From pastry grandma to ballroom dancing queen

Editor's note:

How do you define aging? Slow, old-fashioned, with housework and neighborhood gossip? Over 36 percent of Shanghai's population is 60 or older, and many are keen to explore new things in fashion, art, sports and philanthropy. This series, "Ageless Wonder," focuses on the colorful lives of seniors and their inclusive and innovative spirit.

Having been retired for three years, 71-year-old Chang Hsiu-wan, founder of famous pastry brand Ganso, dived into the passion of ballroom dancing.

She initiated a friendship competition for professional and amateur ballroom dancers from across the Taiwan Strait, which will take place in Shanghai next weekend at Pudong Shangri-La.

Chang founded Ganso in Taiwan Province in 1981 to produce and sell Chinese and western bakery products. She established Ganso Shanghai in 1993 and quickly make it such a household name that many families would buy Ganso cakes for birthdays and other celebrations.

It now has shops in more than 120 cities nationwide.

When she retired, she looked for a sport to keep her fit.

"I got to know ballroom dancing and found it good for maintaining health, body shape and happiness," she said.

She said after practicing dancing, she became healthier.

Many friends of her age have colds frequently and always say they feel soreness in the waist or pain in the back, or have problems in eating and sleeping, but she has none of these symptoms.

Chang also learned that dancers in Taiwan had helped promote ballroom dancing on the Chinese mainland 30 years ago.

"So I think it's a good way for promoting cross-Strait communication, and initiated the launch of friendship competition, which got support from the Association of Taiwan-Invested Enterprises in Shanghai," she said.

"I don't think retirement means to do nothing or the end of our value," she added.

"People have different values and you can live a higher-quality life after retirement. I also wish to make full use of my surplus value to do something benefit others. And dancing is one of my ways to achieve the goal."

The competition will include four sections, for entrepreneurs, families, teacher-student teams and youth dancers.

"There are a lot of professional competitions, so in this event, we hope every one will have fun," she said.

"I'm like a kindergarten student for ballroom dancing now, but I will keep practicing and hope one day I can also take part in the competition."

The competition will take place at the Shangri-La Hotel in the Pudong New Area on Sunday with more than 250 contestants from across the Strait.