Dancing = Peace

DanceMentor

DanceMentor

Administrator
If you look at history, dance crazes almost always develop in times of peace and contentment:
1) Birth of Ballroom Dancing at the turn of the century
2) Big Band Era started after the Depression
3) Rock and Roll Started in the 50's after WW2
4) Disco started in the late 70's after Vietnam
5) NeoSwing started in the late 90's while the economy was booming.

I sure hope we can have peace again soon, because dancing won't be far behind. :D

Note: Please refrain from expressing political views that might upset others, but by all means, please vote! :D
 
DanceMentor wrote:
> If you look at history, dance crazes almost always develop in times of peace and contentment:

Well, dance instruction is a personal service and as such is relatively expensive in terms of human labor and therefore money. I'd expect that in times of economic crisis fewer people could justify spending the money on a leisure activity when there are more pressing concerns?
 
Anyway, more pertinent to the topic of the thread. A notable social dance historian has written about a so-called "century effect": an observation that at the turn of almost every century (or within the first couple of decades), social dance forms experience a rapid change. Conversely, at that point, the older dance forms evolve into something extremely complex, that only serious dance devotees (relatively small in number) bother to learn and execute properly. And so they die out.

Examples include the development of English country dances, quadrilles, *the waltz* in the first few decades of the 19th century, as these dances replaced elaborate Renaissance dances. In the 20th century, we have the emergence of one-step and, later, Lindy Hop in the first part of the century.

Notice that at their inception, these dances were simple enough to be easily embraced by the general public - those who typically consider themselves non-dancers.

None of this really helps answer the original question of what to expect as the next major evolutionary step of social dance. But the historical context certainly makes the question ever more interesting, as do the attributes of today's world (globalization, general degradation of culture, fervent and cynical consumption, MTV.)

So, I guess, we'll just sit back and see where the future takes us.[/quote]
 
Oh ho ho, do I LOVE to talk about politics, especially since I am paying twice the taxes of the average person in this country yet I am not entitled the right to vote. Now that THAT's off my chest, I would have to say, unfortunately, DanceMentor & all my other fellow peace-loving members of the forums, that "peace & contentment" is unfathomable at the moment, given the state of things and the risk of terrorism in the world. I however DO think it's up to us to enjoy ourselves by dancing as much as possible and hopefully spread good faith this way(Think globally, act locally" is what I always say!) 8)
 
DanceMentor said:
If you look at history, dance crazes almost always develop in times of peace and contentment:
1) Birth of Ballroom Dancing at the turn of the century
2) Big Band Era started after the Depression
3) Rock and Roll Started in the 50's after WW2
4) Disco started in the late 70's after Vietnam
5) NeoSwing started in the late 90's while the economy was booming.
Click to expand...

Except that didn't the end of the depression go right into WWII?
 
Okay. I just read a little more. This thread is about dance movements during peace time.

Okay, fine. Once we get past the current wartime mentality, which dance genre, if any, do you think will rise to the top of peoples' consciousness?
 
Spitfire said:
Except that didn't the end of the depression go right into WWII?
Click to expand...

The Big Band era is traditionally dated from 1935, when Benny Goodman played at the Palomar, and lasted until shortly after the end of WW II. Lindy Hop started in NYC in the mid-1920s. I don't think DM's example #2 holds up well.
 
jon said:
Spitfire said:
Except that didn't the end of the depression go right into WWII?
Click to expand...

The Big Band era is traditionally dated from 1935, when Benny Goodman played at the Palomar, and lasted until shortly after the end of WW II. Lindy Hop started in NYC in the mid-1920s. I don't think DM's example #2 holds up well.
Click to expand...

Exactly. When I've talked to my parents about this, I was really surprised to find that they did not associate swing music or dance with WWII. Both music and dance were in place before WWII was an issue (at least from a US perspective.)

So no, at least from a few people who lived it, the depression and WWII and swing dance/music aren't three melded events. The recovery started, according to my Mom, in the mid-thirties, at least five years before the US entered WWII. (Yes. The US entered way late. I know.)
 
I DO NOT WANT TO UPSET PEOPLE BUT...

Please ... as a country ... as world ... and as a Dance Forums
we are going work together here.

We will not be discussing politics, but I do plan to start a forum for just that, but probably after the election. If you are interested in participating, I hope you will contact me by PM.
Thanks
 
Thanks, DM. 8) And to get back on topic, here. :wink: I wonder what the next great dance craze will be? :roll: Anybody have thoughts? I, for one, genuinely hope it won't be a dumb macarena-like line dance, but I fear it will be. :shock:
 
Well, at least grinding is checked off the list (that fad has GOTTA end sometime soon, one would hope. :wink: :lol: )
 
Salsa is SO yesterday ... in terms of a dance craze. It's been mainstream for five or six years at least. I'm talking something new. :tongue: :lol:
 
pygmalion said:
Salsa is SO yesterday ... in terms of a dance craze. It's been mainstream for five or six years at least. I'm talking something new. :tongue: :lol:
Click to expand...
It's just starting to take off in a lot of countriess. Don't expect something like this to die out soon. it's just too big!
 
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