Poll about do you like to dance? men vs ladies

[Toast]

I am a female who thinks dancing is fun. DH and I have taken many dance classes together (C&W, ballroom, Latin, tap) at a local community college through continuing education. The classes are fun and good exercise.

We often dance together at home. It’s never intentional though just spontaneously based on hearing a song or results naturally as part of a hug/embrace. We do not go out dancing but enjoy dancing at weddings.

 

[sengsational]

When I took lessons (grade school square dance or college disco) I could do it. In both cases it was only tolerated because it increased contact with girls. But once married, well, not highly motivated to dance. I really wish I was more free wheeling in that regard, but it just ain't so.

 

[prudent_one]

Never had an opportunity to learn how, so have always avoided it. I asked DW once if she would like to take lessons with me so I could dance with her if she wanted, but she said no.

 

[mebden]

Man here, I took up dancing when I was in the Navy as it was the best way to meet woman as they were always liking the way I moved and I still do it today but my dancing is to help keep fit as you can really break a sweat when you moving to the beat of the music.

 

[Doribe]

F. I like to dance but I am not saying I am good at it. I just went to a rock concert and danced in the front of the stage.

My whole family dances and we dance at family parties.

I recently started to take a Zoom dance exercise class, as well as a line dancing class.

I have been asked to dance and I have asked people to dance.

 

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

I looked at our poll today 3/4/2024 and just did rough percentages.

19/27 = 70% women like to dance
24/83 = 29% men like to dance

8/27 = 30% women avoid
59/83 = 71% men avoid

but 19 female and 24 men like to dance per our poll.

Leads to another question, could it be the fear of rejection if asking that keeps men away from dancefloors. I know when I was shy that lead to less dances early in life. Avoid "you don't want to dance do you?" : ). Now i just extend a hand, nod and smile and if necessary, say "may i have this dance?"

 

[Midpack]

We actually went out dancing when I was in college, but these days I only do the minimum acceptable obligatory dancing like at weddings. DW would like me to dance more, but…

 

[jollystomper]

If you don't mind also relating in the body of the thread
if you ask others to dance?
do others ask you to dance?
are you usually with a group of friends that dance?
do you take lessons?

I stopped asking others to dance after marriage. I do not want to be perceived as being too "forward", as depending on the dancing style it can be interpreted in several ways. I have made several exceptions on business trips, when out with a group who wanted to go dancing, and the women in the group did not want to dance with strangers. Even with the exceptions, I do not ask anyone to slow dance, that is reserved for my wife.

However, I will dance if other women ask me do. DW sees this as a compliment for her taste . One of my fun experiences in college was the first "Sadie Hawkins" dance I encountered, where the men cannot ask women to dance, only the women can ask men to dance (derived from the "Sadie Hawkins" scenario in L'il Abner ). The dance was open to all women, but men could only attend via invitation. For whatever reason I was invited, and the women outnumbered the men at least 2 to 1. I was only off the dance floor for one song, it was a great time . These days, since women outnumber the men at our age at most dance events, I get asked to dance often when DW takes a break.

These days, most of the time we go out with other couples who dance. For example, one of my good friends and his daughters sing in a jazz/swing band, and we and other friends always try to make their concerts several times a year. But, if there is a dance event we want to go to and none of our friends are available, that does not stop us from going to it.

For ballroom dancing I always go early enough to take lessons. I always need the choreographed "refreshed", particularly since I will likely be dancing with other women and do not want to appear to be a klutz. The lessons rotate you through many partners as it progresses, and I can tell if I have made an impression if any of the woman I practiced with later ask me to dance .

 

[MC Rider]

I can't dance. The last time I tried was at my daughters wedding 17 or 18 years ago. I figured I am only gonna get one chance to dance with her at her wedding.

 

[bbbamI]

snip
Leads to another question, could it be the fear of rejection if asking that keeps men away from dancefloors. I know when I was shy that lead to less dances early in life. Avoid "you don't want to dance do you?" : ). Now i just extend a hand, nod and smile and if necessary, say "may i have this dance?"

Ahhhh....such a genteel way of asking. I know I would accept.

 

[motley]

There hasn't been a good musical since That's Entertainment III in 1994.

