How Do You Dance?

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What is your style? Do you drag people onto the dancefloor or are you more the dragee? Do you have a free form interpretive style , do you use your hands to portray your inner feelings or do you have specific moves worked out in advance when its time to "busttamove" as the young folk say? Do you become self conscious in front of others and do you prefer to dance on you own all over the sofa and coffee table to music or your own choosing? Can you cut a rug? Do you have to be on drugs or drunk? Tell us all your dance secrets! GO ON!

― gazza, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 08:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I love dancing & often forcible push people onto the dance floor. It's all about having a complete lack of shame/self-consciousness. There's lots of bouncing and ska-style kicking involved. I despise those people who just stare glumly at the stage with their arms crossed like they're bored out of their minds. Why would they go to a rock'n'roll show if they don't want to rock?

More dancing --> world peace

― Miss Laura, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 09:00 (twenty-three years ago)

so would you describe your style of dance as from the "easy skanking" school of dance Miss L?

― gazza, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 09:12 (twenty-three years ago)

i can't, don't and won't dance.

― Denise Lambert, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 09:12 (twenty-three years ago)

god knows. i dance in a way that i enjoy but what an outside observer would think i can't imagine ("is she dead or alive? could she be both simultaneously?"). i tend to rush to the dancefloor early in the evening but am self-conscious and normally dance with my back towards where people are, and sometimes keep my eyes closed so i can't see them. i dance in different ways to different music (or at least try to) so my silly village people arm moves are different from my silly rammstein arm moves. i like pogo-ing a lot as i can get a lot of height and see the tops of everyone's heads. when i get in from a night out i tend to dance around the living room for another hour or two before going to bed. i'm a dancin' fool.

― angela (angela), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 09:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Skanking, yes. Easy, no. It's more frenetic than that.

― Miss Laura, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 09:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Like a spa.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 13:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Like the unfit middle-aged funny-shaped white guy that I am.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 13:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Badly.

― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 13:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Very energetic and jumpy - if I'm not on my toes and/or jumping a little bit then I'm probably tired and/or not enjoying the music much, and generally I tend to be the person doing the most with their legs on any given dance floor. My favourite thing is either to close my eyes (though that is a bit dangerous) or watch my shadow, which a) dances much better than i do, somehow; and b) is reminiscent of those excellent dance music video clips from the late-eighties/early-nineties with people dancing behind screens.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 13:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't do much free style dancing any more, and much as I hate to admit it, learning how to partner dance with specific steps and combinations has made me somewhat more self-conscious about free style dancing. Some of it may simply be that I am out of practice. I remember that in the past I was often the first, or one of the first, people to start dancing at parties, clubs, or concerts. Somehow dancing allowed me to lose some of my self-consciousness.

Anyway, my dance of choice now is salsa. I still find it difficult to improvise moves. (Since I am dancing with a partner, if I don't get it right, it becomes obvious pretty quickly, and without overstating it, there is even a small chance of injury if you don't lead correctly.) I hope that despite the fact I am usually stringing together sequences I have already learned, my body expresses something specific for each song. I don't dance to a Mickey Tevares salsa romantica song the same way I dance to a Joe Arroyo (down and dirty Colombian salsa) song. I try to adapt, to some extent, to my partners style. If she seems to want to do a lot of her own styling, then I will try to lead combinations which lead her free to add things in. (Obviously, I also make adjustments for skill level.)

Also, I actually do some free style dancing to salsa, but I don't have much of a repertoire of moves. When something like Plena or Cumbia comes on, my generic "folkloric" dance step seems to be: side to the left, side to the right, kick/tap left foot in the middle (more or less), side to the right, side to the left, kick/tap right foor in the middle, etc. That's just what I observe that I do.

Last time I went out salsa dancing, I was a litle rusty, but I was still able to carry on a conversation with my partner, while going through turns and so forth that at one time would have required all my attention. It's nice to have arrived at that point. Lately I haven't had much time to go out dancing, but hopefully that will change.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 14:34 (twenty-three years ago)

You sort of move your arms and legs in time to music, gaz, HTH.

― Steve.n. (sjkirk), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Merengue gives me a place to just fool around, anyway. It's much safer to try to improvise while dancing merengue (than salsa).

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Kind of side-to-side stepping, whilst wiggling the rear, sort of. Unless the music goes old soul, in which case... oh god... I am *so* not dancing on Friday night - self analysis is the killer of fun.

I want to know how N. would describe his style.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 14:52 (twenty-three years ago)

watch my shadow, which a) dances much better than i do, somehow; and b) is reminiscent of those excellent dance music video clips from the late-eighties/early-nineties with people dancing behind screens.

so true! i do this too but only at home.

― minna (minna), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 14:54 (twenty-three years ago)

haha when i'm at home i embarassingly try to dance like usher videoclips and i even try to do bodypopping and 'the running man' and all that. i pretend i'm not foolish enough to try it in public, but i think if i'm drunk enough i get all those moves out + more. i can distinctly remember actually do-ci-doing to 'buffalo girls' once.

― minna (minna), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 14:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't know, I do put in alot of effort generally, I dance everywhere, home, nightclubs, shower, bedroom, street. I guess since I'm always at house things I like to go a bit disco every now and again, particularly if the music fits the bill. I was complimented on Saturday and I take it as total vindication of every ridiculous move I've ever tried. Actually on Monday I had a massive massive fight with my parents and was in rotten humour so I went out for a cigarette and a walk with Stardust on my discman, and for some reason I massive spin as I was walking down a (quiet) road near my house, I then laughed at myself and felt slightly better.

