What percentage of men do not enjoy dancing?

[audreyh1]

Boy, when I was in high school all the young folks, boys included, went all out for “kicker dancing”.

 

[CamasSaver]

It’s definitely not my thing

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Just short of mandatory to take ballroom dancing at Army War College. I will say the women appeared to enjoy it much more than the men.

 

[ERD50]

Good for you! Being close in height would make dancing much more enjoyable!

That reminds me, the performer Steve Goodman would introduce one of his songs with a story about meeting his future wife. He was short, and his wife-to-be was taller and well-endowed as we say in polite company. She was a waitress in a bar he performed at (the Earl of Old Town), and one night as he steps off the stage, he walks right into her, with his eyes right at her chest level. Always a quick wit, he says "Would you like to dance?"

So with that corny intro, the song is very beautiful:

Would you like to learn to dance?
Well I can show you that
Gotta book here with all you need to know ...

Would you like to learn to sing?
I can teach you that
Here's an old song that's good for the start
You can sing all the high parts if you really try
And I'll play along the tune on my guitar...

Would you like to learn to love?
Well, that's somethin' else again
I can show you how to sing and smile and dance
Oh I have no keys to open your heart
And no way that I could make you take the chance
And so we'll dance around the room again
And we'll sing a tune or two to pass the time

-ERD50

 

[harllee]

Boy, when I was in high school all the young folks, boys included, went all out for “kicker dancing”.

What is "kicker dancing"--is it a Texas thing?

 

[harley]

To paraphrase a corny line from Phil Liggett - I do my dancing on the pedals.

Had to look Phil Liggett up. Based on the quote I thought he was an organ player.

 

[audreyh1]

What is "kicker dancing"--is it a Texas thing?

Texas-style Country Western Dance. Mostly couples, but occasionally a line dance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country–western_dance

 

[harllee]

Texas-style Country Western Dance. Mostly couples, but occasionally a line dance. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country–western_dance

Thanks! Here in the mountains of NC we do a similar dance--we call it "mountain 2 step". We also do some line dancing. But our main dance is clogging and flatfooting which are usually solo dances (although there are some clogging groups that dance to routines). For clogging and flatfooting we wear shoes with "jingle taps" on the bottom. We dance to bluegrass music that has no drums so the shoe taps provide the percussion sounds. Clogging and flatfooting are similar except in clogging the feet leave the floor and in flatfooting the feet stay on the floor. At ages 69 and 70 DH and I keep our feet mainly on the floor and flatfoot. Before Covid I taught flatfooting and I really miss that.

 

[jollystomper]

I was very shy socially as a teen and did not start dancing until college. At that point I realized that very few folks were actually watching me, and I received some nice compliments from women whom I danced with, particularly when slow dancing , so I have enjoyed it ever since.

Becoming a DJ in college got me more into it, as I was very interested in playing and mixing songs to see how long I could keep folks out on the dance floor. Also, I was surprised (mostly pleasantly) at how many women felt their night was not complete unless they had a dance with the DJ .

DW and I continue to enjoy it. Pre-pandemic it was a regular "date night" item to get dressed up ( I still love seeing DW in a sexy dance outfit ) . We regularly attended concerts of a Jazz band in which a good friend of ours and his daughters sang in. We danced a lot at those, and his daughters (in their 20's) always told us how much they enjoyed seeing us dancing together. A local place had monthly ballroom/disco/funk/country dancing that we regularly attended. In fact we would have been at their Halloween costume dance next weekend had it not been for the pandemic.

 

[harllee]

I was taught to flatfoot dance by an old mountain man and he said the 3 secrets to dancing are:
1. Move to the beat
2. SMILE
3. Remember that everyone is only watching the good dancers

Good advice.

 

[48Fire]

I met my future wife when she asked me to dance 37 years later, it's still a theme of ours. In fact, I recently wrote a song, had it produced, and recorded, called "Would you like to Dance?" So dancing is always special to me

 

[harllee]

I met my future wife when she asked me to dance 37 years later, it's still a theme of ours. In fact, I recently wrote a song, had it produced, and recorded, called "Would you like to Dance?" So dancing is always special to me

Aww sweet

 

[48Fire]

Aww sweet

Thanks, my one and only - wife and song But I am working on another ..... song

 

[eytonxav]

Does watching DWTS count? As for me, my feet are too big and don't have rhythm.

 

[Boho]

I don't dance. I took dance lessons when I was a kid. The instructor taught us named dances with certain steps. I was expecting "regular" dancing like you'd to at a club. I figured there was a way to teach how to pretend to get into the music and dance regular.

Similar thing happened with swimming lessons. I already knew how to move to swim. I just didn't want to just straight up dunk my head under water and I thought there was a way around that, but no. It was like first step, hold the side of the pool and kick, and second step grab an object from the bottom of the pool. I quit. A little later I was able to swim across the pool, self "taught" (I kind of knew what to do all along) but I don't think my face was as much in the water as it should have been.

