Learn how to dance like Chinese grannies

Public Dance Classics is an app which enables anyone to learn the routines of the dancing grannies who perform in China's public squares.

Weird Of The Week: This is part of a series of articles that looks at some of the most bizarre and niche business ideas we see here at Springwise.

In China, public square dancing is a national phenomenon. So much so that there is now an app — created by young Chinese entrepreneur Zhang Zhiwei — which enables anyone to learn the most popular dances, performed regularly by groups of older ladies in squares and other public places. Public Dance Classics has already surpassed 50,000 downloads and attracted funding from the Wuhan Economic Development Group.

The Chinese government recently created a set of national standards and regulations in an attempt to minimize disputes about noise levels and the use of venues which have stemmed from public square dances. The app contains instructional videos for 30 dances, including 12 government-approved routines. Zhiwei plans to add social interaction features, enabling the dancers to connect online and off.

The success of this app offers a real insight into an unusual but popular cultural activity. Are there other niche apps that could cater to untapped target audiences?