Don't feel like dancin', dancin'

April 6, 2021 4:44 PM

I'm looking for Ask MeFi questions written by people who don't like dancing and/or are bad at it and want advice on how to change that or make peace with it or tell friends about it, etc. Here are some I've already found: one, two, three. Can you help me find any others?
posted by Panthalassa to MetaFilter-Related at 4:44 PM (9 comments total)

There's a lot of context missing from this question, so forgive me if this isn't appropriate, but it should be said: I don't like dancing. There's nothing I need to make peace with. There's nothing I need to tell my friends about. To assume otherwise is to assume a norm or expectation or requirement(!) that doesn't exist. If you're asking this because you feel you need to do those things, this random internet stranger suggests you take that burden off yourself.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 5:29 PM on April 6, 2021 [4 favorites]

There may not be a *moral* reason to do those things, but there are absolutely social and relational reasons to do those things! I'll be keeping an eye on the answers here with interest 💃
posted by sagc at 5:34 PM on April 6, 2021 [3 favorites]

NotMyselfRightNow – totally get where you're coming from. I'm mainly asking out of sociological curiosity. Obviously many people over the years have felt burdened, and I'm interested in how they've expressed themselves and the way people on the Green have responded.
posted by Panthalassa at 6:14 PM on April 6, 2021

There was this thread on the Blue, where people (disclosure: including myself) had a whole range of reactions to dancing as a social phenomenon.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:12 PM on April 6, 2021 [1 favorite]

Here’s someone worried about dancing at their wedding
posted by castlebravo at 4:50 AM on April 7, 2021

Dancing mystifies me, but here's a compilation of AskMes on the general topic.

Do guys really dislike dancing?
One Two Three One Three...damnit
Why do you go out?
When elephants dance, ants get out of the way
Are there any effective learn-to-dance DVDs?
Do I wanna dance, or do I wanna dance?
Im looking for videos of how to dance at a club; failing that, videos of people dancing at clubs
How can I start dancing?
What do I do at a nightclub?
Nerdy Dancing
Dance disaster?
Help me learn to dance
Murder on the dance/office floor
OH GOD IM THAT GUY ON THE DANCEFLOOR
dancefloor paralysis
I hate dancing. My friends hate that I hate dancing.
let's (learn to) dance
How can I learn to like dancing?
How can I get over the fear of (or get OUT OF) dancing at my wedding?
How to be at peace with being a wallflower
We had __________ instead of dancing at our reception. It was awesome!
How do you dance like nobody's watching?
No, swing dancing is not what I'm looking for
Sorry, I don't speak jive.
Falling all over myself. Please make it stop.
Dance "hacks"?
What type of dance lessons would help my husband?
posted by zamboni at 10:26 AM on April 7, 2021 [4 favorites]

There's nothing I need to make peace with. There's nothing I need to tell my friends about. To assume otherwise is to assume a norm or expectation or requirement(!) that doesn't exist.

You may occupy a different social space than I do, possibly. I have been in situations where I've been nudged, cajoled, and outright physically touched in order to get me on the dance floor (usually at weddings). I like dancing okay, but only when I want to. Norms and expectations are pretty culturally determined. I totally get what you are saying, that it's important that one be sure they are not just having this fight with themselves, but there is absolutely a norm/expectation in certain places and times and people who will appoint themselves as the "expectation keeper" or "norm enforcer"
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:59 PM on April 7, 2021 [7 favorites]

Here's one!
posted by restless_nomad (retired) at 11:01 AM on April 8, 2021 [1 favorite]

And another wedding related one!
posted by zamboni at 3:02 PM on April 8, 2021