"A vertical expression of a horizontal desire"
But really it is about enjoying music (and thus perhaps celebrating life) with your whole body, often in community with others similarly enjoying.
Dancing is stupid
41–50 of 134 posts
Re: Dancing is stupid
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Dancing is just a game we play, like everything else we do. Once you see it like that it all makes sense IMO, this is just not true. There is something really special about synchronized action with other people. Be it marching, singing, chanting, etc. It engenders trust, builds community, and generally builds relationships in a way that I don't think anything else does. This isn't a strictly good thing either - my…
>It engenders trust, builds community, and generally builds relationships But that's what competitive games also do. You cannot play basketball without trusting, collaborating, communicating with your teammates. Those are the pillars of teamwork. Also synchronicity is core to them, so much that researchers have taken noticed ( https://www.popsci.com/nba-basketball-synchronous-movements-... ).
> But that's what competitive games also do. You cannot play basketball without trusting, collaborating, communicating with your teammates. Those are the pillars of teamwork.
Sure. But it's different. In a team environment, you build trust with teammates through competence.
That's not really what I'm talking about. Synchronous action doesn't need competence. Church hymn singing is famously bad. But it helps build community anyhow.
> Also synchronicity is core to them, so much that researchers have taken noticed (https://www.popsci.com/nba-basketball-synchronous-movements-...).
I mean, I feel like this link really backs me up.
The stuff they mentioned - marching in step, etc isn't basket ball. It's military parade, basically. And it has the effect of building trust.
It's great that basketball teams have figured out how to leverage that to make teams better, but that doesn't mean that the same thing will happen with lots of drills.
Re: Dancing is stupid
#43There's something about dancing that people get really weird about if you don't want to participate. As if it's their god given duty to convince you that, no, you really DO like dancing, and you'll have a great time if you just loosen up and have fun. I wish people would just respect "no thank you" and stop trying to push people to do something they clearly don't want. As is, I have to avoid events with dancing. And…
What about those who didn't want at first, then tried it after some nudging, and ended up enjoying it?
I was one of these. I grew up fairly religious in an environment where dancing was looked down upon (especially for men). As an adult, I had friends repeatedly nudge me toward it and it took a long time to get comfortable with it. Much of my resistance was not wanting to look silly in front of others, not wanting to be out of rhythm, etc. It’s a humbling experience at first and requires swallowing some pride. But man, once you experience your body unlocking and moving in time with music and other people, it’s hard to look back.
I definitely acknowledge gp’s point, it’s important to respect people’s boundaries and not push them into things they don’t want to be pushed into. I just hope you know that nudging often comes from people who like you and want to share joy with you.
My preferred manner of nudging is to 1. make a fool out of myself to clear space and 2. try and get people on the sidelines to do the smallest dance possible. Wiggle your pinkies, tap your toes, feel your way into it :)
Re: Dancing is stupid
#44There's something about dancing that people get really weird about if you don't want to participate. As if it's their god given duty to convince you that, no, you really DO like dancing, and you'll have a great time if you just loosen up and have fun. I wish people would just respect "no thank you" and stop trying to push people to do something they clearly don't want. As is, I have to avoid events with dancing. And…
Refusing to dance at an event where people are is literally an anti-social act.
Please note that I am NOT making a moral judgement whether or not you should always act in a pro-social way.
Re: Dancing is stupid
#45Great article! Also:
> I’ve never heard of a family being divided because its members dance different styles
Anyone who believes this needs to go watch Strictly Ballroom (1992) with all possible urgency.
I was also somewhat sceptical about dancing until in my early 20s I made the discovery that nightclubs were not necessarily just places where people went to get shitfaced, but that there were places run by and for enthusiasts of the music - that going out and dancing for eight hours straight was not just something you could do but that was incredibly enjoyable as well.
A huge amount of what has been good in my life since then has, one way or another, come from going out and dancing. Amongst (many) other things, I'm confident that I'm a better programmer for it: the usual arguments (blah blah, lowers stress, default mode network) deployed in favour of meditation also apply to dancing. It won't work if you're forced into it, and I don't think it's cool to do so, but that's why people can be so evangelistic about it.
Re: Dancing is stupid
#46What about programming a dance?
Re: Dancing is stupid
#47There's something about dancing that people get really weird about if you don't want to participate. As if it's their god given duty to convince you that, no, you really DO like dancing, and you'll have a great time if you just loosen up and have fun. I wish people would just respect "no thank you" and stop trying to push people to do something they clearly don't want. As is, I have to avoid events with dancing. And…
Refusing to dance at an event where people are is literally an anti-social act. Please note that I am NOT making a moral judgement whether or not you should always act in a pro-social way.
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Re: Dancing is stupid
#48Tough gig on hacker news with this one. Unless it's logical thinking to prove superiority, you've lost!
This was a strange comment to come across after reading 20 comments seriously engaging with the essay.
Re: Dancing is stupid
#49It's common for poorly adjusted people to develop a sense of superiority as a defence mechanism.
Yes, and it is sad to see people thinking that something as universal as dancing (that literally exist in every culture in some form) is "not for them".
It sadly implies that this person went through bullying and rejection.
Re: Dancing is stupid
#50There's something about dancing that people get really weird about if you don't want to participate. As if it's their god given duty to convince you that, no, you really DO like dancing, and you'll have a great time if you just loosen up and have fun. I wish people would just respect "no thank you" and stop trying to push people to do something they clearly don't want. As is, I have to avoid events with dancing. And…
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