Last Updated on: 2nd September 2016, 08:10 am
Always the type to be hip with the times, it appears that line dancing is
all the rage in France these days.
But the fact that they’re something like 16 years late to the party isn’t why I’m posting this. Oh no. I’m posting this because for lord knows what reason, there is a movement within government to have it regulated. Yes I said regulated, as in controlled, with rules and requirements and courses and…
French civil servants say line dancing should be submitted to the same rules as sports such as football and rugby. This means imposing training courses for line dancing teachers and a state-approved diploma for anyone who wants to give lessons or run clubs.
Amateur instructors will have to take 200 hours of training under the new rules. Professionals will get 600 hours, including such subjects as line dancing techniques, “the mechanics of the human body” and the English (or at least Texan) language. They will also learn how to teach line dancing to the elderly.
The cost of the courses, about €2,000 (£1,570) for the professionals and €500 for the amateurs, will be largely met by taxpayers. Mr Chauveau said the regulations highlighted the French state’s obsessive desire to organise all public activity. “France is the only country in Europe apart from Greece where sport is controlled through the state,” he said. “Line dancing is now considered a sport, so it is being controlled, too.”
Texan language? Now that’s funny, y’all.
But seriously, if these laws go through, I’m not sure I’ll be able to complain about how my tax dollars are being spent ever again.
