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For prisoners in jail awaiting trial dancing to hit Korean rap song reduces stress & violence.

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JAIL DANCE-OFF

Inmates try out 'Gangnam Style'

28/11/2012
King-oua Laohong

Inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison have taken up dancing the mega-hit Gangnam Style by South Korean rap star Psy to reduce stress and violence among them.

About 4,500 detainees in seven zones of the jail joined a dancing competition based on the song in October.

"Since then, quarrels among them have declined significantly," said Corrections Department chief Suchart Wong-anantchai during an awards ceremony held for the two winning teams after the final round of the competition yesterday.

Stress among the inmates has been a big problem as newcomers find it hard to adjust, while those who have been deprived of freedom for a long time begin to lose patience, Bangkok Remand Prison chief Sorasit Chongcharoen said.

The prison decided to find an activity to relieve them of this unpleasant condition and finally hit upon Gangnam Style as a form of escapism for the inmates.

"As a form of exercise, dancing helps bring their hormones into balance, improves their personalities and builds unity," Mr Sorasit said

Jes, who led one of the winning teams, agreed the competition created a friendly atmosphere

"We have more unity as a result of the dancing competition," he said. "I notice that clearly." 

He said his team was made up of 10 other inmates from Prison Zone 1

They practised every afternoon by mimicking dance moves from the Gangnam Style music video, Jes said. 

"The competition teaches them teamwork and discipline," he said.

A team from zone eight won the freestyle dance competition.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Local News, JAIL DANCE-OFF, Inmates try out 'Gangnam Style', 28/11/2012, King-oua Laohong, link) 


Gangnam Style Dance Vocabulary

Gangnam Style Dance - (Korean: 강남스타일) is a K-pop single by the South Korean music artist PSY. The song was released on July 15, 2012 ... the music video has been viewed over 835 million times on YouTube, and is the site's most watched video after surpassing Justin Bieber's single "Baby" (See Wikipedia & YouTube)
dance to ‘Gangnam Style’

Psy - Park Jae-sang (Korean: 박재상, 朴載相; born December 31, 1977), better known by his stage name PSY (Korean: 싸이), is a South Korean singer, songwriter, rapper, dancer, and record producer. He is well known for his humorous videos and stage performances, and for his hit single "Gangnam Style" (See Wikipedia)

rap - popular music, talking with rhythm and rhyme over a strong beat (See Wikipedia and also hip hop music)
rap star
South Korean rap star Psy

mega - very big, very great
mega-hit - a very big "hit", something that is very popular, many people like it
the mega-hit Gangnam Style

inmate - a prisoner, someone living in a jail or prisoner ผู้ถูกกักกัน,  ผู้ถูกกักบริเวณในเรือนจำ
prison - a place where prisoners are held (either people in jail as punishment for a crime or waiting for trial) คุก, เรือนจำ

remand - before trial, awaiting trial 
remand prison - the prison that holds people who have not had their criminal trial yet (and have not been released on bail)

inmates at Bangkok Remand Prison
inmates try out 'Gangnam Style'

ease -  to make or become less severe, difficult, unpleasant, painful, etc ทำให้ง่าย บรรเทา
stress - a feeling of worry and tension from difficulties in life; when you worry and think too much about problems
ease stress - reduce stress

dance to reduce stress and violence

violence - physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
reduce violence between convicts

a dance competition organised to ease their stress and reduce violence between convicts.

dance-off - a final competition between a few people to find a winner
jail dance-off

take up - start doing something (example: take up chess as a new hobby)
have taken up dancing the mega-hit Gangnam Style by South Korean rap star Psy

detainee - a prisoner, a person kept in jail
zone - an area
about 4,500 detainees in seven zones of the jail joined a dancing competition  

significantly - in an important big way อย่างสำคัญ
declined significantly

quarrels - fighting
quarrels among them have declined significantly

ceremony - a formal public event งานพิธี
awards ceremony

an awards ceremony held for the two winning teams after the final round of the competition

newcomers - new in doing this sort of activity ผู้ที่มาใหม่ สมาชิกใหม่
adjust - to change something slightly, especially to make it more correct, effective, or suitable ปรับ

hard to adjust - difficult to live or work in new situation
newcomers find it hard to adjust  

stress among the inmates has been a big problem as newcomers find it hard to adjust

deprive - take away
deprived of freedom - take away freedom (in jail, cannot go anywhere)

patience - the ability to wait for a long time without becoming angry or upset ความอดทน
lose patience - to have no patience anymore  

those who have been deprived of freedom for a long time begin to lose patience

condition - situation
unpleasant condition

escapism - some fun to do when not working, not serious การหลบเลี่ยงความเป็นจริงของตนเอง โดยการปล่ายอารมณ์ไปตามสิ่งบันเทิงหรือจินตนาการ
a form of escapism for the inmates

hit upon - find something good after a search
hit upon Gangnam Style as a form of escapism for the inmates

relieve - to help improve a bad situation ผ่อนคลาย, บรรเทา
the prison decided to find an activity to relieve them of this unpleasant condition and finally hit upon Gangnam Style as a form of escapism for the inmates.

exercise - some activity to make body healthy and strong such as aerobics or weightlifting การออกกำลังกาย
bring hormones into balance

bring their hormones into balance
as a form of exercise, dancing helps bring their hormones into balance

personality - บุคลิกภาพ
improves their personalities

unity - เอกภาพ
builds unity

dancing improves their personalities and builds unity
we have more unity as a result of the dancing competition

atmosphere - the mood or feeling that exists in a place บรรยากาศ
friendly atmosphere - when people are friendly at a place or in a situation  
created a friendly atmosphere

Jes, who led one of the winning teams, agreed the competition created a friendly atmosphere

notice - สังเกต,  สังเกตเห็น
I notice that clearly

made up of - has as parts or members, consist of ประกอบด้วย
his team was made up of 10 other inmates

mimic - to do exactly what another person is doing (imitate, follow actions) ล้อเลียน

dance moves - the ways that you move your body in a dance
mimicking dance moves

practise - ฝึกซ้อม, ฝึกฝน, ฝึกหัด,
they practised every afternoon by mimicking dance moves from the Gangnam Style music video

team - a group of people working on some project or task ทีม
teamwork - when a group of people work together to achieve goals การทำงานเป็นพวก, การทำงานเป็นทีม, การกระทำร่วมกัน, การกระทำร่วมกัน,  การร่วมมือกันทำเป็นกลุ่มหรือหมู่คณะ

discipline - following rules and standards of behaviour, forcing others to follow these rules ปฏิบัติตามระเบียบข้อบังคับ
the competition teaches them teamwork and discipline

freestyle - not limiting the style or form of some activity ไม่จำกัดแบบหรือท่า
freestyle dance competition

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