters that they would hold theme activities on regular basis and call on residents to take part in actively. Any activity will be held as long as it is beneficial to the physical and mental health and cheers up the residents, such as singing competition, poker game and dance party.
Wudalianchi UNESCO Global Geopark strives to build a comprehensive and multi-functional community cultural service center that integrates culture study, education and training, physical fitness, book reading, team activities, leisure and entertainment, and covers the service needs of the community residents' cultural life. The cultural activities of the three communities adhere to the concept of "Serving the community and enriching the cultural competence", embody the people-oriented purpose, take the public welfare, convenience and service as the principle, and provide rich content, diverse forms, healthy and beneficial education, learning and entertainment activities according to the different cultural needs of the residents, so as to continuously meet the mental and cultural needs of the people from all walks of life.