That wasn't really a musical, it was a documentary. Still great fun though.

Anyway, I don't dance. Not because I have anything against it, but because I lost my dance partner and love of my life to cancer years ago. I've tried it a time or three since and hate it.

 

[CO-guy]

I'm male, and I like to dance, but rarely have the opportunity.

When I was single and living in the city, I took Latin dance lessons weekly with friends and would then go dancing at either a Latin club or nightclub for a few hours after. For me, I found that dancing increased my opportunities to meet women and was a "marketable skill" on the dating market.

At the time, I was traveling to Miami for a weekend every other month to assist with an aging family member and would spend one night clubbing in Little Havana on each trip. I would arrive early and ask every abuela in the room for a dance. Like me, they were just there to dance and they are light as a feather on the dancefloor. Afterwards, I sometimes danced with a cutie or two if we happen to lock eyes. Either way, I'd grab a cab back to my hotel and call it an early night. It was a great way to blow off some steam and get a little exercise during an otherwise stressful weekend.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

I like to dance. One of the easiest way to get girls. I am not even a good dance and could care less what people think of me. I can dance a fool and still be confident.

 

[EastWest Gal]

I like square dancing, but haven't done it since we moved to PA in 1998. DH and I met through square dancing- he started square dancing when he was about 12 and I when I was 13. It's much more fun when one is with a group of friends and dating, than when you are all established couples. Also, the energy level is higher. We also did Appalachian clogging.

 

[Cobra59]

Love to Dance

I am male and I love to dance, always have. If I am at a party with a band or DJ I will be on the dance floor 75% of the time. And no it is not square dancing lol

 

[GaryInCO]

Male. I'm OK with dancing, and I have a good sense of rhythm. Took blues lessons a few times. I'd be happy to dance more if I had a regular partner, so we could learn how the other moves, but dancing with strangers is not as much fun. I don't go out that often, so I don't stay "in shape," and I find it pretty stressful to try to remember the patterns and plan out my steps on-the-fly. Asking strangers to dance isn't much fun either, just like it was no fun in high school. I had one strong-opinioned and frankly rude woman tell me "You're doing it WRONG!!" Fine lady, enjoy the rest of the evening. With someone else.

 

[sparky08]

Me? No rhythm.

 

[mickeyd]

I participate in line dancing once or twice a week here @ our CCRC. Never did it before but find it a lot of fun for an hour or 2 per week. Lot of laughing goes on. (Are they laughing @ me?)

 

[ls99]

M, just found the thread.
Yes do dance, Argentine Tango, bachata, swing, blues. In fact I drive over 60 miles to dance venues. In the boonies where I live only country music is played. There is one venue for Blues, no dance floor.

 

[folivier]

But I'd walk 60 miles to avoid having to dance....

 

[Badger]

I used to do western dancing (two-step, waltz, polka). I taught my wife before we were married when I was on an exhibition team. We even went to a national competition 2 weeks from the time I started teaching her and we were awarded 3rd place for our routines. Unfortunately after a few years it was becoming too popular with people who had no concept of dance floor curtesy and was more like Slam Dancing. Between that and balance issues I no longer two-step. Bummer!

 

[Flieger]

I love to dance! Now, do people love watching me? Depends if they are ready for some belly laughs!

Flieger

 

[harllee]

DH and I dance all the time. DH had his right knee replaced 2 months ago (had the left knee done 3 years ago) and his doc just released him to do some slow dancing--we danced this past week a couple of times. DH is so happy to be able to dance without pain!

 

[jollystomper]

In the last 2 weeks DW and I had 2 occasions (our college reunion and a wedding) to do a lot of dancing. I found it interesting that, in both venues, the number of women dancing outnumbered the men about 3-5:1. More than a few times I would be dancing with DW and we would end up being "absorbed" into a circle of people dancing where I was the only male or, one of 2 males, dancing with 4-6 other women. While I can understand it for folks our age, I was surprised seeing this among younger people at the wedding. I can remember when men wanting to dance would outnumber the women.

Of course, both places fed my vanity, the reunion posted a video of DW and I dancing, and several of the younger women at the wedding complimented me on my ability to "move and groove" . They laughed when I told them "thank you, and tomorrow ibuprofen will be my dear friend".