If aliens finally made contact with modern man and, for some reason, examined the Top 40 charts as a means of discovering the intricacies of humanity, they would probably assume that our society held dancing in the highest respect. Every other song on the radio nowadays seems obsessed with the idea of dancing despite the rapid deterioration of the practice. Sure, clubs are filled nightly with the sweaty bodies of grinding animals blanketed in an aroma of cologne, sweat, and regret, but the art of dance is rarely seen outside of ballroom competitions and dates meant to mark a particularly sweet anniversary.
Partner dancing has become incredibly romanticized even though it has been a staple of human connection and entertainment for millennia. But why? Are we experiencing a temporary lull before an inevitable renaissance? Is culture deteriorating so exponentially that we are witnessing the extinction of an art? Or are we so caught up in the romantic idea of the past that we fail to see the burgeoning arts that are evolving in its place?
I just want you to dance with me tonight…
So croons the rising pop star, Olly Murs, in his single, “Dance With Me Tonight,” and with that simple request, he transforms what was once a fairly common question into a vulnerable plea in the hopes of making fans swoon and, ultimately, buy his record. Unfortunately, the modern dance scene does little to validate Olly’s hopes, because the idea of asking someone to dance has evidently been replaced by slowly creeping up behind a person until there is a significant potential of genital contact. Gone are the days of knowing your dance partner’s name much less anything about their life, and therein lies the ultimate fear of modern day clubbers:
Intimacy.
My generation often equates intimacy with sexuality, but in reality, the word bears a much closer resemblance to simple proximity. With the increased popularity of clubbing and grinding, we have effectively nullified the requirement of face-to-face contact that dancing used to necessitate. When face to face with another human being, you open yourself to intense vulnerability on a primal level. Your back is open to attack, your surroundings fade into mystery, and for those three minutes, your life is intimately connected with another person.
For countless years, stories were shared within this purgatory. Dreams and fears alike were entrusted to complete strangers with the utmost trust, and when the applause sounded in the dance hall, maybe you had shared enough to warrant a second spin. This intimate exchange defined the night of those lucky enough to experience it, and each one began with a simple question. Now, the question has been removed from the equation, the initiation of the conversation has disappeared, the exchange never has a chance to blossom, and with DJs consistently melding one song into the next, the opportunity to ask for a second dance never arises.
How many relationships have been halted before they have been given a chance to begin?
It’s no great secret that my generation has a general problem with the concept of true intimacy. Rarely do we elapse any significant amount of time without checking our phone screens (I am particularly guilty of this), because we fear the vulnerability that may arise from that face to face contact with a stranger. Perhaps, we are simply more aware of the potential dangers that are associated with unknown contact, and maybe that is an evolution that society has mandated. But who knows…maybe one day, we’ll get back to looking each other in the eye and asking for a dance.
No comments:
Post a Comment