Poll: How many X Markers Dance?

[Riverkilt]

Most anything except rap or line dancing. Don't do enough these days. Only dance floor in town is in a smoky bar...maybe after the new smoking laws in Arizona kick in will be back for more.

This is from a few months ago after some party. Lady is my red haired kilt lover. We're at the Gunsmoke, the local bar with a dance floor. And yes, it was cold that night.



Kilt is my Black Stewart SportKilt (easy to wash the smoke out). And no not crusading...enjoy your tobacco if you like.

But YES!! I love to dance!

Ron

[Macman]

I love to dance. My first wife and I did ballroom and latin lessons for many years. We found that most events we went to didn't have a big enough dance floor, and the music didn't lend itself well to the dancing we liked to do. Still love to dance, though. Jive, jitterbug, cha-cha, rhumba, waltz, tango, mambo . . . Now, my (new) wife and I have a little motto if we go somewhere where there will be dancing: "First on the floor". When the right music starts up, I just can't not dance.

[wsk]

Don't. It's how my Dad met my Mom. As I was growing up, they were always dancing round the house. But, by the time I was old enough to appreciate girls, I was also old enough to rebel against my father so anything he did I wouldn't. Shot myself in the foot there.

Interestingly, now that I'm much older, I find myself enjoying exactly the things my Dad enjoyed. I love to watch Gene Kelly or any of the other great cinematic dancers dance.

In elementary school the teachers tried to teach us to dance. It was laborious and there weren't any male teachers to show us boys how fun it could be. Teachers shot my other foot.

Once spent a great day at the Wurst Fest in New Braunsfels (sp?), Texas with my Aunt, Uncle, and Grandmother. If we'd have gotten just one more bucket o' beer I'm pretty sure I'd have dragged my Gran onto the dance floor for a polka. It was beginning to look fun.

Completely separate from this discussion, I recently started thinking about dancing and why so many men don't do it. The conclusion that I arrived at is that men of my father's generation did not know how to show their sons that it's ok to enjoy yourself in "non-manly" ways. What a shame.

Of course all of this has come to me now that I'm single again without a partner to share it with. Someday perhaps.

And now, just this morning on NPR they did a piece about ballroom dancing and health. I had learned about this same Italian study earlier somehow, and the tag line then was that one of the benefits the researchers discovered is that ballroom dancing leads to a better sex life. Why didn't they tell me that when I was younger?

[Panache]

...Completely separate from this discussion, I recently started thinking about dancing and why so many men don't do it. The conclusion that I arrived at is that men of my father's generation did not know how to show their sons that it's ok to enjoy yourself in "non-manly" ways. What a shame...

This came up in the conversations I had as well. Hence this thread. I agree that there is a common modern perception that dancing is unmanly, though the success of "Dancing with the Stars" television show (which in truth I have never seen) gives me hope that this will change. There was a time once when a gentleman was expected to know how to shoot, fence, ride, as well as etiquette, dance, and poetry. Those things I didn't get from my parents or school I sought out as a young adult (I've said it before, I watched waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too many swashbuckler type movies as a kid). My though is that kilt wearers lean toward a lot of "old fashion"* notions. We have an interest in manners, customs, fashions, and etiquette.

I just hope Sinbad doesn't rebel against all this when he gets to his teens.

Cheers

* At least a modified version that includes most of the good things and leaves racism, sexism, and hygiene issues (amongst others) back in their appropriate centuries.

[Jerry]

I never really learned to dance. Now, I don't think my arthritic knees would survibe much danving, especially if any twisting motion were involved. I only manage to play golf anymore by taking 800 miligrams of Ibuprophren about an hour before I tee off and still I'm in pain all the next day. I am envious of you guys who can dance. Before anyone suggests I should quit golf, my doctor has told me that if I quit doing stuff like that, in spite of the pain, I'd probably wind up in a wheel chair.

[davedove]

I think the reason a lot of men don't dance is that they don't know how. Let's face it, as men we like to look like we know what we're doing.:confused:

Way back in college, I did take a couple of dance classes, square dance and ballroom. Of course, I took them as easy credits, but it was agreat way to meet girls. I'll admit that our ballroom dance instructor was a hottie and I purposely stayed to the back as partners were chosen so I would "have" to dance with her.

I've never been a big fan of the "get up and move to the music" style of dance and would like learn some steps. I don't have a steady dance partner right now and don't really have time for the classes, but I would like to take the classes sometime.

[wsk]

I discussed this topic with a non-kilted friend last night. His wife loves to dance and knows how to do it. He, being a willing soul, did his best to learn. They signed up for classes from the local continuing education program at the University. They made it through two or three classes before his wife had had enough of the instructor who was more interested in exhibiting his talent and skills than on teaching others.

Our conversation did give my friend ideas about what to give his wife for Christmas.

[Andrewson]

Yes put me down as one of the enthusiastic Scottish Country Dancers. It is especially great to do this kind of dance in a kilt. Once you've tried it in a kilt, you don't want to do it dressed any other way.

[Dreadbelly]

I don't dance, but I think I'd like to. With my wife. Maybe just once or twice.

I have no grace. I am a great shambling shuffling hairy oaf. No grace. None at all.

That, and any time I hold my wife up close, she breaks down giggling and tittering because my beard tickles. I do believe that if we went dancing somehow, she'd giggle her self silly.

[Erisianmonkey]

I don't dance, and nothing short of an amazing looking woman and enough alcohol to drown an elephant can make me. Of course, since my health prevents me from drinking anymore, that means I'll never dance again.

OK, not really, I will once in a great while get moved by the music enough to move my body...but that is very rare. Then again, I'm about the size of a small hippo, so If I get on the dance floor no one else can!