 

[Nemo2]

 

[audreyh1]

Thanks! Here in the mountains of NC we do a similar dance--we call it "mountain 2 step". We also do some line dancing.

It’s called the Texas Two Step here.

Real blast from the past for me. I haven’t been to a Texas dance hall in decades.

 

[Nemo2]

It’s called the Texas Two Step here.

I recall being in the Belle Starr in Dallas forty years ago......it was fascinating to see the entire dance floor glide in unison.

 

[harllee]

It’s called the Texas Two Step here.

Real blast from the past for me. I haven’t been to a Texas dance hall in decades.

Pre Covid DH and I danced the 2 step every weekend (along with other dances).

 

[jcfradio]

Pre Covid DH and I danced the 2 step every weekend (along with other dances).

The 2 step and the polka are dances that I can fake (at least in my own mind, not if I am next to an expert!). Every other dance step shows my true self.... a klutz with two left feet.

 

[Koolau]

Went to a couple of sock hops with DW (long before we were an item - just friends, really.) So she and all the girls got out and danced and all but a few guys sat along the walls. There WAS this one guy who got out and did these fantastic moves (sort of John Travolta long before anyone had ever heard of him.) He even did this "Egyptian" dance (picture Steve Martin doing King Tut and you might get the idea.) BUT any other guy there ONLY went out on the floor to "get the girl."

So, when I started getting interested in DW (a little less long before we were an item, heh, heh) I had this brain storm. I'll take dancing lessons - since she already knows how to dance. So a dozen lessons later (and minus a fair chunk of change) I ask DW (etc. etc.) to a Jr. High dance. Turns out, DW (etc.) had NO idea how to dance - at least not the waltz, the box step, swing, etc. She just got out on the floor and moved (well.)

I've come to believe it's a difference between the sexes. Girls don't worry about what they look like dancing. I think they instinctively know that they look good (to us guys) if they just move around on the floor. GUYS worry that they will look stoooopidd when they TRY to move. If NOT to the girls, at least they will look stoooopiddd to other guys - almost WORSE when you're 14 or 15.

So, with the exception of the few John Travoltas, guys don't like to dance. I'm sure they can learn but why? They will STILL think they look stooooopidddd. Maybe I'm just thinking about my own situation, but I'm guessing I'm right - but YMMV.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I'm late to this post, I'm a 50ish guy that Loves to dance. I grew up in the 80's and watched Urban Cowboy. John Travolta had it figured out.

 

[harllee]

Went to a couple of sock hops with DW (long before we were an item - just friends, really.) So she and all the girls got out and danced and all but a few guys sat along the walls. There WAS this one guy who got out and did these fantastic moves (sort of John Travolta long before anyone had ever heard of him.) He even did this "Egyptian" dance (picture Steve Martin doing King Tut and you might get the idea.) BUT any other guy there ONLY went out on the floor to "get the girl."

So, when I started getting interested in DW (a little less long before we were an item, heh, heh) I had this brain storm. I'll take dancing lessons - since she already knows how to dance. So a dozen lessons later (and minus a fair chunk of change) I ask DW (etc. etc.) to a Jr. High dance. Turns out, DW (etc.) had NO idea how to dance - at least not the waltz, the box step, swing, etc. She just got out on the floor and moved (well.)

I've come to believe it's a difference between the sexes. Girls don't worry about what they look like dancing. I think they instinctively know that they look good (to us guys) if they just move around on the floor. GUYS worry that they will look stoooopidd when they TRY to move. If NOT to the girls, at least they will look stoooopiddd to other guys - almost WORSE when you're 14 or 15.

So, with the exception of the few John Travoltas, guys don't like to dance. I'm sure they can learn but why? They will STILL think they look stooooopidddd. Maybe I'm just thinking about my own situation, but I'm guessing I'm right - but YMMV.

I must run with a different kind of crowd. Among my friends most all of the guys like to dance (most are not John Travolta types but are decent dancers). My DH and I are good dancers but we have taken many dance lessons and practice a lot. I think dancing is like most activities--to be good you probably need some lessons and a lot of practice. If dancing is something you want to do I think most everybody can learn to do some type of dance. Heck, I even dance with a guy in a wheel chair and have alot of fun doing it.

 

[mountainsoft]

I once square danced in 7th grade gym class

Yep, same here, same grade. I floundered through that class requirement and was terrified having to hold the hands of girl classmates.

I don't dance, period. I don't even tap my foot to music. I think I have good rhythm, but like most things, I internalize it. I just don't see the desire to stand up and gyrate my body in public for all to see. It would not be a pretty picture.

 

[Retch The Grate]

partner dancing is not my thing (yeah, got forced to do cotillion in middle school and learn all those dances that I no longer remember), even as an adult with girlfriends that likes it (I'm game, gave it my best try, but yeah, always made me nervous and self conscious). But dancing at a rave? No problem! I really miss going out raving and goth nights at DNA Lounge. I'm looking forward to psytrance parties being a thing again because dancing occasionally in the living room does not scratch the itch.