Venetian Bridge Brawls in 17th and 18th Century Art

A good, organized mosh-pit is a safe place, and even a place where men (ok mostly men) can find camaraderie, encouragement and support. Mosh-pits are enjoyed by guys with some anger issues or simply need to get out aggression in a controlled way, and yeah, they wear spikes and leather and pull off their shirts, but the actual mosh-pit dancing is structured, ritualized, and supportive.

The mosh-pits I've danced in begin with a central "vortex" of guys who begin marching/stomping in a circular direction and flailing their arms around, mostly to establish a "personal space" or a "keep out zone" to indicate they're actively moving. And then they contrive to bump/bash into one another. And there are also bystanders or non-participants who stay on the border of this dance circle who also have the active role of keeping the dancers on-track and acting like the ropes in a boxing ring, cushioning them and bouncing them back into the vortex. The dancers aren't punching or kicking or striking to hurt others, but the physical contact is authentic and helps them feel alive. There's an informal choreography and style to mosh-pit dancing that's been refined over decades; styles may differ but they usually converge based on genres and locale.

Though these guys may be individually angry and bitter, and the music we're dancing to is abrasive, aggressive and rough, the dancers can respect one another, and they hold themselves to an honor code of safety and concern for others' well-being, because it is, ultimately, a catharsis and a dance, in a club or venue among neighbors and friends, and while a few bad apples can spoil a night's fun, I was pleasantly surprised when I tried it out myself.

(Granted, not every mosh pit is like that. There are some bands who are notorious for having dangerous pits, a few genres that encourage it, and a few concerts where people have been badly injured.)