People that can’t dance

[Arrrrrrragghhh]

I can’t. Live music but I just thrash about completely out of rhythm.
Anyway tonight lots if people sniggering at a middle age bloke jumping around to the band when equally pissed youngsters were doing the same.
Anyway whatever do those of us with no sense of movement but like the band/song cope?

I have dyspraxia and can't dance. I can't clap or march in time either, there's no hope for me. A couple of glasses and I don't care, I'm on the dancefloor to have fun and nobody cares. It doesn't matter in the slightest

Choon! 😎👯

Absolutely!!!

Ummm you do a what and what ???

I can't dance for toffee ( or any other sweets 😃)

I occasionally go to a local working men's club , they have bands / karaoke playing on Saturdays.
A couple in their 70s regularly got up and danced they were really good at a lot of the older type of dancing like fox trot , tango , waltz etc .
For a short while the lady didn't come ( possibly illness ) so the gent danced with another lady that was known to the couple.
All he did was complain and tell her she was doing it all wrong and was useless .
I understand that as a couple they would get use to each others steps but that guy was really rude to his temporary partner who seem to be doing a admiral job.
It spoilt her evening, she left much earlier than normal.

I used to leap about very enthusiastically in my 20s. Think Kate Bush.
Haven't been anywhere with actual dancing since about 1990. I think young people do it differently now? Sort of pointing their arms up?

Now I do a line dance class every week which is the nearest thing technically to proper dancing and very challenging for me. Fun though.

Am currently on holiday and last night there was a cheesy band on at a bar. No-one dancing but one woman who stood and moved very elegantly on the spot for ages. She didn't care.

Music is for singing and dancing to, even if you can't do either like a professional can. It's all about how good it feels, enjoying yourself to the max and noone should give a flying f* what anyone else thinks. Having said that im still mortified by the back of me being captured in some recent videos on YouTube as I danced like a crazy woman at a recent gig by my current fave band. Mostly just my head, thankfully

I know what you mean OP. I also have never been able to dance and am only comfortable on the dance floor if I’ve had a few drinks which makes it really difficult for me at events where there is no booze! I am often sat alone on the sidelines watching everyone else dance. I rarely see anyone at parties who can’t dance so can’t help but feel that there is some secret trick to dancing that everyone seems to know apart from me! How???

I totally get everyone saying that we shouldn’t care about what anyone thinks and to just enjoy but I would really love a few pointers to just learn the basics so I can feel comfortable and avoid the dreads in the lead up to any party I’m invited to. 😢

I think the worst dancrs are ones who look like they are terrified and not having any fun.
I was at an event recently where there was a Swing Band and some couples were dancing quite stiffly but then a lady of about 70 got up and started to do crazy jazz hands, she was laughing her head off and while objectively she was probably the worst dancer there in a technical sense she was actually the best.
DD said she planned to do some similar moves at her next student club night!!!

Basics ?

I would say less is more - don’t worry about arms and legs and movement just get a gentle bounce or head sway going to the beat you hear/ feel - there is no wrong rhythm but there are music snobs

practise at home in your living room until it just feels natural so that you won’t feel as strange in the dance floor

keep your head up and smile - because that makes you look confident and happy and it’s a fool who criticises someone who is having fun - plus ( stage craft ) if you do that people think you do know what you are doing. Edit - gosh just what the PP was typing at the same time !

@childofthe607080s - thanks! That’s exactly what I want…for it to just feel natural.

I can't dance. I'm not embarrassed about it though, I just dance like an idiot and enjoy myself.

Everyone's shit at something. No one gets embarrassed if they turn out to be shit at bowling, or crazy golf, or axe throwing, why is dancing any different?

Just flail your arms around like a muppet and enjoy yourself.

I can waltz but when it comes to gigs/clubs/parties I just go for it and couldn't give a fat rat's crack what others think..when the beat hits the feet, the hooves are gonna move.

The only way to have fun at very dull weddings, I find, is to get lightly pissed and get on the dance floor. 🕺

I have rhythm and good co-ordination, so yes I can dance and love getting on the dance floor. It's always intrigued me why some people have rhythm though and some don't? Is there a scientific explanation?