Last night I went dancing outdoors in the park. It was fairly chilly, but a big crowd and mostly everyone having fun and smiling. I look forward to these dances every year, as they are outdoors in attractive places, cool and attended by lots of people who aren't regular members of a dance community, so I get to meet some less battle-hardened women. The sponsors put down a portable dancefloor. The dances have grown over the years, many have live bands and 16 are scheduled this summer. I imagine that the last few might be quite cold, as they are in a place fully exposed to the wind off the bay.
Once you reach middle age, men have it easier than women at things like this. Though here women at least feel free to ask a man to dance, and many do that. If a woman is sitting and sees a guy dancing who seems respectful and at least moderately skilled often she will pounce, literally, the minute he releases his current partner.
I think I have discovered a difference between men and women. For the most part when a man looks at a woman dancing or standing, he thinks is she pretty, is she sexy, is she well dressed. A woman on the other hand seems more inclined to note the interaction and perceived relationship between the partners. If his current partner is enjoying the dance, I likely will too she seems to think. They rate the other woman's apparent experience and seem to decide that it likely has meaning for them. In a dance community this is very out front where they share war stories, warnings, and also recs in the ladies room.
Ha