I'd like to jump off from Ruby Red's wonderful blog post On Dance Culture: Separate But Equal regarding dancing in public. The author reflects on an experience listening and dancing to music in public as well as the "mental constructs" that keep us from participating in that movement (by us I don't necessarily mean swing-dancers us, us as in the general public). Even as 'trained' dancers, we may feel a hesitancy to dance in public because it is somehow not appropriate or downright strange, and we would rather not be the weirdos in the room.
I think many of us dancers have had similar experiences. Either at weddings (well, non-dancer weddings), night clubs, or just out and about hearing street performances sometimes a pressure is felt to step back and listen rather than dance. Being able to engage the music as a dancer, again to quote Ruby Red, is seen as a special talent or skill set, something we have developed. Occasionally we receive comments about how after we danced, no one wants to follow us for fear of looking bad or uncoordinated (especially guys hoping to impress dates. But this happens in swing, too. Think going into a jam circle after instructors have just tore the floor up). We don't want to deter others from dancing.
Luckily, I have reasons to hope these norms may change.
Recently, my friends and I have started going to MASH, a beer and bourbon bar. Thursday through Saturday nights the bar advertises live music, particularly blues influenced bands as well as rockabilly and occasionally more 50s style rock n' roll. We love the speakeasy style setting (and the bourbon selection is quite good) of the place and the music is a good excuse to attend.
We have a 'rule' about dancing in public to bands which have not seen dancers before. We let the band have three or four songs where we will listen, gage dance-ability, and then if we think we can get away with it we will dance. So far, all the reactions have been positive. Bands have advertised their playing to us, asking us to come back.
Moreover, our last couple times dancing other people we don't know (I hesitate to call them non-dancers, I think that's unfair. We'll say non-swing-educated in this sense) will get up and dance with us. Last night while the Canastas were playing four or five couples were packing the ten by 7 foot floor space at a time (a tight squeeze). While this sounds like a small number compared to dance events swing dancers tend to go to, for this space it was full. The energy was really high and the band fed off of it. They told us as much, saying they liked extending the songs and seeing what choices could get more people moving.
The takeaway: while the social normalcy of 'formal dancing' (say lessons in ballroom styles, latin, and swing) may be rare, people are willing to get up and dance will little to no training despite 'educated' swing dancers taking the floor before them. I'm sure this isn't an isolated occurrence.
As dancers wanting to make dancing to live music, any time and anywhere, a far more normal occurrence, we should embrace these chances to share what we do and encourage others to join us. We may dislike losing the floor for a night to those who have no idea what floor craft is, but they are far braver in a way than we are. They have only a vague idea of what the music is saying to them, how to move, what happens next, etc.
But they stand up and dance anyway.
Usually sober.
To reward you for sitting through this, here is a picture of an annoyed owl.
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