I love threads about dancing, I've decided. I think the beautiful part about it is since I've started going clubbing once or twice or three times a week, dancing doesn't feel like something that's bad to do anymore, I guess people who meet me first think it's weird when I'm getting a beer from the fridge and stop mid sentence cos whatever song is on is about to go crazy or has some cool noise or drum break. Yeah I really do go overboard.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I have just remembered the M*rk L*marr once told me and a friend we were good dancers.

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:03 (twenty-three years ago)

ronan, it is URGENT and KEY that we have a dublin fap with dancing! next helter shelter (november 23rd)? it's not dance music i know but it is great.

― angela (angela), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:13 (twenty-three years ago)

how d'you it wasn't just *A* M*rk L*marr?

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I am up for a night out definitely, although my Saturdays are booked up for this month cos the dance stuff coming up is two of my faves, Slam and Thomas Bangalter. What's Helter Shelter like? Maybe even Crash some night, although viva's not really a venue that's conducive to dancing, so much as drinking.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Haha when I read Ronan's first post I couldn't help but think of that bit in the job centre in The Full Monty. Hot stuff baby!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:19 (twenty-three years ago)

Good grief, does the world have room for more than one M*rk L*m*rr?

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:19 (twenty-three years ago)

i might be going to bangalter too on saturday (although this is 50/50 now), but steve bicknell and rob hood at lost is looking hella likely. i'm quite good at dancing, or so i've been told, (depends on what i'm dancing to though i guess)

― gareth (gareth), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Hehe, it was a bit Full Monte except noone saw me do it therefore it never happened, tree forest etc.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:27 (twenty-three years ago)

helter shelter is great fun. it tends to be "all your indie favourites" from the last 20 years so you'll get the undertones, the smiths, the pixies, the white stripes, the hives, the the, etc. i'm not sure what it'll be like with the move the TBMC but i'll give it a shot. for me crash is problematic as i have to get up at 6.20 on weekday mornings.

― angela (angela), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Ronan, I remember a couple years back when I was going out salsa dancing two or three times a week, in addition to going to classes and so forth, and it got to the point where it felt unnatural not to be dancing. Dancing seemed like my natural condition.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:31 (twenty-three years ago)

It's the only way to be.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 15:40 (twenty-three years ago)

I, er, move. That's about it.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 16:41 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm afraid years of listening to non-4/4 musics have prob killed any ability i might have had. having said, i don't go to clubs or anything.

so the ans is: i don't.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 16:51 (twenty-three years ago)

I sort of cod-pogo, with added air guitars/drums, despite the fact that I air-drum like a pigeon might air-drum.

That makes no sense, does it?

― Mr Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 17:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Julio, not all dance music (in the general sense of music made for people to dance to, which would include Bulgarian folk dances, for example) is in 4/4 time.

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 6 November 2002 17:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Whenever someone tries to get me to dance my excuse is I will hurt too many other people when I'm dancing, which is true. I'm most accustomed to moshing.

Other than that I may occationally do 80s style dancing when I've had a few drinks (once some friends were wondering if i was on acid after a night a freakishly spastic dancing on my part.)

― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 17:37 (twenty-three years ago)

I bounce bounce BOUNCE!

(except in the student union club no one else bounces so I just bounce in my head)

― Graham (graham), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 17:49 (twenty-three years ago)

I have completely integrated the Cabbage Patch into my dancing style. It kind of pisses me off.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 18:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I concur that Helter Shelter is fun, though now that it has moved to the TBMC it will be officially Not As Good As It Used To Be.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 18:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Like James Brown, when Im home alone and drunk. I don't otherwise.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 18:51 (twenty-three years ago)

The LITTTLEST T-REX (c. t. hand)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 6 November 2002 19:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Everything I know about dancing I learnt from my ex-wife, who is severely epileptic. My favourite band to dance to is The Locust.

― Dave Fischer, Thursday, 7 November 2002 02:27 (twenty-three years ago)

i am not a good dancer because a) i never do it and b) i am uptight about it

― ron (ron), Thursday, 7 November 2002 02:34 (twenty-three years ago)

i do sixties style gogo moves interspersed with shakira-esque rumpshakin. last week i got told by someone who studies dance at uni that i am a great dancer. the key to being a great dancer, methinks, is not looking like you know all the moves but looking like you are enjoying yourself. i am a drag-people-to-the-floor type, but if they won't come with me i dance alone. i am sometimes the only person dancing at gigs. sometimes i feel a little silly doing so, however its like my body has a mind of its own... when the music starts, i can't stop. and why would i want to?

― di smith (lucylurex), Thursday, 7 November 2002 21:42 (twenty-three years ago)

Someone came up to me at a wedding and asked if I knew (such a body), who does actually happen to be a friend of mine. "I can tell", he said", "You both have the same camp Northern Sould dance moves".

― Tag, Thursday, 7 November 2002 22:41 (twenty-three years ago)

I dance very stiffly and self-consciously, as if I'm recovering from a back injury, I take up as little space as possible and I dance in exactly the same way, regardless of what the song is.

― jamesmichaelward (jamesmichaelward), Friday, 8 November 2002 00:15 (twenty-three years ago)

It depends on how willing I am to make a complete idiot of myself. I do some crazy shit while listening to music on my own - air-drumming, bobbing my head, stuff like that. Out in public I usually settle for a bizarre mix of uprocking, retard t'ai chi and general flailing. That or hopping up and down (not pogoing because I am only 33% punk!!!).

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Friday, 8 November 2002 00:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Lots of body clenching, lots of big steps. Looking at the ground, maybe some shoe touching. Perhaps overstated at times.

― naked as sin (naked as sin), Friday, 8 November 2002 00:48 (twenty-three years ago)

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