Another Extinct-Ish Art In The Offing?

When did you last dance, really dance?

Honesty requires me to disclose that yours truly is not able to dance, that is dance the Strictly Come Dancing style, but mind you, my other dance moves ( Disco, Saturday Night Fever or Hammer style ) won't win awards either.

The Eisenberg Volunteer Fire Department held their annual Dance last night. A dance where the dress code ranged from ball gowns to the more casual. A band is standard and when I got home last night I had to adjust the volume on the telly as their decibel level was too much for me...Good grief, how did I manage to escape unscathed by my many visits to discos during my twenties?

Bob and I were lingering at the table giving ourselves the usual annual promise of:

" Look, this year we are going to a dance course! "

and perhaps this year will be the one.

The ball was littered with the young and hip crowd but they were more busy mingling at the bar counter than gracing the dance floor. Although I did leave before pumpkin hour ( Bob had to work the late shift behind the bar from 11 pm until closing ) and maybe in the early morning hours they did dance. A couple of young men did waltz with their respective and rightfully proud mums around the dance floor and it was a treasure and pleasure to behold.

It seemed that most of the other couples dancing were not in the first blush of youth anymore but they had the most fun. I suspect that many a youngster was in the same boat as me and extremely ignorant of the finer details of a waltz or god forbid, the Tango!

Men, even those that were fast afoot, were dodging the yearning look of their other halves and suspiciously, only as the band announced a break after their following song did a few men take to the dance floor knowing that it was a once off...wifely nagging successfully averted.

Centuries ago, attending dances and having your dance card filled out was the only good way to meet men. Having a man put his name down for more than one dance amounted to a declaration of love and even an offer of marriage. Decorum, elegance and chasteness were the order of the day and it must have been nice.

Dancing as a couple to classical music is one of those in the moment activities. It is a chance to chat to your partner, to imbibe the wonderful musical notes and most importantly, there is no spare hand to rudely record the moment in that dreadful modern fashion...

The young ladies really went to town with their gowns and I do hope that they were asked to dance after I left. Otherwise, what is the point of an elaborate ball gown unless it is shown off to perfection while floating across the dance floor a la Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire?

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers: The Story of Hollywood's Most Famous Dancers

Biggi