"it seems to me less and less people are going out dancing. Maybe itβs because more people are going sober, maybe itβs because everything is expensive, maybe itβs because people are afraid of being filmed, whatever it is, I think itβs a bunch of bullshit excuses."
I think fewer people are dancing because dance all dance has become a performance (for others to watch, judge, criticize) thanks to the social media that's brought into dance environments by phones.
This is not a "bullshit excuse" -- the panopticon effect of the lens really does modify behavior of the watched. Just as the pressure of being judged and criticized in a dance competition burns out dancers who do it as performance, the lens of the camera has an even stronger effect on hurting the desire of normal people who dance not for performance, but for their own personal joy.
If I'm on the dancefloor grieving the loss of my mother, and dancing in a way that I remember her dancing, and some jerk films me or points a lens in my direction, they've turned my personal grief into a video that they can do whatever they like with.
Fewer people dance because almost all dance has become performance. We need to get away from the performance mindset and back to dance as celebration, dance as togetherness, dance as healing ritual.
This is so interesting! The panopticon effect is so real, I guess I just wish a) people didn't film people without their consent and b) the more people enjoy dancing freely, the more others will want to join in
As someone with a similar background with dance, i relate to this so much. I started off at a competition studio and i didnβt enjoy it so much because it was all about the tricks you could do. I wouldnβt even say itβs technical. Like you can suckle your foot if you can whip out a quad pirouette. I fell in love with dance when i switched studios. I trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern. Loved ballet and all its intricacies and also Graham technique for its drama, but I love dance most when itβs just me at home with my iPod on while cleaning or making a meal. I wish everyone danced more. Itβs so healing.
yes!! we all should dance <3 i always feel so much better when i do, it lifts my spirits
Exactly!!!! Who cares what it looks like, the joy always comes through :)
"it seems to me less and less people are going out dancing. Maybe itβs because more people are going sober, maybe itβs because everything is expensive, maybe itβs because people are afraid of being filmed, whatever it is, I think itβs a bunch of bullshit excuses."
I think fewer people are dancing because dance all dance has become a performance (for others to watch, judge, criticize) thanks to the social media that's brought into dance environments by phones.
This is not a "bullshit excuse" -- the panopticon effect of the lens really does modify behavior of the watched. Just as the pressure of being judged and criticized in a dance competition burns out dancers who do it as performance, the lens of the camera has an even stronger effect on hurting the desire of normal people who dance not for performance, but for their own personal joy.
If I'm on the dancefloor grieving the loss of my mother, and dancing in a way that I remember her dancing, and some jerk films me or points a lens in my direction, they've turned my personal grief into a video that they can do whatever they like with.
Fewer people dance because almost all dance has become performance. We need to get away from the performance mindset and back to dance as celebration, dance as togetherness, dance as healing ritual.
This is so interesting! The panopticon effect is so real, I guess I just wish a) people didn't film people without their consent and b) the more people enjoy dancing freely, the more others will want to join in
Here's a bit I wrote about the impact of phones on dancefloors. https://www.magicaldancefloors.com/p/wheres-the-party-at-not-on-phone
Will def take a look! Thank you for sharing :)
I love your passion and commitment to yourself, itβs so important feed your joy. β€οΈ
Thank you so much Mary!! It is so important!!!!'
βWe are dancers because we are humanβ LOVE!!!!!
I love u :)
As someone with a similar background with dance, i relate to this so much. I started off at a competition studio and i didnβt enjoy it so much because it was all about the tricks you could do. I wouldnβt even say itβs technical. Like you can suckle your foot if you can whip out a quad pirouette. I fell in love with dance when i switched studios. I trained in ballet, jazz, tap, and modern. Loved ballet and all its intricacies and also Graham technique for its drama, but I love dance most when itβs just me at home with my iPod on while cleaning or making a meal. I wish everyone danced more. Itβs so healing.