DANCING: More than Just a Tradition

Why don't people dance anymore? People have been dancing, alone or in pairs, since the first caveman threw the first-ever rock at the second-ever caveman. It has been the traditional way boys meet girls, or even one of the ways men meet women in a social situation.

When I was a kid, I liked Metal and Disco. Metal had a great sound and, where it involved Disco, it was  awesome because I liked to dance with girls. And, when girls went out to dance...well...they usually looked OK. So, I'm on the record: Disco is fine by me.

And, for a while there, the Disco phenomenon of the mid- to late-1970s was literally all over the place. No matter what television channel you turned to there were the Solid Gold Dancers (not hard on the eyes for a teen), some Disco music show or other, or some promotion for any one of a hundred different dance instructors pushing a record and booklet (yeah, remember that?).

I didn't mind...I liked to dance because I wanted to spend as much 'face time' with girls as I could possibly get, really to figure out how I could date them. My mother had made me be her dance partner (when my father and older brother wouldn't do it) since I was like 7 years old, so I learned how to dance some; it paid off. At the time, though, the last thing I wanted to do was spend an hour or so three or four times a week dancing with my Mom.

Nevertheless, I owed Mom for that one, for out of the toils of labor sprang forth the fruit of hope -- I could dance and not fall over myself and that was appealing to girls who liked to dance. I was a polite kid, too, and that helped. So, I threw myself headlong into Disco, bought the clothes and all, and went to every school and church dance there was that I could get into for an event. I even went to church dances at places I didn't go to church at whatsoever.

Why? Girls.

Then, one day, something terrible happened: A radio station, during the late 1970s (I think), in New York was sponsoring a "Metal Rally," wherein event-goers would bring their vinyl Disco records to Shea Stadium and the records would be ceremonially burned to loudly announce the "Death of Disco."

What? What the hell were they talking about? What does anyone have against getting dressed-up and dancing?

Surveying the likes of the 'Metal Horde,' I couldn't help but notice that, in many instances, hygiene was an outstanding issue and there was a decided lack of girls in their ranks. There certainly wasn't any dancing and all 'Metal Heads' did was listen to music and bob their heads up-and-down. When there was a girl Metal Head...well ...she was usually dressed down, to say the least.

Later on that changed as Metal got more sophisticated, in the 1980s. But, up front, in the beginning, the whole concept kind of sucked for me. I couldn't see the use for music I sat down for three or four hours to listen to and didn't get up once from my seat to do anything. And, why? To sit in an auditorium with thousands of other people and bob my head up-and-down? Are you kidding me? I could buy the record and save the ticket price.

So Metal won. During the '80s there was a big revival of dancing for a while, but it was nothing like Disco. Nevertheless, as a young man I would find any nearby Disco and close the joint out if I didn't have to work the next day.

During my father's day, even the most uncoordinated wallflower, if someone with a gun pointed to his head told him to do so, could pull off a box-step if they had to do it. But then again, someone brandishing a firearm to make someone dance isn't likely to happen outside a Mexican cantina in a Spaghetti Western. Nevertheless, there is cinematic precedent for that, if not a precedent rooted in non-movie history.

As I got older, I still danced but not as often. I wasn't a "dancing with myself" kind of guy. From what I remembered when I danced with Mom, even though dancing was intended to be fun, couples usually practiced so they looked good on the dance floor.

Hey, look at that! A relationship-building event! And, it's one where both people are interacting with each other, working toward common goals, three or four times a week. It's these kinds of things that help to make marriages and relationships stronger between men and women, or even same-sex partners (God bless them).

Americans worship going to work, though, and they work more than any European country and have less to show for it in the bank. When people do their best to work 24 hours per day and they are paid a salary, as white-collar people usually are, then they sometimes throw themselves into the work and 'to hell' with anything else.

You know, I'm just chirping in here...but that idea absolutely bites in my book. Why do people work? So, our choices for an answer are: A. To afford a full life, which includes friends, family and maybe even a significant other; or B. To work one's self into an early grave with just a few close family members and one or two friends, the significant other can either wait or be patient with their time 'constraints.'

Actually, I stole a few girls from other fellas who subscribed to 'Option B,' I don't mind saying.

I love dancing, but getting involved with any hobby or pastime with a significant other is really important to building relationships and staying in close contact with your other half. You know, relationships commonly break-up due to many reasons. Often cited as common reasons couples go their separate ways are: 1. Money, 2. Sex, 3. Jealousy, 4. Started leading separate lives, and 5. Arguing too much.

Well, dancing can't help out the 'money' category. So, at some point, people have to work to live (it's a time-honored tradition). However, in my experience, sex and dancing have a correlation. It's hard to be jealous about a significant other if you're dancing partners -- because you're spending a lot of time with each other. Also, it is not possible to lead a 'separate life' when you are dancing with each other regularly. You can't dance with anyone from another room. You cannot buy an app for your phone to dance with your wife, husband, boyfriend or girlfriend. Finally, if two people can cooperate on a dance floor then the chances are they can cooperate with each other more than adequately in their real lives.

I am not saying that dancing is the Holy Grail of relationships. I am promoting it as good exercise, a nice relationship builder and enjoyable pastime. Of course, anyone should check with their doctor before starting any exercise/dance program. You wouldn't want your partner to fall over from a coronary or break a hip.

As for me, though, I plan on using my retirement to become an elderly Arthur Murray after I get my own orthopedic issues ironed out with my doctors.

Anyway, thanks for stopping by and all the best!