Is dance a method of vanity?

Yes, we all covered that one off in grade school.

The correct answer depends on the definition of sound.
It will not be heard as sound, as we know sound,
but the air will vibrate the same regardless of whether
anyone hears it or not.





David

I've always been a shy dancer, pretty much for good reason, who else could get a B- in dance class at university? On the other hand, I've had some wonderful moments dancing in public - at a fiesta in Guadalajara, doing the merengue with a whole roomful of people all moving together; dancing at the Ambassador Hotel to a good band in the sixties; dancing to Rene Touzet (sp?) and so on.. I can sometimes get over my self concern.

My husband and I didn't stop being together for twenty plus years after the first dance. He never went home after that evening.
But Beth is surely right about the many modes of communication with dance.

On my own, dancing to my cd's in my house is much my exercise, my solace, my joy. It's not really different from my joy, solace, and more complicated connection to symphony music, a kind of tuning.

I simply don't understand distaste for dance, it seems to be fright, to me.

It just seems illogical; nothing comes from it.
After having executed the process,
u have nothing that u did not have before.


If I were doing it,
and someone challenged me qua the logic of it,
like: " Hay, David, what the hell r u doing ? "
I coud not come up with a reply that I coud believe
and respect as being in keeping with sound reason.
I woud not be able to explain nor to justify my actions.



I 'd feel like a damn fool.

Well, there ya go. That's in your way.

U mean badly co-ordinated movements ?

No, I don't mean that. I'm not coordination abled. I'm talking about your whole last post - I see logic as some kind of window screen for you, or even a steel door.

Do you like music at all? I know some people don't connect to it at all, and therefore might not get the majesty, the intricacy, the sweetness, the passion, the dissonance, the many ways of music, and how expressive it can be re ourselves.

Well, I try to reason accurately.



Yes.
I have hundreds of records.

I disagree qua the "dissonance"; generates headaches.

*Just going to reply to myself for ignorance of a more logical option*
Wow!
I really wasn't expecting this much response from this site, but here I stand corrected.
I thank you for all the responses so far (even the ones that went to certain activities in the woods). Reading these responses, I can say I better understand the more innocent characteristics of dance.
My bias is/was that the only dancing that I ever see belongs to large parties of youth where the method of dance is, how to say it, less dance and more show. -But I understand that not all dancing falls under this category.
I am interested in the storytelling method I have read (can't say I've heard of that, shockingly), but also in the alleged complexity and mathematic integration of simple moves into an entire formula of dance. As soon as I get longer than fifteen minutes of free time (currently spent hier), I'll definitely be looking up a few of these things.
And it is also encouraging to know that a few might understand a shard of my logic, but one rarely learns from those who agree.
I don't plan on choosing an answer any time soon (if I must), because all of these answers seem to add something new.
A2K's newest addictee,

TheRexorcist

And no, I have no idea who or what RexRed is.

Hi TheRexorcist - I think you'll find that questions/discussions here are often like comments at parties. You never know which one will catch people's ears/eyes and get teh conversation going.

Come on back when you can, and we can talk about dance or trees falling in forests. Have you ever looked into the language of choreography? I think it's a fascinating area.

I think dancing makes people who do it look foolish;
(tho its harmless).





David

David, you think too much. Try feeling, for a change.

Nice to have a new a2k addict, Rexorcist. Welcome to the mix.


Let me add that the New Yorker magazine has long had some great articles on dance. Joan Acocella used to do them, not sure who is writing them now.
Also, I just read an ecstatic review yesterday about a couple doing the tango at the Volvere [..] Sur in New York City - not sure where I read that, will give a link if I run across it.

I don't think there's a definative answer.

Dance can be either.

Dance is many things.

To show off your moves.
Attract a mate, just as many other animals use ritualistic movements for that purpose.
For exercise or fun
Because at that moment it is the best way to express what is going on inside you.

Not all people dance in public. How many of us have found ourselves dancing with no one around? Not for practicing steps, but for the enjoyment of movement.

Dancing can produce a trance like state, which is I suppose the opposite of vanity.

Ballet is the visual expression of the aural, and I think great dance paired with great music is the highest of arts. Incidentally, ballet wasn't even considered a high art until tchaikovsky came along.

Thank u, Jack.
I have been accused of that; been a while, tho.





David

I'm surprised one would say so: Ballets

I have always been deeply interested in how people think.
I am inherently attracted to mental processes.
This includes the reason that anyone woud be interested in dancing.
(I always felt like a fool, when I was cajoled into doing it.)



but Y ??
It is axiomatic that we can all move around,
unless there is something drasticly rong with us (broken bones, etc.)
I remember that MY moves in bayonet warfare, stunk;
nothing to show off, but at least if asked the reason that I were
practicing coud be logically explained.
If I were not able to logically explain what I was doing,
I 'd be embarrassed.




I know THAT works; its an observed fact
that this occurs in the presence of dancing, even if u don 't do it;
(but I 'd still feel like a fool, jumping around waving my appendages).



Yeah; I knew a guy who was known for kicking wildly,
for that reason. At least, its logical.



Better than speaking or writing ??
That 's hard to believe.




Then Y not just run around the block,
or call a cab ?
Gesticulating, like using a code without a key,
seems like an awkward, odd thing to do.



Is that good ?
If so, how is it good ?

Please note that I do NOT advocate that any people stop dancing.
I only wish to identify their precise motivation.





David

When I have seen ballet dancing,
I was struck with curiosity as to the reason
that thay chose to move in such unusual and limited ways.
Their movements seemed less efficient and less effective
than normal means of bipedal locomotion.

I understand that some people think that it is more graceful.
Maybe thay do all that work just to be more graceful.





David

just to show everyone that my dancing skills are appreciated where ever we travel .
here i was invited by an estonian folkdance group in tallinn the demonstrate the way to stay limber while dancing - note that the knees must be kept away from the partner .
i was rewarded for my efforts with a slice of ryebread baked over an open fire and a mug of unsweetened rye-coffee <GRIN> .
hbg