The evolution of dance covers many different styles, but dance has always been a big part of who we are as humans...until today.
So it seems to me anyway. Unless you're enrolled in a dance school program, competing with the stars on television, traveling the world with a team, or watchingfrom the audience, dance isn't much a part of anybody's life anymore! WHY is that? I was walking along the Seine River one night, expecting a *midnight in paris* kind of romantic feel, and while there was plenty of that coming from dates with picnics and couples dangling their legs off the river edge, there was also a lot of modern stuff that totally distracted from that charm. Mostly people were drinking at bars and listening to loud music. The further you walked from the city, the quieter it got, but still I passed under a bridge to find a "dance" with loud music, flashy lights, a disco ball, and a complete lack of dancing. Either they rocked back and forth on their heels a little bit while shouting over the music to talk to someone next to them with a drink in hand, or they were grinding their booty all over whoever was closest. Why is this the recurring cultural norm?
I LONG for a time when girls wore big skirts and red lipstick, and could just go swing or do the Lindy to a live band to have a good time. Men were gentleman! I'm not saying that chivalry is dead or that men have reformed into apes, but have you noticed how different boys are in black and white films made 70 years ago than they are today? Guys seemed to have more manners back then, cared about protecting women and made sure they got them home at a respectable hour. I don't know, I didn't actually live back then. Maybe boys haven't changed and it was just Hollywood being very convincing. Back to my point, I WANT TO GO DANCE! I dreamt last night that I had a 1950's recreation night and people dressed up to play the roll, and it was awesome! However I know that if I tried that kind of thing in real life, maybe only a handful of people would do it, maybe they'd try and dance like how we used to, but probably not. At both of my sisters weddings, I noted that while there's a time at the reception to dance, people are much too shy to actually go dance unless they're with a S/O during a slow song that they can comfortably sway back and forth to. You know, less is more ...or something. Even at my sister/brother-in-law's reception held in a dance studio that's so much a part of their life, the dance floor was still sparse and only those who have been taught the moves felt comfortable enough to go dance them.
It just makes me sad. Dancing used to be a way of forgetting the troubles, having a nice evening, falling in love, being in a good atmosphere with uplifting music. Now, the formal dances that kids grow up knowing are a high school prom where girls dress up in a tight, low cut piece of material they deem appropriate and even beautiful. It's all about getting the boys attention with their body, and not about twirling a pretty skirt and feeling feminine. Classy.
I'll be done now. There's no way to change this problem in this kind of a world. But I'm optimistic about Heaven. I imagine the dances will be beyond compare.
