Nope. I'm not gifted in the ability to recognize the beat.

My ex loved to ball room dance. She was very good at it and looked really good. This was 30 years ago and the women would dress up in beautiful clothing and the man would wear black, because his role is to allow the woman to be the attraction. My ex had a big pile of money and a great monthly income, was young and didn't have to work. I worked so she spent her time taking ball room dance lessons, in excess of $50,000 worth. Good thing she had the money as I did not.

I just can't dance. She would keep her head near mine and count the beat ONE 2 3, ONE 2 3, or slow slow quick quick (Waltz vs foxtrot IIRC). I was terrible and stepped on many toes but only with her help I could fake it somewhat. When she would dance with a professional it was quite a sight.

Fortunately the places we went to dance had an open bar, so at least I had that.

30 years ago there were a lot of ballroom dance clubs around and they were very active, several dances every weekend, and people would go to compete in regionals etc. Now I think there's only 1 or 2 left around here, as far as I know, and not too many local pro's giving lessons.

BTW do you know what the difference is between a tight pair of jeans and cheap motel? No ballroom!
.

I had to learn basic dancing in school gym class - square, waltz, polka (hey it was Chicago). I didn't go to any school dances, and didn't like the music they played.

In college you dance a bit while drinking, and slow dances are always nice, but only if I really had to.

My college girlfriend and now ex-wife was a very very good dancer who had taken classes and done performances all her life, and literally could do every dance in Wilson Picket's Land of 1000 Dances on cue on time. We could do some partner dances but she was too good, doing it perfectly, and not really following a lead, not that I could lead well, but still. And she was half Latina so she could do all that stuff too.

I have a good enough ear for pitch and rhythm from playing guitar that I know when I sing off pitch and dance off beat. For many, ignorance is bliss and they honestly don't know they have bad pitch or rhythm. When you know you suck, you can't fool yourself.

So I choose not to dance, except on a rare occasion, in a partner setting, usually with drinks. I absolutely despise people that don't respect my choice and try to coerce me into dancing or drag me out to the dance floor. I don't stick a guitar in their hands, turn the amp up to feedback level and see if they can keep the thing under control and not blow their ear drums out while eeking out a note that doesn't sound like "thwupp". That's what I do and it takes skill.

Actually that's one of the things I like about some parts of Asia - lots of clubs are not really for dancing - they are clubs playing dance music but the floor is filled with tables and people just kind of stand there and move around a bit. But not the big open dance floors we have here - but if they do have that, say in South Korea, people mostly stand around and drink. Dancing the way people do here is not common, and not expected or coerced. Now, singing at Karaoke is another story. Nothing like a tone deaf Chinese girl trying to sing Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" and wanting you to do the other half.

My dad liked to dance a lot. He was pretty good. My stepmom did competitive ballroom dancing in Chicago. Little 70-ish Filipina that could easily be mistaken for 20+ years younger, with partners decades younger. But culturally, she can't date a younger man, and men her age (79 I think) she complains want a nurse maid and not a girlfriend to dance with. Good for her, it's her life.

quote:

Originally posted by drill sgt:
Now no but hell no. Back in the day it might happen only if the joints were properly lubricated with alcohol. ................................... drill sgt.

I would pay to watch that

I cannot dance, yet I still remember how to do the Hustle.

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
Sure. Ladies love it. It's been enormously handy in life.

Thirty years ago, when Dad was still alive, I asked him for fatherly advice. His response was, "Learn to dance." I was like, THAT'S your answer—learn to dance? He said, "It gets you active, it gets you out into the world, and it's a great way to meet women. I always wanted to know how to dance when I was younger."

To this day, I still haven't followed Dad's advice, but I haven't given up. Maybe if I could find a partner to take a dance class with. A few years later after he gave me that advice, my cousin got married, and she made all the relatives, including Dad and Mom, take ballroom dancing lessons for her wedding. I had to work and couldn't partake, but Dad said he actually had a lot of fun finally learning dancing.

I never really understood the purpose of dancing. You may count that in the NO column.

Dance? Next to me Gene Kelly looks like Stephen Hawking.

Ladies love it. It's been enormously handy in life. One of the better comments -

Wife and I took Swing lessons - Over and Over - I can still One and Two, Rock Back.

I even had a strange chick ask me to dance while with my wife - She was so proud of me (I think)

Mrs.BurtonRW and I took some ballroom lessons before our wedding so we wouldn't have to do the "prom sway" for our first dance. No cheesy choreographed routine - just learning the basic steps so we could actually dance to our music.

We were both competent, but I picked it up a little quicker likely due to many years of music study (performance & theory) as well as just having a brain tuned for math.

So yeah... sort of. I can dance.

-Rob

Couldn't dance a lick. Decided to take up line dancing with the Mrs - had great fun. did it for four years. All the classes were at night, we work full time and got tired of eating dinner at 9:30pm. Definitely had fun.

Well, since you asked...

Yes. I used to love dancing. Sadly, my husband does not.

Maybe....depends on when I started drinking prior.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:
Ah we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're are no friends of mine

Word. This stanza right here is why I love classic music. Kids oughta get a copy downloaded when they get in the 9th grade and then have a test.

Anybody can dance
Trust me

At my wife's suggestion we took swing, ballroom, and other dance lessons.

Even though I was reluctant I agreed and I found that I really, really enjoyed dancing.

It didn't hurt that our dance instructor was very attractive and dancing with her was an absolute dream. It is amazing to dance with a partner who is a VERY good dancer.

After learning (some) dance moves I found that I enjoyed dancing. Ladies do enjoy it and my wife seems to enjoy loaning me out at events where dancing is de rigeur.

Dancing with a woman other than my wife is almost like having a (four minute) date without any risks or complications.

Yes, I can dance. I started at an early age(mom sent me to dance lessons) and never really stopped. I grew up in a small town, and the kids had a dance every Saturday night. We also had a "sock hop" after every football game. It was what we did, and had a great time.....the girls all liked to dance!! I grew up during the rock and roll era, and that was fun music to dance to.

quote:

Originally posted by wishfull thinker:
Anybody can dance
Trust me

Thank you for posting that. I am amazed how far robotics have come.

When I was younger, yes, I could undulate in public without embarrassing myself. These days, I just don't give a shit, so while I may no longer be able to dance non-convulsively, if I want to shake a leg, I'll damn well do it and screw anyone who wants to critique my free-spirited ways.

I can't believe this thread made it to page 3 without this showing up:

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I can't believe this thread made it to page 3 without this showing up:

Krazeehorse posted it on page 3.